Santonga promotional video

Here is Africa Albida's vision video for their Santonga development.

Paradise lost?

We've recently posted an archive article from January 1995, 'Victoria Falls - A Fragile Power', written by Sally Wynn and originally published in Africa Geographic magazine. It is critical of developments around Victoria Falls, developments which have continued in the years since it was first written, notably with large areas being fenced off for the operations of captive animal interactions. 

Other recent developments include the Wild Horizon's Gorge Swing site below the Victoria Falls Hotel, which now dominates the second gorge following recent expansion to accommodate a restaurant overlooking the gorge - including the clearing of a large section of bush for a coach and car park.

When Sally Wynn wrote her article on the Falls, the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge had just recently opened (in November 1994) - note her comment: "Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, for example, is built on land originally set aside as a wildlife corridor from the Zambezi National Park to the river. This has created a whole new problem - keeping potentially dangerous large animals at a safe distance from tourists."

Over the two years I've been running this blog I've recorded many human-animal conflict events in Victoria Falls, including most recently a whole heard of buffalo chased into the town by lions. Some of these events have resulted in human deaths, including one which tragically occurred at VFSL itself. 

African Albida, who operate VFSL, have just launched another large development, Santonga, on virgin land adjoining the lodge, and with stories circulating of planned hotel developments on neighboring land along the river at this point, an essential wildlife corridor that has allowed animal movement to and from the river will be almost completely blocked. In fact it will complete an arc of development encircling the falls on the Zimbabwean side, and preventing larger animals accessing the Big Tree/Zambezi Drive area just above the Falls, which to this day frequented by elephant and buffalo and part of the magic of Victoria Falls. It may even result in the reduction of wildlife visiting the famous VFSL waterhole, as it is located on this wildlife-corridor, and will probably result in more potentially fatal human-wildlife conflict events whilst animals try to find new routes to and from the river.

The Santonga development was recently described by Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi as a biodiversity' project and by reporters as a 'conservation park'. It appears to have little biodiversity or conservation value by any traditional definitions of either word. However it does sound more like a theme park with captive animal interactions. When will tourism operators in Zimbabwe (and Zambia, who are planning similar captive parks on their side of the river) realize that tourists want to see Africa's wild animals in the wild, not enslaved into novelty tourism activities - they can see captive animals in zoos and safari parks in their own countries. And even these are going out of fashion and struggling to survive.

Ironically Africa Albida and VFSL have repeatedly been the winner of 'green' eco-awards over its first 20 years (given, of course, by the tourism industry rather than by conservationists!). Much of this has been in valid recognition of its support for local anti-poaching initiatives. It is a reputation, however, about to be destroyed, together with the degradation of a significant element of the  ecological value of the immediate Falls.environment.

Victoria Falls is a unique and fragile ecological environment, one that is being suffocated, bit by bit, by the ever growing demands for development, part of what Mzembi hails as the creation a 'Niagara' - a US$30 billion economy around Victoria Falls - and including a 'Disneyland in Africa' development next to the Victoria Falls Airport.

Together with the development of the Batoka Gorge Dam, a project which threatens to flood the rapids below the Falls, these  natural wonder of the Victoria Falls is slowly being despoiled, despite all the designations designed to protect it. 

See Also

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (31st December 2009) Albida Tourism in $12m expansion drive.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (16th December 2014) Santoga Project an Insult to Vic Falls?.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (31st December 2014) Paradise lost?.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (21st April 2015) Work on $18M Victoria Falls Santonga captive animal park starts.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (24th April 2015) Vic Falls recreational park to open in 2017.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (27th April 2015) $18m park set for Vic Falls.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (15th May 2015) Santonga Project rattles Vic Falls.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (22nd May 2015) Santonga Project: The untold story.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (8th June 2015) ‘Santonga is not a zoo’.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (24th July 2015) Santonga: Tourism game changer?.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (9th September 2019) Santonga Project still on the cards.

Read more on the Keep Victoria Falls Wild website. 

South Africa urged to review Yellow Fever requirements

THE Livingstone Tourism Association (LTA) has urged the Government to expedite the yellow fever impasse with the South Africa following the declaration of Zambia as yellow fever-free zone by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Zambian authorities had since written to their South African counterparts and were currently awaiting a response on the issue. South Africa is one of the countries where travellers from Zambia were required to possess yellow fever certification documents upon entry into that country.

LTA chairperson Alex Mutali said it was important for the Government to implement the resolutions that were made by WHO because it was impacting negatively on the growth of the tourism sector.

