South Luangwa National Park

South Luangwa Park in Zambia is among the main Zambia National Parks from the famous Luangwa Valley that hosts course for Zambezi River. The park is actually occupying close to 9000sq km within the Luangwa Valley.

The Luangwa River that flows off the main Zambezi River has several tributaries within South Luangwa National Park thus providing an important system of life within this Zambia Park. In the dry season, the river forms some small lakes and water pools that attract some considerable herds of Game within the park not forgetting flocks of different birds.

The most popular Zambia walking safari began in South Luangwa Zambia Park and remains one of the most effective ways to experience the wilderness, bush, game and birds that live within this Zambia National Park. The Great Rift Valley escarpment creates another scenic view over the vast wilderness and thus creating the beauty in the Luangwa Valley below.

The vegetation within the South Luangwa National park is quite diverse and includes woodlands Savannah open grassland plains lower the valley with iconic trees and shrubs like mopane forest species, traditional baobab trees, leadwood, ebony forest trees, winterthorn, ivory palm, marula as well as the magnificent tamarind tree.

Game Viewing

In case you are staying in the Zambia Safari lodges in Luangwa Valley, you are fortunately set to see many of Zambia’s wild animals that live in South Luangwa National park. Zambia tour operators or guides should make sure you enjoy every opportunity to discover south Luangwa Park’s wild birds, game and take a walk or game drive to the different game habitats with the park. Staying at Crocodile Farm near the main park gate is quite rewarding…you’ll see several herds of the zebras and Thornicroft’s Giraffe which is particularly endemic to Luangwa Valley.

South Luangwa national park is gifted with close to 14 different species of antelopes such as the eland, kudu, duiker, bushbuck, impala, puku, roan antelope, sable, reedbuck, hartebeest, grysbok, klipspringer and the oribi. Many of the antelope species are sighted within the secluded areas of the park near Muchinga Escarpment, Nsefu Sector and in the open grasslands.

The murky Luangwa river bank is crowded with large crocodiles, Hippos and buffalos that swimming and wallow in the mud. Some of the primate species within this Zambia safari park include baboons, maloney’s monkeys, bush baby and the vervet monkeys among others

On Evening game drives within South Luangwa Park, you’ll notice many predators that are roaming around for their nocturnal hunt and some of these include lions, hyena, civets, leopards, servals and the endangered African wild dog.

Birdlife

Bird watching is another fascination for visitors to South Luangwa Park and the entire Valley. More than 400 bird species have their home in Luangwa Valley Zambia and just 100 could be sighted in case you take a one day birding safari in Zambia.  The water pools that form near Luangwa River in the dry season attract species like pelicans, giant storks, white egrets, herons, lovely wattle crane, white billed storks, hornbill, red chested cuckoo, white billed storks, hornbill, red chested cuckoo, Fish eagles, heuglin’s robin, swifts, hobbies heuglin’s robin, swifts, hobbies and a whole lot more. In November, the migrants fly into the park prior to the rains start, some come from Europe and Asia.

Best time to visit

Luangwa Valley is very distinct when it comes to seasonal changes and weather. The dry period begins in April and ends in October giving the best time to go on game drives or walking safaris within South Luangwa Park and also in the neighboring North Luangwa National Park. May until August marks the dry winter months dotted with warm weather but the evenings are quite chilly. The wet season then starts in November up to March when you’ll see several migrant birds, lush greener pastures and a few water endemic antelopes.

Getting there

There are daily charter Zambia  flights from Mfuwe International Airport to South Luangwa National Park as well as Livingstone from Lusaka by Proflight. Actually there are several charter planes doing daily schedules to and from Luangwa Valley area with departures in Livingstone town or Lusaka.

By road, the route through Chipata is mostly used. It is 123km and 2hr drive to Mfuwe to the park. Another route goes through Great East road at Petauke but you’ll need a strong 4WD vehicle as you proceed on the section of Luangwa River to Mfuwe. If you are travelling from the north, access is via Mpika using the Great North Road or Lundazi, near Zambia’s East border with Malawi. Soon after Mpika, there is a simple truck running lower the Munyamadzi Corridor connecting to both North Luangwa plus South Luangwa National Park.

Accommodation

There are several Zambia safari Lodges found within South Luangwa National Park such as Mfuwe Lodge, Kafunta River Lodge, Kapani Safari Lodge, Sanctuary Prsidential Lodge and Thornicroft lodge among others. There are also permanent camps, tented safari camps and bush camps near Luangwa River Bridge and many other options.

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