Ultimate Guide To Africa May 2015 | Page 25

Regulars Features read Accommodation guide Accommodation directory Cooke’s Story in September 2012 and since then the story has met with great interest from people around the world. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the release of Boycat and Poepface in the South Luangwa Valley and to commemorate the milestone Fransje van Riel and Graham Cooke will return to the area to follow in the footsteps of the two leopards. Collaborating with Kafunta and Norman Carr Safaris, the very first My Life with Leopards Safari will take place in October 2014, with others following in 2015. The trip is an exclusive tailormade eight-night safari that can accommodate a maximum of six guests. Safari guests will spend the main part of the trip in the southern side of the park, in close vicinity of the island before exploring the South Luangwa Valley further upstream, enjoying a combination of exciting walking safaris and game drives in comfortable open 4x4 vehicles. The carefully chosen camps guarantee a highly personal service, and the safari promises to be an unforgettable wildlife experience. Tours are subject to availability. Regrettably, no children are allowed. For further information and reservations contact Fransje van Riel at fransje@vodamail. co.za. 25 in the know T he South Luangwa Valley in Zambia is one of Africa’s last great wilderness areas. Famed for its excellent opportunities for observing lion, leopard, elephant and other big game, the remote and unspoiled part of Zambia was the scene of a very special project undertaken 20 years ago. In April 1994, two much loved young adult leopards were released in the South Luangwa Valley by a young game ranger named Graham Cooke. Graham had been living with the leopards in the South African lowveld for a full year before he decided to return Boycat and his sister Poepface to the wild in the Valley. Graham pitched a small and very secluded tented camp on a remote island on the Luangwa River for the last stages of the cubs’ rehabilitation and it was here that Boycat and Poepface tentatively ventured into the wilderness of their new home. Joining the cubs on daily walks to familiarise them with the new environment, Graham braved some of the area’s most dangerous animals. After about a month Boycat and Poep were ready to leave the safety that the small camp provided and crossed the river into the National Park to start their life in the wild. For Graham, it was time to let go… Author Fransje van Riel chronicled Graham’s story in the book My Life with Leopards - Graham Services Guide Ultimate guide to Africa - for Luxury Travel