Mr Mutali said the yellow fever requirement was also impacting on the performance of the Universal Visa (Univisa) which was jointly launched almost a month ago by Zambia and Zimbabwe.

He said travellers passing through South Africa into Zimbabwe and Zambia were required to have a yellow fever certificate despite them having a Univsa.

"Government must move with speed on this issue and engage South Africa. You must understand that South Africa is into competition with us and the Ministry of Health must act fast to resolve this issue.

It is no longer a WHO issue but an issue between Zambia and South Africa, even travelers with the Univsa are restricted from entering Zambia because they are required to pay an extra US$100 for the yellow fever certification," Mr Mutali said.

He said the yellow fever certification requirement was working against Zambia and making the country an expensive tourism destination.

According to Zambia Tourism Board, the removal of the yellow fever vaccination certificate requirement by South Africa increase international tourist arrival figures by at least 10 per cent.

Source: All Africa, 27/12/14

Mzembi says US$30 billion economy can be grown in Victoria Falls

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi says a US$30 billion economy can be grown in Victoria Falls with new infrastructure projects and other investments coming to the resort town.

Speaking at celebrations to mark Victoria Falls Safari Lodge's 20th anniversary, Mzembi said a multi-million dollar investment by Africa Albida for the establishment of a new conservation park dovetailed well into his ministry's vision.

"Next to the airport I intend to create a Niagara, a $30 billion economy ... We realise that the difference between our own Victorial Falls and Niagara is that we have not planted any infrastructure that captures the imagination of the demographic dividend, the younger group," Mzembi said.

"It fits very well with my own vision on biodiversity. It's a biodiversity project that you are doing under Santonga (see: Santoga Project an Insult to Vic Falls), and I want to assure you that the project should go ahead."

He said the new US$150 million Victoria Falls International Airport, due to open next August, would triple capacity, potentially boosting earnings from tourism to US$30 billion a year, to match Canadian Niagara Falls's economy.

The minister said tourism was the catalyst for the economic turnaround of Zimbabwe, adding that he hoped to kick start earnings by declaring Victoria Falls a special economic zone. Tourism is a tax haven, he said.

Africa Albida Tourism, the parent company of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, has invested US$18 million in properties over the past three years, and work has begun on Santonga, an education, entertainment and conservation park which will interactively tell the story of Victoria Falls.

Mzembi said local operators should provide input on how to shape his proposal which could transform Victoria Falls from its current US$1 billion a year economy between Zimbabwe and Zambia.

In addition to the special economic zone, the minister said he hoped to create an "ultra-modern" Victoria Falls on 300ha adjacent to the airport, to boost infrastructure and earnings.

Mzembi assured stakeholders that the Victoria Falls and the immediate surroundings would remain natural and untouched.

Africa Albida Tourism chief executive Ross Kennedy said despite several tough years for the tourism industry, the future of tourism at Victoria Falls and in Zimbabwe was extremely bright.

"That is why we have invested millions in our products in the past few years -- our first move was to add the premium luxury Victoria Falls Safari Club which we believe sets new standards for the industry and the area in terms of quality," Kennedy said.

"Next we created the Victoria Falls Safari Suites, which are very high quality two- and three-bedroom accommodation offerings, that have plugged a gap in the market, and now we have fully refurbished and upgraded our flagship, the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

"We are fully committed investors and operators in Victoria Falls, and we have no other intentions than to be at the top of the pile."

The Victoria Falls Safari Lodge's four-day 20th anniversary celebrations included an Amazing Race, in which six teams completed challenges at different sites in Victoria Falls, such as learning a traditional dance routine and solving a crime. It was won by Team Lokuthula.

Ground work at Santonga, to be built on 80ha near Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, began last month. The education, entertainment and conservation park, which is expected to draw 120 000 visitors a year, is due to open in June 2016.

Source:  Mzembi Speaks On Vic Falls Growth
More:  Santoga Project an Insult to Vic Falls
US$18 million Santonga construction begins

Batoka Gorge Dam ESIA Meeting - 21 Jan

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BATOKA GORGE HYDRO-ELECTRIC SCHEME

The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) is a statutory organization equally owned by the Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The ZRA has been mandated by the Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe to develop Batoka Hydro Electric Scheme (BHES).  The proposed HES is proposed approximately 47km downstream of the Victoria Falls.   In Zimbabwe, it falls within the province of Matabeleland North and in the Hwange Rural District.  In Zambia, it falls in the Southern Province, in the Kazungula, Livingstone, Zimba, Choma and Kalomo Districts.

