Experts have dubbed South Luangwa as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, and not without reason:

• Over 60 different animal species

• Over 400 bird species

• Zambia's best game park

A lush green wonderland:

The park's 9050km² is host to a wide variety of wildlife, birds and vegetation. Norman Carr Safaris pioneered the now famous "walking safari", which originated in this park and this still one of the finest ways to experience this pristine wilderness first-hand. The changing seasons add to the park's richness ranging from dry, bare bushveld in the southern hemisphere winter months to a lush green wonderland in the summer months.

The concentration of game around the Luangwa River and its ox-bow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa.

Abundant wildlife and birds:

If you're staying at one of our lodges, the guides will ensure you have every opportunity to see all that the wildlife, birds and varying vegetation and habitats have to offer. This will mean following the loop roads in the park, past dambos bursting with hippos, crowned cranes, grazing antelope and scurrying baboons.

Elepahnt:

Further out on the plains you're bound to see the large elephant herds, reaching up to 70 in number.

Buffalo:

Buffalo are abundant and spread throughout the valley.

Hippos for Africa:

The hippopotamus is one animal you won't miss, especially at Luwi and Kakuli bushcamps where there is spectacular hippo viewing. As you cross over the bridge into the park there are usually between 30 and 70 hippos lounging in the river below and most of the dambos and lagoons will reveal many more.

Zebra:

Zebra can be seen running in small herds of about a dozen. The difference between Zambia's zebras and those in the south and east of Africa is in the stripes. Here they are evenly spaced as opposed to broad light stripes with a faint shadow stripe in-between.

Giraffe:

Thornicroft's Giraffe, unique to Luangwa Valley should be easily spotted.

Antelope:

The park has 14 different antelope species, most of which are easily seen on game and night drives. This includes the elusive bushbuck, kudu, eland and the impala, which should not be confused with the puku, of similar size but a much fluffier buck with a rich orange coat and also prolific. Duiker, reedbuck, roan, sable, hartebeest, grysbok, klipspringer and oribi also occur but are harder to find.

Leopard:

The South Luangwa National Park has one of the densest populations of leopard in Southern Africa.

Lion:

Lions are as plentiful in the Luangwa as anywhere else in Africa and the excitement of tracking lions and seeing them on a walking safari is unparalleled. Very often they roam in prides of up to 30.

Mammals in the Luangwa Valley
Birds in the Luangwa Valley