Zambia lodge safari

country:	Zambia
location:	South Luangwa
departures:	2008: 3 Nov, 19 Dec
price:	From £1550 - £1950 (9 days) including flights from the UK; this trip can also be booked without flights

Zambia safaris

Lodge safaris

South Luangwa holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

A 9-day mammal-viewing holiday based at a luxury lodge on the edge of the wonderful South Luangwa National Park, one of the most famous and best national parks in Africa.

This is a single-centre holiday based in a small and exclusive lodge situated on the edge of the South Luangwa Valley and overlooking the Luangwa River. The lodge can accommodate up to sixteen guests in eight twin bedded thatched rooms, each having private facilities and a private veranda. It has a thatched, open-plan bar and dining area, swimming pool and patio where guests can relax overlooking the Luangwa River.

The aim of the holiday will be to gain a thorough appreciation of the mammals (and, to a lesser extent, the birds) of one of the most famous and best National Parks in Africa. By concentrating only on this one park during this relatively short holiday, we will maximise our time in the field, minimising wearisome overland travel.

By travelling at the start of Zambia's "green season" in February, we may have to put up with some rain, but are likely to be more than compensated not only by the beauty of this season, but also by the lack of other tourists. The October departure offers you the chance to see mammals around the waterholes towards the end of the dry season. Even in Zambia's high season, tourists are never as thick on the ground as in other parts of Africa, due to the limited accommodation in Zambia's National Parks, and the generally very high cost of this destination.

this holiday is operated by a wildlife specialist

Typically trips are expertly guided by a leading specialist with a good knowledge of the area to be visited. Inevitably, birds, plants and mammals are the main focus of attention however, the aim will be to incorporate all other aspects of the natural world in an attempt to be as broad-minded as possible. A local guide may often accompany trips.

how this holiday makes a difference

This 9-day, expert-escorted safari holiday to Zambia's South Luangwa National Park is based throughout at the luxurious Kafunta River Lodge (built with local materials and labour). Kafunta overlooks the Luangwa River and is a wonderful base from which to explore one of Africa's foremost wildlife reserves. Our departures run in February and November, outside the main tourist season, when the park is at its quietest. Many of the staff who run Kafunta so efficiently come from the local town of Mfuwe and tourism here has been of enormous benefit to the local economy.

Kafunta, in common with other lodges, also help train local guides, contribute to the nearby school and support the R.A.T.S, the anti-poaching patrol manned by local Zambian people. Indeed, many of the people in Mfuwe are now employed in some way by the tourist industry, whether it is guiding people into the park or servicing the safari vehicles. By operating our Zambia Mammals tours outside the main tourist months we help to extend the tourist season and provide out-of-season employment for the camp staff and safari guides.

Additionally, this is a small group tour (comprising 6-16 clients) and escorted throughout by an expert local naturalist, thereby avoiding the need to fly in a tour leader. So, please join us on a safari to remember in search of Elephants, Giraffes, Zebras, Lions and Leopard, plus a wealth of birds and other wildlife. Eco-tourism is undoubtedly one of the most effective ways to ensure the continued survival of African wildlife. In a world where almost every tract of land must pay its way, income derived from eco-tourism is providing many Africans with a sustainable livelihood, one that encourages conservation and the protection of the continent’s remaining wild areas.

As a company we have achieved AITO’s top level, 3-star Responsible Tourism accreditation and we have always tried to operate our holidays in an environmentally responsible manner, striving to contribute to wildlife conservation and habitat preservation at all times.

Our policy includes:

To focus, particularly, on visiting areas which do not benefit from the rewards of mass market tourism.

To minimise environmental damage by exploring in small groups and, as much as possible, on foot.

To use, wherever possible, local guides.

To involve local communities and to ensure that they receive a fair share of the benefits of wildlife tourism.

To use, wherever possible, small, locally owned accommodations & specialist local agents/ground operators.

To purchase, where possible, local produce.

To develop and commit to long-term plans to visit rural areas and support the local communities.

To contribute financially to projects local to the areas that we visit (ie. schools, hospitals, etc.)

To educate the local people on the importance and long-term benefits of wildlife tourism.

To keep our clients well-informed on aspects of wildlife management and conservation.

To work with British and overseas conservation organisations to develop new wildlife tourism destinations.

To run our UK office in as energy-efficient a manner as possible.

We also encourage our clients to offset their carbon dioxide emissions.

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've lead the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

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