The Best of Zambia Wildlife Safari

Livingstone is a major tourism centre for the nearby Victoria Falls and was named after Scottish explorer and missionary David Livingstone, who was the first European to explore the area. It is a relaxed and friendly town, with a few nice museums and some great restaurants. A major event in 2011 was the installation of the town’s first set of traffic lights!

Our accommodation for the next two nights is nestled on the banks of the mighty Zambezi, with the river extending the length of the property, offering some breathtaking views over the water. Accommodation is provided in luxury “tented” chalets with en suite facilities, and the property has a beautiful pool perfect to cool off in with a drink in hand.

After settling in and getting acquainted with our surroundings we will make our way to the river for a very exciting activity that will stay in your memory for a long time. We will board one of the many comfortable cruisers that glide up and down the Zambezi on a daily basis, with staff that know the river intimately. We will be provided with some snacks and drinks while slowly cruising the river for an hour or two, a truly unforgettable experience.

Remember to look not just at the superb sunset (awesome photos guaranteed!), but also the fauna and flora on the water and at the water’s edge. On previous cruises we have seen African Elephant, African Buffalo, huge Nile Crocodiles, Brown-necked Parrot, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Western Osprey, African Skimmer, African Finfoot and White-backed Night Heron to name just a few.

After the cruise we will return to the lodge and freshen up. Then it’s time to enjoy a sundowner drink and our welcome dinner, chatting about where we have all been on safari before and what everyone’s main target species for the trip are. In the background we will have the sounds of the wildlife that live along the mighty Zambezi. Then we will settle in for a good night’s sleep. Welcome to Africa!

DAY 2:
Victoria Falls, and afternoon optional adventure activity
We will meet on the deck and enjoy a cup of coffee and breakfast, scanning the river hoping to see the resident African Finfoot pair before making our way to the famous Victoria Falls where we will spend the morning enjoying one of the natural wonders of the world and walking in the riverine woodland around the falls.

In 1851, Scottish missionary explorer David Livingstone first heard of the great waterfall, but it was only in 1855 that he set out to visit it. He spent the night on Kalai Island a few kilometres upstream of the falls, having come down river by foot, and the next morning set off in a small canoe to approach the thundering smoke he had seen from afar. He landed on the biggest island on the lip of the falls, now called Livingstone Island and from there obtained his first view of the Falls. He wrote, “No one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes, but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”.

Victoria Falls – known to locals as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or ‘The Smoke That Thunders’ – is one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World” and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A staggering 750,000 m3 of water thunders down the cliff face per MINUTE when it is in full flow around April each year, making it the largest waterfall in the world by volume! However, no amount of cold facts can prepare you for the sight of this unfathomably vast and powerful body of water that plunges into the Zambezi gorge. It truly is majestic and unforgettable, and a must-see for adventure and wildlife travellers from all over the globe.

Remember to bring your cameras – it’s impossible to take too many photos of Vic Falls! Also remember to hire a raincoat when entering the small park connected to the falls; even in the dry season the spray form the falls can make you quite wet. We will hike along the footpaths of the park, looking for some of the special bird species that occur in the small park, including the beautiful Schalow’s Turaco, loud Trumpeter Hornbill and quite rare Collared Palm Thrush. There are also Bushbuck and smaller mammals in the park.

We will have lunch somewhere in town close to the falls after an exhilarating morning. The afternoon is all yours! The town of Victoria Falls is rightly known as Africa’s “adventure capital”, and there is a lot to do here. You can choose from a wide variety of optional activities this afternoon, including
• A helicopter or microlight flight over the falls and surrounding area (highly recommended)
• Bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls bridge
• White water rafting on the Zambezi river
• Birdwatching in the area (over 450 species have been recorded here)
• Guided walking safari in Mosi-Oa-Tunya national park (your only chance to see White Rhinoceros on this trip)
• Abseiling at the Victoria Falls gorge
• Canoe trips on the Zambezi river
• Zipline and gorge swings

After your exciting afternoon we will once again meet up at the lodge and get together for dinner, chatting about our wonderful day and exchanging stories and photos. Then it’s time for bed, because tomorrow we go to our first proper park of the safari!

