Munali Mixed Bicycling Guided Tour for 13 Days

• Phase 1: The first day of cycling the 25.4 km distance is meant to jump-start your fitness to reach the desirable cycling fitness level. This will also enable you get used to the new bicycle that you will be riding for a couple of days on this tour.

• 07:10 am: Check out of your hotel/lodge in Lusaka.

Friendly advice: Kindly dress up in the right cycling clothing attire whilst still in your hotel room.

• 07:30 am: Our team will pick you from the reception of your hotel/lodge in Lusaka. You will then be transferred to the upmarket Cosmopolitan Mall. A comprehensive 13 day Munali cycling literature will also be handed over to you. A copy of your travel insurance cover documentation will be collected from you and safely stored away by the trip leader.

• Narration: Cosmopolitan Mall is located slightly outside the Lusaka city central business district along the tour route (Kafue T-2 highway road). Its strategic location made it an obvious choice for making it the starting point for this exciting Munali cycling tour.

• Upon arriving at the Cosmopolitan Mall, you will meet the trip leader along with the rest of the cycling crew team. This includes the tour guide and service vehicle driver/ bicycle technician who will be fixing any problems your bicycle will develop. Your personal luggage will be loaded and carried by the tour service vehicle. The service vehicle will always be nearby you during the entire journey, just in case you need something from inside your bags. The same vehicle will carry you through some none cycling zones along the journey.

• The trip leader will give you a short tour briefing whilst you enjoy your first delicious breakfast at a nice restaurant inside the upmarket Cosmopolitan mall. Prominent among topics that you will be briefed on are issues touching on your personal safety, rules of the cycling tour, and required eco-tour practices. Others are some important country information and social etiquette you will be required to observe during the cycling tour.

• Phase 2: (Still on Day 1): 09:30 am; You will cycle to Tiffany’s Canyon Lodge, a permanent stopping place for day 1 to spend 2 night’s sleepover and 1 day of activities. (Distance 25.4 km).

• Commencement of the cycling tour: Thereafter the tour briefing, the heroic Munali cycle tour will be flagged off by the trip leader. After being flagged off, you will then cycle to Tiffany’s Canyon Lodge passing through some beautiful scenery along the way. You will have the chance to stop at the Munda Wanga Environmental Park to see some wild animals. You will arrive and check in at Tiffany’s Canyon Lodge to spend 2 nights and 1 full day of water-based activities. In total, you will cover 25.4 km on day 1.

• Narration: You will cycle on the shoulders of the Kafue T-2 route, which is fairly safe. In certain places, you will cycle on the side service gravel road that runs parallel to the Kafue T-2 highway route. Here you will have the whole road to yourself and enjoy your cycling adventure uninterrupted.

• Provisional 1st stop: Munda Wanga Environmental Park in Chilanga - (23 km from Lusaka): The first provisional stop will be at Munda Wanga Park in Chilanga.

• Narration: Munda Wanga Environmental Park is a natural park which houses a botanical garden, a wildlife sanctuary and a fossil site. Here you will take a break and eat some light snacks and take a drink. You will stretch out your legs a little bit by taking a walk around Munda Wanga wildlife sanctuary park, and chances are you will see some wild animals in this game sanctuary.

• You will then cycle on from Munda Wanga Environmental Park to Shimabala Toll Plaza, covering a distance of 9.6 km. Then you will power your way through the remaining 3 km before reaching the beautiful Tiffany’s Canyon Lodge.

• 14:30 pm: Check in at Tiffany’s Canyon Lodge

• 15:00 pm: Take late lunch.

• 15:30 pm to 16:30 pm: Take a short rest/nap in your room

• 16:30 pm – 17:30 pm: Time permissible before nightfall. You may do one water-based activity. Otherwise, all water-based activities are slated to be done on the next day.

• 18:00 pm – 19:00 pm: Take your well-deserved delicious dinner.

