Deep in northern Zambia lies Shiwa Ng’andu, a remarkable estate that can only be reached by a rugged road or a small Cessna plane

Nestled at the northern edge of the Great Rift Valley, the estate was born from the dream of Stewart Gore-Browne, a man who defied convention and poured his life into building a community unlike any other

Gore-Browne first set foot in Africa in 1902, and on his return journey in 1914, one of his carriers led him past Shiwa Ng’andu, the “Lake of the Royal Crocodiles"

Struck by its beauty, he purchased land from a local chief and set out to build something extraordinary

Unlike many colonials of his era, Gore-Browne rejected the prevailing attitudes toward African people

He envisioned a utopian state where enterprise and humanity could thrive side by side

By 1925, Shiwa Ng’andu had grown into a vast estate employing 1,800 people, complete with schools, a hospital, and thriving workshops

What is remarkable is how he achieved it

Lacking formal training or local blueprints, Gore-Browne built everything by teaching himself from books brought from England, knowledge that today would be gathered from YouTube

Every brick was molded on-site, every skill passed on to the people who worked alongside him

Together they built neat cottages, bridges, workshops, and eventually a grand manor house that overlooked the lake

Anything that couldn’t be made locally was painstakingly carried on the backs of porters over long and difficult terrain

It was not ego that fueled this vision, but a determination to empower and uplift

When I flew into Shiwa’s makeshift runway, zebra scattered as we made a low pass to clear the strip

There, waiting at the airfield, stood Charlie, Gore-Browne’s descendant, together with his wife Jo and their dogs

Horseback rides across the vast estate added another layer to the experience, but that is a story for another day

Conclusion

Shiwa Ng’andu is more than an estate, it is a testament to one man’s belief in possibility, perseverance, and respect for people

Built brick by brick, vision by vision, it continues to stand as a symbol of what can be achieved when determination meets imagination