DAY 3:
Livingstone to Kafue National Park (South)
We will start the day with an early breakfast, and then pack our bags and check out after two wonderful days on the banks of the Zambezi.

We will say our goodbyes to the lodge staff and hop into the vehicle for our drive north. It will take us about 5 to 6 hours to reach our destination, the southern section of the Kafue National Park. We will enjoy a packed picnic lunch in a nice spot somewhere on our travels today.

We will enter Kafue via the Dundumwezi Gate in the south, and then we have our first game drive on the way to our lodge for about 50 km, going through some beautiful Mopane woodland and the famous savannah plains of the south of the park. We will see our first Kafue mammals and birds on this drive, and you will soon see why we love this park so much. Most of the time we will be the only vehicle at a big game sighting, something that is basically unheard of in east or southern Africa’s wildlife reserves. A rare privilege!

You are in Zambia’s oldest and largest national park, and at 22,400 km2 (8,600 sq mi) it is a massive tract of land being conserved, similar in size to the country of Wales or the US state of Massachusetts, and the second largest park in all of Africa! It was established in the 1950s by the legendary Norman Carr, British naturalist and conservationist who established many of this region’s conservation areas. The park is named for the Kafue river that originates in the northwest of Zambia, traverses the park, and eventually empties into the Zambezi river on the country’s southern border.

Despite the Park’s proximity to both Lusaka and the Copperbelt, it has remained relatively underdeveloped until the most recent years, and it is still a raw and diverse slice of African wilderness with excellent game viewing, birdwatching and fishing opportunities for travellers like us that enjoy going off the beaten path. The last decade has seen real concerted efforts from the Zambia Wildlife Authority and park operators to look after the park’s natural resources, and this has seen an increase in game numbers and sightings to levels not seen for many years. Kafue is definitely on its way up once more and will continue to become a leading wildlife destination for Zambia and southern Africa as a whole.

We will reach our beautiful, authentically styled, African safari lodge in the mid-afternoon and check in, have a drink and get used to our surroundings. We are here for two nights. All chalets and tents have beautiful views of the dambo (a shallow wetland area) in front of the lodge, and the staff pride themselves on top class service and cuisine. You won’t want to leave!

We will have some time to relax before we get together on the deck for an excellent 3 course dinner. Remember to look at up the African sky when you go back to your room tonight; the night sky out here in the bush is truly amazing. Also listen for the African Elephants that are around; it is an incredible experience to watch and hear them at night grazing around the lodge grounds.

DAY 4:
Kafue National Park (South)
We start the day with breakfast and a cup of Zambia coffee on the deck overlooking the dambo, and then we are off for a full day of exploring this section of Kafue.

We will do things slightly different this morning, because we will go off exploring the area around our lodge by foot this morning, on a 3 hour bush walk with an experienced, armed local guide. It is a fantastic experience getting so close to nature, feeling the African soil under your feet while we look for all sorts of creatures, big and small.

Some of the smaller creatures we hope to find include Common Rock Hyrax, Scrub Hare, several mouse and rat species, about 8 mongoose species, Smith’s Bush Squirrel, Gambian Sun Squirrel, Southern Tree Agama, Flap-neck Chameleon, lizard, geckos and many snake species. We will also learn a lot about the ecology, geology, habitat and other interesting things like the thousands of small termite mounds that dot the landscape.
We will return to the lodge for a sumptuous brunch, and then you have a few hours to yourself for a siesta, or just relaxing, or if you prefer, a birding walk around the lodge grounds.

We will get together in the mid-afternoon for some snacks and a coffee or tea (or a G&T!) on the deck before we set off on an afternoon game drive. We hope to see African Elephant, Lion, Common Wildebeest, Plains Zebra and at least 12 different species of antelope on our drive, including the beautiful Sable and Roan Antelope, defassa subspecies of Waterbuck, localised lichtensteinii subspecies of Hartebeest, Greater Kudu, kafuensis subspecies of Southern Lechwe, Common Eland, Blue and Yellow-backed Duiker, Oribi, Sitatunga, Puku and Impala among others. If we are very lucky we might also see the rare and endangered African Wild Dog, along with Spotted Hyaena and Side-striped Jackal, and maybe even a Caracal.

