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HAMMOCKS, HIPPOS AND HARMONY
"When ever people meet, there is the potential for lives to change..."
Jungle Junction is a magical experience of island heaven on the Zambezi River in Zambia. Bovu Island is our main camp, with wooden huts by the river and a shady campsite. This really is a junction - a place where travellers meet and where new journeys begin.
A chance to relax completely and recharge your batteries. Explore the islands and the river, enjoy our activities, or just lie in a hammock and read a book from our library. Jungle Junction is near Livingstone (1 hour drive), the Victoria Falls, and Botswana's Chobe National Park.
The Jungle Junction culture is based on three ideals:
*Commitment to the local people.
*Appreciation of and caring for nature.
*Creation of a tranquil and timeless hideaway.
All are welcome at Jungle Junction - world travellers, artists, botanists, ornithologists, NGO volunteers, residents of Zambia and its neighbours, families, gap-year students. Just check out the reservations procedure and contact us when you're ready.
Telephone: +260978725282
Postal address Box 61122, Livingstone, Zambia
BOVU ISLAND
A breeze stirs the wooden mobile suspended from a waterberry tree outside the thatched bar, and the Zambezi flows by. Rhythmic music drifts out across the river to where the hippos are wallowing. Bovu Island is a piece of paradise on Earth, with wooden and reed huts strung out along the river's edge.
Please note that Bovu Island is not a nine star venue, so don't expect to be waited on. The staff wear their own everyday clothes and the atmosphere is generally laid back. As all the floors are white sand, it's a barefoot paradise.
The huts have mosquito nets and handmade wooden beds overlooking the river. There are doubles and twins, and are large enough to accommodate a small family.
Beautiful reed showers with hot water, and flush toilets with septic tanks that biodegrade the waste, are shared facilities.
The campsite has a self-catering kitchen, where you can cook on charcoal provided by the camp. You can bring your own tent or hire one of ours with bedding provided.
The library has an excellent selection of novels and guide books, forreading on the island and leaving behind. No swaps!
Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be booked at the restaurant, vegetarian options are available. The dinner cowbell in the evening will draw you out of whichever hammock you were hiding in...or away from the candle glow of the bar.
The kitchen is at the heart of the island, but the soul of Bovu is the bar, a magical place with the best music and a mad collection of hats.
Please feel free to bring a bottle of your favorite wine or special reserve along to the bar. No corkage is charged. We only have one gas fridge, so please note that we are unable to store your own beers and softdrinks.
ACCOMMODATION
All the buildings on the Island are constructed from local materials that are collected from the mainland and supplied by the local village community.
CHALETS
The four large chalets are built up on stilts with hardwood floors, walls are made from the river reeds/bamboo. Two of the chalets have double beds and two have twin beds. Each chalet sleeps two people, however we can arrange for extra mattresses with bedding to be put on the floor for families. The chalets have mesh windows, reed blinds, closing wooden doors and verandah with a view of the Zambezi River.
The beds are supplied with mosquito nets, sheets, pillows and duvets. (No towels)
FISHERMAN'S HUTS
The four smaller stilted fisherman's huts are also built from local materials. They have a simple 'A' frame thatched roof but have no windows nor doors and are very open to the surrounding nature. These also have river views. Two have double beds and two have twin beds. There is not enough room for extra mattresses.
The beds are supplied with mosquito nets, sheets, pillows and duvets. (No towels)
TENTS
5 small safari tents are set up in the campsite. These have two mattresses, sheets, pillows and duvets. The tents have zip doors and windows with mosquito gauze. (No towels)
CAMPING
The Island has a large campsite for guests wishing to bring their own tents. The sites are all secluded tuck-aways carved into the shady vegetation and connected by sand paths.
ABLUTIONS
The reeded hot and cold showers and flush toilets are communal. They are placed towards the centre of the island, away from the river due to environmental factors.
LIGHTING
For lighting on the Island and in the accommodation, we use paraffin lanterns and candles. Please bring a torch/flashlight with you. We do not supply torches. This will help you negotiate the maze of paths after the sun has set and necessary for bedtime reading.
ELECTRICITY
We do have a small solar power system to charge up batteries for laptops, cameras, MP3 players, cell phones. There is minimal cell phone signal at a few 'network-spots' on the island. We ask guests not to use phones around the bar area, keep them on silent, Jungle Junction is a place to appreciate nature and forget about the modern world !
ACTIVITIES
Most of our guests that visit Jungle Junction want to select a good book from the library and relax.
For those who are egar to take in a bit more of the environment, here's a quick listnof what we can offer you to do. These activities are icluded in your U$ 25-00 cover charge.
