Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve
West of the main lakeshore road lies
Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve
(per person/car
US$10/3; 6am-6pm)
, comprising 1800 sq km of rough, inhospitable terrain - dense
miombo
woodlands, bush and evergreens - and a couple of navigable roads. Before its re-
cent renaissance the park had been through hard times; abandoned to poachers because of
a lack of funding, and plentiful human settlements encroaching along its borders.
Fast forward to 2010 and enter two very different safari lodges to redress the balance.
Thanks to increased funding (in 2012 the park received an US$850,000 cash injection
from the World Bank), successful wildlife conservation programs and increased road net-
works, the reserve is coming back into its own. There are also plans afoot to ringfence at
least a third of its core area to improve the survival of wildlife.
The Bua River flows green and scaly with a very healthy population of crocs, and come
evening at the lodges there's a very good chance you'll see elephants crossing the river,
your cockles warmed by a fire, your liver glowing with a decent Bloody Mary in hand.
There are also roan and sable antelopes here, buffaloes, baboons, waterbucks, leopards
and even itinerant lions - it's just that wildlife can be difficult to spot because of the dense
vegetation. Several large rivers cross the reserve, so the birdlife is also varied; there are
more than 200 species including palm-nut vultures, kingfishers and ground hornbills. The
Bua River is also excellent for salmon fishing.
The best way to really experience the nature is walking with a guide, or kayaking down
the Bua River, your heart in your mouth as crocs upstream slip soundlessly into the murk
to come and take a closer look.
Sleeping
There are currently two lodges in the park: the romantic Bua River Lodge, which sits con-
veniently close to the entrance of the park, and Tongole Wilderness Lodge, a further
hour's drive into the heart of the reserve. The roads are currently navigable with a 2WD
car, if a little steep on certain stretches.
LODGE
Tongole Wilderness Lodge $$$
( 0991-337681, 0881-433168;
www.tongole.com
; adult/child per night US$345/172;
)
Built with local materials and opened in late 2011, Tongole Wilderness Lodge
has an ecoconscious ethos to help the local population and environment. It runs a commu-
nity development project focusing on sports education and is funding the creation of a
