Lumangwe Falls

Lumangwe Falls is like a miniature

This waterfall was one of several waterfalls on the Kalungwishi River. Each waterfall on the river were attractions themselves with separate names. This was merely the first of the two that we saw (the others were Chimpempe Falls, Kabwelume Falls, and Kundabwika Falls).

We definitely earned our view of this waterfall because it seemed that this part of the country (the Luapula Province) didn't see many tourists. So consequently, the tourist infrastructure (e.g. road conditions, signage, etc) were either lacking or they were very basic. Even one of the signs indicating the turnoff to this falls was stolen! It also felt like we were one of the first and few to actually come out to see this waterfall.

Yet despite all the hardships, the strange irony is that in hindsight, this turned out to be one of the easiest waterfalls to reach (see directions below).

Once at the car park, we noticed that there were a couple of main areas to view the waterfall. The first one we saw was a very misty lookout providing a very wide view of the entirety of the waterfall. It was from here that we could totally see why this might be thought of as a miniature Vic Falls.

The second main lookout we saw was right by the brink of the waterfall. From here, we got profile views and we really had to watch where we were standing in order to not get too close to the edge. At least from this vantage point, we weren't at all bothered by spray from the waterfall.

After seeing the falls from its brink, our guides Chanda, Joseph, and Chester took us down a very steep, rope-assisted descent down to the wide and misty plunge pool within the gorge. The area down here appeared to be flooded so we might have happened to see the waterfall in high flow. But given the state of the plunge pool, we couldn't go very far to even get a clean look at the waterfall from down here.

Directions: Access to Lumangwe Falls turned out to be relatively easy by Zambian standards as the 4wd road was fairly tame with few ridiculously deep potholes and water gullies.

The turnoff for the falls should be signposted (that is, if it's not stolen [as it was on our trip] by locals looking to use whatever raw materials they could get to survive). It leaves the dusty Kawambwa-Mporokoso Road about two hours east of Kawambwa. Along the way, we took a really rough (probably unnecessary detour to a bad view of Chimpempe Falls thanks to the missing sign).

There's an established camping area and car park at the end of the road. Given the apparent infrastructure here, this might be one of the more visited waterfalls in this part of the country, which is really saying something.

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The dusty Kawambwa-Mporokoso Road

We literally went off-road in search of Chimpempe Falls, which is also on the Kalungwishi River. The reason why? A missing sign stolen by locals.

A very unsatisfying view of Chimpempe Falls

Finally on the road that we should've taken in the first place

A very reassuring sign

Joseph, Chanda, and Julie at the top of Lumangwe Falls

Very misty at the bottom of the falls

Last look at Lumangwe Falls as the weather started breaking up

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Left to right sweep from the top of the waterfall

Left to right sweep from the misty overlook providing the full view

Unsatisfying view of the falls with Chester and Joseph probably voicing similar disappointment in their native Bemba

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TRIP REPORTS

• May 30, 2008

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• Kabwelume Falls

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