From a birding perspective, Kafue really is a paradise. This park has recorded over 500 species, including specials like Wattled and Grey Crowned Crane, Racket-tailed Roller, Pale-billed Hornbill, Souza’s Shrike, Olive and Green-backed Woodpecker, Böhm’s Bee-eater, Crested Guineafowl, Ross’s Turaco, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Pel’s Fishing Owl, near endemic Black-cheeked Lovebird and more.

On the night portion of our game drive we will look for some of the nocturnal animals and birds that call this part of the park home, including Leopard, Serval, African Civet, genets and galagos, Temminck’s Ground Pangolin, as well as Fiery-necked and Rufous-cheeked Nightjar, African Scops Owl, Spotted Eagle-owl and more.

We will return to the lodge and freshen up, and meet around the bar for drinks followed by another 3 course dinner after a fantastic and full day in the wonderful park.Just before falling asleep tonight, listen for the resident family of Honey Badgers that often visit the camp at night, leaving chaos and delight in their wake in equal measures. Isn’t Africa fantastic!

DAY 5:
Kafue National Park (South to Central)
Today begins as the sky starts to lighten and the morning chorus of birdsong awakens you. After a relaxed breakfast on the deck we will unfortunately pack our bags, check out and leave this wonderful lodge.

We will head north to our next camp, where we will stay for three nights. We will cross a large section of the park during our drive of about 250 km (155 mi). You will see that habitats in the park are diverse, and include floodplains, huge tracts of miombo woodland and beautiful marshy dambos. Most of the park lies in the Central Zambezian Miombo woodlands ecoregion characterised by savannah grasslands with Miombo tree species (Brachystegia, Julbernadia and Isoberlina) growing thickly in some patches, with a few small dambos interspersed among them, as well as a few rocky outcrops and small hills. A thin belt of lush evergreen forest lines the banks of the Kafue River throughout its course through the park.

We will see loads of game and birds on our drive today, so we will take it slow and make time for photographs. We will enjoy a packed picnic lunch on our way north, maybe next to the beautiful and massive Itezhi-tezhi dam, where we have a good chance of seeing our first African Buffalo of the safari. Remember to concentrate on the antelope species too, as Kafue boasts many species that occur nowhere else in southern Africa. It is also a good drive to look for raptors, and species we could see include African Hawk-eagle, Black-chested Snake Eagle, Pallid and Montagu’s Harrier, Lesser Kestrel and Eurasian Hobby.

We will reach our new home in the late afternoon and settle in. Maybe there will be time for a quick dip in the infinity pool! It is a beautifully atmospheric camp right on the banks of the Kafue river, with a big lounge area and deck that provide amazing views of the surroundings. It is not uncommon to have some incredible sightings right from the deck while you sip on your drink or tuck into your excellent food. This is a magical place that combines romance and exclusivity with warm and attentive service. We will get together on the deck for socialising, dinner and our first overnight stay here. Tomorrow we explore the game-rich central area of Kafue.

DAY 6:
Kafue National Park (Central)
Today we have a full day in this portion of the park. We will start with coffee and breakfast on the deck, enjoying the lazy waters of the Kafue gliding by.

We then go on a bush walk for about 3 hours. The expert guides will talk us through everything that this section of Kafue has to offer that otherwise goes unnoticed, showing how the whole ecosystem works together to support the greater conservation area of the park. You will find nature at its most untouched on this walk, and it really is a wonderful experience. We will head back to camp for lunch and some relaxation time.

In the mid-afternoon we will get together for another exciting game activity. We will do an afternoon/evening game drive. The guides will take us on several loops throughout the park, where we will find many varieties of antelopes, as well as birds, and if we are lucky, even African Elephant, Lion, Leopard, African Wild Dog and Cheetah. We will find a nice spot to stop for a drink and watch the sun go down, before continuing into the night, attempting to spot some nocturnal species such as cute Thick-tailed Greater Galago, Common Genet, tenacious Honey Badger as well as some cats if we are lucky.

After our exciting day we will head back to our camp to freshen up. Then we will have dinner together and reminisce about our wonderful day and amazing time so far in Zambia. Then we’re off to bed for a good night’s rest, because tomorrow another full day awaits!