• 21:30 pm: Retire to bed for a good night’s sleep.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please note that the times of activities cited above may be varied to accommodate changed circumstances.

• On day 2, from morning up to mid-day, you will do a number of water based activities at the beautiful Tiffany’s Canyon Lodge.

• Below is the program order of the day

• 07:30 am: Wake up; take a warm bath.

• 08:00 am to 08:30 am: Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast.

• 09:00 am: Receive a short briefing by the trip leader. Thereafter, you will start your various water based activities.

• 12:30 pm to 13:30 pm: Take your delicious lunch.

• Afternoon session (REST!): Take the entire afternoon relaxing and resting in readiness for the following day’s cycling tour.

• Tip: More activities: If you still have some energy left, you may still continue with more water based activities at rest at your own time.

• 18:00 pm – 19:00 pm: Take your delicious dinner

• 21:30 pm: Retire to bed for a good night’s sleep

Please note: Times stated above may be altered to suit changed situations.

• This will be another exciting day of you cycling nice and easy through nice scenery along the Kafue T-2 highway road. You will see peasant owned and commercial farms, beautiful private residential mansions and range of Kafue Hills on part of the trip.

• Narration: This is a fairly easy day of cycling. You will cycle mostly in a descending free-flow direction towards Kafue town, which lies on the north bank of the Kafue River, after which it is named.

• Notable landmark: The Railway Line. Before reaching Kafue town, you will cross the 3ft 6in (1067mm) gauge railway line. This is Zambia’s main railway line that runs from Livingstone to Lusaka right through to the northern copper-producing region of the country.

• Provisional 1st stop: Kafue town is your first provisional stop of the day, having covered a distance of 16.4 km.

• What you will do today: After covering a 16.4 km distance, you will stop at the popular Kafue Mall and grab some yummy food to eat and drink. Try the delicious and juicy fried chicken at Hungry Lion Restaurant at Kafue Mall. Alternatively, you can get some fresh fruits to eat in the Pay-Less supermarket within the same Kafue Mall complex.

• Narration: Hungry Lion Kafue Mall prides itself on offering the best tasting fried chicken in town with better flavour for its customers. So do not miss out on this juicy bit of the tasty Hungry Lion fried chicken.

• Cycle to Kafue Bridge. You will then continue cycling from Kafue town to Kafue bridge and stop at the nearby Muyanganas.

• Provisional 2nd stop: Muyanganas near the Kafue bridge will be your second and final provisional stop of day 3 having covered a distance of 11.4 kms/11mi up to this point.

• Narration 1: Muyanganas is a waterfront bar and restaurant located on the banks of the Kafue River next to the Kafue Bridge. You will arrive at the Muyanganas for a simple outing along the Kafue river before proceeding by vehicle to you next final destination of the day, the Kafue Riverview Lodge.

• What you will do today: You will sit on a wooden deck under sun shade umbrellas and eat something and take drinks whilst watching the African sun almost setting.

• Narration 1: The Kafue River is the source of drinking water for the greater Lusaka city and many other smaller towns along the Kafue river catchment area. The environment at Muyanganas is serene and the river view is amazing. This marks the end of your cycling excursion for the day and you will be driven in the service vehicle to your next destination Kafue Riverview Lodge.

• Narration 2: The Muyanganas is an amazing place where you will see the nearby historical Kafue bridge and the mighty Kafue River.

• The Kafue Bridge is the lifeblood of Zambia’s economy as it carries one of the busiest sections of the Great North Road in terms of volume of traffic. Zambia being a landlocked country, this bridge across the Kafue river is used to bring in various goods into the country from South African and Namibia sea ports.

• Muyanganas to Kafue Riverview Lodge – a None Cycling Zone (6 kms/3.7 mi)

• The remaining portion of the Kafue T-2 route from the Kafue Bridge up to Kafue Riverview Lodge is a none cycling zone. This is because of a high volume of traffic around this geographical area. This is as a result of the presence of a lot of heavy duty articulated commercial trucks plying this international T-1/T-2 route. These trucks are checked at a police roadblock for roadworthiness and customs duty compliance. They also pass through the Road Development Agency (RDA) operated weigh bridge for load weight checks.

