South Luangwa National Park | Zambia (original) (raw)
Fanning out on either side of the Luangwa River, fertile plains are dotted with grazing animals – no hint of incipient danger.
With lush grass, shallow lakes, shrubby bush and stands of trees spreading to the escarpment, the setting is almost pastoral. But in a world where every tree can be a hiding place, every bush can morph into a lion, appearances can be deceptive. Despite the apparent calm, these animals are on high alert – with the odds stacked increasingly against them as the dry season progresses.
Equally alert are highly trained guides, their safari-going visitors safely ensconced – by day or by night – within sturdy, open-topped 4WDs, or exploring on foot, accompanied by an armed guard and a pounding heartbeat. In the South Luangwa, where walking safaris began, this is still the ultimate thrill for the adventurous safari goer.
While the park’s original camps are still going strong, others have joined them, from the rustic to the sophisticated, the budget to the truly exclusive, the accessible to the remote.
For many, ease of access is key. Just a short drive from the airport, a plethora of lodges cluster around the main Mfuwe gate: you don’t have to go far in search of wildlife. But the further away you go, the more intimate your safari experience – whether on a self-drive safari, with a mobile expedition, or in one of the more isolated camps.
Some camps are geared entirely to walking. Others specialise in photography, with purpose-built hides and specially trained guides. Still others offer chandeliered splendour, or focus on families, or even camping.
But all have wildlife at their heart, from the diversity of tropical birds – at their peak during the “emerald” or rainy season – to the magnificent array of animals that find food and shelter in this exceptional park. Whatever your budget, they are the constant of the South Luangwa.
Safaris visiting South Luangwa
Zambia’s most popular park for safari holidays is the South Luangwa - and this is reflected in the large number of safaris that we feature. A few of these trips also incorporate Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park, or the Livingstone & Victoria Falls, but many of them focus entirely on the Luangwa Valley.
Often we suggest visiting sister-camps that are run by the same operator, which helps to make the trips the best value possible, as well as offering greater continuity throughout the trip.
The best South Luangwa safari is the one that works for you. Our top suggestions range from a week in a series of small, remote lodges, or in highly individual owner-run camps, to one where you will walk between specialist bushcamps.
There’s also the option of a full mobile walking safari – the ultimate adrenalin-inducing trip!
10 days • 5 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Five smart but rustic bushcamps are the comfortable staging posts for this walking safari in South Luangwa. The route offers outstanding seclusion and rich wildlife with top-quality guiding throughout.
US$9,250 - US$11,500 per person
9 days • 4 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Combining three intimate bushcamps in the quieter south of the South Luangwa, this safari will appeal to those looking for an interesting mix of walking and vehicle safari.
US$7,480 - US$9,970 per person
7 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Camps run by welcoming owners with a passion for their environment are rare, and Tafika is one of the best. Combine this with walking safaris at equally excellent bushcamps for the best of the South Luangwa.
US$6,040 - US$7,210 per person
7 days • 2 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
This safari combines two high-quality owner-run camps in a very productive region of the South Luangwa. The guiding is excellent and with its hides this safari is perfect for serious photographers.
US$7,130 - US$9,410 per person
9 days • 4 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LIVINGSTONE AIRPORT
Combining excellent game with aspects of remoter safari in South Luangwa, as well as the cultural delights of Livingstone, this trip also makes use of long-stay discounts, making it an excellent-value and well-rounded adventure.
US$7,480 - US$9,520 per person
7 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
The definitive, original mobile walking safari; explore the remote north of the South Luangwa on foot while staying in a simple mobile camp that moves with the group.
US$6,500 - US$8,500 per person
10 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Three luxurious bushcamps in stunning riverside locations, split between the South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi national parks, offer a wide variety of expert-guided safari activities in stunning game-rich environments.
US$8,060 - US$11,220 per person
6 days • 2 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Great-value South Luangwa safari to two sister camps: a classic safari camp for 4WD safaris by day and night and its simpler sibling: a remote, seasonal bushcamp for expert-guided walking safaris.
