Experiences in South Luangwa

Track wildlife on a game drive in South Luangwa

On a safari drive you'll cover more ground and seeing more wildlife

Whether you’re watching elephant crossing the mighty Luangwa River, home to one of Africa's largest populations of hippo, or enjoying the birds flittering above oxbow lagoons, Zambian safaris don’t get much better than in the South Luangwa. The park allows open vehicles, which should prick up your ears - it means 360° wildlife-spotting and incredible photography. Your safari is led by an expert guide, who knows every creature in the park and how to follow their trail. Most camps offer two drives a day (one early in the morning and one later in the afternoon, continuing into the night) allowing you to really get to grips with all the park has to offer, broken only by bonnet tea breaks or sundowners in a scenic location.

Track wildlife on a game drive in South Luangwa

Go on a guided walking safari in South Luangwa

Stride out among the animals and experience the bush from their perspective

Pioneered by the legendary conservationist Norman Carr in the 1950s, South Luangwa is the birthplace of the walking safari. You'll be led by a park ranger and expert guide, trained to decipher the tiniest detail and predict an animal's movements, often leading to moments unique to a walking safari. And your guide has a bank of knowledge to go with every discovery. Along the way, you'll cross rivers in between herds of elephant and spy on leopard dozing in a tree, stopping occasionally to examine the handiwork of a dung beetle, admire the birds, or for a well-earned cup of tea. Seeing wildlife undisturbed and in their own element, from the smallest critters to the biggest, this is a walking safari in South Luangwa. Leave at first light to catch the animals at their most active and you'll be out for around four hours. For the most comfortable and lucrative conditions, June to September is the best time to go. Don't miss this Timbuktu favourite!

Go on a guided walking safari in South Luangwa

Search for the leopards of South Luangwa

You may have heard tales of just how elusive leopard are, but South Luangwa isn't called the 'Valley of the Leopard' for nothing...it's home to some of the highest numbers in Africa. If it's your mission to see these spotted beauties in the wild, set out in the early morning (returning for brunch) or late afternoon - sundowners included, as they take up residence in an ebony tree or slink down to join the hunt. Night drives are especially good and with the expertise of your guide, you'll have the chance to meet their arresting gaze glowing under a spotlight, perhaps having dragged their kill into a tree. On safari, there are few things that come close...

See animals on a night game drive in South Luangwa

With a powerful spotlight, there’s no end to what you might see in the darkness

The South Luangwa isn’t known as the 'Valley of the Leopard' for no reason – and what better time to try and spot these beautiful cats than on a night safari? Head out after dinner with your guide and power up the spotlight to search for those elusive nocturnal creatures. Your seasoned guide knows just how to do that while remaining undetected, following the subtle snap of a branch or, most excitingly, alarm calls. South Luangwa is one of the few parks where a night drive is possible and it more than lives up to its reputation with plenty of foraging hippo, big cats on the hunt and, if you're lucky, the rare aardvark.

See animals on a night game drive in South Luangwa

Spend the night fly-camping in South Luangwa

Sleeping out in the heart of the bush is an experience like no other

There’s something about sleeping under the stars that’s utterly magical. And a sleep-out safari in the South Luangwa isn’t any old camping! You’ll be spoilt with dinner cooked over the campfire, soak up safari tales told by some of the greatest guides on the continent, then curl up under your mosquito net and nod off to the sounds of the Zambian night. You might just be woken by the sounds of a herd of elephant passing by at midnight, but no need to worry as there is an armed scout on watch throughout the night. The following morning, it’s bacon and eggs with the sunrise and a walking safari back to camp. Fly camping is at its best towards the end of the dry season (July to September) when the temperatures are warmer and there are fewer mosquitoes.

Spend the night fly-camping in South Luangwa

Follow wild dogs in the South Luangwa

How to find the charismatic painted dogs in a vast untouched wilderness

With its tie-dye coat and mouselike ears, it's easy to see why the African wild dog (or the more endearing 'painted dog') has become a talisman of a true safari. They are also one of Africa's most endangered carnivores but thanks to unwavering conservation efforts, there are now over 350 mature painted dogs in the Luangwa Valley. While these animated hounds are constantly on the move to avoid their nemeses (lion and hyena) and sniff out prey, the fantastic guides in South Luangwa have a trick or two for tracking them - and you might just see them mid-hunt. Most active in the early morning and late afternoon, you'll set out from camp (we know some good ones) in good time, looking for the pack.