On the river, in traditional dugout canoes called "mekolo"
In the late afternoon, once the sun's ferocity has subsided, ask a guide to take you out on the river for a gentle cruise. During the dry season, there's a good chance of seeing wildlife coming down to drink at the rivers edge. This is on the southern bank of the river in Zimbabwe which is part of the Victoria Falls National park. Large heards of elephant with their young are often seen. There is always the chance of finding our resident pod of hippo with their young. Sometimes crocodile and otters are also seen. There is no guarantee of seeing wildlife, but the pleasure is of being out on the water, and returning at sunset, is always a favorite activity.
During the day you can hire fishing tackle and try your hand at catching the ferocious Zambezi Tigerfish. The guides will take you out in the morning and afternoon and show you the best places to find these attractive looking fish. If you are a novice, they'll show you the ropes. We encourage catch and release at Jungle Junction, but if you wish to keep one, your guide will be only to happy to help you prepare it. There is also the chance of catching a nice big fat Nembwe, a type of 'Tilapia'. These are very tasty!
Around midday, when the sun is at its hottest, a lot of our guests ask a guide to take them over to our shollow swimming place. This is on a small sand bar in the middle of the river, with a small beach for sunbathing and a tree for shade, nice place to reed a book. You can ask the resturant to pack a picnic lunch to take along with you. Your guide will return in the afternoon to collect you. This is only available during low water, (Jul-Dec).
If you want to try your hand at paddling a 'Mokolo' (dug-out canoe), your guide will go with you on a paddle around the Island, that's about a 2 Km lesson. You never know when you might need this skill some day in the future.
On foot
Before the sun gets too hot in the morning, you can set off for a walk on the mainland with your guide.
If you're keen on a good 10 Km hike, he'll take you through a string of traditional rural villages on the path following the river downstream. This walk terminates at Mandia Village where there is a primary school and rural clinic. Here you can meet the headmaster and be shown around the school and view the standard of rural Zambian education. After touring the School, then it's across to the little clinic. Meet the resident nurse whom will proudly show you around her very clean and well organised building, quite an eye opener and always interesting for guests involved in the medical profession. This is a long morning out during the heat of the day, therefore, make sure that you carry plenty of water, wear a shady hat and apply sunscreen, as you will only return to camp after midday. The children whom live opposite Bovu Island have to do this walk to school every day, so if you have your own children accompanying you, they will get an idea how far others will go for an education. The school is closed during their holidays, but the clinic is always open for a visit.
For guests not wanting such a long 'trek', you can take a short 1.5 Km walk with your guide to the closest village. There you will find a small community school for toddlers, which is situated in a big mud hut. A pperfect popportunity to photograph the pupils in their coulful outfits and their beeming smiles. Your guid will also be happy to show you where he lives, introduce you to his wives and dexscribe village life. Guests are welcome to take photographs, but please do not hand out gratuities of any sort. The villagers understand that Bovu Island brings financial income into the community, the only other income being subsistence fishing. Zambians generally pride themselves as not being beggars and are proud people and they understand that you are interested in their culture.
If you are interested in bird watching, this is another leisurely walk on the mainland, through the village, cropped fields and along the river bank. Please remember to take your binculars. Afterwards you ccan check what you have seen in the bird books found in the camp library. You can also print out a checklist from the Nature page on this website.
On Sunday mornings, after breakfast, your guide will happily take you across to the nearby village to attend a 1 hour church service where you can listen to the glorious choir. You can also video the service if you wish.
If you enjoy running or jogging, let your guide know and he'll meet you at the harbour early in the morning to paddle you across to the mainland where you can take off for a 5 Km run on your own along a path that runs parallel to the river. You'll meet all the kids on their way to school whom will occasionaly try and pace you, with lots of laughs and giggles.
Our local football team practices over on the mainland in the afternoons. They always welcome guests to join in and share tactics, if they think you are good enough, you might be invited to join in on a Saturday match.
All the other activities that are available in the area can be found on the Regional page of this website. These are the extreame sports including bunjee and rafting and are not included in your Cover Charge.
GETTING HERE
Transfers to the island must be booked in advance. See "Reservations".
There is a once a day transfer to and from Livingstone. This leaves the island at around 10 o'clock in the morning, arriving Livingstone at around 11:30hrs. This allows ample time for guests catching the 13:30hrs flights to Johannesburg, Lusaka or the mid day bus to Lusaka.
We can pick you up from:-
- Livingstone airport where flights arrive daily at lunchtime from Johannesburg in South Africa or Lusaka.
- Your guesthouse / lodge in Livingstone.
- The bus station, where buses arrive from Namibia, Botswana, and Lusaka, Zambia's capital. (Buy a ticket for the 06.00 bus from Lusaka on the day before you travel, and you can be in Livingstone around 12.00)
- Victoria Falls border post on the Zambian side at 13:00 hrs to 14:00 hrs.
