Description
At the end of Africa's Great Rift Valley is the South Luangwa National Park, over 9000 sq kms of pristine and game-rich bush and home to a wide variety of wildlife. The guiding in South Luangwa is world-renowned, with a particular focus on walking safaris, led by expert guides and National Parks scouts. Start your day with an exciting walk through the park, return for a delicious brunch and relaxing afternoon, then round off your day with an evening game drive, using a spotlight to find the park's nocturnal predators, and perhaps even watching them hunt.
You'll spend six nights with Norman Carr Safaris, staying first at their flagship lodge, Kapani, situated on an ox-bow lagoon just outside the park. The service and hospitality here are excellent, and your guide will introduce you to the park and its residents on your game drives, before returning to the lodge for a delicious supper. You can also choose to visit Kapani's sponsored school, Yosefe School and meet the pupils and teachers for a completely different yet fascinating experience.
Leaving Kapani, travel further into the park to stay at Kapani's most luxurious bushcamp, Mchenja, set in a grove of towering ebony trees on a sweeping bend of the Luangwa River. Here you will be able to walk straight from the camp into remote areas of the park, accompanied by your guide and scout. Walking in the mornings is particularly special - the coolness of the night lingers into the dawn, meaning the animals are more active. Your guide will point out the smaller aspects of the bush: perhaps a tree trunk rubbed smooth by elephants using it as a scratching post, or the intoxicating sweet scent of wild jasmine.
Game drives here are particularly rewarding - there is a high concentration of predators, including leopard, lion and wild dog. The camp is within driving distance of Lion Plain and Fish Eagle Lagoon. Lion Plain is a vast, open plain with the occasional scrubby acacia bush, perfect hunting ground for the prides of lion on this side of the park. Fish Eagle Lagoon is an ox-bow lagoon which retains water nearly all through the season, thus attracting a huge amount of game, particularly in the drier months.
After your sojourn in South Luangwa, you will fly, via Lusaka, to Lower Zambezi National Park, where you will spend three nights at Chiawa Camp, overlooking the mighty Zambezi River. As well as guided walks and day and night game drives in open 4X4 vehicles, you will also be able to spend time on the river, either in 2-man canadian canoes, or on Chiawa's larger motor boat. It's a superb way to approach game quite closely without startling it, and for the photographer it's a dream - great close-up shots almost guaranteed! The park is very picturesque and, if you wish, you can game-view from the comfort of your private deck.
For the final part of your adventure, you will visit one of Zambia's wonders - the majestic Victoria Falls. Here you will stay on a secluded island, Sindabezi. Reached by a short boat ride, Sindabezi's rooms are open-sided and very luxurious. Included is a tour of the Victoria Falls, and a visit to the Livingstone Museum, morning and evening boat cruises, a game drive in Mosi oa Tunya National Park, canoeing excursion, lunch on a local island and various other activities. Or you can choose to relax on the island!
Please see our itinerary below. It is a suggested itinerary and can be tailored to suit your individual needs.
Guide price
£5,875 per person
£5,875 per person based on two sharing on a fully inclusive basis including international and domestic flights, transfers and air taxes.
Itinerary
| Stay | Location / Route | Overnight |
|---|
| 1 night
| Fly to South Luangwa (via Lusaka) | Overnight flight |
| 3 nights
| South Luangwa National Park, Zambia | Kapani Lodge |
| 3 nights
| South Luangwa National Park, Zambia | Mchenja Bush Camp |
| 3 nights
| Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia | Chiawa Camp |
| 3 nights
| Livingstone, Zambia | Sindabezi Island |
| 1 night
| Fly to London (via Johannesburg) | Overnight flight |
When to travel
Zambia has a moderate to sub-tropical climate with three distinct seasons: from November to March is the Emerald, or the rainy season, April to July is Zambia's winter, when the weather is cool and dry, and August to October is summer, when the weather is hot and dry. In terms of game-viewing, the dryer months, meaning a higher concentration of game at the permanent water sources, are a superb time to visit. Alternatively come for some superb bird-watching at the end of the rains.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and Livingstone
Kapani Lodge is situated on an ox-bow lagoon in the Mfuwe area, just 5-minutes outside the South Luangwa National Park in Eastern Provence. The second stop still within the South Luangwa National Park is Mchenja Bush camp, set within an ebony grove, on a bend of the Luangwa River. Then its on to the Zambezi National Park. Chiawa camp is situated on the banks of the Zambezi River in the Lower Zambezi National Park. The Sindabezi Island Camp, your final destination is located on a secluded paradise island overlooking the splendid Zambezi River, 15km upstream from Victoria Falls and surrounded by the Zambezi National Park.
How to get there
10-hour international flight to Lusaka followed by a 1-hour flight to Mfuwe airport. It is then approx 40-minutes by road, in and open game viewing vehicle, to Kapani Lodge.
