Paradise revealed at Kingfisher Lodge Lower Zambezi, set on the waterline of this mighty river, and edging the @Lower Zambezi Park. This is as wild as the river gets, with it’s powerful flow scudding through a dramatic gorge just above Hell’s Gate. The soundtrack of Zambia soundclouds here like a rhythmic subsonic rumble; bassline hippo grunts sawing at dawn hour; a herd of ellies snapping tree branches in the dark of night; hyena whoops reverberating amidst ironstone outcrops: bush-baby cries ringing in the canopy; a distant fish eagle call echoing in the sky; the liquid warble of white-browed coucal …

We eventually moved on, following the river to link up with Conservation Lower Zambezi- Lower Zambezi National Park and their magnificent #K9 Unit. This dog-day morning continued when we bumped into an incredible pack of 15 wild dogs, lolling in the shade of a giant wild chestnut tree. It was special.

This Transfrontier Parks space is the kind of place where you want to embed yourself in Africa. Root your feet and your soul to the earth. Offer up your spirit to the Nyaminyami river god. Find soul salvation. Escape. Write a book. I’ve travelled loads upon the continent over the past four decades of my life, but this was different. As in wild. Special. And authentic. It engenders a deep and haunting longing inside me, and I do not want to leave this place.