Activities to be developed in and around Mansa, not exceeding one day

1. Botanical Gardens – St. Clemens features a very extensive and stunning property, seemingly underutilized. Immediately upon entering the property through the gates and old stone walls, a sense of tranquility and reverence takes over. Mature Cypress and Eucalyptus trees cover acres of land with tall and uncut grasses and weeds. There is the potential here for a joint venture between the school and Paul Polombwa’s Wildlife Preservation proposal. A committee led by Mr. Mwaba was formed to assist Paul in approaching and selling the concept of leasing land from St. Clemens.
2. Mansa Walking Tour – Recommendations were made to get with the council to clean up the large market or drop it form the tour. Guiding and guide training were discussed in detail with a specific emphasis on creating an experience for the visitor. The walking tour will incorporate two markets, St. Clemens, the local village the quarry, the hotsprings and the Mansa river access for possible fishing and boating.
3. Quarry and river access – It was recommended that a committee be formed to approach the local and regional people to have the area set aside as a regional park. The concept of a regional park was new but the group participants agreed that the area should be secured for public access and not end up in the hands of a private developer. Elizabeth Chola agreed to chair the committee. Once the river water subsides, a dam needs to be developed to prevent contamination of the quarry lake. Access and parking can be developed on the backside of the quarry walls. The area needs minimal clean up for lake access and picnic facilities. Bathrooms need to be provided, and food concessions could be offered for lease. There is also the possibility of reviving an abandoned restaurant near the village. The hotsprings could not be accessed during the tour because of high water from the river. It was recommended that the group revisit the springs in the dry season to determine the feasibility of building a dam to protect the springs and allow year-round access.
4. Sunset Cruise – One of the cheapest and easiest programs to implement, Derrick Kabwita agreed to spearhead this effort in cooperation with Riverside. The concept is to build a small boat with two dugouts joined with a wooden platform. A small outboard motor (leased from a local fisherman) would be able to move the boat slowly upstream for about an hour; the boat would then turn around and float back directly into the sunset. The cruise would be seasonal and can be offered for a five-month period during the rainy season leaving at 17:00 hours and returning at 19:00 hours. Derrick and Sebastian agreed to take high water readings during this season in order to be able to determine the dock height, to be constructed during the dry season. They also agreed to check out the clearance under the bridge before proceeding with the implementation plans.
5. Luongo River Rafting and Kayaking – Both the put-in at the Musonda Bridge and the take-out at Mambilima Missionary were checked out during the field trip. The river is visible in only a few places from the road and would have to be navigated to determine its feasibility for development. It is estimated that the whitewater stretch is about 10-15 kilometers, about a one-day rafting trip. The missionary property borders the river and offers at least one, if not several, plantation houses, which could be leased for outfitter headquarters and/or a restaurant and bar. The group felt that there was enough local expertise that knows the river well and can be trained and certified as rive guides. A start-up outfitter would need at least two rafts and one safety-kayak. A river guide from Livingstone has expressed interest in the area and plans to visit before the end of March to assess the potential.
6. Tiger Fishing – Directly beyond the proposed rafting take-out, the Luongo River widens and offers spectacular tiger fishing. Dependent on available resources, this offers an independent development opportunity for an outfitter, expansion possibilities for a rafting outfitter, or a joint venture where two operators could share resources such as transportation and facilities. Guiding and the requirement for international certifications were discussed in detail.
7. Mumbuluma Falls and Gorge – Not researched during this field trip, but left to the group to visit, explore and determine program development.
8. Craft Market – Meeting and talking with the artisan in Mberishi, Lofye Mbuto, acted as a motivator to implement plans for a monthly craft market. Derrick Kabwita and Mr. Mwaba agreed to approach the city council for permission to use the grounds opposite the Mansa Hotel for the event. Lofye Mbuto exactly fitted the artisan profile required to create a unique monthly. The group was encouraged to revisit the artisan and tap into his contacts as well as locate other artisans of like caliber. Suggestions were made for one entity to collect and purchase all art in the area, but this approach was strongly discouraged. It would not result in a market and such an individual might as well start a shop instead. The attraction of a craft market is the ability to interact with the artisan, see him working on his craft, negotiate and be able to discuss special and custom orders. It was also recommended that the committee include Mr. Mbuto’s dance groups and assist him in getting the required costumes, but the making of costumes in Mansa was discouraged, in favor of searching for the skills in the villages to make original costumes. Mr. Kabwita did not think that would be a problem.
9. Herbal Science and Homeopathy – There is a great deal of interest in these topics, particularly in the Specialty Travel field. A keen interest in witchcraft and healing are a component part of this. The group expected resistance to exploring this, stating that the village shamans are secretive and not forthcoming. Mr. Mwaba agreed to meet with Mr. Sichelo, a well-known local herbalist, to explore these topics. Mr. Mwaba is also in the process of developing a twenty-hectare property into an herbal farm.
10. Visitor Information Center – Mr. Kabwita agreed to try to resurrect the retail space next to the lobby of the Mansa Hotel and try to set up a combination visitor center and craft shop. The facility may be leased by an outside provider, or operated by the hotel. The location is centrally located and easily accessible.

1. Ntumba Chushi Falls – A spectacular area allowing for camping and hiking, surrounds the falls. It is believed that the property is managed by the forestry department who would have to give permission for its use. Development of this area would require some investment to resurrect the existing bathroom facilities and renovate one or more of the abandoned buildings to convert into kitchen facilities and eventually a small restaurant. Development of hiking trails, training of guides, rentals of tents and camping equipment, and transportation, are all necessary facilities to be developed in Mansa among the current tourism providers or as an independent venture. The  apparent fault line can be explored for possible hiking trails, rock climbing and river exploration that could link to the falls expeditions and extend the stay to four or five days.
2. Cultural Revival/Preservation – En route to the Ntumba Chushi Falls are a number of villages, not the least of which is Kazembe where the annual Umutomboko Ceremony is held. This aspect of tourism development was discussed in detail during the program development workshop. Identical to the program concept outlined for the Chiefs in the Monze area, it was recommended that the group form a committee to arrange for meetings with the local Chiefs to identify and develop the objectives:

1. The skills available or those which can be developed to revive the arts and crafts and generate an interest among the younger generations to learn these skills, particularly with regard to musical instruments, dance, costumes, masks, weavings, baskets, copper work, wood carving and pottery.
2. To develop opportunities for small groups of visitors to visit artisans in the villages, observe village life, watch the artisans at work, share in the music and dance, to allow for cultural interaction, and experience traditions and purchase artifacts and crafts.
3. To work with the local village schoolteachers to engage the children in collecting, writing and illustrating the stories and tales passed down through the generations. To compile these stories into small booklets to be published and offered for sale at local guesthouses, gift shops, etc, and the purchase value generated for the village to be deposited in a trust fund to benefit education and health.
4. To collect, in cooperation with the schools, the herbal recipes and preparations used and also compile them into small booklets for purchase from the villages and sale around the providers and gift shops.