6 Days Best Zambia Safari to South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi Park

Your exceptional Zambia Safari begins with an early morning pickup from Lusaka, followed by a scenic 280-kilometer drive eastward to South Luangwa National Park, taking approximately 4-5 hours through rural Zambian landscapes. This immersive Zambia Safari journey takes you through the Eastern Province to reach Mfuwe, the gateway to South Luangwa known locally as "Chipata Chikulamayembe" (Place of the Chief's Elephants). Upon arrival, your Zambia Safari experience continues with check-in at your lodge and a briefing about the park's wildlife, followed by an afternoon game drive along the Luangwa River where you'll encounter your first glimpse of the abundant wildlife that makes this region famous.

Dawn breaks on your Zambia Safari with the sounds of the African bush as you prepare for the park's signature walking safari experience, departing at 6:00 AM from your lodge in the Mfuwe sector. This authentic Zambia Safari adventure takes you on foot through the pristine wilderness with expert guides who pioneered walking safaris in Africa over 50 years ago, exploring areas inaccessible by vehicle in terrain known locally as "Nsenga" (hunting grounds). Your Zambia Safari continues with afternoon game drives through the Luangwa River valley, where you'll search for four of the Big Five species including lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalo, while also encountering the park's famous giraffe populations and diverse antelope species.

Your Zambia Safari deepens today with full-day exploration of South Luangwa's diverse ecosystems, beginning with an early morning game drive through the Nsefu sector, located 35 kilometers north of Mfuwe along the Luangwa River. This comprehensive Zambia Safari experience includes visits to different habitats from riverine forests to open grasslands, where expert guides help you track wildlife including the endemic Thornicroft's giraffe found only in this region. The afternoon Zambia Safari activity focuses on the park's famous Big Five encounters, with particular emphasis on finding the elusive leopard population that South Luangwa is renowned for, while enjoying sundowners at scenic viewpoints overlooking the meandering Luangwa River.

Today your Zambia Safari transitions from South Luangwa to Lower Zambezi National Park with a morning transfer covering approximately 320 kilometers, taking 5-6 hours through Zambia's diverse landscapes via Lusaka. This scenic Zambia Safari journey takes you westward to the banks of the mighty Zambezi River, where you'll arrive at your lodge in the Chiawa or Jeki areas of Lower Zambezi National Park, known locally as "Zambezi Yakumwamba" (The Great River). Your Zambia Safari experience continues with an afternoon boat cruise on the Zambezi River, offering your first taste of this water-based wilderness where hippos, crocodiles, and elephants congregate along the riverbanks while providing stunning views of the Zambian escarpment rising dramatically from the floodplains.

Your Zambia Safari reaches new heights today with the unique experience of canoe safaris on the Zambezi River, starting at 6:30 AM from your lodge for a 3–4-hour paddle downstream through pristine wilderness channels. This extraordinary Zambia Safari adventure allows silent approach to wildlife including elephants, buffalo, and various antelope species that come to drink along the riverbanks in an area known locally as "Mubvumira" (The Whispering Waters). The afternoon Zambia Safari continues with walking safaris through the Lower Zambezi's diverse terrain, where you'll have opportunities to encounter four of the Big Five species while learning about the park's conservation efforts and the absence of giraffes in this ecosystem, creating a fascinating contrast to your South Luangwa experience.

Your memorable Zambia Safari concludes with a final morning game drive or optional canoe safari in Lower Zambezi National Park, followed by departure at 9:00 AM for the 130-kilometer journey back to Lusaka, taking approximately 2.5 hours. This final Zambia Safari experience includes scenic views of the Zambezi River valley and opportunities for last-minute wildlife sightings as you travel through the park's diverse ecosystems one final time. Your transformative Zambia Safari adventure ends with arrival in Lusaka by early afternoon, where you'll have time to reflect on the incredible wildlife encounters and pristine wilderness experiences that showcase why Zambia remains one of Africa's premier safari destinations.