Experience the untouched wilderness of the vast Bangweulu wetland in a quest for the remarkable endangered shoebill, and spend time at Kasanka and the Luangwa Valley, both home to incredible numbers of mammals and birdlife.
After a night in Lusaka, your wildlife adventure starts with a stay in Kasanka National Park which famously has over 400 bird species, as well as both tsessebe and sitatunga.
Not far from Kasanka are the Bangweulu Swamps, which hold a spectacular wildlife secret: over 30,000 black lechwe and the most visible, highly endangered, shoebill. On your quest to spot this remarkable bird, you may also see elephant, lion, giraffe and many other species.
Concluding in the magnificent Luangwa Valley creates a memorable wildlife experience – with a chance to see wild dog and explore the lush valley landscape here.
Suggested Itinerary
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Day 1:
Depart UK
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Day 2:
Arrive Lusaka
On arrival at Lusaka you will be met and transferred to your hotel, and the rest of the day is free to relax after the journey.
Accommodation: Hotel Radisson Blu, 1-night
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Days 3-5
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Transfer to Kasanka; vehicle, boat & walking safaris
After breakfast you will be transferred to Kasanka National Park by road, arriving at your accommodation mid afternoon in time for some birding along the Luwombwa River. With luck you may see African finfoot, Ross’ lourie, Pel’s fishing owl and osprey. Return to camp for dinner and an early night or after dinner drinks around the campfire.
The next two full days are filled with birding and wildlife watching, in the hope of seeing Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, sable antelope, reedbuck and the rare blue monkey. You will visit a sitatunga hide with panoramic views over Kapabi Swamp where you can see up to 40 sitatungas feeding at one time.
Accommodation: Wasa Lodge, 3-nights
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Days 6-8
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Fly to Bangweulu Swamps; vehicle, boat & walking safaris
Today you will transfer by privately chartered light aircraft directly from Wasa Camp to Bangweulu Swamp. Depending on your arrival time, after you’ve settled in at camp there may be time to set out on foot and/or by boat to start your search for shoebill storks. Here you are also virtually guaranteed to see the herds of antelope for which the area is famous.
On the following two days here, enjoy morning and evening birdwatching, and watch from the hides at dawn and dusk as thousands of waterfowl fly overhead.
Accommodation: Shoebill Island Camp, 3-nights
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Days 9-11
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Fly to South Luangwa National Park; vehicle & foot safaris
After a short boat trip to the airstrip, you transfer by light aircraft to Mfuwe, from where you will be driven to your camp. The drive into Nkwali takes approximately one hour through colourful local villages and bush. Depending on your arrival time you will enjoy a lunch or afternoon tea looking out over the lagoon to the back of the camp, followed by afternoon and/or night drives.
Over the next couple of days, enjoy morning and afternoon vehicle and foot safaris in South Luangwa National Park.
Accommodation: Nkwali Camp, 3-nights
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Day 12:
Depart South Luangwa
Depart on a domestic flight back to Lusaka, to connect with an onward overnight flight to the UK.
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Day 13:
Arrive UK
