Guide to South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Masai Mara and Serengeti are not only the two most famous safaris in the world, but also the more expensive and crowded national parks too. If you’re searching for something a bit more budget friendly and under the radar, South Luangwa National Park in Northern Zambia near Mfuwe is your park.
Why South Luangwa?
It all comes down to the unparalleled access to wildlife. This is one of the few national parks in Africa to allow night drives and walking safaris. There aren’t a ton of visitors in the park at any given point and self-driving is an option too. Many lodges are reasonably priced and situated along the banks of the Zambezi river where animals roam freely on their grounds.
Tourism in Zambia is still in its infancy and there is very little marketing and investments to promote all that Zambia has to offer, from Luangwa to Livingstone and everything in between. The park fees are super reasonable at $25 USD per day per person for South Luangwa, and with plenty of budget and midrange accommodations visitors can stay longer and enjoy the environment instead of rushing through all the activities. There are evening game drives and walking safaris as well which are rare for national parks and parts of Botswana or South Africa offer them on private reserves.
What’s even more exciting are the camps! Most camps are unfenced next to the Zambezi river so you’re guaranteed to see elephants, gazelles, and waterbucks freely roaming around where you stay.
Costs and Budgets
Most of the mid-level accommodations seem to go for about $80-100 USD for tents, $150-250 USD for chalets while luxury accommodation can be upwards of $1500+ per night. Meals at both camps were about $15-25 USD for an entree while wine and beer are around $3-5 USD.
The game drives and park fees are very reasonable for Africa as well from $80 USD at Flatdogs Camp for each drive and $25 USD per day for park fees. If you decide to do a morning and an evening drive on the same day, the park fee is only paid once. The walking safari was $65 USD with another $25 USD for park fees.
Airport transfers cost around $60 USD one way for a 45 min drive when booked through the camps.
Everything in South Luangwa National Park is priced in USD but converted to Zambian Kwacha for payment because the government does not allow local businesses to charge in dollars while in Zambia. While some lodges like Flatdogs did accept USD cash for payment, it was much easier and safer to settle with credit card in Kwacha.
Getting to and from South Luangwa
Flying on Proflight Zambia from Lusaka (LUN) to Mfuwe (MFU)
The main gateway to the region is the Mfuwe International Airport. It is only served by Proflight Zambia, 1-2x a day depending on the season. The planes are small Jetstream 41’s and only seat about 30 people per flight.
Flights from Lusaka cost about $320 USD each way on Proflight and drop to about $180 USD within a month of departure. Sometimes there are last minute deals where the prices drop to $120 USD but those deals are rare. If you fly Emirates or Kenya Airways, there are interline tickets that combine the Proflight segment with the international flight so that luggage is checked through to Mfuwe and any missed connection is automatically rebooked.
There is a nice hotel at the airport in Lusaka about a 10 minute walk from the terminal called Protea Hotel Lusaka Airport where you can spend the night for an early morning flight in or out of Lusaka International Airport. The hotel has free shuttles you can call the hotel to arrange once you arrive.
I missed my original Proflight flight because of a delay in the Kenya Airways flight from Nairobi, but because I booked the two flights separately, I was on my own to reschedule. According to the Proflight staff, Kenya Airways to Lusaka is very frequently delayed and causes them a lot of headache. Lucky they had seats for a flight later in the afternoon when I finally arrived. The no-show change fee of $30 USD was actually cheaper than the $100 change fee + $80 fare difference if I wanted to change the flight before my original ticketed flight departed. I just risked not having a seat when I arrive to rebook and the flight becomes sold out.
By Road from Lusaka, Zambia
Driving time is about 6 hours and I’ve been told that roads are pretty good for the first 4 hours. Many people rented their own 4x4s and did a combination of game drives with guides and self-driving. There are also daily buses from Lusaka to Mfuwe and the entire journey takes about 8 hours leaving at 5 AM for about $35-40 USD.
By Road from Lilongwe, Malawi
It is about a 6 hour drive from Lilongwe, Malawi by car and private taxis are an option. Unfortunately, there are no direct public buses and at least 1 stop is necessary in Chipatas, Zambia to change buses.
When is the best time to go?
