...Insight
South Luangwa
FABLED WILD WALKING SAFARI
Wild terrain, famed for leopard, wild dog and walking safaris; the South Luangwa is an inspired choice for those seeking untouched landscapes and incredible wildlife. These credentials make the South Luangwa an integral addition to any Zambian safari and can be easily combined with the Lower Zambezi National Park and Victoria Falls.
Undeniably beautiful, seasonal sand rivers carve through pristine woodland savannah. Concentrations of wildlife along the meandering Luangwa River are intense and diverse.
“South Luangwa retains the pioneering spirit of safari. The landscape is infused with exceptional wildlife and home to expert guides, creating an immersive safari destination off the beaten track”
Ben Oxley-Brown
Personal Travel Designer
01488 689700 Ben.Oxley-Brown@baileyrobinson.com Read Ben’s profile
Safari Exploration
Concentrations of all species intensify along the Luangwa River throughout the dry season – peaking in September and October when the heat builds to fierce levels. As the rains break in November, the dry sand channels ripple back into life and the park transforms into a verdant lush panorama.
After the heat and dust of the dry season, plants spring into leaf and blossom and this is then birthing season for most of the animals. Combined with the migrating bird species arriving from further north in Africa and Europe, the green season refreshes, renews and reinvigorates the South Luangwa.
OUR FAVOURITE PLACES TO STAY
The original safari camps in the South Luangwa were small authentic bush camps, simple in design and by necessity as the early guides pioneered walking routes and explored the wilderness. Now in addition to the under canvas no-frills experience, there are new camps and lodges catering for every comfort level yet distinctive in retaining their sense of place.
LUANGWA CHIC
Chinzombo
Wildly luxurious, Chinzombo is a striking contemporary tented camp with private plunge pools and stripped decks overlooking the river.
Natural building materials, vintage and modern styling combine with the best attributes of a traditional bush camp. The six suites made from an award-winning design are huge and open fronted with linen drapes, freestanding baths and astonishing attention to detail. From the pool, extraordinary views showcase the Luangwa river and the ebb and flow of the wildlife around it.
The ultimate base from which to explore the South Luangwa.
“Taking safari style to the next level of sophistication, Chinzombo is a design masterpiece. Immaculate yet seamlessly open to its surroundings”
MUST DO
Sleep out under the stars. A makeshift fly camp in the dry river bed is the perfect spot to lie out and spot shooting stars and the milky way. With zero light pollution this is a magical way to round off a day.
BIG SAFARI
Luangwa Safari House
The perfect house for families or groups of friends who are looking for all the sanctuary a solid structure offers, yet surrounded by the wooded savannah and overlooking a very productive lagoon.
The four large bedrooms in this quirky castle-esque house are as individual as every other element. You have all the benefits of staff and private guides and vehicles for your safari.
“Take a refreshing lunchtime dip in the house pool and watch as elephants do the same in their lagoon below the house”
WE LOVE
Being self-contained and away from other camps, Luangwa Safari House is the perfect choice for multi-generation families. Set your own timetable to keep children fed on time and holding an impromptu party won’t disturb others meaning you can fully relax and enjoy the house.
BACK TO BASICS
Mchenja Bush Camp
A bush camp that blends with its surroundings with simple stylish rooms under thatch set along the river bank, Mchenja is extremely comfortable and wildly romantic. Strong eco credentials at this solar powered camp really give a back to nature experience.
Mchenja harks a return to all the best things about an authentic bush camp. Bucket showers, utter tranquillity and a true sense of identity, Mchenja proudly keeps one foot in the past, a simpler past where the distractions are your surroundings. Just a gathering of a few rooms, simple mess, small pool and an incredible location means that the camp focus is all about the experience. At night, Paraffin storm lanterns light the sand paths, the bush fire is a focal point for the days stories and candlelight at dinner time flickers off the backdrop of linen drapes and reed thatching.