US$4,570 - US$4,800 per person
Our travellers' most recent reviews of safaris in South Luangwa National Park
Every year, we help numerous travellers to fulfil their dream of a safari in South Luangwa National Park, or further afield. Many of them come back to us with their feedback, something that we appreciate in many ways.
Their comments help to enhance our knowledge and understanding of each place they visit – and this in turn helps future travellers to plan their trips.
In addition, this feedback is shared with lodges and other safari operators in the South Luangwa, who appreciate it as genuine insight and opinion.
All 934 reviews from our travellers’ safaris in the South Luangwa National Park are reproduced in full and are unedited; click below to read them.
Where to stay in South Luangwa
South Luangwa boasts several world-class safari camps, which all offer exciting safari walks and drives with first-class guides. Some also offer excellent mobile and fly-camp options.
Almost all South Luangwa accommodation lies in natural bush along the Luangwa River or one of its tributaries, with game regularly roaming through camp. Most of the camps recommended by Expert Africa lie away from the main Mfuwe gate, spaced a considerable distance from each other, where it is unusual to see vehicles from other camps during your game drive.
In style, the South Luangwa camps differ widely, from sophisticated safari lodges to the simplest of bush camps. Many, such as Tafika Camp, Kaingo and Kafunta, with their tiny satellite walking camps, are still owner run; others, such as Nkwali and Kapani, are operated by companies that retain the strong personal ethic of their founders.
One of the best camps in Zambia, Tafika is naturally built, combining excellent service and food with top guiding skills for a superb wildlife experience.
On the banks of the Luangwa River, with its own access to the national park, the intimate Nkwali is open year round.
Small and owner-run, the riverside Kaingo occupies a a quiet but excellent game area, with a series of wildlife hides and a focus on photography.
One of the Luangwa's oldest camps, Nsefu is a great safari camp in a remote, beautiful and game-rich location with top-rate guiding.
One of the Luangwa's best camps, in a beautiful, remote bush location, Tena Tena is very small, exceedingly well-run and has top-rate guiding.
Small, remote and owner-run, Mwamba offers first-class walking, 4WD safari drives and superb hides, with excellent guides and a real bush feel.
Chikoko Tree Camp is an excellent small, rustic bushcamp that concentrates on walking safaris, and is run by a top-quality operation.
Big Lagoon Camp is a great little rustic bushcamp built to high standards that focuses on excellent walking safaris, with the emphasis on top wildlife guides.
A relatively big safari camp, Flatdogs offers value for money with great guiding and good food in a comfortable, relaxed setting.
Luangwa River Lodge is a small and consciously stylish lodge in the Mfuwe area, overlooking the Luangwa River and the South Luangwa National Park beyond – an area renowned for great game.
Kapani Lodge is now the main office base for Norman Carr Safaris, one of the Luangwa's oldest safari operations.
Set in a shady ebony grove on the banks of the Luangwa, Mchenja is a smart tented bushcamp. It combines well with Kakuli and Nsolo – its sister camps with a focus on walking safaris.
Beside the Luangwa River, Kakuli is a comfortable tented bushcamp offering 4WD safaris and walking safaris – the best of which are camp-to-camp walks linking Kakuli with its nearby sister camps.
Nsolo is a small, comfortable bushcamp overlooking one or two pools in the usually dry Luwi riverbed. It concentrates on walking safaris in an interesting and diverse area, led by a knowledgeable guide.
Kafunta is a laid-back, friendly and good-value lodge on the outskirts of South Luangwa National Park.
In a remote part of the South Luangwa National Park, Luwi is a rustic bushcamp whose emphasis is on walking safaris with great guiding and a chance of seeing some rarely seen and elusive antelope.
Lion Camp is an established and comfortable camp with a swimming pool, located near to the game-rich Lion Plain in the northern part of South Luangwa National Park.
RPS mobile safari camps are at the heart of their set-itinerary walking safaris in South Luangwa National Park, which start and finish at a permanent camp.
