False LOWER ZAMBEZI: Where to stay There is a good choice of accommodation, from lodges to campsites, situated both inside the park and in the Chiawa Game Managament Area ( GMA) to the west. With advance booking and a 4WD, you can drive yourself into any of these, but most people arrange for a transfer by road or air. Lower Zambezi May 2008 Travel Zambia 31 123 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1314 15 16 17 ZIMBABWE ZAMBIA Chirundu Zambezi River N TZ 01020 miles 0102030 km Kafue River LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK MANA POOLS NATIONAL PARK Kafue Pontoon 18 19 Luangwa River Above: A lucky game drive may turn up wild dogs. Left: A snoozing hippo acquires some passengers. BOTH IMAGES STEPHEN CUNLIFFE West of the National Park ( in the Chiawa GMA) 1 Kiambi Lower Zambezi www. kiambi. co. za 2 Kanyemba Lodge www. kanyemba. com 3 Wild Tracks Adventure Camp info@ wildtracks. info 4 Kayila Lodge www. safpar. com 5 Nyati River Lodge 2RZWILD2bushmail. net 6 Mvuu Lodge www. mvuulodge. com 7 Sobek Canoe Adventures www. zambezi. co. uk 8 Baines River Camp www. bainesrivercamp. com 9 Kasaka River Lodge www. kasakariverlodge. com 10 Royal Zambezi Lodge www. royalzambezi. com 11 Chongwe River Camp www. chongwe. com Within the National Park 12 Chiawa Camp www. chiawa. com 13 Sausage Tree www. sausagetreecamp. com 14 Mwambashi River Lodge www. royalzambezi. com www. safpar. com ( sister camp to Kayila Lodge) 15 Old Mondoro see Chiawa or Sausage Tree ( above) 16 Kulefu Camp www. sanctuarylodges. com/ kulefu. htm 17 Ana Tree Lodge www. anatreelodge. com East of the National park Camps east of the Mpata Gorge are usually reached from the village of Luangwa, which itself is readily accessible by 2WD from the Great East Road. 18 Zambezi River Lodge Tel: 01 250972 or 097 826177 19 Redcliff Zambezi Lodge www. redcliff- lodge. com

False 32 Travel Zambia May 2008 Had you always been interested in Africa? Steve: We had long been interested in wildlife and were avid collectors of books about Africa, as well as tribal artefacts, such as shields, weapons and carvings. The more we read, learned and collected, the more we wanted to visit. Did it live up to your expectations? Anna: Absolutely! We were totally captivated. That first trip completely turned our lives around. Steve: We both fell in love with Africa: the wildlife, the people, the music, the freedom and the sense of adventure. How often did you visit after your first trip? Anna: We managed a four to five- week trip every year, each time visiting different countries renowned for their wildlife. We had some real adventures, including catching armed poachers and being charged by elephants. When and why did you emigrate? Steve: We were both passionate about Africa and wanted to spend the rest of our days there. In May 1998 we put our house on the market, placed all our worldly goods in storage and embarked on the greatest adventure of our lives. Why Zambia? Anna: We first visited Zambia in 1994. We loved it so much we returned twice more, in 1995 and 1996. We knew even then that if we did eventually emigrate, it would be to Zambia. Did you have any idea how you would earn a living? Steve: Thankfully, with the sale of our house and my police pension, we didn’t need to earn any money in Africa. I was interested in It took Steve and Anna Tolan just seven days of a safari in 1989 to fall in love with Africa. In the years that followed, these two police officers from the UK’s Thames Valley returned to the continent again and again. On each trip, the desire to stay permanently grew stronger – until finally, in 1998, they settled in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, where they founded the pioneering Chipembele Wildlife Education Centre. Ron Toft heard their story. Above: It takes three: Steve and Anna Tolan, plus Bulu the Wonderdog. Below: Learning at Chipembele demands teamwork. Interview CHIPEMBELE RON TOFT STEVE and ANNA TOLAN: BUSH EDUCATION