Things to do in South Luangwa
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit South Luangwa
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Dry season. Bushcamps open, walking runs, roads passable and mornings are cool in June to August.
Hottest and driest months, with the most intense game viewing, highest prices and carmine bee eaters nesting on the river banks.
Emerald season. Rain, lush bush and top birding, but many camps close, walking is limited and some roads become impassable.
Shoulder season as camps reopen through May, greener and quieter, with access still dependent on how the rains ended.
What's on
- Southern carmine bee-eater nesting colonies September to October
Bee eaters nest in colonies in the Luangwa River banks during peak dry season game viewing.
- Elephants through Mfuwe Lodge reception October to mid December
Elephants walk through the lodge reception to reach a fruiting wild mango tree, while the fruit lasts.
Best things to do in South Luangwa
South Luangwa National Park
A vast river park famous for leopard, night drives and walking, with game concentrated on the Luangwa River in the dry season.
Nsefu Sector
The quiet northern sector of the park, with remote bushcamps, river bends and far fewer vehicles than the main gate area.
Kawaza Village
A Kunda village near Mfuwe where visitors join everyday village life, see the school and share a meal with residents.
Chipembele Wildlife Education Centre
A conservation education centre near Mfuwe working with local schoolchildren, welcoming visitors by arrangement.
Luangwa River
The life of the park, with hippo lagoons and elephant crossings in the dry season and boating when the river rises.
Where to stay in South Luangwa
Mfuwe Gate area
first trip, year round stays and airport access
Closest to Mfuwe Airport and the main gate, with the widest choice from luxury to camping and the only a la carte restaurant.
Remote park sectors
walking, quiet and a second visit
Seasonal camps inside or far from the gate, with fewer vehicles and walking at the centre, reached by camp transfer.
Think twice about
- The park interior on foot without a guide
Walking without a licensed guide and an armed scout is both dangerous and not permitted. Hippos, buffalo and predators use the same ground.
- Chipata to Mfuwe road after dark
Unlit, with wildlife, people and livestock on the road and conditions that worsen fast in rain. Travel it in daylight or fly to Mfuwe.
Best restaurants in South Luangwa
Tribal Textiles
A hand painted textile workshop and shop in Mfuwe with a small cafe serving coffee, light meals and homemade pastries.
Outdoor things to do in South Luangwa
Robin Pope Safaris
The walking specialist most linked to the modern Luangwa, with guided walks, drives and seasonal boating from its camps.
Time + Tide Safaris
Camp to camp walking linking small seasonal bushcamps, with day and night drives and seasonal boating at its main camp.
Shenton Safaris
Owner run safaris at Kaingo and Mwamba, known for photographic hides and for walking in a quiet central part of the park.
Remote Africa Safaris
Walking focused safaris from Tafika and its small seasonal bushcamps in the remote northern part of the park.
Best hotels in South Luangwa
Time + Tide Chinzombo
The flagship luxury camp on the Luangwa River near Mfuwe, with large villas and plunge pools, open year round.
Lion Camp
A small seasonal luxury camp inside the park, overlooking an oxbow lagoon far from the main gate crowds.
Shawa Luangwa Camp
A four room luxury tented camp in the quieter south, known for silent electric game drive vehicles and a light footprint.
Mfuwe Lodge
The best known lodge, just inside the main gate, famous for elephants walking through reception to a wild mango tree.
Kafunta River Lodge
An owner run river lodge south of the gate, with floodplain views, a natural hot spring tub and its own park crossing.
Nkwali Camp
A small year round river camp with its own private park access, a strong base for walking and emerald season boating.
Luangwa River Camp
A small stylish lodge overlooking the Luangwa River and the park, with five rooms and a relaxed house party feel.
Flatdogs Camp
The best value full safari camp by the main gate, with chalets, tents, a treehouse, a pool and pay as you go activities.
Is South Luangwa expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ZMW 3,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ZMW 13,000 a person |
| Splurge | ZMW 50,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Nsefu Sector: weeks ahead
- Kawaza Village: a few days ahead
- Chipembele Wildlife Education Centre: a few days ahead
- Robin Pope Safaris: months ahead
- Time: months ahead
- Shenton Safaris: months ahead
- Remote Africa Safaris: months ahead
- Time: months ahead
- Peak dry season, July to October, books out months ahead at the small bushcamps.
- Seasonal bushcamps such as the Time + Tide camps run roughly 20 May to 15 November and then close.
- Arrange a Kawaza Village visit and a Chipembele visit through your lodge ahead of time.
Is South Luangwa safe?
- Malaria is present year round in all of Zambia including South Luangwa. Take prophylaxis, use repellent from dusk and sleep under nets.
- Camps are mostly unfenced and wildlife walks through them. Use the escort camps provide after dark and never walk the riverbank alone.
- Never swim in the Luangwa River. Hippos and crocodiles are present throughout.
South Luangwa travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Expecting a restaurant scene in Mfuwe. Almost all eating is at your camp, on a set menu included in the rate.
- Booking an emerald season trip for walking. Many camps close, walking is limited and roads can become impassable.
- Comparing lodge rates with hotel rates without checking park fees, activities and meals, which change what is included.
Getting around South Luangwa: public transport and more
- Fly Lusaka to Mfuwe Airport in about one hour with Proflight Zambia, and let your camp collect you.
- Driving Lusaka to Mfuwe via Chipata takes around 9 to 10 hours in good conditions, with about 120 kilometres from Chipata to Mfuwe.
- Inside the valley, camps do the driving in open safari vehicles.
Who South Luangwa suits
| Solo travellers | OK |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make South Luangwa your trip
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