South Luangwa holidays

Kawaza Village, South Luangwa

Beside South Luangwa lies Kawaza Village. This is a normal, working, rural Zambian village that has decided to invite visitors to stay. There is nothing contrived or artificial about it. A stay at Kawaza gives you the very rare opportunity to get an insight into Kunda culture, an experience perhaps best described by a guest (Justin Francis from responsibletravel.com) who stayed there for two nights, after a walking safari:

"Kawaza is a typical Kunda village - nothing more and nothing less. After being welcomed and introduced to Jackson, the village headman, I wandered through the village, escorted by Maya (a local guide with excellent English) and Constantino - a local lad with an eccentric taste in earrings!

In the golden light of the early evening we sat with some of the women as they prepared the evening meal of Nshima and sauce. Children of all ages appeared - I've never seen such big smiles. The men were busy drinking and chatting, and invited me to join them. They were delighted that I liked their beer, and surprised I wasn't married - hence began an interesting conversation about the merits of three wives versus one! Later we visited the traditional healer - an eye-opening experience, as her comments proved astonishingly accurate.

That evening the village put on a dance for the visitors, which became an excuse for neighbouring villages to join the party. I have no idea how many people joined us in the moonlight, but it seemed the dance area was thronged with hundreds of people, from children to great grandparents - all accompanied by two drummers. After a warm-water shower/bath under the stars, I spent the night comfortably under a mosquito net in a firm bed in a traditional hut.

The following morning, I helped out with an English lesson at the village school before being picked up and taken to my next safari camp. I was never asked for money or tips, as the cost of the visit had been agreed in advance and put towards vital development initiatives. My visit has been the experience of a lifetime for me, and an equitable exchange of trust, wisdom, culture and money with Kawaza village."

Want to know more about South Luangwa holidays before you go?

Find out more about South Luangwa by reading these articles.

Its 5.45am in South Luangwa National Park. In the copper-grey half dawn we gather around a still smouldering camp fire and prepare for the ultimate bush experience – a walking safari in which we can expect to track and see South Luangwa’s heavy brigade of elephant, buffalo, hippo and possibly even lion. Without a qualified guide to escort us we’d not be troubling the caterers for lunch. Ten years ago 80% of safari guides in the valley were white. Now 80% are Zambian and Daudi Njobvu explains what to do if we come across a four legged juggernaut having a bad day. Read more about South Luangwa safaris in this South Luangwa article.