North & South Luangwa Safari

ZAMBIA'S SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK This morning, you are taken by light plane to Mwaleshi Camp's airstrip, where your luggage is collected and you go on a 45-minute guided walk inside the camp. Mwaleshi Camp is located in the isolated North Luangwa National Park, 10 km from the junction of the Mwaleshi and Luangwa rivers. It has rustic thatched cabins that can sleep up to eight people. Safaris are only performed on foot here, with twice-daily walking safaris accompanied by a guide, armed reservist, and caterer. Walks are taken on the opposite side of the river or behind the camp, and may include some simple paddling across the shallow water. The incredible natural splendour of the Luangwa's northern part, mixed with its superb wildlife and the small setting of Mwaleshi Camp, provides for a life-changing wilderness experience in Zambia's favourite national park's most unspoiled portion. Keep an eye out for Cookson's wildebeest, which is more prevalent in the north, where buffalo and lions are also more common. If you thought you had the magnificent wilderness to yourself in the park's southern part, wait till you see the pristine north. Apart from your walking group and the kind staff who work hard to make your stay at Mwaleshi Camp enjoyable, you are nearly certain not to see another human. You may go further afield thanks to the availability of a car, with your guide able to drive the team to a certain location to begin walking. A day excursion by 4x4 to Mwaleshi Falls, located upstream of the camp, is also feasible, where you may swim in the pure, safe river waters away from the swarming plains and forests. Lunch made with fresh vegetables from sister Camp Tafika's kitchen garden, or the genuine romanticism of a candlelit dinner on the Mwaleshi River's banks. Stairs down the riverbed lead to a bonfire on the edge of the water, a dramatic ending to a hard day of walking and a snug gathering spot to tell bush tales. Listen to the stirs of leopard, lion, and hyena as you lie in bed at night, peering up through the trees at the starlit sky.

ZAMBIA This morning, you are taken by light plane to Mwaleshi Camp's airstrip, where your luggage is collected and you go on a 45-minute guided walk inside the camp. Mwaleshi Camp is located in the isolated North Luangwa National Park, 10 km from the junction of the Mwaleshi and Luangwa rivers. It has rustic thatched huts that sleep up to eight guests and use the twisted branches of mopane trees into its unique design. Safaris are only performed on foot here, with twice-daily walking safaris accompanied by a guide, armed reservist, and caterer. Walks are taken on the opposite side of the river or behind the camp, and may include some simple paddling across the shallow water. The incredible natural splendour of the Luangwa's northern part, mixed with its superb wildlife and the small setting of Mwaleshi Camp, provides for a life-changing wilderness experience in Zambia's favourite national park's most unspoiled portion. While on foot, keep an eye out for Cookson's wildebeest, which is more prevalent in the north, where buffalo and lions are also more common. A sneaky hyena hunting puku antelope in the shallows of the Mwaleshi River or a reintroduced black rhino sleeping beneath the shade of some acacia trees may be seen. Binoculars are useful for seeing the indigenous white-winged starling and chestnut-mantled sparrow. If you thought you had the magnificent wilderness to yourself in the park's southern part, wait till you see the pristine north. Apart from your walking group and the kind staff who work hard to make your stay at Mwaleshi Camp enjoyable, you are nearly certain not to see another human. You may go further afield thanks to the availability of a car, with your guide able to drive the team to a certain location to begin walking. A day excursion by 4x4 to Mwaleshi Falls, located upstream of the camp, is also feasible, where you may swim in the pure, safe river waters away from the swarming plains and forests. Two loungers beneath a thatched cover are great for afternoon leisure along a secure portion of the river, which is generally deep enough for a pleasant swim throughout the day. Lunch made with fresh vegetables from sister Camp Tafika's kitchen garden, or the genuine romanticism of a candlelit dinner on the Mwaleshi River's banks. Stairs down the riverbed lead to a bonfire on the edge of the water, a dramatic ending to a hard day of walking and a snug gathering spot to tell bush tales. Retire to your open-plan rustic cottage with reed bars over the windows at night and the flush toilet as the sole section of your en suite bathroom covered by a roof. Listen to the stirs of leopard, lion, and hyena as you lie in bed at night, peering up through the trees at the starlit sky. Each morning, check the camp for animal movement and examine the other bank for any that you heard the night before.

On your final morning in Mwaleshi, you are taken back to Mfuwe Airport, where you will catch a connecting flight home.