• So what happens after leaving Muyanganas: So from the Muyanganas, you will be driven in the service vehicle to the Kafue Riverview Lodge, covering a distance of about 6 kms/3.7 mi.

• 17:00 pm: Check in at Kafue Riverview Lodge, a none smoking and free alcohol property.

• 19:00 pm: Take your delicious dinner

• 21:00 pm: Retire to bed to sleep.

• Please note: Times stated above may be altered to suit changed situations.

• Today you will spend it at the serene, non smoking and alcohol-free Kafue Riverview Lodge, where you will mostly veg it out.

• You will do a wide variety of amazing activities designed with you in mind. Thrilling hiking, fishing, boat cruising, birdwatching, immersive and calming wellness relaxation excursion activities all await you.

• Friendly Notice: Please note that the wellness activities at Kafue Riverview Lodge are offered as a complimentary service. They are not always available or offered on this Munali cycling tour.

• Kafue Riverview Lodge’s core business model is premised on promoting healthy living and is strictly a none smoking and free alcohol property. This is also technology (i.e internet) free property so that you have an opportunity to detoxify completely with an external influences or pressures.

• This means that you will not be allowed to smoke or consume alcohol whilst around the Riverview Lodge campus. The wellness activities are offered as a complimentary service and are not always available on this Munali cycling tour. However, every effort is made to ensure that you do at least one wellness activity to improve your optimal level of physical wellness.

• Laundry day: There is a washing machine and a tumble drier available at Kafue Riverview Lodge. On this day, you will decide what time to do all your laundry work.

• 12:30 pm – 13:30 pm: Enjoy sumptuous healthy food and drink

• Afternoon session: You will do more activities that you missed out on during the morning session.

• 19:00 pm: A happy dinner of healthy foods.

• 21: 00 pm. Retire to sleep.

Please note that the times of activities cited above may be varied to accommodate changed circumstances.

• On this day, the main activity you will do is a Coffee tour at Mubuyu Farm at the foot of the Munali pass for 2 – 3 hours.

• However, the first activity you will do is cycling for at least 20 kms/12.4 mi along the major T-1 Livingstone road highway. The rest of the day will be spent travelling in the service vehicle to Chikankanta district for cultural activities. The final destination will be Chikankanta district, home of Her Royal Highness (HRH) Chieftainess Mwenda.

• Planned order of activities on this day

o Leave Kafue Riverview Lodge: Immediately after breakfast, you will check-out of Kafue Riverview Lodge with sweet memories of the place. You will then travel in the service vehicle covering the 1.8 kms/1.1mi dusty road up to the main T-1 Livingstone main road which is just near Turnpike junction.

o Cycling. You will cycle on the new route (T–1) Lusaka – Livingstone route. This is Zambia’s main tourist road to the southern tourism of Zambia. The T-1 road forms the principal transportation corridor of the southern province, the tourist hub of Zambia.

• From the Turnpike junction, you will cycle on the T-1 Livingstone road highway towards Munali Hills. The target is to cover 20 kms/12.4 mi of riding distance before reaching the foot of Munali Hills.

• Non-Cycling Zone: For security and safety reasons, the ranges of Munali Hills are a non-cycling zone area. Once you reach at the foot of Munali Hills, you will be carried by the service vehicle right through the mountain ranges to the bottom of Munali Hills with a short stopover at Munali Pass National Monument site.

• .You will visit the Munali Pass Summit Hill historic site situated about 56km north of Mazabuka, a stone cairn 1km along the Munali Pass road. This monument is a commemoration of Dr. David Livingstone’s passage through the hill pass that separates the Lusaka high plateau from the Kafue Flats. At the end of touring the Munali National Monument, you will be driven to main gate of Mubuyu Coffee Farm, located along the T-1 road high way.

