Real Survival Stories
Episode Title: Alone in Zambia: Scorching Sun, Out of Water
Host: John Hopkins
Guest: Chaz Powell
Date: September 10, 2025
Podcast: Real Survival Stories by NOISER
Episode Overview
In this gripping episode, John Hopkins explores the harrowing true story of Chaz Powell, an experienced British survival instructor who set out to walk the entire length of the Zambezi River—a 2000-mile journey across some of Africa’s harshest environments. After months of preparation, Chaz’s trek becomes a test of endurance, skill, and sheer willpower when he finds himself stranded, alone, in 50°C heat without water. This episode charts his journey from eager adventurer to desperate survivor, encompassing moments of heart-stopping danger and soul-searching reflection.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Zambezi Expedition—Setting the Stage
- [00:33] Host John Hopkins sets the location and mood: Chaz is alone on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, in a blistering environment locals dub "Suicide Month."
- Chaz Powell’s Mission: Walk from the Zambezi’s source to the Indian Ocean—over 2,000 miles.
- Preparation: Years of physical and mental training, route planning, and risk assessment went into the expedition.
2. Early Obstacles & Chaz’s Personal Motivations
- [09:35] Chaz shares his troubled youth and path to redemption through adventure, drawing inspiration from explorers like David Livingstone.
- [10:47] He describes how teaching bushcraft and inspiring young people became part of his growth:
“I started teaching bushcraft and survival. I started working with young people and teenagers and taking them on life-changing adventures...” (Chaz Powell, 10:47)
- Restlessness and a deep need for adventure continue to drive him.
3. Departure and Sudden Solitude
- [08:10] & [15:21] Chaz’s local guide backs out at the last minute, leaving him to start the journey alone—casting immediate doubt on the expedition’s feasibility.
4. The Race Against the Seasons
- [18:11] Chaz explains he chose the hottest season to traverse the Barotse floodplains before floodwaters returned, knowingly risking exposure to brutal temperatures.
“The local people call it Suicide Month because it’s so hot you can’t really go outside.” (Chaz Powell, 18:57)
- The Zambezi is at its lowest but the surrounding savannah is at its most deadly.
5. The First Major Crisis—Dehydration and Delirium
- [20:43]–[24:37] Progress bogs down as the gorges prove nearly impassable. Frustrated by slow movement (sometimes only 1–2 miles a day) and dwindling supplies, Chaz gambles by climbing out of the gorge onto the open plateau—expecting to reach another river, the Kolomo, in a few hours.
“I calculated… Kolomo river is about 20 km away… maybe I can make a liter of water last four hours. …but at 50 degrees… I soon realized how hot it was.” (Chaz Powell, 24:11)
6. Lost on the Savannah—Physical and Mental Collapse
- [25:37]–[30:46] The terrain is more difficult than anticipated. Chaz runs out of water and becomes severely dehydrated and disoriented.
“Within an hour of doing that, I was completely lost.” (Chaz Powell, 25:37) “I need to get back down to the river. I’m not going to be able to do what I thought I was going to.” (Chaz Powell, 29:50)
7. Emergency Decision—A Desperate Gamble
- [30:46]–[32:38] Chaz activates the emergency SOS on his satellite phone, but rescue can’t reach him fast enough.
“I said to them, hands down, I’m not going to be alive that time of day. I already know that I’m in a lot of trouble here.” (Chaz Powell, 31:30)
- In agony, he drinks urine and digs for water before making a final, desperate choice: attempt a dangerous descent back down the cliff to reach the Zambezi.
8. The Cliff Descent—Survival at the Brink
- [34:02]–[38:52] Chaz describes the life-or-death calculus behind his decision to risk the descent.
“I did think about friends and family... I’d rather die climbing down that cliff than sat there.” (Chaz Powell, 34:02)
- Bleeding and exhausted, he stumbles, jumps, and slides down, at one point fainting from exertion and dehydration.
