The South Luangwa Holidays

The ox-bow lakes, plains and woodlands of the South Luangwa National Park host huge concentrations of game, including elephants, buffaloes, leopards, lions, giraffes, hippos and over 400 species of birds, and are home to exceptional walking safaris. It's not for nothing that many people refer to the South Luangwa as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, with the Luangwa River being one of the most intact major river systems in Africa and the life blood of the park's 5,600 square miles. With direct flights from Lusaka, the South Luangwa National Park is a great place to start your safari holiday in Zambia and one can easily spend a week or more on a South Luangwa safari combining a stay in many of the small, intimate bushcamps that are dotted along the Luangwa River and many of the lagoons in the area. We sometimes recommend starting off with a few nights in one of the slightly larger lodges around the Mfuwe area where the game is prolific and the focus is mainly on game drives, before venturing out further into the park and staying in a combination of two or three of the smaller more rustic camps where the focus is more on walking. Led by highly experienced guides and accompanied by armed scouts, South Luangwa walking safaris are the best way to discover the diversity and secrets of the African bush, and we only work with the very best guides and camps.

The South Luangwa holiday ideas

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The South Luangwa Guide

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What to expect on the South Luangwa holidays?

The South Luangwa is famed for its remote walking safaris. With 3,500 square miles (about the size of North Yorkshire) of bushland to be explored, there is little chance of seeing the same area twice. Venture into the park in a rumbling 4x4 and spend the night on the banks of the Luangwa River, listening to hippos honking in the river below and lions defending their territory in the distance. Wake up with the sun to the soundtrack of the bush before heading out on foot with an expert guide to spot everything from giraffes and buffalos to birds’ nests and lion tracks. The park is the perfect place for a family safari adventure, whether introducing children to the wonders of game drives for the first time or digging deeper if they’ve already been on safari before. Venture out in the early hours of the morning with checklists in hand for the ultimate adventure for little ones, before pulling over in the bush for a lunch like no other in the heart of the South Luangwa surrounded by wildlife. For a different kind of adventure between drives, take part in family cooking classes or head into a local village where the youngsters can have a kick-around with the local children. Ending the day with sundowners and dinner under the stars will quickly become the norm, though we doubt the burning sunsets or crystal-clear constellations could ever feel ordinary.

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