Puku Ridge is a luxurious designer camp set in a stunning location, high on a hill overlooking a floodplain within South Luangwa. Explore from here on 4WD safaris and walks.
In the remote far south of South Luangwa National Park, Kapamba is a small and very comfortable bushcamp offering good walks and game drives.
In a game-rich area close to the South Luangwa’s main Mfuwe Gate, Mfuwe Lodge is relatively large by park standards, but it’s stylish, modern and family friendly.
Kuyenda Bushcamp is a classic bushcamp with particularly delightful hosts and offers top-class walking safaris in South Luangwa National Park.
Luangwa Safari House is a vast and very smart four-bedroom house specifically designed for families and small groups, and offering an exclusive and flexible safari experience.
In the remote far south of South Luangwa National Park, Three Rivers Lodge sits at the confluence of three of the valleys rivers.
Island Bushcamp is a good-value, rustic, walking-only camp, in arguably one of the most remote parts of the South Luangwa, well away from all other camps.
A smart bushcamp with four very spacious chalets, Bilimungwe offers interesting walking safaris in pretty riverine woodland, as well as day and night safari drives.
Opened in early June 2013, Chinzombo offers luxurious and stylish accommodation with very high levels of service and excellent guiding.
Chindeni Bushcamp is a very modern and minimalist camp, which is a far cry from your traditional bushcamp and unlike most of the other camps in South Luangwa.
Kawaza Village – beside the South Luangwa National Park, offers guests the rare opportunity to appreciate local village life. Visit for a few hours or stay overnight.
With your own expert guide, private vehicle, chef and valet, the two-bedroom Robin's House offers an exclusive, flexible safari experience – and is open year round.
A comfortable little bushcamp, Chamilandu has a picturesque setting by the Luangwa River, in an area with a range of habitats to explore on foot and by 4WD.
The Mwamba-Camp Out allows you to have an incredibly adventurous night in the bush, sleeping under mosquito nets with activities led by some of the best guides in Zambia.
Zungulila is a small, comfortable tented bushcamp with an emphasis on walking safaris, in the remote southern section of the South Luangwa.
Opened in June 2021, Shawa Luangwa Camp is a small, intimate and rustic camp, with a good location in a remote section of the South Luangwa National Park.
For an adventurous night in South Luangwa National Park, come and sleep out in the bush, around a campfire, with an experienced guide and game scout.
Currently in the final stages of an extensive rebuild, Chichele Presidential Lodge stands high within the park, with superb views, and is due to reopen in early 2025.
Chikunto Safari Lodge is a more traditional property in the South Luangwa National Park, sitting on a peninsula of land created by the meandering Luangwa River.
Mapazi Camp is a basic safari camp in the far north of the South Luangwa, with walking safaris led by renowned guide Deb Tittle.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings in South Luangwa
Our travellers’ sightings of key wildlife species are an intrinsic part of our understanding of the South Luangwa National Park.
For many, keeping a record of their sightings of these species – including the major predators, along with wild dog, buffalo, elephant, giraffe, hippo, spotted hyena and zebra – helps to enhance their South Luangwa safari.
For us, this information enables us to assess with increasing accuracy where you are likely to spot individual species during your safari; citizen science in action. Whether you’re seeking the South Luangwa’s giraffes, or intrigued by the possibility of watching wild dog, see our interactive map showing the best locations for individual wildlife species in Zambia.
And to find out more, click on a species or read how this survey works.
Spotted Hyena
86% success
Sable antelope
4% success
When to go to South Luangwa National Park
Perhaps the question we are most frequently asked is “when is the best time to go to South Luangwa National Park?”. And the answer, of course, depends on many factors.
The best time to see animals in the South Luangwa is from around June, increasing through to October as the dry season progresses and the Luangwa River is reduced to a series of pools. As a result, August–October is when the park is at its busiest, and accommodation in the South Luangwa is at its most expensive.
