It’s been a jam-packed trip to Zambia as Peace Parks Foundation’s Chief Development Officer, Lilian Spijkerman, and former Senior Project Manager Arrie van Wyk have been showing members from DOB Ecology the work that Peace Parks is doing in this beautiful part of southern Africa. Today, they will be treated to a bucket-list adventure – a helicopter flight over Victoria Falls, the world’s largest waterfall and one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
The crew has also been experiencing activities such as horseback riding in Simalaha Community Conservancy, visiting the impressive horse-shoe-shaped Ngonye Falls and meeting various members of the communities to learn more about their way of life.
After taking off from the golden plains of the Simalaha Community Conservancy sanctuary, they follow one of Africa’s greatest rivers, the Zambezi, which sustains millions of lives, from the smallest micro-organism to the world’s largest elephant population. Hundreds of thousands of people rely on these waters for survival, and Peace Parks Foundation is supporting communities to ensure the system stays healthy and balanced. This has been done by working with the local fishing community to help establish fish reserves and protect critical fish breeding sites along the river. You can read more about this initiative here.
As the crew nears the Victoria Falls, a curtain of fine mist can be seen rising, giving meaning to its local name of ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’, which means ‘The Smoke That Thunders’. Nestled within the Kavango Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, which Peace Parks Foundation has been actively supporting since 2004, this incredible spectacle attracts visitors from all over the world who come to marvel at its unbelievable beauty. This is a lifeline for the people who depend on this tourism income for their livelihoods. As the helicopters swoop over gorges below, the crew is left in awe, feeling inspired and ready to do what they can to ensure this remains intact for generations to come.