If you're arriving from Botswana via Kazungula pontoon crossing, come straight to Jungle Junction without going to Livingstone. We can pick you up at Kazungula border post on the Zambian side at 08:00 hrs or 16:30 hrs. Remember to book this 48 hours in advance.The once a day return transfer back to Bovu Island leaves Livingstone at around 14:00 hrs. The departure place is at the vegetarian cafe on the main road called African Visions. it's 2 plots down after Ocean Basket Restaurant.
The transfer vehicle is a 4x4 Land Cruiser pickup with mattresses in the back. The driving time from either Livingstone or Kazungula to the Island is approximately 1 hour. The first half is on the tar road and the second half is off road through the Bovu Forest.
Kazungula pickup times are 08:00hrs and 16:30hrs.
The Driver's name is Flex and his cell phone number is + 260977140531
For a Livingstone taxi driver call Mike on + 260977773396
Self-Drives:-
Check with our office about road conditions. Only 4x4 vehicles will get through in the rainy season. Book in the usual way through "Reservations" and ask for directions. Please note that there are no signposts to Jungle Junction! A night watchman to guard your vehicle is included in your cover charge. Directions are on the maps page.
SELFDRIVE DIRECTIONS
From Livingstone
Take the tar road west towards Kazungula for 41 km. Turn left at the microwave towers, then immediate right. After 100 meters turn left. Follow the track for 6 km. You'll come down the hill and then the track swings right and carries along under the power lines. After the 8th power line pole. take the left fork. Through this part of the Mopane forest you'll see lots of tracks that are made during the rainy season, they all meet up again and the best is to follow the most used one. After 3.5 Km you'll drive through Bovu Village, go slowly because of small children often run out to greet you. Through the village and after another 100 meters there will be a track off to your right. That will take you to opposite the island. Park under the shady Mahogany tree and the paddlers will come over to help you with your luggage. Your 4 x 4 is quite safe there and a night watchman will be on duty. his wage is covered by your cover charge. If you wish to leave him a tip, that's up to you.
From Kazungula Ferry Crossing
Once you have cleared formalities and passed through the gate, drive for about 2 Km and you'll come to a 'T' junction. Turn right and carry on for approximately 25 Km towards Livingstone. After climbing a small hill you'll see the 2 microwave towers on your right. Then follow the instructions on the above section.
NOTE: The track to the camp is not suitable for low clearance vehicles!
You must make a reservation before arriving at the island and let the office know what your arrival time will be, or the paddlers won't bring you across. Please try and arrive no later that 16:00 hrs.
It's always a good idea to send a text message to the cell phone on the island when you leave either Livingstone or Kazungula so that we know what time to expect you. The # is +260978725282
Kazungula Border Information
Botswana Side:
All persons are required to present themselves to immigration. If you are using a transfer or taxi, they'll be able to drive you right down to the ferry once you have cleared.
If you are driving yourself, then you'll need to clear the vehicle through customs. They will require proof of ownership for the vehicle. If it's hired, show them the hire papers. If it's a company Vehicle or belongs to someone else, they will require a letter from the owner allowing you to remove it from Botswana / Southern Africa Common Customs Zone. This letter will also need a police clearance stamp from your home town. You will then be issued with a temporary export permit (T.E.P.) normally valid for 1 month. At this border crossing, Customs seldom issue a gate pass leaving the country.
Now drive through the gate and 500 meters down the road to the pontoon. Line up in the small vehicle queue, normally along the left of all the big trucks. (You may be accosted by self-proclaimed-clearing-agents, you don't need them, but if you have around US$ 10-00 to spare, that's up to you, they can help you onto the ferry and formalities on the Zambian side). When it's your turn to drive onto the ferry, no passengers are permitted in your vehicle, only the driver. 1 or 2 small cars first, then a big truck, followed by another 1 or 2 small cars. Foot passengers walk on after all the vehicles have driven on. Once you reach the Zambian side, your passengers can be in the car whilst you drive off. Then find yourself a parking space amongst all the big trucks, sometimes not that easy! From here you'll need to go to the first blue building on your right to pay for the ferry. Then to Immigration and Customs, last building on your left near the exit gate. After passports are stamped by Immigration, the driver needs to clear the vehicle through Customs. They will require your Registration papers, ownership letters and the (T.E.P.) that was issued from the Botswana side. You will be required to fill out a Temporary Import Permit (T.I.P.). After Customs, you'll need to get a 1 month vehicle 3rd party insurance, your normal insurance won't work in Zambia. Next piece of paper is quite expensive, this will be your carbon emission tax. Then lastly you'll need to pay for a local Kazungula Council road tax.