From Zambia to Tanzania



Days 10 - 13 – 20th – 23rd June 2019

On the way to Mutinondo we stopped in at Kundalila Falls.  The falls are were really impressive, but the height of them could not be properly photographed from the view point.   This was the best we could do at the top of the falls:


Kundalila Falls

After the stop at the falls we pushed on to Mutinondo, where we stayed at a campsite that had a lovely round shelter with a fire place.  We were looking forward to the birding here.
Mutinondo is a proper wilderness camp and ideal for hikers.  One needs to take your rubbish with you upon departure, the toilets are long drops, but the showers are decent and the water is warmed by a donkey boiler.

Not a bird was to be seen or heard, so we decided to push on to Kapishya Hot Springs the following morning.


Kapishya Hot Springs

We absolutely loved Kapishya Hot Springs – the hot springs, the camp site, the birdlife.  We decided to stay for three nights instead of the planned two, camped on the banks of the Manasha River.





A White Browed Robin Chat visited us every afternoon, singing for a small piece of cheese.  Our next afternoon visitor was not as welcome – we think a black cobra, easily two metres long – swimming in the river along the campsite.  Then are there we decided that the porta-potties were going to be put to good use during the evenings going forward!


Dinner was had at the Lodge on one evening and the remaining dinners were done on the fire.  We had heard that the road going north from hereon was really bad, which meant two long days on the road lay ahead – one to Kings Highway Kulunga, and the next across the border to Mbeya, Tanzania.

It was indeed a long road to Kings Highway Kulunga the next day.  The road in sections was so potholed that you really didn’t know where to drive, as the dirt next to the roads was just as bumpy.


Our destination was however really, really nice – tucked away in the bush where there was just you and the owls who put you to sleep with their incessant hooting.

We had banked on at least two hours of getting to the border post (54km’s), but fortunately some repairs had been done on the road and only 15km’s of the last stretch to Tuduma was really bad.  It still took us about an hour and a half to do the 54 km’s.

The border post was another matter – a “one stop shop” border that still took three and a half hours to cross because of all the red tape.  After paying US$25 for road tax and TShilling 150 000 for 3 months’ third party insurance, we were on our way to Utungele Coffee Lodge, another 2 hours from the border, owing to the segregation of trucks and light vehicles travelling on certain sections of the road up the mountain.

We settled in to our first night in Tanzania to three great tastes of the coffee grown at Utungele Coffee Farm – really great!  Everyone was so friendly – a huge super-duper welcome to Tanzania!  Of course a few “Killies” were savoured before dinner, and we all look forward to what awaits us in Tanzania.

Tomorrow we make our way to Iringa, and then on to the Ruaha National Park for three nights.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tarangire National Park

Image
Day 30 & 31 – 8 th & 9 th Jully 2019 The trip from Arusha to Tarangire was absolutely facinating.  Being Masaai territory, you expected only to see the Masaai tending their herds.  But our journey co-incided with a special cattle market in the Mgagau area.  It is here where people come and buy and sell cattle, goats and sheep for either for butcheries, milking and farming. Mgagau Cattle Market  And, of course, some Masaai are too lazy to walk their goat to the market! A Masaai taking his goat to market Tarangire National Park thus far has been the best National Park we have ever visited.   Not a large variety of game, but massive herds of zebra, buffalo, elephant and giraffe.   Also, huge prides of lion. Upon arrival at the gate, the large number of tour operated vehicles was overwhelming.  This is possibly forerunner of what we can expect in the Serengeti earlier next week. Tour Operator's vehicles for Tarangire We wanted special camps
Read more

Peponi Beach Resort

Image
Peponi is really off the beaten track, and for a resort, terribly unspoilt.   We were pleasantly surprised that the campsites had electricity.  We did nothing other than relax for the three days! Peponi Beach When the tide was low, like Zanizibar’s East Coast, the water ebbs for miles. We enjoyed huge bon fires after dinner at the campsite and also bought a big fish (we think a yellow tail) and a much smaller bottom feeder which sort of looks like a grunter, off a local fisherman.  They were prepared on the braai with lovely roasted vegetables and sweet potatoes that we had bought along the road.  Delicious! As there were only 4 vehicles camping, we got to meet the other two couples – the first a young couple from north London, Gabby and Fred, who were on a six-month belated honeymoon that started in Sri Lanka, followed by India and now Africa for the remaining 4 months.  They joined us around the camp fire one evening. The second couple were South Africans from
Read more

The countdown has begun!

After tons of internet research and input from experienced overland travellers who are members of the 4 x 4 Community website, we have finalised our travel plans.  Our thanks go to all those who contributed to our proposed itinerary.  As a great mentor, Stan Weakley deserves a special mention for his valuable input and advice on our plans.  Thanks Stan! This trip will take us from the east coast of South Africa through Botswana, into Katima Mulilo in Namibia, Zambia,Tanzania and Rwanda, and then returning through Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Botswana  home.  A trip of 90 days. Travelling through Africa does not come without its difficulties.  Due to the recent outbreak of foot and mouth disease in the Limpopo, no raw meat can be taken into Botswana.  Also, when entering Botswana this time last year, they confiscated our fruit and veg at the border because of an alleged "fruit fly problem" which according to Botswana border controls up north should not have happened.  A fu
Read more