Zambia Walking Safari

Zambia is the place to experience the quintessential walking safari. The very concept of walking safaris was born here and it’s one of the few places in Africa where hiking is allowed in national parks. With our small group (maximum six people), we track leopard, lion, hippo, zebra, and more on our walking safari across the spectacular and diverse landscapes of South Luangwa National Park—3,500 square miles of pristine savannas, lagoons, and ebony woodlands abundant with game. We also explore by open 4WD vehicles and look for nocturnal wildlife on exciting night game drives. Leopard sightings are breathtaking in this remote and wild country, and the environment is as wild as it was 50 years ago. This is untamed Africa as you’ve always imagined it!

Itinerary at a Glance

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Days 1-2
Nkwali Camp / South Luangwa National Park

A spectacular charter flight to Mfuwe brings us to beautiful Nkwali Camp, set beside the Luangwa River on private land overlooking South Luangwa National Park. This is superb big game country, and our introductionto the African bush begins right away with 4WD gameviewing among herds of zebra and elephant in prime riverine woodlands. Nkwali is also surrounded by thickets and wooded glades that provide cover for the valley’s spectacular and colorful birdlife (more than 400 recorded species). With the setting of the sun, evening game drives reveal the nocturnal world of leopard, lion, genet, and hyena. Nkwali Camp is famous for its large and thriving population of leopards.

Days 3-6
Walking Safari / Luangwa Valley

Our walking safari is a true experience of Africa and its wildlife that you simply can’t get from a vehicle. From examining a bird’s nest to tracking a lion, we learn the many facets of the bush on our daily walks (each about four or five miles in length) with our tracker-guides. We should see elephant, waterbuck, hippo, zebra, and with luck, the full complement of predators. We’re up at sunrise for the morning walk along the clear-water Mupamadzi River, then back at camp for lunch and a siesta. Later we set out for an afternoon walk, ending with sundowners in a gorgeous setting, a night drive on our way back to camp, and a delicious dinner under a star-filled sky. Our mobile camps are wonderfully well equipped, with walk-in tents, beds, and shower facilities.

Days 7-10
Nsefu Camp

From Nsefu Camp, set on a sweeping bend of the Luangwa River, we enjoy bush walks as well as morning and evening drives by open 4WD vehicle that reveal huge concentrations of plains game and their predators. During the day we may see lions resting indolently, but at night, the “hunt is on” and we may see them actively prowling for prey. Nearby is Baka Baka Lagoon, where big game congregates. From the camp’s thatched dining room, we often see elephant, hippo, and antelope on the riverbanks. Depart on Day 10, or join our Lower Zambezi Extension.

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What the Trip is Like

This trip is rated Level 2+, easy to moderate. It is an active safari featuring extensive bush walking, supplemented by game drives. Participants must be agile, in good health, and in good shape. At Nkwali and Nsefu, we stay in comfortable, airy bungalows (chalets at Nkwali, rondavels at Nsefu) that have en suite bathrooms with flush toilets and showers. Our day starts with an early wake-up call and tea, coffee, cereals, and toast. After breakfast, we depart on a game drive, with a midmorning stop for tea/coffee and cakes. We return anytime between 9:30 a.m. and midday. After lunch, there is a chance to rest, read, or spend a few quiet hours viewing animals near our accommodation. Around 4 p.m., following tea and cakes, we depart on a game drive that continues through sundown—and sometimes into the evening for exciting nighttime gameviewing. We return for hot showers, drinks at the bar, a three-course dinner, and perhaps a nightcap sitting around the fire under the stars. We retire around 10:30 p.m., as the hyenas begin to call.
 
During the walking safari, we are in mobile camps and our schedule is a bit more flexible. We walk 5-6 miles per day, typically in the early morning and in the late afternoon. Although the walks are not tests of your endurance, we walk cross-country and the terrain can be challenging (lightweight hiking boots or walking shoes with lug soles and ankle support may help). Our fully serviced mobile camps are set up with well-equipped walk-in tents with full bedding. At each camp, there is a shower and a shared latrine-style toilet. Delicious meals of a high standard are served on the walking safari.

Explanation of Trip Levels