Emerald Season Luangwa National Park – Eight Days

Overview

Countries visited: Zambia

Experience the Emerald Season, so called due to the extraordinary colour of the bush once the rain starts to fall, in South Luangwa National Park.

Staying at Nkwali, you will be treated to luxury accommodation and suburb activities. These include boating (mid Dec-March), nature walks and game viewing. Due to the lodge’s central location in the park, guests are guaranteed big game and cat sightings.

This journey is ideal for couples, groups of friends, romantic getaways, honeymoons, wildlife and photographic enthusiasts.

Itinerary

Day 1  Nkwali Camp
On arrival at Mfuwe International Airport a guide will meet you. The drive to Nkwali Camp is 1 hour through colourful local scenes of villages, agriculture as well as bush. Nkwali Camp has a wide view of the Luangwa River. On private land, and overlooking the South Luangwa National Park, Nkwali is ideally situated for the start of your safari. The six rooms all look out over the river and have open air bathrooms. Depending on your arrival time, in the day you will enjoy a lunch looking out over the lagoon to the back of Nkwali or if in the afternoon for tea and the afternoon and night game drive.

Day 2  Nkwali Camp
At dawn breakfast is served around the campfire. The porridge heated on the fire and toast cooked by the coals. The morning walk or drive will leave soon after, entering the park by boat from the camp or by the nearby pontoon. The game in the area is excellent – and includes many family herds of elephants and the endemic species of giraffe, the Thornicroft Giraffe. A mid-morning break of tea, coffee and cake will be taken by a scenic point on a lagoon or the Luangwa River. Return to camp for lunch around mid-day. After lunch you can cool off in the swimming pool or siesta. Tea will be served in the afternoon and then off on an afternoon game drive that continues into the early night giving the chance to see the nocturnal world. Usually one returns to camp about 20.00 hrs with dinner generally at 20.30.

Day 3 – 6  Nkwali Camp
A few more days to enjoy the game viewing at Nkwali on walks, drives, boating or you may wish to go on an all day picnic. Taking a scout with you, you will be able to enjoy a walk or explore further afield in the park. Lunch will be under a tree or next to a lagoon and you will then be able to take a siesta or simply spend a lazy couple of hours reading a book or watching the fascinating animals and landscape around you. Returning to camp when you are ready – you may decide to continue straight on your evening drive and return to come after sundowners – this is a very flexible day.

Day 7  Nkwali Camp
Your last day in the South Luangwa – boating, walking or game driving as you wish as well as enjoying the food and good company before heading off to your next destination.

Day 8  Transit
After breakfast you will transfer to Mfuwe Airport for your connecting flight.

Accommodation

Nkwali camp

Many places claim to be “among the remaining wilderness areas” or “one of the last wildlife sanctuaries”; South Luangwa National Park lives up to both and more. The Luangwa Valley is vast, remote and home to both people and a truly impressive variety of game.

The South Luangwa Park is 9050 sq. kilometer; with the river, its tributaries and the riverine strips being the focus of the wildlife viewing. There are diverse habitats, from huge ox bow lagoons of varying stages of maturity, woodlands, ebony groves, grassland and thickets, that host a great variety of wildlife. The birdlife is also excellent with over 450 species to be seen.

More Info

Includes: All safari costs.

Excludes: Flights (domestic and international), visas and airport taxes.

Valid November, December, January to 21 May.