20 June 2008: Northgate Camp - Chobe NP, Savuti Camp. We left the Moremi NP and went into Chobe National park to camp at Savuti Camp, which is famous for its big elephants. We only spotted one in the distance. Enroute we passed some hippo pools. The hippos were resting ashore to warm up in the sun.

21 June 2008: Savuti - Ihaha Camp. We travelled further north to Ihaha, which lies on the banks of the Chobe River. Here we spotted lots of game: impala, kudu, waterbuck, hippo, crocodile, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, warthog, jackal and many birds. We stayed for 2 nights. The buffalos were grazing next to our tents, a bit scary but the animals seemed very peaceful. We also had our first lion in Ihaha Camp, a lioness sneaking around our campsite but disappeared when we pointed our torches towards her.

23 June 2008: Ihaha - Livingstone / Zambia. We left Chobe NP and headed for Zambia. We entered Zambia at Kasungula with a ferry across the Zambezi. Ferries in Africa are a must. Cars, busses, trucks, bicycles and plenty pedestrians with loads of goods are waiting to get onto the ferry. On the muddy banks of the river stalls and shops offering anything the traveller might need. There is always one vehicle stuck on the ramp of the ferry, but with lots of manpower it will be moved and finally the loading can go on. You have to be very patient, some truck drivers wait for more than seven days, but we have been lucky and only waited for about 1.5 hours before we were allowed to go on board.

After the ferry experience and the procedure of immigration into Zambia we went to Livingstone, where we spent 2 nights at the Waterfront campsite. We visited the Victoria Waterfalls. Marta and Emma were thrilled by the huge spray. Dressed up with black refuse bags and soaking wet we looked like aliens visiting the blue planet.

25 June 2008: Livingstone - Lusaka. The road to Lusaka is in a very bad condition. One pothole follows another so we only arrived late after sunset in Lusaka at the Eureka Campsite. Part of the camp is a small game reserve with giraffes, zebras and kudus, which stray around the tents. We stayed for 2 nights as on the 26 June 08 Joachim’s sister and family flew into Lusaka to join us on our trip.

27 June 2008: Lusaka - Kafue National park, McBrides’ Camp. Our 4x4, now packed with 4 adults and 4 children, as we headed for Kafue National park, Mc Brides’ Camp. It took us a couple of hours before we reached the park’s border since the road is very bad. Besides some areas are infected with Tsetse flies so we were not able to stop for a break or even to open the windows. But the reward was the Mc Brides camp, which lies at the banks of the Kafue river right in the bush. We stayed for 5 nights in the camp in open chalets. The camp does not have electricity. They cook on open fire and at night the chalets and lounge are lit by paraffin lamps. The hosts are Chris and Charlotte Mc Bride. For many years Chris studies lions and we were entertained by his stories at night at the campfire. Every morning we went for a game walk and in the afternoon for a game drive. Lots of hippos live at the Kafue and its adjacent rivers. The nights have been most exciting. Impalas, pukus and hippos were grazing around the chalets. We could hear their grunting and even the roar of lions was very near.

2 July 2008: Mc Brides’ camp - Lusaka, Pioneer’s camp. Back to Lusaka we had a stopover at Pioneer’s camp before heading for South Luangwa National park.

3 July 2008: Lusaka - Chipata, Mamarula’s camp. Another stopover as the road to South Luangwa NP is a bad gravel road. We also had to stock up our groceries.

4 July 2008: Chipata - South Luangwa NP, Wildlife camp. The scenic road into the Luangwa Valley took us about 4 hours. We camped for two nights at the Wildlife camp on the shores of the Luangwa River. We watched many animals approaching the river. On a game drive in the park we saw a pack of lions, which has killed a buffalo the previous night. The lions, whose tummies were already filled, were guarding the remains of the buffalo as vultures already showed up. At night we had a visitor in our an elephant, which showed lots of interest in our vehicles and tents but did not smashed anything.

10 July 2008: Senga Bay - Blantyre / Limbe. From Lake Malawi we went south and stopped in Blantyre / Limbe to get our entry visas for Mozambique. There are no campsites in and around Blantyre / Limbe. We finally camped on the sport field at Limbe Country Club ? quite unusual but recommendable.

11 July 2008: Blantyre - Nsanji. We planned our trip through the very south of Malawi into Mozambique. This remote route is not very popular but described in travel guides and maps just that we could not find out, if the Santa Anna Bridge over the Zambezi River was open for vehicles.

We could not make it to the border that day and had to stay over in Nsanji. This isolated village does not have any camping facilities but a hotel, The Safari Lodge, where we spent the night. A down-to-earth accommodation but with friendly and helpful people.

13 July 2008: Tete - Chimoio. Since we wanted to go to the Mozambiquen cost we still had to travel about 800 km. We decided to split the trip and stopped in Chimoio for one night. We found accommodation at the Hotel Extravaganza, quite an impressive name but it could not keep up with it. At night we went to a local restaurant. A very nice place only that we could not understand the menu as none of us speaks Portuguese and the waiter did not speak English. But however we got some food, which was quite tasty.

14 July 2008: Chimoio - Vilanculos. South-eastwards we travelled through Mozambique to the coast. For some areas are still contaminated with mines we always had to stay on the road even for the unavoidable breaks. After arriving in Vilanculos we started looking for a campsite. Although Vilanculos is a very popular holiday destination the campsites are in very poor conditions. We ended up at the Baobab Beach camp beautifully situated at the beach of Vilanculos but well over it “sell by date” with crooked security. We stayed for four nights and also visited the Bazzaruto Archipelago. Spectacular beaches, where we found the most beautiful shells and very lively when the traditional fishermen come ashore to sell their catch of the day.

After four days we went to another campsite south of Vilanculos, the Blue Water camp, which has been not as lively but with better facilities. Two days later we travelled further south.

22 July 2008: Inhambane - Bilene. The village lies on a lagoon. We camped for two nights at the Complexo Palmeiras, close to the beach with good facilities. At night Georgio, a staff member of the campsite, prepared our dinner; prawns, crabs and fish.

24 July 2008: Bilene - Maputo. Our next stopped was the capital of Mozambique, Maputo. We spent the night at the Cordosa Hotel as it offers excellent accommodation and safe parking in the centre of the city.

25 July 2008: Maputo - Swaziland, Hlane National park. The next morning we headed for the Hlane National park in Swaziland. Border crossing went quickly but remember not to take fresh meat into the kingdom. Hlane NP is quite small but has a beautiful campsite with waterhole, where elephants, rhinos and other game come close. We stayed for two nights.

27 July 2008: Swaziland - Hluhluwe Umfolozi National park, South Africa. Six weeks after we left South Africa we returned into the country. We spent one night in the Hluhluwe Umfolozi NP, where we did not see too much game.

28 July 2008: Hluhluwe Umfolozi - St. Lucia. We camped for two nights at the Sugarloaf Campsite outside St. Lucia. The camp is close to the beach and surrounded by waters of the wetlands, which are full of crocodiles and hippos.