South Luangwa has a wet season and a dry season. The dry season from July to October is the best time to see wild life and go on safaris when the animals are closer to the rivers. Strive for earlier in the season when the temperatures are slightly cooler because the safari trucks are open air and many of the accommodations also don’t have air conditioning.
The wet season brings lots of rain and flooding to the area and the park restricts movement to much of the inland parts. I’ve been told that the area looks lush and green during the wet season so it is worth a visit during the shoulder season as well.
How Many Days?
Aim to spend at least 3 nights but ideally 5 or more to get the most out of your visit. Staying 3 nights gives you 2 full days to catch a morning game drive, evening game drive, and a do a walking safari. Staying 5 nights gives you an additional day of game drive and a full day to relax and enjoy the camps. There isn’t much else in the area and Mfuwe is a very small town with not much to see. You could organize a volunteering or local village and school visit through Track and Trail River Camp too.
Where to Stay
Flatdogs Camp
Flatdogs Camp is the absolute best choice for safaris at the mid-range price level. With tents going for about $100 USD per night and chalets for $200+, it delivers comfort and service at a reasonable price. There is electricity and hot water 24 hours a day, a full service restaurant serving daily specials and crowd favorites, as well as a bar for all your drinking needs. The camp also operates a fleet of safari trucks so you can join scheduled group safaris and walks during your stay. Most of the clients here are self-organized, repeat customers that come year after year.
People rave about the hospitality in the online reviews I’ve seen and it’s easy to see why. The owners really cared about improving the camp and asked for feedback when I checked out. The entire team is very well trained and the service feels warm and relaxed yet professional. The decor is more utilitarian and outdoors focused. It shows in the camp dining chairs and furnishing in the tents and chalets as well. The chalets are a bit more private and farther from the common areas whereas the tents are right along the waterfront but the bathrooms are open air.
They also have Starlink internet access in the common areas so the wifi speeds are very fast.
Track and Trail River Camp
Track and Trail River Camp is the other popular option. Most of their customers seem to be self-driving, self-catering, and camping visitors so the service and amenities are a bit more limited. The camp relies on solar power so hot water is not available when power cuts frequently happen in the region. The camp does make up for it with very nice lounging areas where you can watch the sunset from the main dining area next to a campfire or swim in the pool that overlooks the river as well. It is owned and operated by a Dutch couple and the husband leads special photography safaris. Restaurant and beverage options are more limited here but just as delicious. The two story Family Riverside Chalets have a stunning balcony with views of the Zambezi river on the second floor and all the chalets are very nicely decorated inside with local art and African style furniture. There is a small open-air gym on-site and Starlink high speed wifi access in the common areas. Many of the visitors during my stay worked or volunteered for NGOs in Malawi and came for the weekends.
It is possible to split the trip so that you spend a few days doing safaris with Flatdogs Camp and then migrate to Track and Trail to relax too. The driving time between two camps is less than 10 minutes. There are even cheaper dorm style accommodations from Croc Valley Camp but the reviews don’t look too great and I have not stayed there personally to recommend it.
Mfuwe Lodge
The Mfuwe Lodge is inside the national park which means being right in the middle of the action. Elephants wander through the lodge lobby to pick mangos from the lodge October to December. All the accommodations have balconies for animal watching from the comfort and privacy of the room. The company also operates a few seasonal camps during the dry season deeper in the park for a more secluded and exclusive experience as well. Rates start at around $1000-1500 USD per night.
Safari Game Drive Experience
While South Luangwa has a decent variety of wildlife, it excels in the quantity of lions, elephants, and hippos. It also has the largest population of leopards anywhere in Africa. Without even leaving the camp, I can hear the territorial calls of the lions across the river all night long, hippos at my doorstep one night, and elephants walking by the camp next to the river.
There are a few different routes for game drives, the closest and most popular one is near the river where most of the animals are during the dry season. In order to cross the river, one way is through the official park gate across a bridge, the other is on a raft jointly operated by many of the lodges in the area during dry season. The safari truck drives onto the raft and then a team of rowers move the truck slowly across the river. There are many elephants and hippos in this area.