*Please note: during our time at this camp there is an option to do a fishing trip on the Kafue river instead of a game viewing activity. Fishing trips by boat take place at any time of day and are approximately 2 to 3 hours long. While out on the river, just you and your guide, you can enjoy the surrounding nature while fishing. We supply basic equipment and bait to assist you on your way to catching one of the many fish found in this area, whether that be a Short Barbelled Catfish, Threespot Tilapia or Kafue Bream.

DAY 7:
Kafue National Park (Central)
This morning we will be up very early, grab a quick coffee and then head out on a 3 to 4 hour morning game drive before it gets too hot, and to catch some of the nocturnal species returning to their dens or burrows. We will watch the sunrise as we search for game, then have a short tea and coffee break to stretch the legs, and continue the drive. You will soon agree that this is what a real safari should be like: excellent game viewing with a rich diversity of wildlife, stunning landscapes and unspoiled by mass tourism. Later we will arrive at camp with a hot breakfast/brunch awaiting us.

Then the rest of day is at our leisure, before we get together in the mid-afternoon again for another fantastic activity that is only offered at this lodge, a sunset boat cruise! On the boat cruise we will cruise slowly up the river, giving us the chance to take in the surroundings, have some sundowners and watch the glorious sunset. You can bet your money you will see lots of Hippopotamus and some monstrous Nile Crocodiles, as well as lots of birds, all the while learning even more from our brilliant local guide.

After our cruise we will return to our camp to relax, socialise and have dinner with the night creeping in. The writer of Out of Africa, Karen Blixen’s famous last words were “If there was one thing I could do again, it would be to go on safari.” We don’t know if she said it about Kafue, but we would like to think so. By now you will truly be in love with this wonderful park.

After our evening together we are off to bed for a good night’s sleep, because tomorrow a different part of our Zambian adventure starts.

*Please note: From here you have the option of spending two additional nights in the Busanga Plains in the northern section of the park. It is one of Zambia’s most significant wetland resources and one of the few areas in the world that remain almost totally untouched by development and human activity. This section is only open in the dry season and is famous for huge prides of Lion that follow the big herds of African Buffalo, and it is also the best place in the park to see Cheetah. Please enquire when booking.

DAY 8:
Kafue National Park to Lusaka
We start our day with a later, more relaxed breakfast today. We then pack our bags, check out and say our sad goodbyes to the wonderful staff at our lodge.

We then jump into our vehicle and head east towards Zambia’s capital city of Lusaka. It is a drive of about 4 hours, and we should reach our accommodation after about 4 to 5 hours. We actually drive through a sizeable portion of Lusaka, and will learn a bit about it as we cross it from west to east. It will be strange to see so many cars and buildings after our week away from civilisation. Lusaka is the geographic, commercial and metaphorical heart of Zambia, has a population of about 2 million people and is the fastest developing city in southern Africa. Although not blessed with many parks, top museums or other major attractions, is does boast some fantastic markets, restaurants, a pumping night life scene and an authentic African feel.

Our accommodation is on the southwestern side of the city and the owners will make us feel right at home when we arrive for a late lunch. The lodge is surrounded by about 25 acres of miombo woodland, perfect for a stroll in the afternoon looking for birds and smaller creatures. It is a safe and relaxing, quiet way to end our day.

We will relax and have dinner, chatting about trips we would all like to do in the future to exotic places on the planet. We need to get to bed a little earlier tonight, because tomorrow we have a long day of driving ahead.

DAY 9:
Lusaka to South Luangwa National Park
Today is unfortunately going to be a driving day. No one likes these kind of days on safari, but the natural beauty of Zambia’s roadside and our ultimate destination will more than make up for the sore legs and bum today!

We will have an early breakfast before we head northeast towards our final national park and one of the best on the entire continent, South Luangwa. We will make several stops along the way to stretch our legs, take photographs of something interesting or photogenic, and of course for a good lunch break.

