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c Slackpacking Greg Carr interview Zambia's Elephant Charge
bhara by kite buggy Guide to Burkina Faso Colours of the Kalahari
www.travelafricarnag.corn
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Edition 53 Winter 2010/11 f3.95 ~~$12.99
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We recently sent Victoria Kelly to watch Zambia's annual
Elephant Charge. How did competitors fare in trying to prove
that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line?
Here is her report. Photographs by Gareth Bentley.
I
r is 7.3oan1 deep in the heart of thezanibian bush. Small groups of people are
standing on top of a hill, huddled over maps, muttering amongst t1~emselvt.s
conspiratorially. Eve~yso often, sollieone looks up and points into the
distance towards the blue hazy hills tliar roll as far as the eye can see ~owards
Zimbabwe. It looks like a scene fro111an orientecring convention. But instead of
conipasses and tracksuits, each group is equipped with GPSs and a forniidablc
4WDvehicle wit11 huge tyres, a bull bat-and a winch.Tlie cars look likc they just
rolled off the set of a Mnd Max film.
Indeed, this is no ordinary orienreering evenr. It is the Elephant Charge, a
uniqneand at times spectacular 4WD challenge held each October in tlieZa~nbian
wilderness to raise money for local conservation and wildlife education.
The event is spectacular on two counts. Firstly, teams make their vehicles do
things you never thought possible with four wheels (although, admittedly, all four
wheels are rarely on the ground at the same time). Secondly, the scenery in which
the competition is set is a panoramic feast.
This year's Elephant Charge took place amid the unddating liills rliar form the
edge of the Zanibczi Escarpment. Each year, the event's locarion changes, remaining
a dosely guarded secret until the day before.The idea is that this prevents teanis
scrutinising the terrain on Google Earth beforehand and adds to the excitenient.
From the hill wllere we are standing, the mighty Zambezi River can be seen winding
its way across the valley floor below like a great silver snake. All around, rlie yellow.
orange and green leaves of the nlionibo woodland that carpets the la~~dscapi:
flutter
in the morning brecze.TI~eemptiness and space are beautiful. T>
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