In line with Statutory Instrument No. 7 of 2007, the Environmental Management (Environmental Impact Assessments and Ecosystems Protection Regulations) in Zimbabwe and the Environmental Management Act, 2011 and Statutory Instrument 28 of the 1997 EIA Regulations in Zambia, an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) is required.   The ZRA has commissioned Environmental Resources Management (ERM) and its local partners (Kaizen Consulting International in Zambia and Black Crystal in Zimbabwe) as the Consultants to undertake the ESIA.  

The project is currently in the Scoping Phase of the ESIA and as such the Project Consultants are identifying issues of concern and gathering comments to inform the scope of more detailed specialist investigations for the ESIA. Open days and information sharing meetings were held between 30^th September 2014 and 13^th October 2014 in Zimbabwe and Zambia. At these engagements it was requested that a further meeting be held prior to the completion of the Scoping Phase of the Project. This notice serves to invite any interested and affected parties to attend this meeting.

INVITATION TO PUBLIC MEETING – VICTORIA FALLS

The meeting will be held on the 22^nd January 2015 in Victoria Falls . Representatives from the ZRA, ERM, Black Crystal and Kaizen Consulting will be present to answer your questions and gather comment.  Details of the public meeting are listed below.

Date	Venue	Time
22/01/15	Victoria Falls Municipal Chamber, Livingstone Way, Victoria Falls	09:00 – 12:00

A Background Information Document is also available on the following website: http://www.erm.com/BatokaHESESIA for further information. Where stakeholders have already registered for the project, they will also be sent personalised invitations.

Zambian guide takes on a charging elephant

A Zambian wildlife guide who stood in front of an aggressive elephant and commanded it to "get back" has been widely praised by the British school pupils he protected. The elephant had been trailing a group of female elephants.

Footage of Manny Mvula taking on the elephant who was threatening to charge the group he was leading has recently been uploaded on to YouTube.

"My instinct was to run away but Manny's calming and authoritative presence reassured me - we figured he knew what he was doing," a pupil from a secondary school in England told the BBC.

"But for Manny's heroism we could have had a memorable encounter with this gigantic beast in more ways than one."

However, Mr Mvula says that his defence of the students was all in the line of duty.

"I realised I had to do something to stop it because they were in imminent danger," he told the BBC.

The unusual standoff happened at the Kasanka National Park in August when Mr Mvula and a group of 23 schoolboys aged between 16 and 17 spotted a group of female elephants with their young in the bush.

After viewing the elephants for some time, Mr Mvula, 46, and his party set up camp at a designated spot once the elephants had moved on.

But they did not know that a bull elephant was trailing in the wake of the female elephants until it appeared a few minutes later.

It weighed an estimated five tonnes (787 stone) and was in the prime of its life at about 40 years old.

At first it seemed that it too was moving on, but suddenly it turned and stared at Mr Mvula and his party.

The trained guide knew immediately that it posed a danger because he could see fluids coming out of its temporal glands which were running down its cheeks - a sure sign that the bull elephant was in a state of heightened sexual activity called musth.

"When they are in this condition, they are liable to charge anything that gets in their way," Mr Mvula said, "especially if it something or somebody that they are not certain about."

"I know that standing in front of it and telling it to go away is not an officially recognised procedure for dealing with this kind of a situation," he said.

"But I knew instinctively that it was worth a try even if there was no guarantee that it would work.

"I have seen such a technique successfully used by two other guides and have done in myself twice previously in such emergency situations."

The guide's remonstrating tone led to the elephant stopping in its tracks. After a moment's pause, it opted to make a strategic retreat.

"Obviously it was a huge relief," he said, "such an incident is highly unusual in this part of Zambia."

Mr Mvula - who with his wife runs a responsible tourism company from their home in the English county of Kent - has for many years led safaris in his home country of Zambia.

He said that he had learnt as a professional safari guide always to have a second plan if the first does not work.

"But in this case I didn't have many other options - the only thing I could have done if it didn't back off would have been to order the boys slowly to walk back to the truck - parked about 10m (32 ft) away - while I would run towards it while swerving in between the trees and swinging my arms wildly to distract its attention solely towards me."

The guide said that in the worst case scenario the elephant could have charged the teenagers, even though he remained confident that he could handle the situation successfully.

"That is the importance of always using fully trained safari guides, who understand animal behaviour," he said.

"Looking back on what I did, I guess you can say it was a bit of a stupid thing to do," Mr Mvula said.

"It took me three weeks to pluck up the courage and tell my wife what happened."

