Location: Zambia
http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/zambia_victori_falls/toka_leya_camp/introductionBook Now
Toka Leya Camp is hidden on the banks of the Zambezi River in the western sector of the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, about 12km upstream from Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
Overlooking the mighty Zambezi River and some of its islands is Toka Leya Camp, consisting of 12 spacious en-suite safari-style tents. Wooden walkways snake between the units and main area, limiting our footprint on this pristine area.
Tent interiors at Toka Leya Camp boast cool wooden flooring, tasteful, uncluttered African décor in earthy hues, climate-control for a cool summer sanctuary, expansive wooden deck from which to soak up the views of the Zambezi River, often to the sights and sounds of birds, elephant and grunting pods of hippo.The islands in front of camp are intriguing and form part of the braided channel of the Zambezi River with several rapids, a main channel and dense vegetation.
The eastern side and main area of camp is under a shady canopy of jackalberry, knobthorn and waterberry trees. The western side is in a more open setting - an ancient baobab tree is the focal point and panoramic Zambezi vistas. Family units are positioned to offer quiet seclusion.
The camp's dining, lounge and bar areas offer ample space for relaxation and are complemented by an infinity pool, with meals served on the sundeck, the pool deck and dining room all overlooking the Zambezi. The novel pizza oven is a great hit with our younger visitors! A curio shop exhibits a fine selection of local crafts.
Activities at Toka Leya Camp include a tour of the Victoria Falls on the Zambian side, game drives within Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, river cruises, fishing excursions and guided nature walks. Tours of Livingstone town and museum and visits to Mkuni Market and a local village are all outstanding ways of learning about the people and culture of this part of Zambia. Other activities on offer in the area at an additional charge include sunset cruises, helicopter flights, micro-lighting, canoeing, jet boating, and white water rafting. The Zambezi River offers some fishing opportunities and tiger fishing is an unforgettable challenge for keen fishermen.
One of the key conservation focuses at Toka Leya Camp is the control of alien invasive plant species and the rehabilitation of indigenous flora. The area where Toka Leya Camp stands today was originally on harsh, scorched landscape and devoid of much natural vegetation. The large baobab tree located on the north-western side of Camp was the only indigenous tree remaining in the area. This is far from the case today, as Toka Leya immediately took it upon itself to restore the area to its once-flourishing state which in turn has allowed wildlife to return and thrive in the area. To ensure the lasting impact of its efforts it has set up a greenhouse and nursery project where indigenous seeds and pods are collected from the National Park, germinated and their shoots placed in the greenhouse to take root and grow.
All aspects of the area in which we operate are conserved. There is no use of any natural resource that negatively impacts any biodiversity or habitats in the region. There is special attention given to any IUCN Red list species, such as the Grey Crowned Crane, that are in the area. White rhino are part of dedicated conservation and research effort from Wilderness in the area, with Wilderness offering logistical and in kind support to the Zambia Wildlife Authority. Toka Leya assists with logistical support to scout teams that monitor the white rhino introduced into Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, which are under 24-hour watch administered by Wildlife Police Officers.
Its concern for the environment extends to the day-to-day running of the Camp. Through its waste-water treatment plant organic effluence in the wastewater from the Camp is broken down by bacteria. Pathogens are eradicated using environmentally-friendly ozone gas and the water is then used in the plant nursery and the excess runoff which is safe for animal consumption feeds down into the water table.
Community involvement is vital in the greater Livingstone area and one of Toka Leya's projects is cultural visits to a nearby village, where guests interact with local communities and get to understand various aspects of local culture. Guides are encouraged to, and do, incorporate and impart their traditional local knowledge to guests on all activities, from walks and drives, to boating and village excursions.
Toka Leya also incorporates local cuisine in its weekly menu and serves some local food such as kapenta as bar snacks. Traditional arts and crafts such as masks and woven baskets adorn the rooms and common areas of the Camp.
The Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and Victoria Fallls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Wilderness adheres and supports all laws pertaining to this World Heritage Site. Preserving the cultural heritage of the area is also high in Toka Leya’s priorities as it is situated on the ancient homelands of the Imusho communities. In reverence of this rich history, Toka Leya ensures that it consults this community for all activities and more so where sensitive areas such as ancient burial sites are concerned.
Toka Leya is part of the Wilderness Group and is marketed as a Classic Camp in the Wilderness Safaris portfolio. It has 12 tents, including 3 which are configured for family use. Its main income generating activities emanate from its tourism enterprise through offering a host of attractive activities, the main onesbeing game drives, nature walks, boat safaris and canoeing. One of the key focuses of the business is providing employment for local communities and providing continued support for its conservation efforts. It actively invests its profits into the other 3Cs as it has adopted the 4Cs (conservation, community, culture and commerce) approach across its entire business and reporting framework.