• Coffee Tour (in the morning)

• You will be driven in the service vehicle from Munali Hills to Mubuyu Coffee farm administration block to meet the farm manager. From there, you will be escorted on a conducted coffee tour for 2 to 3 hours. You will get to hear the story behind the success of Munali Coffee Farm. The Mubuyu Farm estate also comprises a flourmill, several irrigation dams, housing for farm workers, a school and a clinic.

• Travel to Chikankanta District for cultural activities and meeting the local traditional Chief of Chikankanta

• After the coffee tour, you will travel in the service vehicle from Mubuyu Farm up to Chikankanta Mission where you will spend 2 nights, 1 day of cultural activities.

• Narration: The Chikankanta mission comprises the Chikankata Mission Hospital , Chikankata College of Biomedical Sciences, Chikankata College of Nursing and Midwifery , Salvation Radio, a Secondary School and a Salvation Army Church. The mission is surrounded by hills and traditional village settlements with more than 3000 people, At the far bottom end of the mission is where the Palace of Chieftainess Mwenda is located.

• What will happen once you arrive in Chikankanta:

o A comfortable accommodation will be arranged for you.

o Meet and welcomed by the Chiefs representative.

• 19:00 pm: Take happy dinner of healthy foods.

• 21: 00 pm. Retire to bed sleep.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please note that the times of activities cited above may be varied to accommodate changed circumstances.

Indeed you will meet the traditional Chieftainess Mwenda, of the Tonga speaking people of Basanje clan.

• Narration: The special cultural day of activities you have been waiting for has finally come. You will meet Chieftainess Mwenda in person at her Basanje Palace and do a full day of cultural activities around the Chikankata Mission.

• Overview: Village tours- You will spend the whole day in Chikankanta village, connecting and interacting with community village members in genuine functioning African traditional villages. You will experience what daily African village life is like in Zambia’s rural areas in real-time. This cultural tour is executed professionally by a versatile team of knowledgeable young indigenous Zambians. They possess’ in-depth local indigenous African knowledge. They are passionate about African tradition and cultural values that will ensure a memorable stay serving you! The entire tour program is under the close supervision of the Trip Leader.

• 07:30 am: Wake up; take a warm bath.

• 08:00 am to 08:30 am: Enjoy a sumptuous breakfast.

• 09:00 am: Briefing by the trip leader on the order of events of the day.

• 09:30 pm: Leave for the Basanje Palace situated on the peripherals of Chikakanta mission to meet Her Royal Highness, Chieftainess Mwenda. You will be escorted by the local representative of the chief’s council. If Her Royal Highness, Chieftainess Mwenda, will not personally be available to meet you, then you will be met either by her Prime Minister or any of her senior representatives.

• Summary of activities at the Palace

o Be welcomed at Her Royal Highness, Chief Mwenda’s Palace, in a true African style.

o Carry your gifts in your hands as you will be led into the palace yard by the local Chiefs representative. You will be allowed to take photos of the entire procession.

o Upon being allowed into the palace, settle down. You will immediately present your gifts to the Chieftainess through her prime minister as traditional protocol demands. This will open up the Chieftainess to offer welcoming words to you. She will give you a history of her people and possibly invite you for a conducted tour around her palace.

o A group, public photo session will be done within the palace yard for you, the Chieftainess and her Indunas (traditional officials). After dinner, you or anyone in your group will offer a vote of thanks to close up this tour session.

o Thereafter, you will receive the blessing of Chieftainess Mwenda to continue with visiting various homesteads in her chiefdom.

• Village Tours

• It is exciting to see and learn how locals live in these genuinely functioning African villages

• Commence touring various village homesteads in Chikakanta village area under the guidance of a certified and trained village tour guide. All communications are done in English. Should Tonga be used, a interpreter will be available to translate into English for you.

