This story of adventure was meant to be published a while ago. Unfortunately I was flattened by an African parasite that caused a lack of energy for many weeks.

For some years I have visited the southern part of Africa twice a year; a non-hunting journey early on in the year and a hunting ditto later that same year.

Usually in March with a group of non-hunters, participants I “target” and invite to join me on an adventure that they cannot book anywhere.



I like to do walking safaris in areas where no other tourists are present, where 5 star lodges are not where we stay, where Africa with all her sounds and smells surround us. Where Africa gets under your skin. It has turned out to be a huge success.

It was time to visit Zambia – a country that has been high on my wish list for years.

So I wrote to Andrew Baldry.

To make a long tale short, Andrew replied what I’d hoped but not counted on, that he would host with Thor Kirchner at Munyamadzi my group in March 2015. The Kafue was just too wet this time of year.

As a hunter, I also wanted badly to see the area and not least meet the gentlemen who offered hunting at Kafue and Munyamadzi.

Some huge trophys have been taken at Munyamadzi, remember the very large bushbuck.





Arriving at camp, we were blown away by the beauty of the area.



The Luangwa River – the hippos welcomed us with their noses above water; the puku on the opposite bank as well.

Munyamadzi Camp is very attractive, the chalets inviting and charming, and all with a view of the Luangwa.





The whole camp is classy, a pleasure to be in. The dining area, the bar and the sun downer corner, lit up after dark by large candles placed in lanterns.










Our cook was outstanding; we enjoyed the finest meals, very varied and all great tasting. Thor had built a pizza oven right next to the sun downer area and one night we did a “do your own pizza”. That was another huge success.

We had been warned it would be green and wet. And so it was, also hot and humid. Black cotton soil stopped us frequently, this will get you dirty as you get out pushing, and with grass taller than an elephant stands it had us wondering as we walked.




We enjoyed an adventure never to be forgotten, the magic of the area was obvious. Dramatic skies every night at this time of the year; thunder and lightning as only seen in Lord of the Rings. The colors were breathtaking.







Mornings of driving around, getting off to walk (or push). Tracking lions with luck, bumping elephant albeit a very surprised one. That encounter had everyone’s attention! A kudu spotted here, an impala there. A slinking lion, a lazy croc.











The fun was that this was so very different from all other previous adventures and walking safaris that I have participated in. There was no pointing, buffalo on your right, elephant on your left; they may have been there, but impossible to see. We had to use our imagination, study the tracks carefully and listen to the birds. Oh the birds, so many seen, a birders paradise.








Andrew and Thor arranged a number of other great activities for us. We fished, from ponds and from the Luangwa. Some went hunting for camp meat. We swam the pools above Munyamadzi, and had brunch on the rocks between dips. We had the time of our lives.














Driving out of Munyamadzi, we stopped for brunch at Chitope Lagoon, munching through our freshly made bacon sandwiches face to face with hippo and an array of varied birdlife. A Thorneycroft giraffe was spotted just after.

Andrew Baldry is a true gentleman, never missing a step in order to service his clientele. He mixes a mean g&t, has a lot of tales to tell, a man of the bush with humor and class. Thor Kirchner, Danish roots and all is a pleasure to be around. He possibly has the best overview of a camp the size of Munyamadzi I have ever experienced.

Thank you very much Andrew and Thor for all you did to make this trip a very special one.



We returned to Lusaka, enjoyed a night at Pioneer Camp and next day transferred to Johannesburg. We were continuing our adventures at another private camp, the Eco Bateleur Camp out of Timbavati and stayed the night at Africa Sky Guest House before our flight to Hooedspruit next day. We had the pleasure of sharing a fire with Martin and Candy Pieters that night. So very nice to meet them both, Candy, the person who had provided my daughter Julia and I with the best stay over in Victoria Falls last year after our hunt with CMS.

I will be returning to Munyamadzi in November to do a bit of hunting. My youngest daughter Julia, a talented photographer, will be joining me and capture the magic of Munyamadzi at that specific time of year. Stay tuned for more.

Awesome!

Very cool

Looked to be a very fun trip!

Congratulations to everyone. Well done.

Great to see everyone having so much fun.

That is how it is supposed to be.

Mej,

Thanks for sharing. Hope you are now over your "bug". Andrew wasn't feeling so well the last I talked with him either.

Cheers
Jim

Some more outstanding pictures and another great report!
Outstanding.

Morten

Some really great pics. Thanks for sharing

Outstanding! I have got to book with Andrew!


.

Thanks for the post, MEJ. Keep well.

Mej;

Thanks for sharing another fantastic adventure with many wonderful memories.

I'll look forward to Part 2 (The hunt)!

Best regards, D. Nelson

Looks like both PHs had their hands full with the women out fishing them as such!! Love the picture with Andrews hand on his waste ( bloody hell she's got another one, Thor catch something will you!)