Once across the river, the nearby dry riverbanks near the raft crossing are a popular playing spot for the painted dogs, or wild dogs as the guides call them. These wild dogs are one of the hardest animals to find not just in Zambia, but Botswana and South Africa where they also reside. Many birds also call this area home.
Along the riverbank, lions, warthogs, elephants and many other animals drink venture here to drink from the river. Zambia has been in a prolonged drought the last few years and the water level has been at historic lows, resulting in a lot of territorial fights between animals and even within hippo herds.
In line with safari traditions, we were served a sun-downer gin and tonic while watching the sunset over the riverbanks by our amazing guides. The sun sets very quickly close to the equator and upon nightfall, it was time to start our game drive once again.
With the help of a strong spotting light, we saw a bunch of lions roaming around as well as some hippos out of the water feeding on sausage fruits. We even witnessed a male lion making territorial calls. There were 3 other safari trucks in the area and all the trucks are very respectful of wildlife. It never felt like we were fighting to see the animals and the drivers all kills the engines when observing wildlife so we can hear every sound the animals make. It is a much more peaceful and personal experience than Masai Mara or Serengeti.
The Flatdogs Camp is actually directly across the river from these lions so it was extra exciting to see who exactly was making all the noise at night too. Our pre-ordered dinner choices were ready when we arrived back at camp.
South Luangwa Walking Safari
The real specialty of South Luangwa National Park is the walking safari accompanied by an armed ranger. The walk with Flatdogs Camp typically starts early morning when the weather is cooler and ends with some delicious coffee and pastries by mid-morning. We drove through the main park gate to pick up our armed ranger, enter deep into the park where the walk begins, and left our safari truck to be picked up later at the end of the walk.
The walk starts near a pile of animal skulls where we could see and feel each of the different types of antelope horns. These are scavenged by park rangers from dead animals so no animals were harmed when obtaining these. There were plenty of zebras around the beginning of the walk although they were easy to startle and quickly ran away when we started walking towards them.
Our armed ranger led the way trying to spot any and all dangers in the distance. Our driver and guide from Flatdogs explained all the different trees that are in the area including the famous sausage trees whose fruits the hippos were eating the night before. We even broke one open to see how it looks like inside. One of the interesting trees here grew on top of a termite mound that slowly decayed over time. Elephants and zebras would dig through the dirt and eat the roots while rain water washes away what’s remaining. All of the tree stumps are from elephants pushing down shrubs, leaving an open grass land with few lucky ones that matured into trees. The termites eat the roots of all the grasses so there are areas where nothing grows. The dirt they expel from tunneling under the dirt gets piled up into these mounds.
At one point here, we found a piece of elephant tusk that probably chipped off when the elephant was debarking or carving the tree. The ivory piece was quite heavy and the size and weight of a pebble, enough to give us trouble at the customs if we brought it back home. Seeing carved ivory at the museum is one thing, holding a raw piece is definitely another. The ranger said that all the tusks found in the park are burned and destroyed so there wouldn’t be a market for ivory, regardless if it was obtained when the elephant was alive or dead.
The entire area we walked through becomes water during rainy season. The Zambezi River water level rises and all the inland areas become ponds and lakes with water flowing to and from the Zambezi. There were also a lot of ebony trees in this area but not too many animals to see aside from some giraffes, zebras, and various antelopes foraging nearby.
We walked through a small dry river stream bed to the end where our safari truck was waiting. Much to our surprise, the truck parked next to these 3 warthogs digging in the dirt and didn’t seem to mind us at all when we had our coffee break nearby. This is so rare that even the park ranger was shocked. A few other safari trucks drove by and stared at us in shock, almost as if we abducted them. The conservation efforts in this park really show when the animals don’t run from humans anymore.
Warthogs aren’t the smartest animals and the Swahili for them is pumbaa, which means silly or stupid, the same word as Pumbaa from Lion King. During the dry season, they get on their knees and use their tusks and snouts to dig for roots and bulbs when other food sources are scarce.
We finished our safari with a short drive back to camp. On the way, we saw a bunch of baboons running around in the grass, a small group of elephants, and a bunch more impalas. There were also a few fisherman in the riverbanks as we crossed the bridge to exit the park.