During the shoulder season, around June–July and in early November, game viewing is still very good, but visitors are fewer and lodge rates tend to fall.
Few camps in the South Luangwa remain open during the “emerald” season, typically from December when the rains have started, but those that do showcase a verdant setting with the river flowing and migrant birds returning to nest.
South Luangwa National Park: In detail
Wildlife and environment of South Luangwa
South Luangwa National Park lies in a wide alluvial plain and riverine area, the most fertile part of the Luangwa Valley. It incorporates a variety of habitats that in turn support a very rich flora and fauna.
Key to this variety are the valley's rich volcanic soils, augmented by fine deposits from the river. This, combined with plenty of rainfall and a position about 12–14° from the Equator, where there is plenty of light, creates the ideal base for a lush and diverse plant growth.
This rich vegetation in turn supports a wide variety of animals. Each species has its own niche in the food chain, and each herbivore has its favourite food plants – or favourite part of those plants. It’s an efficient use of vegetation, leading to the high densities of game that the valley supports.
Trees & vegetation of the South Luangwa
Trees & vegetation of the South Luangwa
The South Luangwa’s most interesting habitat must be the lush riverine vegetation that lines both the Luangwa River and the banks of many old river courses and small tributaries. Here you'll find giant red mahogany trees, sausage trees, knobthorns and the hard, black African ebony trees – often forming dense groves.
Spreading out from the river, a patchwork of different vegetation zones includes the ever-present miombo forests, interspersed with open, herby “dambos”, or shallow lakes, and mopane forests – both the stunted variety, and the beautiful mature “cathedral” mopane.
Although there are a few large open plains, these aren't common. Most notable is the plain at the heart of the Nsefu Sector, east of the Luangwa River, whose natural salt springs attract crowned cranes in their thousands.
Predators in the South Luangwa
Predators in the South Luangwa
The main predators in the Luangwa Valley are lion, leopard, spotted hyena and wild dogs. Of these, lions are probably the most common, and their large prides are often easily spotted - especially in the dry season when the grass is low.
South Luangwa has a top reputation as a first-class park for spotting leopards. This is largely because leopard hunt nocturnally, and the South Luangwa is one of Africa's few national parks to allow spotlit night drives.
Wild dogs are uncommon, but sightings have been becoming much more numerous in recent years. They're now regularly seen, especially around February to May, and it seems likely that their numbers are growing. Cheetah, however, have not been seen in the South Luangwa for several decades.
Antelope & other herbivores in the South Luangwa
Antelope & other herbivores in the South Luangwa
Throughout the South Luangwa, elephant and buffalo occur in hundreds-strong herds, and antelope, especially impala and puku, are numerous. Impala are very adaptable – they can browse and graze – whereas puku are best suited to well-watered riverine areas.
Amongst South Luangwa National Park's many herbivores, three stand out as being endemic to the region – that is, those that occur nowhere else.
The beautiful Thornicroft's giraffe has a different (and more striking) coloration than the giraffes in the rest of southern Africa.
Cookson's wildebeest differ in having slightly reddish bands and often “cleaner” colours – and they are also a little smaller and more compact than their blue cousins.
And then there is Crawshay's zebra, an endemic subspecies of the more common plains zebra, completely lacking its cousin’s brown shadow-stripes between the black stripes.
Birds of South Luangwa National Park
Birds of South Luangwa National Park
Birds in the South Luangwa range from dry-country species to those favouring water-based habitats; around 400 species have been observed.
The best time for birdwatching in the South Luangwa is around December to March: the wet or “emerald season”. Then summer migrants are here, lured by plentiful food. Once-dry plains have thick vegetation and water is everywhere, encouraging wading flocks of herons, egrets and storks and several species of geese and ducks.
Of special note during the rains is the huge breeding colony of yellow-billed storks that nest in a stand of tall trees surrounded by shallow water in the Nsefu Sector, in the north of the park.
