Bangweulu Wetlands
Bangweulu means ‘where the water meets the sky’, and I think it’s a perfect description of this extraordinary, community-owned and protected wetland in northeastern Zambia.
Bangweulu is unusual in terms of wildlife conservation in that it is made up of Game Management Areas, where around 60,000 local villagers migrate seasonally, with the rise and fall of the water levels, and depend on the marshlands to sustain their traditional way of life.
For me there is something timeless about travelling through these swamps. I find it a world away from racing around in a safari jeep. Your guide at the front of the canoe, long pole in hand, propelling you through narrow channels, between the thick reeds and papyrus. Silence, except for slight burbles and gurgles as you glide through the water. It’s one of my all-time highlights.
Hidden gems in Bangweulu Wetlands
Bangweulu Wetlands
See the black lechwe in the Bangweulu Wetlands
Set your alarm and wake early to paddle by canoe through the papyrus of the Bangweulu swamps, to the floodplains. Stand on the causeway that runs through the middle of the floodplain, and as the sun comes up you’ll be surrounded by thousands of black lechwe, a type of endangered antelope that is endemic to this part of Zambia. Having come into the water overnight for safety, the lechwe are slowly heading towards the tree line, grazing on the semi aquatic grasses as they go. You need to get up early for this as once the sun has risen the lechwe will have all but disappeared, heading into the tree line where they will spend the day.
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