Travel Guide Bangweulu

The vast Bangweulu Basin, which includes the lake of the same name and the huge area of plains and swamps to the southwest, is fed by 17 rivers. With nearly 1,400 mm of rainfall per year, it is one of the wettest areas in the country. The rhythm of life of the few fishermen scattered in the area is determined by the variations of the water level which can move by 2 m.Often referred to as a small Okavango, Bangweulu means in the Bemba language "the place where the sky and the earth meet", which bodes well for the beauty of the landscape, whose blue stretches to infinity, to the point where one can guess the curve of the planet. The foothills of the basin are covered with forests of miombos, while the swamps are composed of papyrus and giant reeds. The many termite mounds allow tree trunks to survive during floods, and over the centuries sausage and fig trees have multiplied on the plains.The shallow waters of the marshes are a very good source of food for many of the region's birds and for the many summer migrants who have flown across Africa to spend the winter here.The list of birdlife includes some 400 species including all kinds of ducks, geese, egrets, cranes and herons as well as birds of prey. But the star of Bangweulu is the Nile shoebill, a large gray wader with a huge beak, part of the pelican family. Endangered, this prehistoric looking bird is found in very few places and Bangweulu is certainly the best place to see it, especially between March and July, when it comes to feed in the papyrus.Mammals include a large number of antelopes, including the sitatunga, a good swimmer that dives if disturbed, and especially the black kob lechwe, a species endemic to Bangweulu that can be seen moving in herds of several thousand individuals. Zebra have been successfully reintroduced, and buffalo and elephants are sometimes seen when the water recedes. Crocodiles and hippos are present, as well as hyenas, mongooses and civets among the nocturnal animals. Lions disappeared in the 1980s, but leopard and jackal are still reported to inhabit the area.The Bangweulu Swamps are protected by the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands, which represent a major economic challenge for the planet.January and February are the wettest months when the water rises rapidly. It is a good time for bird watching, except for the shoebill which arrives only at the end of February. On the other hand, travel is made difficult by the presence of mosquitoes and horseflies with virulent bites. Protective gear is essential. Many animals retreat from the plains, but the black lechwes kobs remain visible by the thousands.March to May is the best time to see birds in general and shoebill in particular. The water level peaks in March and starts to drop in May. Travelling is by boat and walking, with water up to your thighs.In June and July , the water recedes, revealing the vast swampy plains that attract mammals, including black lechwes kobs. Game drives become possible again and are generally excellent. On the other hand, the number of birds is decreasing as the migrating species leave the swamps. The shoebill is becoming more and more discreet. At night, temperatures can drop to zero, with persistent cold until August.From August until the arrival of the first rains in November, the landscape is dry and dusty. Walking is the preferred activity to observe wildlife, which is concentrated on the Lukulu River side. The shoebill becomes unobtainable. From the end of October, antelopes, accompanied by their young, are more and more numerous.