SIMPLY ZAMBIA

Fly into Johannesburg and connect on to Lusaka. From Lusaka, you’ll board a scheduled light aircraft flight to Mfuwe in the legendary South Luangwa. You’ll be met by your guide and transferred by road to the camp on the western banks of the Luangwa River. Tafika enjoys a quiet location just north of the park’s Nsefu Sector in an area known for its leopard sightings.

The beautiful scenery, exceptional guides and truly unequalled density of wildlife of the South Luangwa make any safari here a memorable experience. On your daily day and night game drives and bush walks you can expect to meet with bushbuck, lion, leopard, spotted hyena, wild dog and huge herds of elephant and buffalo. Not forgetting endemic species like the Thornicroft’s giraffe, Cookson’s wildebeest and Crawshay’s zebra. The plains and marshes of Nsefu are particularly rich in birds, with yellow-billed storks, carmine bee-eaters, herons, egrets and storks all to be ticked off your list. We’d also recommend a mountain bike safari, a different and fun way to view the region’s wildlife.

Stay: Three nights in a double room at Tafika – full board

Today you will make the two-hour walk to Chikoko Tree Camp, an intimate, rustic bush camp just 8km upstream from Tafika. Overlooking the seasonal Chikoko River, this area is dedicated to walking safaris, meaning you’ll find no roads or vehicles to interrupt your wilderness experience.

You’ll head out – binoculars and camera in hand – along various walking trails alongside your guide and an armed scout. You’ll learn how to identify different animal spoor and follow the tracks yourselves in hopes of a sighting. Walks are conducted at a leisurely pace and typically last between 3 – 4 hours with a mid-morning/afternoon tea break. Back at camp, you’ll have a great view of an acacia grove where many scenes of wildlife unfold throughout the day.

Stay: Two nights at Chikoko Tree Camp – full board

On day seven you’ll walk to Chikoko’s sister property, Crocodile River Camp, nestled in another remote, walking-only area of the South Luangwa. The camp overlooks an open pan that, when filled with water, becomes a magnet for nearby game. Like Chikoko, the activities here are focused purely on on-foot excursions. During your walks, you’ll get to take advantage of the knowledge of your guide whose extensive experience of this corner of Zambia will serve to enrich your own experience.

Stay: Two nights in a double room at Crocodile River Camp – full board