Victoria Falls, ZW Day 5

Day 05 – Tuesday, October 6, 2009 - Free Day at Victoria Falls – Optional Activities – Excursion to Zambia

Wow – is it ever dark here in the Heart of Africa at 4:45 in the morning! We had to wake up early to go on our optional activity – Walk with the Lions. We hurried to take a shower and then meet the group in the lobby at 5:30.

Stewart and Ellen and Gennie and I were joined by a large bus full of other people and our guide, Manuel who took us on a 20 minute ride to the Victoria Falls Game Preserve.

The Game Preserve is about 6000 hectares or 13,500 square acres. It is a home to the big five, Africa’s most famous animals. Rhino, Cape buffalo, lion, cheetah, and elephants along with all of the smaller animals live naturally in this area and are protected at the Preserve.

The animals are in their natural habitat and able to hunt and graze on their own, but are protected by electric fences and armed guards against poachers who try to harm them.

When we arrived at the reception area, we were greeted with coffee or tea. Most of the group went on an early morning game drive and 8 of us went on the Lion Walk.

Manuel gave us an orientation and told us a few rules for our walk with the lions. This sanctuary is for cubs whose mothers have been killed, captured, or somehow have been abandoned.

We walked a short way into the bush to be greeted by three young male lions; Alex who was 15 months, Jacob who was 9 months and Wabos who was 7 months old.

The lions have been raised in captivity so they are trained, but not tame. Three handlers were with us all of the time and very watchful of any sudden movements by us or the cats.

We were encouraged to pet these beautiful animals and the handlers were very accommodating to help us get to know the cats. We stopped often for photographs and to get up close and personal with all three of them.

The middle lion, Jacob was particularly fond of me. Gennie took many photos of us walking together. Several times when I would stop, Jacob would lay down on my foot. When I was kneeling down to take a picture of Alex, Jacob sat right down behind me and cuddled right up against my back.

Our walk to the river so the cats could get a drink was very memorable. We started back after 30 minutes and by 7:15 we were at the reception area.

Breakfast was served at 7:30. It was minimal, but we came to see the cats, not to have a banquet. When we arrived back at the hotel at 8:40 we had some juice, fruit, and yogurt.

Our next activity was not until 11:00 so we went back to the room to look at our Lion Photos. Gennie started to type our memories of the morning.

While Gennie went shopping with Reason, Beth and Ellen; I took advantage of the Flight of Angels a 13 minute helicopter flight over the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls.

Because the river was low, there was not a lot of water and therefore not much mist so I was able to get wonderful aerial photos in the short time we were in the air. There were only 3 of us and the pilot in a small Bell Jet Ranger helicopter.

It was a once in a lifetime experience, and I am happy that I did it. Gennie was just as happy to have stayed on the ground. Comparing notes at lunch, we think we made good choices!

Lunch as over at 2:00 and we had to run back to the room to get our passports and the money to go to Zambia. Alex, a driver took us to the border and our passports were stamped again. Then we changed vans and drivers and went into Zambia.

While our driver Nawa took our money and our passports to the office, we watched a lively black market trade going on. The economy of Zambia is much richer that Zimbabwe so money changes hands under the table and across the border frequently.

Nawa told us about his country and the city. Livingstone is the only city remaining in the country with a British name as the others were renamed since the independence of the county in 1964.

Our destination was the Livingstone Museum, the largest museum in Zambia. When we went in, it was so hot the asphalt was melting on the pavement. I checked the weather meter and it was 96º but only 25% humidity.

The guide for the museum was Urgent, who started our tour with an orientation map of Zambia and the surrounding countries. We went through the small museum together, starting with the archeological findings and ending with the present day government.

The most interesting parts were the galleries of Dr. David Livingstone, the medical doctor, missionary, and explorer who was here in Africa to alleviate the slave trade and find the source of the Nile River.

Livingstone is highly revered in this part of Africa as a liberator and friend of the people. When he died in 1873, his heart was buried in Zambia and his body was taken back to be buried in Westminster Abby.

When we left the museum at 3:45, Nawa took us on a tour of the old section of the city of Livingstone. We saw the old colonial homes with the wide verandas, now in need of repair. Much of the city is now a World Heritage Site so buildings cannot be torn down, and there is not a lot of money to restore them.

Nawa had told us that Zambia, once called Northern Rhodesia was a refuge for Jews during the Holocaust. We stopped at the Jewish Cemetery and he explained that after WWII, the Jews left and went to settle in Israel.

We made one more stop at the plush Royal Livingstone Hotel on the Zambezi River. We walked to the river to see the water disappearing over the falls, but our view on this side was only the mist in the sunlight.

After going through the border out of Zambia, Reason allowed us to walk over the bridge to the Zimbabwe side. Not only did it give us good exercise, but we were able to take a few photos as cars, vans or busses are not allowed to stop.

It was 5:30 when we arrived back at the hotel. We took a shower, checked the photos from the day, and typed the journal.

Dinner was at the hotel, we have been very pleased with the service and the meals here at the Ilala Lodge.

Accommodations: Ilala Lodge - - - Meal: B, L, D

Please see our Trip Evaluation -- Click Here -- A Complete Review of Overseas Adventure Travel's -- Post-Trip: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

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Wow. Adventure of a lifetime walking with lions. There wasn't even a split second where you were unsure of the lions intention? Yummi, american breakfast

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