• You will enter in the respective yard of each home village stead, welcomed and greeted by the owner with a hearty Zambian traditional handshake and smile. You will be taken into the bowls and heart of these truly functioning African villages. You will see for yourself firsthand what goes on there in these traditional African villages on a regular basis.

• Cultural respect:

o Please remember that you will be expected to cover your legs and arms during visits to the Palace and traditional villages. A legs round wrapper will be super fine.

o Evening cultural entertainment, eating local traditional food

• 18:00 pm – 21;00 pm: Members of the village community will join and village headmen at the site for an evening of cultural entertainment.

• • You will be treated to an exciting evening of traditional and cultural entertainment activities around a massive bonfire as the only source of lighting and warmth.

• • You will eat some traditional foods that the women folk of the village will have prepared.

• 21:30 pm: Retire to bed for a good night’s sleep.

Please note that the times of activities cited above may be varied to accommodate changed circumstances.

• After a previous full day of exciting cultural activities in Chikankanta district, you will continue with the trip starting first with an overland vehicle travel. Then you will cycle along the same T-1 highway road heading towards Mazabuka covering a distance of 25 kms. At the 25 kms mark, you will be picked by the service vehicle and driven into the next station of Mazabuka town.

• 10:30 am – Arrive in Mazabuka, dubbed “The Sweetest Town” in Zambia. This is because sugar canes that are processed into edible household sugar are grown on a large scale in Mazabuka. You will eat lunch here at any good restaurant in Mazabuka. After lunch, you will travel using the service vehicle to travel to the next place of activities of Monze.

• 11:30 am – Travelling using the service vehicle, depart for Monze, the next town after Mazabuka.

• None Cycling Zone- The Mazabuka to Monze route is a none cycling Zone (NRZ) route due to the poor state of the roadmaking it difficult and unsafe to ride a bicycle. Driving along the Mazabuka – Monze road, you will see large sugar plantations on the way out of Mazabuka town. You will pass a number of small village siding settlements along the way to Monze, approximately 72 kms from Mazabuka.

• 13:20 pm: Arrive in Monze: - An agriculture town, with an estimated population of 163,578 people.

• 13:30 pm: Eat some food snacks at the Indian Restaurant or Food Royal or at any other upmarket restaurant in Monze town.

• 16:00 pm: Thereafter, you will be driven slightly out of Monze town and check in at Family Safari Lodge in Monze, siuated about 3 kms out of town along the T-1 road.

• Note: If there will be no accommodation vacancy available at Family Safari Lodge during your visit, you will be checked in a different Lodge in Monze of comparatively same standards.

• 18:00 pm: Day’s dinner

• 19:00 pm: Retire to bed for a restful night of sleep.

Please note that the times of activities cited above may be varied to accommodate changed circumstances.

• 08:10 am: Wakeup call; thereafter take a warm shower.

• 08:10 am – 08: 30: am – Enjoy morning breakfast.

• 10:00 pm: Visit the Samu Lya Moomba national heritage site outside Monze town in Bweengwa area, Chief CHOONGO’s chiefdom to see Zambia's deep cultural heritage.

• Narration: Samu Lya Moomba holds a special place in Zambia's history as it was the location some freedom fighters from across Zambia would meet to strategise on the attainment of Zambia's political independence

• 12:30 pm 13:30 pm: Return to Family Safari Lodge for Lunch.

• Comment: You may pass through Choppies supermarket in Monze town to buy some personal goodies for yourself.

• Afternoon session: You will take the whole of the afternoon resting either in your Lodge room or by the pool side. You have the opportunity to view some resident wild animals that include some Lions, Zebras, Ostriches and many other birds

• 18:00 pm: Day’s dinner

• 19:00 pm: Retire to bed for a restful night of sleep

• Below is the planned order of activities on day 9.

o Cycle from Family Safari Lodge (Monze) to Chisekesi and beyond (cycling distance of 35 km/21.7 miles)

o Then travel by service vehicle from Chisekesi to Batoka.

o Narration: This 48 km stretch of the T-1 road is a none cycling zone. From Chisekesi, you will be transferred in the support vehicle right up to Batoka.

o Cycling: In Batoka, you will mount on your bicycles and commence cycling from Batoka towards to the Daniel Mukombwe Toll gate, covering a cycling distance of about 15 km/ 9.3 miles.

o Cycling: From Daniel Mukombwe toll gate, you will be picked in the service vehicle and transferred to Twin Cave Lodge in Choma.