Great job ladies!!

Fantastic photos!

That bushbuck is amazing! I would never hunt bushbuck again if I got something like that!

Mej,

I'm primarily a hunter but have done some photo touring also. Getting away from the crowd is the way to do it and the Luangwa is a magic spot to do just that.

Well done.

Mark

A very nicely organized and executed trip!

Beautiful pictures.

Andrew looks like he's in his glory!

If you don't mind discussing, what sort of parasite and how do you think it was transmitted? (mosquite, tsetse, fresh water...). I hope and trust you are feeling better and whatever they gave you knocked it out for good.

Written almost as beautifly as the pictures are.
Thanks for sharing your great trip with us.
George

I'd like to participe in a trip like this one day. Excellent.

Thank you for a delightful report and the excellent photo's.
Looking forward to our adventure in November.

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
A very nicely organized and executed trip!

Beautiful pictures.

Andrew looks like he's in his glory!

If you don't mind discussing, what sort of parasite and how do you think it was transmitted? (mosquite, tsetse, fresh water...). I hope and trust you are feeling better and whatever they gave you knocked it out for good.

No I don't mind telling what sort of parasite I (and the others) were infected with. It is a fresh water parasite. Schistosomiasis is the name of the infection. It can take up to fifty days to determine and it therefore took almost two months before we received treatment. It is a nasty parasite.

All but one in the party jumped into the refreshing pools in the cliffs above Munyamadzi Camp. It was hot and we were too carefree. I completely forgot what I know, never swim in freshwater.

Thank you for your post, I am fine by now, we all are. Getting into shape for hunts coming up in November.

Kind regards
Jytte

quote:

Originally posted by mej:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
A very nicely organized and executed trip!

Beautiful pictures.

Andrew looks like he's in his glory!

If you don't mind discussing, what sort of parasite and how do you think it was transmitted? (mosquite, tsetse, fresh water...). I hope and trust you are feeling better and whatever they gave you knocked it out for good.

No I don't mind telling what sort of parasite I (and the others) were infected with. It is a fresh water parasite. Schistosomiasis is the name of the infection. It can take up to fifty days to determine and it therefore took almost two months before we received treatment. It is a nasty parasite.

All but one in the party jumped into the refreshing pools in the cliffs above Munyamadzi Camp. It was hot and we were too carefree. I completely forgot what I know, never swim in freshwater.

Thank you for your post, I am fine by now, we all are. Getting into shape for hunts coming up in November.

Kind regards
Jytte

They must have a lot of ducks and geese in that area. I thought you usually had a problem with that in stagnant pools not running water?

Cheers Jim

Looks like a wonderful time you all had in a beautiful place. I'm headed there in September to hunt with a couple friends and this was a great primer. Thanks for sharing.

Hell of a bush buck congratulations

quote:

Originally posted by Frostbit:

quote:

Originally posted by mej:

quote:

Originally posted by Bill C:
A very nicely organized and executed trip!

Beautiful pictures.

Andrew looks like he's in his glory!

If you don't mind discussing, what sort of parasite and how do you think it was transmitted? (mosquite, tsetse, fresh water...). I hope and trust you are feeling better and whatever they gave you knocked it out for good.

No I don't mind telling what sort of parasite I (and the others) were infected with. It is a fresh water parasite. Schistosomiasis is the name of the infection. It can take up to fifty days to determine and it therefore took almost two months before we received treatment. It is a nasty parasite.

All but one in the party jumped into the refreshing pools in the cliffs above Munyamadzi Camp. It was hot and we were too carefree. I completely forgot what I know, never swim in freshwater.

Thank you for your post, I am fine by now, we all are. Getting into shape for hunts coming up in November.

Kind regards
Jytte

They must have a lot of ducks and geese in that area. I thought you usually had a problem with that in stagnant pools not running water?

Cheers Jim

Some of the larger pools upstream were brackish and indeed I did not think that Bilharzia was present but we all succumbed to the parasite and it was not a pleasant experience. Still I needed to loose a few pounds before the start of the season.

Somehow I remember "someone" saying her buffalo hunt in Zim last year would be the her last...

Didn't think that would last long...

Congratulations on an outstanding trip and report Jytte!

I would love to do a trip like this If I can hunt some camp meat, awesome

quote:

Originally posted by Svinejakt:
I would love to do a trip like this If I can hunt some camp meat, awesome

See the Hunts Offered forum.

Mej,

Thank you for posting this, very nice pictures

quote:

Originally posted by Ridgeman:
Thank you for a delightful report and the excellent photo's.
Looking forward to our adventure in November.

Look forward to meeting you. We will have the finest of times for sure.
Kind regards
Jytte

Bravissimo to one and all involved! Fantastic adventure, and very nicely told.