“This is one of the things now that feels a bit like a blur, like a blur of adrenaline.” (Chaz Powell, 35:54)
- At last, he reaches the river and plunges in.
“I must have drunk about 5 liters of water in about 10 minutes.” (Chaz Powell, 38:39)
9. Aftermath—Reflection and Regret
- [39:18] Chaz records himself expressing remorse for the pain he could have caused loved ones:
“I felt selfish, you know, I felt really selfish that I put people through that... I could have died. So, yeah, it was a tough moment.” (Chaz Powell, 39:18)
- Initially swears off continuing the expedition.
10. Rescue and Recovery
- [42:05] Chaz is found by a friend acting on his earlier distress message. He recovers in Livingstone, regains clarity, and rededicates himself to a safer, more cautious approach.
11. Lessons Learned and Resilience
- [43:16]–[46:51] Chaz resumes his walk, sticking to villages and roads, learning humility.
“I need to stop being so cocky and confident…Every time I saw a gorge from that point on I said that I’m not walking down that gorge.” (Chaz Powell, 43:16)
- Draws strength from the resilience and generosity of the local people:
“The people along the Zambezi…saved my life many times, helping me with food, accommodation, navigation.” (Chaz Powell, 45:00)
12. Triumph and Ongoing Adventure
- [45:19]–[45:54] After 137 days and over 2,000 miles, Chaz finishes, becoming the second person to walk the Zambezi’s full length.
“Very much relieved, very happy to have finished…very proud of myself.” (Chaz Powell, 45:43)
- Goes on to trek the Gambia River and Madagascar’s main waterway, earning the “Explorer of the Year” title.
13. Universal Lessons
- [47:43] Chaz speaks to the universality of survival—persisting, moving forward even in the most dire circumstances.
“If anyone ever feels that they’re struggling in life, just…move out of it. Especially in a survival situation…There’s always a way out…You just have to figure out what it is.” (Chaz Powell, 47:43)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
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On hitting rock bottom:
“If I don't get back down there, I'm gone. And that was probably the only time in my life I fought that. If I don't get out of this situation, I'm done for.” (Chaz Powell, 04:02 & 32:38)
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On adrenaline and desperation:
“I just ended up just jumping down and grabbing these branches on the side of this cliff edge... my hands were bleeding... I was scraping down these rocks.” (Chaz Powell, 35:54)
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On local resilience:
“People are living on this river every day…these people in Africa, along the Zambezi, that’s their daily life. These animals, these diseases, these…insects, the heat, the environment. And why am I any different?” (Chaz Powell, 44:16)
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On survival and life:
“There’s always a way to survive. You know, you just have to figure out what it is. I thought I was gone. I thought I was dead. And coming out of that…makes me realize…I'm capable of much more than I think I am.” (Chaz Powell, 47:43)
Important Episode Timestamps
- 00:33: Introduction to the hostile Zambezi landscape
- 01:35: Chaz’s desperate state—out of water, drinking urine
- 08:10–16:15: Guide backs out; Chaz’s background and solo start
- 18:57: Entering “Suicide Month” and the Barotse floodplains
- 20:43–22:24: Progress stalls in the gorges
- 24:11–25:37: Decision to risk the plateau; quickly becomes lost
- 29:50–31:30: Heatstroke, final moments, SOS transmission
- 34:02–38:39: Cliff descent and eventual return to the river
- 39:18: Aftermath, guilt, and emotional reckoning
- 42:05: Rescue and physical recovery
- 43:16: Restarting, lessons in humility, sticking to safer paths
- 45:19: Completion of the Zambezi walk
- 47:43: Chaz’s universal advice on survival and life
Conclusion
Chaz Powell’s journey is a testament to the thin line between adventure and disaster, and the extreme endurance required to survive the wilderness. His candid admissions, extraordinary grit, and the local peoples’ generosity underline the episode’s core—human vulnerability, humility, and the relentless drive to keep moving forward, whatever the odds.