Source: Zambian guide shows how to take on a charging elephant

Zimbabwe - Zambia tourism cooperation: Victoria Falls bridge open border policy a hoax?

The view of the globe was on Zimbabwe and Zambia in August of 2013. The focus was on having the global travel and tourism industry and government leaders attend and participate at the UNWTO General Assembly. This high-profile event was jointly hosted by both Zimbabwe and Zambia, and delegates attended events in both countries and stayed in hotels in both countries.

The short drive over the famous Victoria Falls bridge took 5 minutes. There was no border control, no customs - delegates hardly noticed they were changing countries many times during the assembly.

Both the presidents and vice presidents and both tourism ministers for both nations attended and spoke at this important United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly.

The bridge connecting both countries was open. The president of Zimbabwe and the president of Zambia called the opening of the bridge an historic moment and pledged to work together to keep this bridge open to make travel and tourism between Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe and Livingston, Zambia easier in the future.

Tourists would be able to enjoy this wonder of the world without delay and experience it as one attraction.
This idea was echoed by the secretary General of UNWTO and many other tourism leaders.

A year and a half later this seems to have been wishful thinking.

Here is a report from a tourist that recently visited beautiful Victoria Falls.

While visiting Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, we walked across the Victoria Falls Bridge to Zambia. This sounds easy enough to do, but while planning the trip there was a lot of conflicting information about what visas and vaccinations are necessary in order to do this. This may not be the most exciting post, but I am trying to make a clarification for those who have the same questions we did.

We visited Victoria Falls in August 2014. We made this trip as a day trip from Kasane, Botswana, hiring a driver for the day. We chose not to drive into Zimbabwe from Botswana as we read from countless sources that taking a rental car into Zimbabwe is a hassle that is just not worth it.

Our family of six left Kasane at 8 am. The Kazungula border post is located just ten minutes from Kasane. This is the border crossing to take in order to get to Victoria Falls from Kasane.

The first step is to clear customs and immigration on the Botswana side, which is very quick and straightforward. This requires a quick visit into the border control office to get your passport stamped. From here you get back into your car, drive thirty seconds across the border, then clear customs and immigration on the Zimbabwe side. Here is where things slow down. In the morning there are usually large groups of tourists heading to Victoria Falls, so be prepared to wait a half hour or longer to get through this part. It took us one hour to clear customs in both countries.

In order to enter Zimbabwe, a visa will have to be purchased, and there is the option of a single entry or double entry visa. If you are planning on only walking across the Victoria Falls Bridge into Zambia without entering Livingstone, Zambia, only the single entry visa is necessary. If you plan on entering Livingstone, Zambia (going through customs in Zambia) and later re-entering Zimbabwe, then a double entry visa is necessary. We purchased the double entry visa just so we were covered, at a price of $45 USD per person. A single entry visa costs $30 USD. As it would turn out, only a single entry visa was necessary for what we wanted to do.

From the Botswana Zimbabwe border it is a one hour drive to Victoria Falls.

The Victoria Falls Bridge is located outside of Victoria Falls National Park. To walk across the bridge, park in the lot across from the main entrance to the park, make a right out of the parking lot, and walk ten minutes down the road toward the bridge.

Before being allowed to walk onto the bridge it is necessary to clear customs on the Zimbabwe side, since technically you will be entering Zambia halfway across the bridge. You will be given a piece of paper stamped with the Zimbabwe stamp. Keep this piece of paper because this gets you back into Zimbabwe.

From here, walk across the bridge, enjoy views of Victoria Falls and go bungee jumping if your heart desires. Halfway across the bridge is the Zambia border. It is a ten minute walk from the bridge into Zambia to reach their border post.

Once you are finished visiting the bridge, present the stamped piece of paper at border control to re-enter Zimbabwe and you are on your way.

In summary, to just stand on the Victoria Falls Bridge, only a single entry Zimbabwe visa ($30 USD) is necessary. Once at the Victoria Falls border post you will be given a piece of paper with a stamp on it that will get you back into Zimbabwe from the Victoria Falls Bridge.

If you choose to pass through border control in Zambia and later want to re-enter Zimbabwe, you must purchase a double entry visa ($45 USD) for Zimbabwe. Later in your trip, if you plan on entering South Africa, you must also have your Yellow Fever Vaccination. Without this vaccination, you will not be allowed to enter South Africa if you have been to Zambia.

Source: Zimbabwe - Zambia tourism cooperation: Victoria Falls bridge open border policy a hoax? (25/01/15)