• 18:00 pm: Day’s dinner

• 19:00 pm: Retire to bed for a restful night of sleep.

Check-out of Twin Cave Lodge. Then do a morning tour of Choma museum.

(b) Mid-morning: Depart from Choma by cycling to Tara siding, along the T-1 road highway, covering a distance of 35 km / 15.5 miles.

(c): Then travel by vehicle from Tara siding; You will proceed to Kalomo town travelling by road down southwards on the original T-1 main tourist road of Zambia (The Livingstone – Lusaka main tourist road).

You visit and tour the Kalundu Mound: About 3 km before reaching Kalomo, on the main road, is a slightly raised mound (a matter of just a few metres) of earth through which the road passes. This marks the site of an Iron-Age village, and the mound is the accumulated debris of many centuries of occupation.

Check in at any good level lodge in Kalomo.

18:00 pm: Day’s dinner

19:00 pm: Retire to bed for a restful night of sleep.

• Today is the day you will cover the longest distance of cycling of 60 km / 37.3 miles.

• The first activity of the day: You Travel by motor vehicle to the outskirts of Kalomo to see the first state house of North-Western Rhodesia (now current Zambia).

• More details: The Administrator's house national monument-located in Kalomo Zambia, is a 116 years old house. It was the first home of the British South African Company (BSAco)'s administrator in charge of a territory back then called North-Western Rhodesia. It is believed the house served as present day Zambia's first state house.

• (b): Mid-morning: Leave Kalomo for Zimba by cycling an uninterrupted distance of 60 km / 37.3 miles which will be the longest for this entire trip. Thereafter the 60 km/37.3 miles mark, you will be driven in the service vehicle any good level lodge/hotel in Livingstone.

• Overview of Livingstone- Rich in scenery and heritage, Livingstone, your destination has today become the tourist heart of Zambia. It is the tourism heart of southern Zambia, home to the mighty Victoria Falls, a World Heritage Site and Africa’s “Adventure Capital”.

• 18:00 pm: Day’s dinner.

• 19:00 pm: Retire to bed for a restful night of sleep.

Narration: You will take pretty the first hours of the morning resting in your room

• 10:30 am: This trip includes a game drive and Rhino walk in Mosi-oa-tunya National Park in Livingstone towards the end of the tour.

• 13:30 pm-14:00 pm: take your delicious Lunch

• 14:00 pm: Visit the Livingstone Museum

• The Livingstone Museum is the largest and the oldest museum in Zambia, established in the 1934 as the David Livingstone Memorial Museum. Its original name the Rhodes–Livingstone Museum was changed to Livingstone Museum in 1966.

• 15:00 pm: Mukuni Park Curio Market

• So if you are looking for a souvenir of your time in Livingstone/Africa you'll probably find something at this market. There is a line of permanent shops/stalls. They sale mainly traditional items such as animal carvings, pictures, bowls, baskets, traditional dressings which you may buy as souvenirs.

• Thereafter, you will be transferred back to your lodge to rest and get ready for a special evening farewell dinner.

• 05:30 am -05:50 am: Wakeup. Take your morning bath.

• 06:00 am: You will nicely and neatly pack your personal belongings into your travelling bag.

• 08:20 am: Thereafter take your last delicious breakfast. Bid farewell to your newly found Livingstone friends.

• 10:00 am: You will also receive a complimentary transfer to airport if you will depart on the last day and have provided your international flight information to our operations team.