Another birding highlight of the South Luangwa starts in the dry season. Around August–September, colonies of migrant carmine bee-eaters arrive to nest in holes in sandy riverbanks. Peak nesting activity is typically around September to October, with the birds leaving early in the new year.
South Luangwa National Park: Safaris
Spread the net more widely, and the options for the best South Luangwa safari holiday broaden even further. If you have only a week for a Zambian safari, you could spend it all in the South Luangwa, but consider, too, combining it with a visit to the Lower Zambezi National Park, or perhaps the lesser-known Kasanka National Park.
With more time, how about contrasting time in the South Luangwa with Liuwa Plain, truly Zambia’s most remote park – and one that until recently was accessible only on a serious expedition? You could even make this a three-centre trip, taking in both Victoria Falls and the beaches of Lake Malawi.
Whatever your focus, give us a call, and let us tailor-make the right trip for you.
7 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Camps run by welcoming owners with a passion for their environment are rare, and Tafika is one of the best. Combine this with walking safaris at equally excellent bushcamps for the best of the South Luangwa.
US$6,040 - US$7,210 per person
10 days • 5 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Five smart but rustic bushcamps are the comfortable staging posts for this walking safari in South Luangwa. The route offers outstanding seclusion and rich wildlife with top-quality guiding throughout.
US$9,250 - US$11,500 per person
7 days • 2 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
This safari combines two high-quality owner-run camps in a very productive region of the South Luangwa. The guiding is excellent and with its hides this safari is perfect for serious photographers.
US$7,130 - US$9,410 per person
11 days • 4 locations
VICTORIA FALLS AIRPORT TO LILONGWE AIRPORT
Mix relaxation and adventure on a safari combining the South Luangwa with Victoria Falls and the beaches of Lake Malawi. These three locations are among the most iconic in southern Africa.
US$8,630 - US$11,910 per person
10 days • 4 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
This superb safari combines two of Zambia’s best national parks, the South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi. The camps are small and high quality with excellent safari guides.
US$9,760 - US$13,820 per person
7 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
The definitive, original mobile walking safari; explore the remote north of the South Luangwa on foot while staying in a simple mobile camp that moves with the group.
US$6,500 - US$8,500 per person
9 days • 4 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LIVINGSTONE AIRPORT
Combining excellent game with aspects of remoter safari in South Luangwa, as well as the cultural delights of Livingstone, this trip also makes use of long-stay discounts, making it an excellent-value and well-rounded adventure.
US$7,480 - US$9,520 per person
9 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
A safari to the remotest parts of Zambia’s Luangwa Valley. Perfect for experienced safari goers and first-time Africa adventurers. Explore with expert guides whilst staying at small bushcamps.
US$8,390 - US$9,740 per person
10 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Three luxurious bushcamps in stunning riverside locations, split between the South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi national parks, offer a wide variety of expert-guided safari activities in stunning game-rich environments.
US$8,060 - US$11,220 per person
7 days • 2 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Explore the world-class wildlife of Zambia’s South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi national parks in considerable luxury, guided by experts from two sister camps renowned for their excellent level of care.
US$8,370 - US$10,990 per person
6 days • 2 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LUSAKA AIRPORT
Offering a highly specialised experienced, this safari uses two simple bases for access to South Luangwa and Kasanka National Parks. Visit between October and December when you will witness the world’s largest mammalian migration of millions of fruit bats.
US$4,980 - US$6,080 per person
11 days • 3 locations
LUSAKA AIRPORT TO LIVINGSTONE AIRPORT
Discover South Luangwa’s prolific wildlife before exploring the wildly remote pans of Liuwa Plain National Park and relaxing in one of the Livingstone area’s most romantic and exclusive hideaways. A safari of luxury, style and impressive diversity.
US$13,200 - US$19,920 per person
Our 39 top lodges & safari camps in South Luangwa National Park
Most places to stay in South Luangwa National Park aim at upmarket visitors from overseas. Given the park’s remote location, and the seasonal variations, this is not surprising. Most camps can operate for only for five or six months of the year, after which they pack up, returning to rebuild their camps after every rainy season.
