Italian-born Sabrina travelled regularly to Africa with her family from a young age until it became her second home. After graduating in tourism from her mother country, she travelled extensively and has been working as an African travel consultant since 2013. In the photo Sabrina and her husband Luca are braving the Kosi lake system in KwaZulu Natal. Married in 2017, they both love exploring and being outdoors in the wilderness which is why Africa is so close to their hearts. Photography is Sabrina’s passion and, for a safari, her favourite time of year is the green season. The colour contrasts create dramatic landscape images and the birding in this season is also amazing.
My favourite safari destination is the South Luangwa in Zambia. When I first visited the park, I quickly realised why my dad said he had left a part of his heart there: he used to fly in Zambia at the beginning of his career as a bush pilot and loved the area. South Luangwa offers great diversity in terms of wildlife sightings and landscape and it is phenomenal for photographers and bird watchers.
The remoteness of South Luangwa guarantees an authentic and unspoiled safari experience but what I really like about the park is that it’s home to some of the highest densities of big game in Africa – elephant, buffalo, lion and hippo especially – and has a well-earned reputation for amazing leopard sightings. Activities at Luangwa’s lodges are based on a combination of game drives and guided walking safaris but there are boating trips too, and I’ve found that the wildlife action keeps you on your toes for the entire stay.
My favourite safari moment was, naturally, in the South Luangwa. We were on a boat and the water level was low but the guide still managed to reach this particular place on the river where hundreds of southern carmine bee-eaters were nesting. These amazingly-coloured birds were hard at work digging out their breeding tunnels in the sandy riverbanks – a busy bush-city – with each member of the flock responsible for its own tunnel. To be part of this moment was a goose-bumps experience!
They are a migratory species arriving at any time in August so it’s a very special and unique experience – go in September and October to see them.
I will never forget canoeing on the Zambezi River. I can still recall the water temperature, the changing currents and the sounds of nature framing the whole picture. Calm waters would give way to adrenalin-filled rapids – though perfectly do-able for beginners like me – and on top of that, you are literally at the same level of hippos and crocodiles – it’s exhilarating!
And contrary to what I first thought, a canoe on the water doesn’t disturb the wildlife: we saw buffalo, kudu and eland plus lions and lots of other large animals along the river banks. Go during June through October for the driest weather and most animals.
