South Luangwa National Park - Lions, zebras, and leopards, ohh my!
Having visitors come is always refreshing and allows for more adventures to ensue. My sister, brother-in-law, boyfriend, and I headed for South Luangwa National Park. Situated in the Eastern Province of Zambia, South Luangwa is home to a great variety and large concentration of animals and birds. There are over 400 species of birds. To me, without binoculars most birds look the same. I was more interested in the animals and the geography of the terrain.
South Luangwa is known as one of the greatest safari parks in Africa. This is probably due to the large amount of animals that reside near the Luangwa river, the most intact river system in all of Africa. Although when we were on our safari, the river looked dry and barren. Giraffes, zebras, and even monkeys were sucking on mud to get more water. The deepest parts of the water were inhabited and controlled by hippos and crocodiles.
While at the park, we stayed right outside the park at Marula Lodge. Marula Lodge had the full inclusive amenities of any game park lodge with a Peace Corps discount! It's right above the Luangwa River, so we could hear hippos make their unique and indescribable noises while the baboons fight above your tent. In fact, the whole first night I lay awake listening to what I believed were hippos splashing in the pool. The next night I was able to sleep better when the staff told me that the splashing in the pool was really just toilets flushing.
During the day, we explored the park on early morning and evening game drives. Within the first 5 minutes of our first safari, we encountered a leopard hanging out under the shade of the tree. The congestion of vehicles made the experience of watching that leopard less exciting, so we moved on. Our guide drove around other vehicles and we were able to spot many animals throughout the park, including: a family of lions, giraffe, monkeys, hyenas, waterbuck, buffalo, warthogs, elephants, impala, kudu, leopards, and zebras.
We were very fortunate that we had an experienced guide who taught us so much about the creatures we encountered and the park we explored. The zebras were among my favorite. They're like horses with funky striped art. Their stripes are like fingerprints unique to each one. The hyenas waited under the tree for the leopard to come down with its catch to allow them to feed on the leftovers.
I learned how male-dominated our society is when our guide told us that a strong male hippo or male impala control and compete for a group of females. When a male isn't strong enough to have a pack of females, they are left alone to eat and live on their own. To see lone hippos and impalas were a sad sight. At least leopards are individualistic and choose to travel and monitor the park alone.
The safari was incredible and was definitely a must-do during my service and is something everybody should try to experience during their lifetime. Everyday I'm thankful for my opportunity to live, volunteer, and explore in sub-Saharan Africa.
Gracie Geremia is a Peace Corps volunteer and past Lovelock Relay for Life community coordinator for the American Cancer Society. She is now on a 27-month assignment in Zambia, Africa. The Lovelock Correctional Center sends occasional care packages to Geremia. To be part of this package program contact Lt. Olivas at 273-4279 or donations can be dropped at the LCC gatehouse. The Lovelock Review-Miner will publish periodic updates of her adventures in Africa.
[[In-content Ad]]
