The Zambia Travel Expo (zatex) 2015

From the 21st of May to the 23rd of May 2015, Zambia tourism Board held The "Zambia Travel Expo" with the THEME; Promoting Tourism Through Collaboration Not Competition". This inaugural tourism indaba, brought together international buyers, exhibitors, the media and the general public to one market place at the Mulungushi International Conference Centre in Lusaka, Zambia. I went there on the second day and i should say that it was well organised and it was a very good initiative that brought everyone in the hospitality industry together and interact. I managed to interact with some of the exhibitors and it was very successful. I am glad that I was recognised as a Zambia Travel blogger and hoping to work with some of them in future. I have an invitation for the next Expo which will be held in Zimbabwe next month. I will let you all know how it goes. Look out for lots of interesting posts and my adventures too in the coming months and years.

PICTURES FROM YESTERDAY

Exhibition for Mika Lodges

I am just trying to dance with these women.

With Caristo Chitamfya, the Public Relations and Media Manager at the Zambia Tourism Board

                                       It was a wonderful and successful day.

The Kafue River Cliff Experience.....

A view of the Kafue River Cliff from the Lady Betty Boat.

Kafue is a small town located in the outskirts of Lusaka, about 47km from Lusaka City and it takes about an hour to get there. Just about 7km from Kafue town, is Kafue River Cliff. The sign post for the Cliff is on your left side if you are coming from Lusaka and thats where you branch off from to go to the Kafue River Cliff. When you turn, the road isn't bad, its a gravel road but it has been maintained quite well.

Just Arrived!! with my girlfriends

My friends and I decided to go for a boat cruise last Saturday as part of the Easter Holiday celebrations. We started off from Lusaka around 10:30am and we got there around 12:30.pm. We were delayed on the road because of the traffic police who were doing some check-ups on the road. We passed two traffic road-blocks, one in Lilayi town and the other past Chilanga town. Make sure that you have all the papers for your vehicle and your drivers licence if you are the one driving..,those police officers are HARD lol!! Apart from that, we took a bit of time taking pictures with some cows along the way. It was lots of fun!

When you reach the gate at the Kafue River Cliff, you pay k15.00 as entry fee per person. I didn't find out if the charges vary for adults and children though. For the Lady Betty Boat Cruise, its k100.00 per person. I can't give you the prices in dollars for the exchange rate keeps changing all the time.

Its Lunch Time! Bon appetit!

When we got there, it was already lunch time and we had to order some food. Believe me, the best meal to order is the bream fish! it is delicious, it is very fresh from the Kafue River and it is smocked. They serve it with some french fries and some salads. You better be very hungry because the fish is very big.

The Lady Betty Boat

We went there because of the famous Lady Betty Boat Cruise which goes along the Kafue river twice a day taking people. The first trip is at 2pm and the last cruise is at 4pm (the sunset cruise they call it, its the one we picked). the cruise is for two hours only and you better hurry if you are planning to get on the sunset cruise because it gets full fast...,by the time its 4pm, the tickets are sold out. We were smart enough to get the tickets the moment we got there and before we could even have lunch. There is always a DJ playing some music in the garden so you don't get bored waiting. They also have a small play area where there is a play house for the kids.

Wish I caught some fish ;-( 

After having lunch, while we were waiting for our boat cruise, i found myself with some Chines guys who were catching some fish and hey, why not try and learn to catch some fish with these guys while we are waiting for the cruise lol! That didn't go very well.., I didn't catch any fish.

THE WHOLE TRIP IN PICTURES.......HAVING LOTS OF FUN WITH MY LADIES.

Getting ready for the trip

On the Lady Betty Boat

Kids play area

"HAVE AS MUCH FUN IN YOUR LIFE AS YOU CAN, FOR LIFE IS TOO DAMN SHORT NOT TO!"

My visit to Solwezi, North Western Zambia

Solwezi is the capital of North Western Province. It has the population of over 60,000 people mostly of the Lunda and the Luvale speaking people. Solwezi was once a sleeping little town with nothing much to see, no attractions whatsoever, but the recent development has put the town in motion. The reopening of Kansanshi Mine and the opening of the Lumwana Mine which is owned by First Quantum Minerals has attracted lots of people including myself. 

I personally visited Solwezi back in 2011 for the same reason many of you visited; to see if there were any investment opportunities, i was living in Malawi then and investing in my country was really something i wanted to do. There was nothing much to see then but you could spot lots of buildings being put up, the town as coming around.

At the Mutunda Falls

There isn't much to see in the region in terms of tourism but i was glad to come across Mutunda Falls, its not a massive waterfall but it is very quite and very refreshing, i liked it. I plan to visit again, hopefully soon. 

WHERE I STAYED; The Royal Solwezi.

I stayed at the Royal Solwezi, the picture above. Its really a five star hotel and the service was amazing. I realised that i only have one good picture that i kept, its been a while but i have the best memories. The royal Solwezi is situated on the old Chingola road about 10km from the First Quantum´s Kansanshi Mine and about 15min from the airport. I would say that this is the best and high standard hotel in the region. For more details about the hotel, click HERE

At the Royal Solwezi

My visit to Chishimba Falls, Zambia.