On the way we will learn a bit about our destination: South Luangwa National Park. Known to locals as simply “the south park”, or even just “South”, the park is actually the southernmost of three national parks that lie in Zambia’s Luangwa river valley, and is famous the world over for the intense concentrations of game along the river and its lagoons. The butterfly-shaped 9,050 km2 (3,490 sq mi) park supports over 60 species of mammals and more than 400 bird species, and is unfenced, bordered to the west by the steep Muchinga escarpment and to the east by the Luangwa river. It was a reserve as far back as 1904, but officially became a national park in 1972.

We will reach our accommodation for the next 4 nights in the late afternoon. You will love not having to pack and unpack every day, so there is ample time to relax and enjoy our game viewing for the next few days.

Our camp is a mere 500 metres from the park entrance, a perfect spot! The chalets and the bar/dining area sit right on the banks of the Luangwa river, where we will almost certainly see Hippopotamus and Nile Crocodiles every day, along with the possibility of African Elephant and other antelopes. On previous trips we have even seen Leopards, Lions, Saddle-billed Storks and African Openbills from the dining area, coming to drink water at the river! The entire camp, with its lush foliage and big grass areas, will make us feel part of the park, and monkeys and antelope wander between the tents most mornings and evenings.

We will check in and have some time to freshen up. We will get together for some time to chill and enjoy dinner. Then we are off for a good night’s sleep after our day on the road; tomorrow we hit South Luangwa!

DAY 10:
South Luangwa National Park
Today is our first full day in South Luangwa. We will start with breakfast at the camp’s restaurant and then start our South Luangwa experience with a 3 to 4 hour nature walk, guided by an expert local guide and accompanied by a ZAWA (Zambia Wildlife Authority) scout.

This amazingly intimate way of experiencing the African bush originated in this very park, so you are part of history today! Many years later it is still one of the finest ways to experience Africa’s pristine wilderness first-hand. Travelling through the park’s lush landscapes on foot also means that you have time to stop and appreciate the smaller things in nature, from exotic insects, small mammals, close-up bird species, animal tracks and beautiful flora to little clues that all animals leave as they move through the bush. It is truly an unforgettable experience that you will treasure forever.

We will return to the camp to relax and have lunch. Between safari activities in the park there is much to do in the camp. There is a big outdoor swimming pool that provides the perfect place to relax and escape the midday heat. There are also shady hammocks scattered around the camp that overlook the river and the swimming pool for you to relax in. The bar is open throughout the day and evening, serving ice cold drinks and bar snacks. There is also an ice cream stand with cold treats and smoothies. Have fun!

In the mid-afternoon we will get together and go on our first game drive in the park. The focus in South Luangwa is undoubtedly the meandering Luangwa river, whose intermittent flooding alters its course, creating floodplains and many tranquil oxbow lakes. It is the lifeblood of the park… The habitat of the park is mostly that of woodland savannah, with Miombo and Mopane the dominating species. Within these woodland savannah swathes are larger patches of grassland, as well as floodplains closer to the river. We will cover much of these diverse habitats in search of animals, birds and all sorts of smaller creatures.

The river is close by on most of our drive this afternoon, so we should see many African Elephant, African Buffalo and Hippopotamus, along with some huge Nile Crocodiles. The surrounding savannah plains also holds good number of antelope, and of course, their pursuing predators. We’ll look for Lion, Leopard, Spotted Hyaena, African Wild Dog and many of the smaller carnivores. Some people claim that the Luangwa valley is the best place to see Leopard on the entire continent, so we will certainly keep an eye out for these languid, beautiful cats!

We will return to camp to enjoy the excellent African cuisine at dinner, and our stunning surroundings, reminiscing about our time so far and wondering why it took us so long to come on this trip! Then we will retire to our rooms for a good night’s rest.

DAY 11:
South Luangwa National Park
We have another full day to enjoy all that South Luangwa has to offer. After breakfast we go on a morning game drive after which we return for a few hours of relaxation and lunch. In the afternoon we go out again for a game drive.

One of the reasons you will fall in love with South Luangwa like we have, is that this is still “old” Africa. Little has changed since explorer David Livingstone walked here in the late 1800s. It is without doubt one of the most scenic and spectacular wildlife areas on the African continent.

