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 unspoiled 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 untamed 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 brings us to Nkwali Camp, a lovely lodge on the banks of the Luangwa River. Our introduction to the African bush begins with 4WD gameviewing in prime riverine woodlands. With the setting of the sun, evening game drives reveal the world of leopard, lion, genet, and hyena. Nkwali Camp is famous for its population of leopards.

Days 3-6
Walking Safari / Luangwa Valley

From examining a bird’s nest to tracking a lion, we learn the many facets of the bush on our daily walks (about four or five miles) with our tracker-guides. This is a true experience of Africa and its wildlife that you simply can’t get from a vehicle. 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 and dinner under a star-filled sky. Our mobile camps are wonderfully well equipped, with walk-in tents, full bedding, 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. From the thatched dining room, we often see elephant, hippo, and antelope on the riverbanks. Our 4WD explorations by day and night reveal huge concentrations of plains game and their predators. Depart on Day 10, or join our Lower Zambezi Extension.

For a more complete description, Download Full Trip Brochure

Optional Extensions

If you would like to continue your adventure, we offer the following extensions:

• Lower Zambezi Canoe and Walking Safari Extension (4 days)
• Lake Malawi: Lake Pumulani Beach Lodge Extension (4 days)

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 four-day 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, good footwear is recommended (lightweight hiking boots or walking shoes with lug soles). 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