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Other luxury safari itineraries
Depart at 1850 from London's Heathrow Airport on the British Airways flight BA255 to Lusaka, Zambia.
Arrive at 0650 and connect with a scheduled one hour flight to Mfuwe. During the next six days you will be taken into the South Luangwa Valley to stay at two contrasting safari camps (fully inclusive of meals and activities).
The South Luangwa Valley, Zambia, is one of the richest and most exciting safari game viewing areas in Africa. Here your family can enjoy the beautiful African scenery that is dominated by the meandering Luangwa River which floods the area every rainy season leaving beautiful lagoons and small lakes dotted around the extensive valley floor. There is woodland, rich areas of open plain and as you move south you come to the Chendeni Hills which provide excellent safari walking opportunities. Most visitors to Luangwa spend about a week there staying at a series of contrasting camps and lodges which takes between six and twelve guests.
The wildlife is equally rich and diverse with herds of elephant, particularly large numbers of graceful giraffe, impressive herds of mighty buffalo and over a dozen species of antelope. The South Luangwa is one of the best places for spotting predators and lion, leopard, cheetah and other predators are regularly seen, as well as a host of fascinating smaller creatures such as baboon, warthog and serval.
South Luangwa is particularly good walking country and most days begin with a steady, not tiring, four hour safari walk with an expert guide and an armed national parks tracker (most of whom have an uncanny sixth sense for spotting the most elusive creatures). In the afternoon you would usually take a drive by open vehicle, perhaps combined with short walks and in the evening after sunset you have the further opportunity for a night time game drive when you can see nocturnal creatures such as porcupine and aardvark and predators. This is also a superb birding location with 466 species of birds, including many types of eagle, herons and spectacular colonies of carmine bee-eaters.
On arrival into Mfuwe you will be met and taken on Safari for three nights in the South Luangwa Valley at Kuyenda Bush Camp.
Kuyenda Bush Camp is set in a remote area of the South Luangwa National Park. The camp consists of grass and thatch cottages with comfortable beds, mosquito nets and en suite w.c. facilities. The camp is rebuilt afresh each safari season. Your family will feel secure and a high level of safety within this safari camp.
With only six beds, the bush camp is ideal for small groups, couples or families seeking a heightened wilderness experience and greater opportunities to explore on foot. Phil Berry is usually located at the camp as the guide, so guests can benefit from the experience of one of the most senior and likeable Luangwa specialists who is a noted authority on giraffe and leopard.
This area is especially rich in small lagoons which make excellent places to view elephants as they drink and splash themselves with mud. It also has some beautiful stretches of the Luangwa River where something is always happening.
You and your family can enjoy a game drive en-route to Chamilandu Camp where you stay for three nights.
Chamilandu Camp is located about twenty miles south of Mfuwe in a remote part of the South Luangwa National Park on a large loop of the Luangwa River. The camp has four very spacious open-fronted thatched cottages set on 10ft-high stilts providing guests with magnificent views of the river, which can be seen meandering gracefully for a mile or more in each direction, and of the bush beyond leading to the towering ranges of the Chendeni Hills which lie about two miles away.
You can expect to see groups of elephant, buffalo, hippopotamus, antelope and other creatures wandering down to the river to drink and wallow at any time of the day, together with kingfishers, eagles, storks, herons and others among the many species of birds which are found in this part of the South Luangwa.
The surrounding country is rich and varied with beautiful mahogany, sausage, and rain trees, and areas of thicker mopane forest. There are also wonderful curved lagoons and areas of open grassland where you find herds of zebra, antelope and buffalo watching out for lion or leopard, which may be hiding in the surrounding long grass.
One of the big attractions of the Chamilandu area is the fact that you are almost certain to see no other tourists during your entire stay here beyond your fellow guests. You can enjoy a slow-paced, fascinating safari walk from dawn with an armed scout and highly expert guide tracking animals through the bush and learning about the medicinal uses of places, the tracks, dung and other aspects of bushcraft. After brunch and a siesta, your afternoon activity would usually be a drive in an open vehicle with the same guide, venturing further afield encountering larger numbers of animals. You may perhaps also take a forty five minute walk if the opportunity arises before returning to camp after sunset with a spotlight to see nocturnal creatures.
You will be transferred back to Mfuwe for a light aircraft flight via Lusaka to Jeki in the Lower Zambezi National Park. On arrival you will be met and taken on safari for three nights at Chongwe River Camp (fully inclusive of meals and activities).
The Lower Zambezi National Park is set on a vast area of the floodplains of the half mile wide Zambezi River, an area with a wide range of beautiful trees including baobab, sausage and acacia. While parts of the floodplain are flat there are also hills and river valleys leading down to the Zambezi and on the edge of the plain is a shimmering escarpment.
The game here is prolific with excellent herds of elephant, large herds of buffalo sometimes numbering 300, around ten types of antelope and a range of other plains game including zebra and wildebeest. Chiawa Camp is also a very good base for predator spotting and there are lion, leopard and wild dog. The birdlife too, is rich and rewarding with over 300 species including fish eagles, storks, herons and kingfishers. Your children will find a safari such an exciting adventure as well as a good source for learning about cultures and the animal natural habitats.
Chongwe River Camp consists of eight spacious tents, each with wonderful views of the wide slow moving river. The tents are insect proof and have twin or double beds and there is solar lighting and a spacious semi-open en-suite bathroom with hot and cold running water. The camp also serves excellent food which include bush breakfasts and outdoor barbecues under the stars.
One of the principle attractions of Chongwe River Lodge is the wide range of game viewing activities that can be enjoyed. The highly expert guides will take you walking with an armed scout and tracking animals on foot through the bush learning a huge amount about the flora and fauna as you go. You might like to spend the latter part of the afternoon paddling a stable canoe on the Zambezi watching animals coming down to drink and interact by the water's edge. Chongwe's open-topped safari vehicles would also take you further afield and at night a spotlight is used to see nocturnal creatures such as civet, porcupine and leopard on the prowl. Anyone who wants to try their hands at tiger fishing might catch a fish up to 20lbs and be assured of a good fight! A strict catch-and-release policy is observed.
In the morning you will be transferred twenty minutes by light aircraft to Lusaka. On arrival you will be met and taken to the Intercontinental Hotel where you stay for one night (bed and breakfast).
Recently renovated, The Intercontinental Hotel is situated in the heart of Lusaka's commercial district. All of the guestrooms and suites are comfortably furnished with en suite facilities.
There is a cocktail lounge and two in-house restaurants offer a wide choice of world cuisine including traditional local dishes and Spanish, Greek, Moroccan and Lebanese. Facilities include a fitness centre and a swimming pool great for children.
This is a superb family orientated Safari, based in Zambia, where you and your children will feel well looked after staying at comfortable luxury accommodation for this once in a lifetime adventure.
In the morning you will be met and transferred to Lusaka to board flight BA254 departing at 0905 to London's Heathrow Airport, arriving at 1725 (local time).