Swim for Nsumbu is an open water swimming challenge across the world’s longest lake, Lake Tanganyika, to raise funds for Conservation Lake Tanganyika. The event will be held on the 1st of May 2020 at Ndole Lodge in Zambia and be managed by Conservation Lake Tanganyika and Expeditionists. Guided by the staff of the organisation and supported by a team of fellow Expeditionists and swimmers, the open water crossing will be an epic adventure and true test of the human will.

Lake Tanganyika is the longest fresh water lake in the world with the second biggest volume of fresh water in the world. It borders on four different countries and support millions of Africans who depend on the viability of the lake for fresh water and food. Its clear waters are home to more than 350 different species of fish and it is renowned the world over as a sport fishing and fresh water scuba diving destination. On its North Western shores, lies the Nsumbu National Park that has a diversity of wildlife including elephant, buffalo, lion, eland, roan and sable However, sadly, due to global climate change, overfishing, bad land practices and the poaching of large mammals, substantial deterioration of Lake Tanganyika and protected areas like Nsumbu National Park is taking place. With the decline of the elephant population in area due to poaching and the lack of protection and conservation resources, Conservation Lake Tanganyika was established in 2012 by a range of stakeholders in this area of Zambia.

Conservation Lake Tanganyika (CLT) is a nonprofit that focuses on mobilized action to combat the decline of elephants in Nsumbu National Park and the diminishing biodiversity of Lake Tanganyika. The organization provides essential resources to the conservancy of the lake and area as well as the development of the surrounding communities through fundraising initiatives and awareness campaigns. It currently has three projects under the go, the Nsumbu African elephant protection project, the lake patrol project and a community development project that supports communities within the area. Through their protection projects, the organization provides training, field equipment, food, accommodation and medical supplies to rangers of Nsumbu and the lake. They are also involved in community-based projects where they provide educational resources to schools in the area and skills development, health and capacity building workshops with local communities.

Expeditionists aims to support Conservation Lake Tanganyika by marketing the event and creating a team of swimmers who will swim across the lake for Nsumbu and the organisation. We also aim to raise funds for the organisation through the event and the individual fundraising efforts of each participating swimmer. Fundraising will be achieved through 2 approaches:

1. Individual swimmers raise funds from their friends and contacts to support them personally, all proceeds go to the org. this was done through online payments on back – a – buddy. https://www.backabuddy.co.za/charity/profile/conservationlaketanganyika
2. Swimmers try and gain some corporate sponsorship for the even as a whole.

All funds raised from the swim will be used to directly support Conservation Lake Tanganyika’s conservation and community work. In addition, Expeditionists will also be supporting an African swimmer in his or her attempt to be the first indigenous African to swim across a Great Lake.

The swim is 24 km in length and one can either swim the total distance as an individual or team up with fellow relay swimmers who take turns in swimming periods of 30 minutes each before the next swimmer gets in the water and takes over. The swim will be swam by according to the rules of ultra open water swimming and in the purest form of open water swimming - a swimsuit, a cap and a pair of goggles. Swimmers will be accompanied by one of the Ndola Lodge's boats that will have a support crew on it to assist swimmers and their wellbeing.

The opening swimming challenge consists of two traveling packages that participating swimmers can chose from, the executive express package and the backpacker’s package.

Executive Express Package:

• Chartered flight from Ndola to Kasama with return
• Pick up and transfer to Mpulungu
• Boat ride from Mpulungu to Ndole Lodge
• Three nights stay at lodge
• Boat and crew support
• A day’s game and boat drive in Nsumbu National Park
• Expeditionists cap and T-shirt
• Individual profile page on the Expeditionists website

Estimate Price: R10 500 to R16 500

Backpackers Package

• Direct flight from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya with return on FastJet
• A train ticket from Mbeya to Tunduma
• Transfer from Tunduma to Mpulungu
• Boat ride from Mpulungu to Ndole Lodge
• Three nights stay at lodge
• Boat and crew support
• A day’s game and boat drive in Nsumbu National Park
• Expeditionists cap and T-shirt
• Individual profile page on the Expeditionists website

Estimate Price: R4500 – R7000

If you want to participate in the swim and become apart of the Expeditionists team as a solo or relay swimmer, please contact us at info@expeditionists.org or refer to the Get Involved page where you can fill in the form as an expeditionist and stating your interest in the Swim for Nsumbu challenge.

For more information on Conservation Lake Tanganyika, the Swim for Nsumbu and Ndola Lodge, please click on logos of the organisation and the lodge at the bottom of this page.