SOUTH LUANGWA | RAW Photographic

SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK

ZAMBIA

Seasonal Info

April - October: Dry season. The bush thins out which makes game viewing easier, especially as this dryer time means more animals congregate around the rivers. Mornings can be cold and the air very dusty.
November - March: Wet season. Fewer tourists with lush vegetation and bird watching at its best. However, the heat and humidity can be intense, wildlife viewing can be challenging and some regions become inaccessible due to water levels

Expect To See

Leopards and lions are a common sighting most days
Fantastic opportunities for birds, especialy during the wet season
Plenty of general game populating the open surroundings and river beds
Fights between hippos as water sources dry up
Lions have specialised in hunting hippos

Area Highlights

Fantastic for lions and leopards
Wild dogs have returned to the area
Large rivers populated with hippos and crocodiles
High density of wildlife

ABOUT

About South Luangwa

Very few places in Africa can offer the unique combination of South Luangwa National Park's open, grassy plains and mature, mesmerizing woodlands, crowned with the pristine, impressive Luangwa River. This area's reputation for abundant wildlife and unspoiled vegetation is well earned, so whether driving around or walking through, the intense beauty calls to you from every corner.

South Luangwa National Park is the highlight of eastern Zambia. Known to locals as simply 'the South Park,' it was initially founded as the Luangwa Game Park in 1904, and converted to one of three game reserves in 1938. The impressive park covers an area of about 9050 square kilometers of the Luangwa Valley floor, and lies anywhere from 500 meter to 800 meter above sea level. With its western and northwestern edge bounded by the Muchinga Escarpment, and the southern border lined with the meandering Luangwa River, there's no shortage of dramatic and fascinating topography in this stunning game-rich park.

Experts have dubbed South Luangwa to be one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world and not without reason. The concentration of animals around the Luangwa River, and its oxbow lagoons, is among the most intense in Africa.

Itinerary

DAY 1

Upon arriving in Lusaka you will be met at arrivals area just outside the main airport building. You will get taken to a local Hotel where you will meet Sam and get to know everybody in your small group. Take the time to relax after your long flight before getting a good night sleep.

* Breakfast is included - but drinks, lunch and dinner is not included in the price.

DAY 2

After a relaxed start to the day and and a hearty breakfast, we will then start the journey to South Luangwa. We will depart for the airport and proceed to fly to Mfuwe airport, arriving late morning. We will immediately be picked up by our guide and taken to our lodge on the fringe of the South Luangwa National Park. Upon arriving at camp, you will have time to relax and freshen up before having some lunch and then departing on your first official game drive in the mid-afternoon. Upon returning back to camp after sunset, dinner is served.

DAY 3 - 8

Game drives start early in Africa. We’ll head out around sunrise to take advantage of first light and the ensuing morning golden hour. Our focus will be on finding the best photographic subjects and wildlife experiences we can get. Having a private vehicle means the world is our oyster and the utmost comfort and space and we’ll decide as a group what’s the best focus for each game drive. After a coffee stop in the bush, we’ll get back to camp in the mid-late morning for brunch and some time to relax. This is also the perfect time to work with Sam on your photography and editing skills. This is your time away, so whether you wish to work on photograpy or simply relax - it’s down to you! Our second daily game drive will see us following up any sightings or information from previous drives - making sure that we stop at sunsets for the iconic sundowners experience. Dinner will follow as usual later in the evening upon return back to camp

DAY 9

We’ll head out for our final game drive and exploration of South Luangwa and then, after a spot of breakfast back at camp, head back to Mfuwe airport to catch our flight back to Lusaka for around noon.