At the Chishimba Falls

Chishimba Falls is one of the many amazing waterfalls in Zambia and I can proudly say I loved it when I visited about a week ago. The place is so amazing and the people  maintaining it are doing a great job. When I was there, I learnt a few things about the falls. It was my first time visiting and I didn't do my research before hand. Actually there are three waterfalls at Chishimba; we have the Kaela Rapids, Mutumuna Falls and the Chishimba Falls itself.

Chishimba Falls is located about 33km from Kasama town (the provincial headquarters of the Northern Province) off Mporokoso road. Chishimaba Falls is actually fed by Luombe river. On my way to the Falls with my family, we passed through Luombe river, the road passes above it and we had to stop by the road side so that we can have a good look at the river and capture the moment. Its a very beautiful river i must say, we also found some local kids having a swim in it. The main part of the falls which is Chishimba Falls which is about 20m high. At Chishimba Falls, there is a campsite, a rain forest on the Western Bank and you will find various trails and viewing points around the the falls.

Luombe River.

This part of Zambia is mostly occupied by the Bemba speaking people and they regard the Chishimba Falls as one of the most sacred places of power.

They also believe that the nature spirit of Chishimba resides in the cave below the Falls

The Cave where the Chishimba Spirit resides

(I managed to take a picture of this cave but it was very dark inside. And in the old days, this cave was home for bushmen) and to the Bemba speaking people, this cave is a place of honour and prayer. No words of vengeance, curses, insults, hatred maybe uttered in this cave.

There is also hydroelectric diversion canal at the falls which helps to provide power to Kasama town and the surrounding villages.

Part of the Mutumuna Falls at Chishimba.

I liked all three waterfalls but the Mutumuna Falls was the most amazing site to see. I just loved the flow and the force of the water. Mutumuna Falls is just above the Chishimba Falls and it is believed that the spirit of Mutumuna actually lives there.The high Priest of Mutumuna is Chitemwene and makes regular sacrifices to the place and because of the sacred nature of the falls, no sexual intercourse, arrogance, quarrelsomeness is allowed in the vicinity of the falls.

MY VISIT TO CHISHIMBA FALLS IN PICTURES.

Walking with my family in the rain forest on our way to see Chishimba Falls

Above the Mutumuna Falls

The view of Mutumuna Falls at a distance

At the Mutumuna Falls

The Chishimba Falls

By the Chishimba Falls

On top of the Chishimba Falls

Mutumuna Falls just above the Chishimba Falls

JOURNEY TO THE NORTH (CHOZI, NORTHERN ZAMBIA)

Chozi Rail Station

Hi everyone, as I had stated in my earlier post, that I was on a little adventure here in my country Zambia. and my adventure starts in my little town called Chozi. This town is part of my life history. I spent my early life in this little town, I lost both my parents when I was only about five years old and I have an uncle who took me in at the age of ten to live with him and his family in this town. Before then, I used to live in Lusaka (The capital city of Zambia) with my parents and later when my parents died, I moved in with my grandparents who also lived in Lusaka till I moved to this town to live with uncle and his lovely family. 

With my auntie who came to pick me up at the rail station when I arrived.

I left Chozi about eleven years ago and 1 moved back to Lusaka for collage and I never returned to Chozi apart from visiting. And actually the last time I visited was in 2010 and that's about four years ago. This has been the greatest adventure of all time. Am just having a good time with my family here in Chozi and having a local tour with my cousin. We visited Chozi river, its not looking so good because the water is very shallow at the moment but we managed to get a few pictures on the bridge above it where the rail line passes to and from Tanzania.

On the bridge on top of Chozi River

It was still an amazing feeling to go there. We passed through the old small township where we used to live a long time ago called CAMP (I have no idea why it is called Camp). But my family lives in Berlin which is up the hill and a bit far from the river.

With my cousin Sam, on a local tour. on our way to Chozi River

we actually used bicycles with my cousin to go to the river. When we passed through CAMP, we stopped at a small shop to refresh ourselves and the owner of the shop entertained us with some music which he danced to as well. it was pretty funny. I also went to visit my old school and it felt amazing to see the improvement at the school because in the old days, we actually had grass roof, classes with no desks, we used to seat on the floor or you would carry a small chair from home.

I was once like them and going to the school they go to. I feel humbled to even take a picture with these kids.

As we were touring, I also came across some school going kids who actually go to the same school I went to a long time ago.I was actually privileged to take a picture with them and I was humbled to do so because am like their role model. I believe they will grow up to be amazing women and men in society just like me ;-). I also spoke to the headteacher of the school who was really humbled and very happy to see me. The kids got so encouraged and they now know that they can be anything  they want to be in this life, provided they don't lose focus and they stay in school. 

        MY CHOZI VISIT IN PICTURES

On the Chozi river bridge

On the Chozi river Bridge

On the Chozi river bridge

With my cousin Sam.

At Chozi river

At my former school. Chozi Primary School

This was my class when i was in the Seventh grade

Cooking lunch. cooking Nshima (Zambia's staple food)

Lunch is ready, we have Nshima, some Chicken and two types of vegetables.
I had a great time, I am now off to Kasama town, the provincial headquarters of the Northern Province and its about four hours to get there by train.