South Luangwa National Park

Tours to Southern Africa’s finest wildlife Sanctuary

South Luangwa National Park is dubbed by experts as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, and not without reason. The National Park is the Luangwa Valley’s most accessible and popular park. It is 9050km² and the concentration of game around the river is of the highest in Africa.
Once known as “The Crowded Place” and “The Elephant’s Kingdom,” The National Park once boasted of 100,000 behemoths. The elephants loved the tracts of monpane woods that dotted the landscape. Despite losses to poaching during the 1980′s, 15,000 elephants still roam the area, making the park a prime destination for viewing the beasts.

South Luangwa Safari Giraffes
Luangwa River
The Luangwa River is the most intact major river system in Africa and is the life blood of the park’s 9050km2. The Park hosts a wide variety of wildlife birds and vegetation. The now famous ‘walking safari’ originated in this park and is still one of the finest ways to experience this pristine wilderness first hand. The changing seasons add to the Park’s richness ranging from dry, bare bushveld in the winter to a lush green wonderland in the summer months. There are 60 different animal species and over 400 different bird species. The only notable exception is the rhino, sadly poached to extinction.

Luangwa safari Elephant
Wildlife
The National Park consists of almost 60 animal species and 400 bird species, makes the South Luangwa one of the best places to view African wild from up-close. South Luangwa National Park Wildlife includes huge herds of elephants and Buffalo. Of particular interest are the 2 subspecies unique to the Luangwa Valley. Cookson’s wildebeest and the wonderful thornicroft Giraffe (with its dark patterned skin). The Valley’s main predators are the lion, leopard and spotted hyenas.

Luangwa River
The park is well-known for large herds of elephants: Some herds numbering up to 70. Buffalo and various antelope species are prolific throughout the park. In the river and adjoining pools, hippos and crocodiles can be seen in great numbers. The zebra peculiar to Luangwa can be seen everywhere: their stripes are evenly spaced as opposed to broad light stripes with a faint stripe in-between. Also the concentration of game around the Luangwa River and its ox bow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa.

Steppe Eagles
Bird Life
Bird watching is superb in South Luangwa National Park. There are over 400 different bird species. Near the end of the dry season, when the river and oxbow lagoons begin to recede, hundreds of large water birds can be seen wading through the shallows. The red faced yellow billed storks move along with their beaks open underwater, disturbing the muddy liquid with their feet until the fish flop into their mouths. The pelicans tend to operate in lines abreast, driving the fish before them into shallows before scooping them up into their beak pouches. The striking 1.6m saddle bill stork makes quick darting movements into the water. Then there’s the marabou stork, great white egrets, black headed herons, open billed storks and the stately goliath heron that can stand in the same position for hours before pouncing. Of the most beautiful are the elegant crowned cranes, with their golden tufts congregating in large flocks at the salt pans.
Getting There
By road – The usual route is from Chipata. This is a good road if a little corrugated and the 123km drive takes about two hours to Mfuwe, just outside the Park. If traveling in a robust 4×4 from Lusaka, it is possible to take a short cut from the Great East Road at Petauke, up alongside the Luangwa River to Mfuwe. Only to be attempted well into the dry season. A good overnight stop along the way is at the Luangwa River Bridge at Bridge Camp.
The Northern access is from Mpika on the Great North Road or Lundazi, near Zambia’s eastern border with Malawi. Just below Mpika, there is a road running down the Munyamadzi Corridor between North and South Luangwa Parks. It is passable but only is only open between August and October in 4WD and preferably with two vehicles as help is a long way away.
Where To Stay in South Luangwa National Park

Luangwa Nsefu Camp
South Luangwa National Park has a number of world-class safari camps and lodges; we have seen them all and feature all of the best. Some include Luangwa Safari House, Chikoko Bush camp, Kaingo Camp, Kapamba Lodge, Kawaza Village, Kuyenda Bush Camp, Luwi Bush Camp, Mchenja Bush Camp, Crocodile Bush Camp, Chindeni and Kafunta Lodge.
Climate & When to Go
Seasonal changes are very pronounced in Luangwa. The dry season runs from April and intensifies through to October, the hottest month when game concentrations are at their height. Warm sunny days and chilly nights typify the dry winter months of May to August.
The wet season begins in November as the leaves turn green, and the dry bleak terrain becomes a lush jungle. The rainy season lasts up until the end of March and the migrant birds arrive in droves. Each lodge stays open for as long as access is possible, depending on its location in the area. See below in brackets.
Other Attractions in The Park
• Thorneycroft’s Giraffe
• Lots of leopards
• Birds of prey i.e. Steppe Eagles and Buzzards
• 47 migrating bird species from Europe and Russia
• 14 different antelope species