Mongu - Zambia - 2014

Mongu Zambia

Our daughter, Elizabeth, qualified from the university of Pretoria with a Theology degree (In the same year our eldest daughter, Jenny, qualified from Onderstepoort as a vet). She did not want to be a main stream pastor and had previously visited Pemba (Mozambique) and also undertaken a trip to Durban to visit the LIV village (www.liv-village.com) there. She decided that missionary work was her calling.

Our church had previews (and current) involvement with the Zambia Project (www.zam.co.za) in Mongu. Elizabeth decided that this is where she would be.

In May 2014 we (My dad, Myself and Elizabeth) packed the trailer, her belongings and headed fro Mongu.

I had never traveled to Mongu and had undertaking some research on the roads north of the Namibian border. The reading that I did, did not paint a pretty picture with regard to the road from Namibia to Mongu. 

I had read that it was dirt, badly rutted and if wet, absolutely treacherous. I was going to be driving a Rexton, which had 4x4 high and low range, so that was not going to be a problem. I bought an additional spare tyre (so had 2), and took along compressor, tyre leavers, puncture repair kits and tools. We would be Ok.

So, we departed Joahnnesburg with the first stop being Francistown.
Here we stayed in  a very  nice hotel just on the outskirts of town. Tati River Lodge.

From Francistown we were heading for Katima Mulilo in the Caprivi. We stopped off in Kasane for some lunch and then made our way to the border. The border crossing was quick and easy and we crossed over the river, which was quiet full at that stage.

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We stayed just outside of Katima at a lovely resort on the banks of the river.

They even had this boat with a roof top tent. First time I have seen something like this. We were booked in dinner bead and breakfast. This was a good choice for a stopover.
From Katima we were to enter Zambia. We had to purchase the road tax at the petrol station in Katima (you, for whatever reason cannot purchase it at the border that we came through). Anyway, we duly did that. After having driven about 1km (its only 1.5km to the border post) we were stopped by a police road block and asked for the road tax receipt.
The border out of Namibia was relatively easy and simple. But then you hit the Zambian border post and all hell breaks loose. People running around trying to sell you Kwacha and USD dollars. The parking is full of abandoned vehicles. When you enter into the border office, there are absolutely no signs and you have to go to 4 different counters in the correct order (but they are not even next to one another and  are haphazard). I cannot understand why African countries who rely on tourism don't realize that they could quiet easily make the entire process streamlined, simple, quick and easy. But, then that would be too easy, wouldn't it.
Anyway, we made slow progress and finally had been to all the counters. We jumped into the car and headed for the boom. We made it through the boom (guards with AK47's etc) only to be stopped 100m further on to pay the local counsel tax. After paying that we were on our way to the dirt road that I had read about and researched.
(Don't get me wrong, all the people are very friendly and helpful. It just makes no logical sense, that's all).

We drove off all happy. I was looking for the dirt road. But after about 20km we were still on an exceptionally good tar road. You could see signs of an old dirt road next to the tar. It transpired that the Chinese had been there and tarred the road. No more dirt to Mongu. (Its very strange that, even now in 2015, if you research you find nothing about the tar road. T4A and Google maps don't have the tar road on them, not even the new versions).
Anyway, I had also heard about a pontoon that had to be negotiated to cross the Zambezi (which was very
full of water). Driving along merrily we came across a sign to some falls. I decided to take a detour and see what they looked like.

We took a tour guide and walked down to the river to see the falls. But, the river was too full and we only managed to see a few rapids.

We had mentioned to the tour guide where we were heading. As we were leaving he asked if I knew where the pontoon was. I said yes, another 150km+ up the road and it was on the Garmin anyway.
No he said. They moved it. Its now about 5km's away. What we should do is look for a fellow cooking under a big tree on the right hand side of the tar road. There, turn left (there are no signposts) and drive about 1km down a dirt path. There you will find the pontoon.
So thanking him we drove off. Sure enough, there was the fellow cooking under a big tree and after turning off, we reached the pontoon. According to Garmin I was now driving on a non existent road.

The pontoon was, to say the least, an interesting experience. You will notice the bucket. Well the operator uses the bucket to scoop water out of the river and fill the radiator. yes, correct, as he fill it the water shoots out of a number of holes. So, if he cant fill the bucket, the engine will seize. I was wondering what would happen if the bucket was lost in the strong current of the Zambezi !!
Also, the river was full, so flowing very fast. The pontoon was almost overloaded, with 6 vehicles and my trailer hanging over the edge. The two engines are operated by 1 person each. The one operator was new and left his engine on idle. So, in effect, we were moving slightly backwards instead of across the river. Eish. Luckily the more experienced came across and instructed him  to up the throttle. It took us 45 minutes to cross the Zambezi.

It was then onto Mongu - still on tar and still on no road according to Garmin.

The tar lasted all the way to Mongu and we arrived at VOH in one piece.
At VOH, my dad and I had a chalet, while Elizabeth moved into her accommodation. The small chalet had a kitchen area, shower and toilet and electricity.

The view from the top of the hill was amazing, across the floodplain. Unfortunately we only had a few nights in Mongu. One day we will go back and visit the National parks in  the vicinity, such as Liuwa Plains where, I believe, the 2nd largest wildebeest migration takes place.

Of cause, every African town has a market. We visited the market and you can actually purchase most of what you require from there. They even have a Pork Butchery (in 35c with no refrigeration). We did not braai port that evening.

We did get some Mongu Rice (yest they grow rice in the floodplains) and its very good. We also had a long walk around the stalls and Elizabeth purchased some clothing items.

We left Mongu and had a good trip back, stopping off in Kasane for a few days and then home via Kwa Nokeng at Martins drift.

In November of 2014 my wife and I went up to Mongu to bring Elizabeth home for a well deserved break. She was staying for about a month and then going back to Mongu.
This time, we camped at Village Of Hope (www.zam.co.za/mutoya-campsite/) and this is a very nice shady campsite with ablutions, hot water and flush toilets.

 I traded in a Ford Tracer Tonic and a Mazda Midge (the cars that the girls used for varsity) and purchased a Jeep Cherokee Sport, diesel 4x4 for Elizabeth. During her first stay in Mongu she had been doing house visits and walking many km's a day. The Jeep would really assist and also the 4x4 was mandatory because of the very sandy roads.