Relaxing in Zambia’s Hot Springs

Posted on 30 August 2009

We had just arrived at Kapishya Hot Springs and Mark Harvey showed us to the camp site. After whipping the tents up in record time we found ourselves relaxing in the springs with an ice cold Mosi Lager.

Shiwa N’gandu and Kapishya Hot Springs have been in the Harvey family since their grandfather, Sir Stuart Gore-Browne made his home here in the 1920’s after his journey on foot from the Copperbelt to Dar es Salaam. Dr David Livingstone also lost his dog, Channi, to a crocodile on Lake Shiwa. Afterwards he made some trigometry readings on Bareback Hill to mark the spot.

Mark and Mel Harvey own Kapishya Hot Springs. The springs are an unreal way to relax after a full day of pedalling. The springs are always at a constant 40 degrees Celsius and probably the best bath we have had on tour. Mark and Mel are working on more activities to utilize their land for tourism.

Already they have river rafting down the Mansha River which flows down to the Chusa Falls. We had a morning of fun shooting down the two hour long fast run over some demanding rapids to Chusa Falls, or you can choose the gentle trip from the school to the lodge, drifting downstream, snaking your way through the woodlands and dodging the overhanging Raffia Palms. They also have horse trails for more experienced riders. The views from the hill tops will leave you breathless as you stare across endless vales of indigenous Miombo Woodlands, which transforms itself into a patchwork of reds, purples and pinks in the spring months when the Brachystegia start shooting their new leaves.

Mark is an avid gardener and all the fresh produce for the kitchen is grown on site. There is no doubt that if it has roots it will grow in his garden. We made the mistake of asking what he grows, silly approach. Rather ask him what he does not grow! From nine different species of bananas to vanilla, with the juiciest strawberries as large as apples, he grows it all. He is looking for cherry trees though.

Mel is a wizard in the kitchen, transforming what she can into a gourmet meal. It was the first time since South Africa that we were asked how we wanted our steaks cooked! We sat with jaws on our laps when the desserts came around and felt like kings when retiring for coffee after dinner, which is also grown and prepared on site.

Buffalo Camp is Mark’s camp in the Northern Luangwa Game Reserve for Shiwa Safaris. It’s a haven for the Big Five and is probably one of the wildest areas that still exist in Zambia. Some of the stories we heard of the area over a few beers had us in stitches, daring swims between crocs and deterring a lion with an empty coca-cola bottle, are among some of them.

Our visit here has been relaxing and fast track at the same time, with the endless activities keeping us out of mischief. After climbing to the top of a hill near the springs to find cellphone signal, we shared a sunset over a lager with Fraser and George, two Essex boys who are helping out at Kapishya, I realized how few and far between remote and untouched places there are, even in Africa!






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