South Luangwa is not all about big game and range-restricted mammal species though, as the park also hosts over 400 different bird species. It holds some very special species that serious birders travel from all over the world to see, including 39 birds of prey and a further 47 migrant species. Avian highlights include Pel’s Fishing Owl, Lappet-faced, Hooded and White-headed Vulture, Southern Ground Hornbill, African Skimmer, Goliath Heron, 5 species of kingfisher, Western Osprey, African Spoonbill, Great White Pelican, Saddle-billed and Yellow-billed Stork, Allen’s Gallinule, Dwarf Bittern, Pennant-winged Nightjar, Lilian’s Lovebird, Narina Trogon, Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo, Racket-tailed Roller, Babbling Starling, Shelley’s Sunbird, Dusky Lark, Red-winged Prinia, Cardinal Quelea, Böhm’s and Mottled Spinetail, and large colourful flocks of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters.
After our exciting afternoon drive we will return to the lodge to freshen up. We will then get together on the deck for sundowner drinks, followed by another top class dinner.

Then we are off to our rooms for a good night’s rest. Remember to stand outside your room tonight and just take in the landscape around you… Also, look up! The night sky in this part of Africa is truly spectacular.

DAY 12:
South Luangwa National Park
Today is our final full day in South Luangwa, so we will make sure we clean up on all the mammal and bird species we might still need for our trip lists.

After another breakfast overlooking the river we will do another game drive, targeting a different part of the park. We will return to our camp in the heat of the day again for a few hours of down time, and then head our into the park again in the late afternoon.

We hope to see not only four of Africa’s Big Five (the South park has no rhinos), but also African Wild Dog, 14 different species of antelope and much more! We will look for some very interesting and localised game today, including the thornicrofti subspecies of Giraffe, Hippopotamus, African Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, cooksoni subspecies of the Common Wildebeest (endemic to the Luangwa valley), Puku and the crawshayi subspecies of Plains Zebra. It is not just the diversity of species that makes South Luangwa special, but the sheer numbers of them. It is not uncommon to see herds of hundreds of buffalo or elephant across the grasslands.

After our exciting day in this part of South Luangwa we will return to the lodge to freshen up. We will then have dinner and sit on the deck chatting, and then enjoy a good night’s rest under the stars. Remember to listen for the sounds of the African night. We might hear hyaenas calling or even a nightjar!

*Please note: during our time in “South”, there is an option to have a spa at one of the park’s famous lodges, Mfuwe. It is a drive of about an hour to get there from our camp and the whole activity, including an hour in the spa, should take just over 3 hours. The award-winning Bush Spa offers a contemporary range of eastern and western treatments, each one adapted to suit the surroundings and leave you feeling revitalised. You can easily swop one of the game viewing activities for this spa option should you wish to do so.

DAY 13:
South Luangwa National Park to Lusaka
Today is another transfer day, as we have to get back to the city of Lusaka. After a lazy breakfast watching the antics of the hippos we will pack our bags, check out and say our farewells to the friendly staff at the camp.

Then we are off for a full day of driving back west to the lodge where we were a few nights ago. Once again we will make several photo stops, leg-stretch stops and a long lunch stop.

We should arrive in the late afternoon, settle in and freshen up. We will then get together one final time in the evening for our farewell dinner, having made friends for life on this amazing Zambian adventure. We will chat about our trip, remembering the amazing sightings, funny moments and no doubt agreeing that Africa is simply the best! Then we are off to bed for our final night’s sleep under Zambian skies.

DAY 14:
Transfer to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport and Departure
After our breakfast in the dining room, we will undertake a nature walk, our last “safari activity” of the tour.
The lodge’s grounds will provide the last bit of beautiful natural scenery on our trip, and we could see some very nice bird species along with some small mammals and other creatures.

We will then pack our bags, check out and transfer you to the nearby Kenneth Kaunda International Airport well in time for your onward or homeward flights. Here we will say our goodbyes after our fantastic time together in the “warm heart of Africa”, amazing Zambia!
*Please note: Extensions to Zimbabwe, Malawi or further afield can easily be arranged. Please don’t hesitate to ask for our expert assistance.

Do you have a quick question about this safari? Speak to a specialist at
info@naturetravelafrica.com

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