Our suggestions for safari camps in the South Luangwa are based on personal experience. All camps listed here range from the substantial comfort of Chichele Presidential Lodge to the much more simple style of Island Bush Camp, and spread from north to south. Yet even the most rustic of camps is smart and comfortable with en-suite facilities; you certainly won’t be roughing it!
Ask us for more details of what’s where, and what’s likely to suit you best.
Showing 1-12 of39
One of the best camps in Zambia, Tafika is naturally built, combining excellent service and food with top guiding skills for a superb wildlife experience.
On the banks of the Luangwa River, with its own access to the national park, the intimate Nkwali is open year round.
Small and owner-run, the riverside Kaingo occupies a a quiet but excellent game area, with a series of wildlife hides and a focus on photography.
One of the Luangwa's oldest camps, Nsefu is a great safari camp in a remote, beautiful and game-rich location with top-rate guiding.
One of the Luangwa's best camps, in a beautiful, remote bush location, Tena Tena is very small, exceedingly well-run and has top-rate guiding.
Small, remote and owner-run, Mwamba offers first-class walking, 4WD safari drives and superb hides, with excellent guides and a real bush feel.
Chikoko Tree Camp is an excellent small, rustic bushcamp that concentrates on walking safaris, and is run by a top-quality operation.
Big Lagoon Camp is a great little rustic bushcamp built to high standards that focuses on excellent walking safaris, with the emphasis on top wildlife guides.
A relatively big safari camp, Flatdogs offers value for money with great guiding and good food in a comfortable, relaxed setting.
Luangwa River Lodge is a small and consciously stylish lodge in the Mfuwe area, overlooking the Luangwa River and the South Luangwa National Park beyond – an area renowned for great game.
Kapani Lodge is now the main office base for Norman Carr Safaris, one of the Luangwa's oldest safari operations.
Set in a shady ebony grove on the banks of the Luangwa, Mchenja is a smart tented bushcamp. It combines well with Kakuli and Nsolo – its sister camps with a focus on walking safaris.
Excursions in South Luangwa National Park
Optional, extra day-trips and excursions that are possible while you’re staying in South Luangwa National Park. Talk to us: these excursions are usually best arranged before you go.
Two to three hours
Just outside Zambia's South Luangwa National Park lies a normal, working rural African village which is open and welcoming to visitors to the Luangwa valley. There is nothing artificial or contrived about Kawaza Village, and it offers a rare opportunity to experience and appreciate Kunda culture, and meet local Zambians.
More about Kawaza Village Visit
One - two hours
Visit the Tribal Textiles workshop, where hand-painted textiles are produced by more than a hundred local people. The workshop is close to Mfuwe Airport, so is ideally placed for a stop en route to/from the South Luangwa. With products ranging from cushion covers to bags and T-shirts, it's a great place for souvenir shopping while at the same time supporting the local community.
More about Tribal Textiles Tour
Need inspiration?
Let our trip chooser narrow down the options for you
Frequently Asked Questions
South Luangwa FAQs
So where exactly is South Luangwa National Park? And how do I get there? These and many more seemingly trivial questions – such as what you need for a walking safari – are often asked by our travellers, and they’re important.
We have tried to answer some of these questions here, but you may well have others. If so, please don’t hesitate to contact us. The Expert Africa team’s knowledge of the South Luangwa is based on years of personal experience and we would be happy to help.
Where is South Luangwa National Park?
Where is South Luangwa National Park?
One of Zambia's top national parks, along with the Lower Zambezi National Park, the South Luangwa is in eastern Zambia. It lies at the southern end of the Great Rift Valley, bordered to the west by the Muchinga Escarpment, and to the east by the Luwanga River, which is a mecca for wildlife as the dry season progresses.
As the crow flies, the South Luangwa is some 455km (283 miles) north-east of Lusaka, the Zambian capital, or 530km (354 miles) by road. Livingstone and the Victoria Falls, also to the south-west, are almost as far again in the same direction.