“This bush camp is refreshingly simple, with everything you need and nothing you don’t – allowing you to be subsumed by the safari experience”
WE LOVE
A bush camp that has eschewed wifi and the trappings of more modern technology and so retains a truly authentic bush camp ambiance.
COMBINE WITH
VICTORIA FALLS
As a spectacle, the thundering force of the Victoria Falls will leave an indelible impression either before or after your safari. In peak flow, the water cascades over 100 metres into the gorge below, throwing up a curtain of spray which can be seen from a huge distance. After the dust of a safari, a few days along the river banks of the Zambezi upstream from the Falls is the perfect way to rejuvenate. Life here understandably is focussed on the river, with boat trips and fishing but for those wanting to continue their safari experience there are some excellent options to explore.
STAY: Matetsi
An uber-luxury designer, riverside lodge upstream from the Falls but with an ace up its sleeve. Matetsi fronts the Zambezi but also has 136,000 acres of private reserve behind the lodge. Here it is truly possible to combine ultimate luxury, Big 5 safari and time at the Victoria Falls. The lodge offers the finest in cuisine, service and hospitality, whilst safari on the home range is guided in a similar spectacular style. Being upstream from the Zimbabwean side of the Falls, you are away from the noise and bustle of town so get the best of both worlds.
BUSANGA PLAINS
To the north of Kafue National Park – Zambia’s oldest and largest reserve, are the vast Busanga floodplains. A mineral rich grassland habitat which seasonally floods is the perfect combination of ingredients to create some of the most pristine and diverse habitat in Africa. Giant herds of buffalo, antelope of every size and colour imaginable and elephant are drawn in their thousands to this wetland region. Uncountable flocks of birds incessantly lift and move between the splashes. The predators are never far behind this moveable feast, giving the opportunity to see dramatic wildlife encounters. The burgeoning lion population here is evidence of a balanced ecosystem.
STAY: Chisa Nests
Deep into the north of Kafue is the Busanga Plains – a rich wetlands habitat that abounds with wildlife. Your home here is the Chisa Nests, high in the trees above the plains mimicking the weavers nests. Comparable to the Okavango Delta but with only a handful of camps and attracting the finest guides expect unparalleled wildlife sightings.
The Chisa Nests are designed to blend into the landscape and give you a raised perspective of the surrounding savannah, the ideal vantage point to watch buffalo and impala grazing with your morning coffee. Busanga Plains attracts safari-goers looking for unfiltered experiences and hence the guiding is exceptionally good. You’ll explore the wetlands which throng with birdlife and keeps all the large mammals sustained through the drier months. The population of big cats is impressive and being such a wild area, game drives will be sure to reveal unexpected species and interactions.
Lower Zambezi
Here the rapids of the upper Zambezi have been replaced by a more sedentary pace, the river glides between sand banks and meanders towards the Mozambique border. The Lower Zambezi National Park borders the river to the north, to the south lies Mana Pools giving an enormous contiguous wildlife catchment area. The Lower Zambezi is dominated by the backdrop of the Zambian escarpment and this range of biomes from riverine to woodland and savannah makes it a biodiversity dream. Wildlife abounds, nourished by the ever present river.
Stay: Lolebezi
Unashamedly contemporary, underpinned by one of the most experienced operators in the central belt of safari Africa, nothing has been left to chance in the design and execution of this new lodge. Pioneering, eco but remaining impressively luxurious. The lodge has over a kilometre of exclusive river frontage onto the Lower Zambezi. A host of safari activities are on offer from walking to 4×4 as well as finding time to spend on the river for some fishing and gaining a different perspective on the area. Lolebezi has a spa and yoga for those who wish to relax even further.
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Booking with Bailey Robinson means access to the finest travel experiences. When planning your holiday we do all the hard work – in-depth research and meticulous organisation. You can be confident in the individual care for your holiday from your dedicated and experienced Personal Travel Designer and Concierge.
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