[TRAVEL]: 6 Nights in Zambia – August 2019

August 2019 – Fishing Time in Zambia

What’s an August travel post without a feature on Zambia? I was super lucky to have been in the Lower Zambezi for the first week of August taking part in The Lower Zambezi All Species Fishing Competition. Didn’t catch my last Zambia post? Click here to read more.

Where I Stayed

I flew down with my dad on Wednesday the 31st of July as the competition began on Friday the 2nd of August and we stayed at our usual spot, Gwabi River Lodge. Gwabi were also the hosts of the competition, while Taylor’s Tiger Fishing Tours was one of their main sponsors. Delicious meals, a never-ending flow of drinks and awesome comradery were the main elements every day at the lodge and on the River. I always stay in one of the superior chalets but Gwabi offers different types of accommodation. Many of my friends there usually opt for camping.

A Bit More on LZASFC

As I’ve always mentioned in my blog posts on my trips to Zambia, we always practice “Catch and Release”. This year, Gwabi along with the ZSFA were able to make changes to ensure the sustainability of the fishing resources on the Zambezi River. Gwabi implemented a points system that rewards the species caught rather than the size of the catch. This was to ensure that sensitive species like tigerfish are not overly targeted and to rather encourage variety. They also changed to a length-based format. In keeping with international standards, no fish were kept alive in live wells or brought in for weighing-in. Instead, all fish was released where they were caught after a quick photo on the ‘brag mats’ for measuring. No fish was weighed to minimize injury and handling of the fish, and to encourage a change toward the international standard of measuring fish instead.

Super impressed by this! Plus all the data captured from the photos with the lengths and species is going to be used for scientific purposes to study the conservation of the Zambezi.

Tsika Island

Both my parents have told me so much about how they love Tsika Island. It’s further down river and you can even stay over there. My dad often hosts lunches there with his tour groups. This was my first time there and I can now see why they rave so much about it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s nothing fancy or luxurious, but the peace and quiet and utter relaxation are enough.

My dad dropped me off while he did some more fishing and I sat and just enjoyed the beautiful view of the mighty Zambezi River. In between daydreaming and sipping on my drink, I heard a noise to the left of me and when I looked up I saw a herd of elephants making their way through the bush. What an incredible experience! I have such a deep love for elephants and had to restrain myself from going too close to them. I so badly wanted to say “hi” to them.

Some Wildlife Snaps of Zambia

One of my favourite things to do when I’m in Zambia and we are drifting down the river is to take photos of the incredible wildlife. Out of all my Zambian experiences, I’ve only seen lions on the river banks once but best you believe that I look for them each time.

Exciting News

Some exciting news, I’m heading to Zambia again in 2 weeks time to attend the Zambezi Shores Festival. If you’re in the area, pull in! It’s going to be amazing! For more information and to buy your ticket, click here.