Staying at comfortable yet contrasting bush camps while walking in South Luangwa and North Luangwa National Parks, this small group trip makes the most of the prolific wildlife found along the banks of the Luangwa River.
Journalist and author Simon Barnes and Wildlife Worldwide founder Chris Breen first met in the Luangwa Valley when Chris was Simon’s wildlife guide on safari. Their shared experiences from that and other trips they have done together created a close friendship that has ensued ever since.
After that first safari, Simon subsequently returned to The Valley for a much longer stay, during which he sent regular reports back to The Times, and his first novel, Rogue Lion Stories, is based on his time there. Since then - like Chris, who began his long relationship with wildlife travel in South Luangwa - he has returned at regular intervals.
Simon’s book The Sacred Combe is all about special, magical places - especially the Luangwa Valley - and this trip puts the book into action with the two joining forces to reveal their passion for this area and its wildlife, an experience that is guaranteed to be both illuminating and great fun!
Typical Itinerary
Day1: Depart the UK
Fly from London to Lusaka on an overnight flight, normally via Dubai.
Days2-3: Arrive Lusaka & fly to Mfuwe; transfer to Tafika Camp
On arrival at Lusaka airport, we transfer to a light aircraft for an onward flight to Mfuwe, then drive through colourful local villages and bush to Tafika Camp on the bank of the Luangwa River.
During our stay in South Luangwa National Park, we can enjoy morning, afternoon and evening vehicle and walking safaris, and see some of Zambia’s finest wildlife, including huge concentrations of African elephant, Cape buffalo, leopard, giraffe, hippo, lion and an astonishing 450 species of bird.
Day4: Transfer to walking camps in South Luangwa National Park
This morning we depart Tafika and make our way to the walking camps in the remote northern regions of South Luangwa National Park. These camps are located a few kilometres upstream from Tafika on the opposite bank of the Luangwa River.
We cross the river by canoe and then start our walk into camp. It's at this point that our group splits, with half of us staying at Chikoko Tree Camp and the other staying at Big Lagoon Camp. The way the group is split will normally be decided locally. After two nights, the ‘mini’ groups will change camps whilst Simon and Chris stay at their respective temporary 'residences'.
We arrive at our camps for lunch and a bit of time to settle into our new accommodation before heading out on a walking safari in the afternoon.
Accommodation: Chikoko Tree Camp, 2-nights and Big Lagoon Camp, 2-nights
Days5-7: Walking safaris in South Luangwa National Park
For the next three days, we explore this area of South Luangwa National Park on foot in the company of our expert and experienced local guides. On foot, the senses of the African bush come to the forefront: the smells, the essence of the macro world and a sense of timelessness. By walking, we experience the wildlife at eye level and could encounter a variety of herbivores and potentially some of the Luangwa's predators, which we can also track from their prints.
Halfway through, our 'mini' groups swap camps and this walk between camps will seem like just another walking safari and another opportunity to enjoy the wonders of South Luangwa.
Day8: Fly to North Luangwa National Park
This morning, we make our way back across the river to Lukuzi airstrip where we fly by light aircraft to North Luangwa National Park.
This short flight takes about 30 minutes and offers some wonderful views of the Luangwa Valley. We arrive in North Luangwa by early afternoon in time for lunch.
There are two private camps here - Mwaleshi Camp and Takwela Camp – which are also small, so once again, the group will split in two - half going to one camp with Simon, and the other half to the other camp with Chris. After one night, the ‘mini’ groups will change camps whilst Simon and Chris stay at their respective temporary 'residences'.
Day9: Walking safaris in North Luangwa National Park
We explore the North Luangwa National Park on foot to enjoy the range of walking safaris the area has to offer as well as its fascinating and intriguing wildlife.
On the changeover day between camps, we walk between the two camps.
Day10: Return to Tafika Camp
The two groups meet up on return to Tafika, where another night on the edge of the Luangwa River provides a final opportunity to spot any wildlife missed previously.
Accommodation: Tafika Camp, 1-night
Day11: Depart South Luangwa
Depart on a domestic flight back to Lusaka, to connect with an onward overnight flight to the UK.
Day12: Arrive UK
Key info
Duration and price including flights from/to UK: 12 daysfrom £12,495 pp
Duration and price excluding international flights: 10 daysfrom £11,495 pp
Chris studied Geographical Sciences in Plymouth, however his first encounter with the wider world was in 1983, when he headed off to Zambia.
Under the tutelage of the late Norman Carr, the pioneer of walking safaris, he worked as a wildlife guide and managed a wilderness camp. On his return to the UK, he had a spell at a major tour operator before setting up Wildlife Worldwide in 1992.
Since then he has travelled the world in search of first-class wildlife experiences. He devised the Festival of Wildlife concept, which has spawned the Festival of Bears. An ardent conservationist, Chris has co-led each of these since their inception. He dedicates several weeks each year to communicating his irrepressible passion for nature to those who travel with him.
English journalist and author Simon wrote a weekly wildlife column in the Saturday edition of The Times until 2014, as well as being the paper’s chief sportswriter.
After learning his craft writing for local newspapers in Surrey, he worked out of Hong Kong for four years, and joined The Times on his return to the UK - writing in particular about cricket, football and tennis over a 32 year span. He is the author of some 20 books, most of them about wildlife or birdwatching - a lifelong interest. These include the best-selling How to be a Bad Birdwatcher, and Ten Million Aliens, a book about the entire animal kingdom. He contributes regularly to the RSPB magazine, Nature’s Home, is a council member of the World Land Trust, which buys land for wildlife conservation in the developing world, a patron of Save the Rhino, and honorary vice-president of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. He was awarded the Rothschild Medal for services to conservation.
Comprising some 9,050 square kilometres of unspoilt African wilderness, South Luangwa is undoubtedly the jewel of Zambia’s national parks and a magnet to outstanding wildlife, particularly leopard. Its eastern boundary is the meandering Luangwa River whose regular changes in course leave scenic oxbow lagoons.
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North Luangwa National Park is a tranquil and unexplored wilderness with a substantial wildlife population. Bordered by the Luangwa and Mwaleshi rivers and the Muchinga Escarpment, its habitats are diverse, with areas of pure mopane woodlands and lush riverine forests of red mahogany and sausage trees.
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Located deep in the bush of North Luangwa National Park, this tiny seasonal camp stands on a beautiful stretch of the perennially flowing Mwaleshi River. It is a real wilderness retreat, and the abundant wildlife includes lion, elephant buffalo, plus herds of endemic Cookson’s wildebeest.
Find Out More about Mwaleshi Camp
Tafika is superbly situated just to the north of the Nsefu sector of the South Luangwa National Park on a magnificent stretch of the Luangwa River. The camp consists of six comfortable chalets and offers a highly personalised, friendly service and flexible wildlife-viewing activities.
Find Out More about Tafika Camp
