South Luangwa safari in Zambia, green season
| country: | Zambia |
| location: | South Luangwa |
| departures: | |
| price: | From £2895 (10 days) excluding flights |
| more info: | Price includes regional flights from Lusaka to Mfuwe, all road transfers, accommodation, all meals and drinks (soft drinks & house wines), laundry, all game viewing activities, expert guiding, national park fees and a contribution towards The South Luangwa Conservation Society. Minimum age 16 |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to South Luangwa safari in Zambia, green season
Zambia is renowned for superb game viewing with a wide variety of both bird and mammal species. Many of the national parks and game viewing areas are very remote with a small number of safari camps, so for those with an adventurous spirit or an interest in rare species and wilderness areas, Zambia is hard to beat.
This highly personal, small group safari takes a maximum of only six people and is based at just two locations. Over and above the phenomenal wildlife, the warmth and hospitality of the people of Zambia will make your safari a truly memorable one. By staying in only two camps, you will be able to enjoy a much more relaxed trip and gain a real insight into your surroundings – wildlife viewing as it should be.
You will also have an opportunity to learn about The South Luangwa Conservation Society through informal talks and optional community activities such as visits to the local school and clinic and attending drumming and dancing sessions by the local drama group.
This highly personal, small group safari takes a maximum of only six people and is based at just two locations. Over and above the phenomenal wildlife, the warmth and hospitality of the people of Zambia will make your safari a truly memorable one. By staying in only two camps, you will be able to enjoy a much more relaxed trip and gain a real insight into your surroundings – wildlife viewing as it should be.
You will also have an opportunity to learn about The South Luangwa Conservation Society through informal talks and optional community activities such as visits to the local school and clinic and attending drumming and dancing sessions by the local drama group.
best time to go
This programme has been specifically designed to fall within the ‘green season’ in Zambia, when rain is to be expected (usually in the form of short afternoon showers) and when the bush changes dramatically. Experiencing the African bush in this season not only provides a unique wilderness experience for first-time and regular safari travellers, but also exceptional bird and wildlife viewing opportunities and this is an excellent time for photography as there is much less dust. It is a time of year that is renowned for its clear skies and dramatic sunsets. day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | South Luangwa National Park. Following your arrival in Lusaka, you will be welcomed by our representative and catch your connecting flight to Mfuwe. Here, you will be met and welcomed by a Kapani Lodge guide, who will transfer you to the lodge. You will stay here for three nights on a fully inclusive basis. After settling in, you can head out for your first game drive to explore this stunning area before stopping for sundowners in the national park. You then continue on an exciting night drive, looking for nocturnal species such as leopard for which the area is perhaps most famous. Return to camp in time for dinner and a well-deserved rest. |
| Days 2-3: | Game drives. Today is an early morning wake-up before gathering around the campfire for a light breakfast whilst watching the sun rise over the lagoon. Your morning drive will last about three to four hours, returning to camp in time to enjoy a hearty brunch. After tea you will leave for a game drive. You will either return to camp for sundowners or stay out in the bush, enjoying an evening drink and then returning to camp after dark, using a spotlight to search for nocturnal animals. After returning to camp at about 7:30pm you can retire to your room or to the bar before dinner. Central to any safari, and an African tradition in itself, are the evening conversations around the camp fire after dinner, when the adventures of the day can be discussed. The stories that will be told for a long time to come start to take shape as you talk long into the night with the sound of hyenas or nightjars in the distance. |
| Days 4-7: | Bush camp. This morning you will venture out by boat onto the main Luangwa River as you are transferred for an hour upstream to Kakuli Camp. After settling in to camp and enjoying another tasty brunch, you will head out on foot to explore this region. Game viewing from Kakuli at this time of year is either by boat or on foot, allowing you an opportunity to experience wildlife from a different perspective. You will explore inlets, flooded lagoons and magical ebony forests by boat, taking picnic lunches with you. There are a number of well drained, sandy areas close to camp where walking is possible and, as dry ground is at a premium at this time of year, these areas are well populated with animals, providing some excellent game viewing opportunities. |
| Day 8: | South Luangwa National Park. Today you will return to Kapani Lodge for a final game drive and farewell dinner with your guide. |
| Day 9: | Chaminuka Nature Reserve. After saying farewell to the team at the camp, you will be transferred by road to Mfuwe airport in order to meet your flight to Lusaka. On arrival in Lusaka you will be transferred to Chaminuka Nature Reserve, located 30 minutes from the airport and the private residence of the Sardanis family, who have opened their home as a guest house. The lodge is perched on top of a hill and has fantastic views. Tonight, enjoy a final farewell dinner with the group before your early morning departure the next day. Your overnight stay at Chaminuka Nature Reserve is on a fully inclusive basis. |
| Day 10: | Return home. This morning you will be transferred to the airport in order to take your flight home. Alternatively, spend some time at the animal hide or a well-deserved siesta. |
wildlife specialist
Typically trips are expertly guided by a leading specialist with a good knowledge of the area to be visited. Inevitably, wildlife is 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
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Community
Our small group trip to Zambia falls in line with our strong beliefs in responsible tourism and is based in one lodge only, providing the perfect platform from which to enjoy a slower, more insightful mode of travel. Furthermore, the trip’s guiding team is widely regarded to be the most experienced and knowledgeable in Zambia and by keeping the group size small, it provides for a much more personal experience. The lodge supports a number of local community projects such as the Kapani school project whose primary aim is to provide education to children who would otherwise not be able to attend school, the Kakumbi Clinic Project which, amongst other things, pays for a doctor from abroad to practice at the clinic on a volunteer basis and the SEKA (meaning ‘to laugh’ in the local language) Theatre Group whose primary goal is to create a visual spectacle that contains an educational message. Visits to these projects are incorporated in the small group trip as and where possible and should not be missed! Environment This trip helps support the South Luangwa Conservation Society which is a non-profit community-based organisation committed to the conservation of the local wildlife and natural resources of the South Luangwa National Park and surrounding Game Management Areas. Whilst anti-poaching is a significant part of the South Luangwa Conservation Society’s mandate it is also very much involved with uplifting local communities by establishing alternative income generating projects. To mitigate the carbon dioxide released into the high atmosphere through your air travel we are giving £10 per client to Rainforest Concern. Rainforests have a central role to play in the slowing of climate change and yet we are removing forests from the planet at a faster rate than they can grow back. It is thus axiomatic to try and preserve the forests that we have rather than replanting. |
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 led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |
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