Take a boat safari in South Luangwa

Try an Emerald Season boat safari and view wildlife from a hippo’s perspective

Unlike the Luangwa in the dry season, the 'Emerald Season' - December to April - is a whole new world of water-logged ebony groves and hippo-filled lagoons. It's home to some of the largest pods in Africa! The wonderful river, fringed by huge fig and sausage trees, rises dramatically, and floating along the water on a boat safari is one of the best ways to view game. The birding scene really comes into its own, in full colourful plumage, and you could see up to 100 species in a single day. Time it just right and you'll be clinking G&Ts as the sun sets over the river. Even better, only a handful of camps are open, so the watery wilderness is all yours.

Safari from your Mountain bike in South Luangwa

Swap four wheels for two and peddle your way around the north of the park

The South Luangwa may have made its fame with the walking safari, thanks to its vast (mostly flat) terrain, exquisite wildlife and powerhouse river. Happily, these traits also make it the place for an epic biking safari. They’re certainly fun and a brilliant way to keep active in the bush, covering more ground than on foot but keeping a lower profile than a 4x4. Plot your course along the rushing Luangwa River where elephant gather to drink and splash, hippo glisten in giant pods and the flicking tail of a leopard is enough to stop your heart. You'll park in a scenic spot along the way to sip on something cool before cycling on. In the South Luangwa, these cycling safaris are only offered by a select few lodges, so choose carefully.

Safari from your Mountain bike in South Luangwa

Book a private guide for an exclusive safari

Book a personal guide and vehicle for a private safari that’s all about you

We know what’s it like when you just want to do your own thing on safari, whether that’s heading into the bush at sunrise and not returning until sunset, or spending a few hours on that once-in-a-lifetime photo. If that describes you to a 'T', then book a private guide and vehicle for the duration of your trip in the South Luangwa, or a couple of days here and there, and create your dream safari, totally on your own terms. When it comes down to it, the wildlife and wistful river views make the chance to take it all in at your leisure more than worth it.

Book a private guide for an exclusive safari

Capture epic shots on a South Luangwa photo safari

Take your photos to the next level with a private photographic guide

If you're longing to capture that safari-defining moment on camera, why not get the expertise of someone who has made their home in the bush and spends their days doing just that? Book a day (or more) in the company of a specialist photographic guide and discover exactly what your camera is capable of. Remote, breathtaking and very photogenic, South Luangwa has become a sanctuary for wildlife including the Thornicroft's giraffe, which is only found here. Whatever the season, you'll learn the art of reading animal's movements, finding the perfect light and clicking just at the right moment. Photographing a leopard on the hunt and lying flat on the plains to snap a herd of elephant only metres away, it's all in a day...

Capture epic shots on a South Luangwa photo safari

Enjoy a multi-day walking safari in South Luangwa

Don’t simply walk between camps – take the camp with you!

If you like your safaris rustic and robust, a mobile walking safari is for you. Usually lasting 5 or 6 nights, you’ll cover roughly 10km on foot during the day, walking through some of Zambia’s most remote and jaw-droppingly beautiful landscapes. And scanning the landscape for its cast of incredible wildlife every step of the way. At night, you’ll be sleeping in simple fly camps (complete with hot showers, stand up tents and hearty food nonetheless!). The camp won’t move every day – sometimes you’ll return to the same spot to spend the night – but when it does, the well-practised team will have everything taken care of. Blink and you’ll miss it!

Enjoy a multi-day walking safari in South Luangwa

Take a tribal textiles art safari in South Luangwa

Paint a colourful masterpiece in the traditional style of the Mfuwe people

You don’t even need to be creative to take part in an Art Safari – the talented artists at Tribal Textiles spend their days producing unique, hand-painted textiles in the heart of the bush and, on an Art Safari, they’ll show you exactly how it’s done. Spend a morning or a day with them and paint a cushion cover or design a wall hanging and take home your very own piece of African tribal art.

South Luangwa

What to do in South Luangwa