How do you get to and around the South Luangwa?
How do you get to and around the South Luangwa?
The three ways to get to South Luangwa National Park are to fly in and stay at one of the camps or lodges provided; to arrange a safari company from outside to drive you into the park in a 4WD: or to drive yourself into and around the park.
The easiest of these options is to fly in, both because it is the most relaxing and because your time is relatively limited. This is how almost all the trips arranged by Expert Africa are set up.
From Lusaka we usually organise a short 70-minute flight with Proflight, which takes you to Mfuwe Airport. On arrival, you will be met by someone from your safari camp, and transferred to the camp. There you will be welcomed by the team with some time to settle in, before heading out on an activity such as a safari walk or drive.
Is the South Luangwa good for a family safari?
Is the South Luangwa good for a family safari?
The South Luangwa caters well for families or small groups. It's important to be aware, though, that this is a malarial area. There are also dangerous animals roaming throughout, so children must always be kept under adult supervision. And do note that children under 12 are not allowed to take part in walking safaris.
Now to the plus points! Many lodges, including Flatdogs Camp and Tafika, welcome older children, with family-friendly accommodation, children's menus and a flexible approach to activities. Further afield, the more adventurous can even choose to spend a night or two camping.
More relaxed, especially with younger children aged around 7+, is one of the South Luangwa's safari houses: Robin's House and the larger Luangwa Safari House. Both offer exclusivity of activities, their own kitchen and chef, and space for children to run around without upsetting other guests.
Just ask us about the many options; we know all these camps from first-hand experience!
What is there to do on a South Luangwa safari?
What is there to do on a South Luangwa safari?
In most South Luangwa National Park safari camps you will enjoy a game drive or walk in the early morning, and a second in late afternoon. The hours between are yours to linger over lunch and enjoy a siesta, or to spend time watching the birds and animals in camp.
Game drives usually take place in open-topped 4WD vehicles, and an afternoon drive may continue after dark in search of the park’s nocturnal creatures. On a walking safari, you can expect a leisurely pace, with fascinating input from an expert guide, accompanied by an armed ranger.
One or two of the South Luangwa camps, such as Kaingo, where there are several hides well suited to keen photographers, offer a third daily activity. And in the so-called “emerald season”, a handful of camps operate safaris that include river trips.
Do I need to be fit to go on a walking safari – and what should I take?
Do I need to be fit to go on a walking safari – and what should I take?
While you don’t need to be overly fit to take part in a walking safari, it’s as well to be comfortable walking for an hour or two (with stops) on fairly uneven ground.
That said, the terrain is predominantly flat, and the pace leisurely – with plenty of time allowed for less-mobile guests. Walks normally take place in the early morning or late afternoon, when temperatures are relatively cool.
Loose, comfortable clothes are ideal, in muted tones of creams, greens or browns. Long trousers and long-sleeved shirts help to protect against insects, a hat is important, and comfortable shoes are essential.
Do bring a bottle of water, perhaps in a small backpack, together with a pair of binoculars and your camera – though a walking safari isn’t suited to heavy camera kit. Your safari guide will usually provide drinks and snacks.
Other areas in Zambia
A safari in South Luangwa National Park can be ideal as a standalone holiday, but it also combines well with Zambia's equally renowned Lower Zambezi National Park.
Unrivalled in terms of scale is the vast and less well-known Kafue National Park, defined by the Kafue River that is an irresistible draw for wildlife. In contrast, there's the magic of the North Luangwa, where a handful of tiny camps specialise in exploring on foot, while for sheer remoteness, don't miss Liuwa Plain.
Rather more estoteric is to witness the bat migration in Kasanka National Park at the end of the year. Hike in total privacy at Mutinondo Wilderness. Or come face to face with an English stately home in the bush at Shiwa Ng'andu. Then round it all off with the majesty of the Victoria Falls, considered to be one of the seven natural wonders of the world.