Gem of Zambia Safari

Zambia's Three Premier Parks - South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and North Kafue

10 night itinerary combining

South Luangwa - Nkwali, Tena Tena/Nsefu 4 nights
Lower Zambezi - Chiawa or Sausage Tree 2 nights
North Kafue - Lufupa River Lodge and Busanga Bush Camp 4 nights

Note

the order of camps can be changed & budget camp option available.
14 night itinerary available
Valid mid June - mid November

Zambia's three stunning premier parks are all different. The lagoons and riverine woodland of the Luangwa, the escarpment and water experience of the Lower Zambezi, the miombo woodland and vast open plains of North Kafue are contrasting and all host exceptional game. The camps are small, personal and owner run. This is a spectacular safari through Zambia - through remote areas, with dedicated guides and excellent game.

Itinerary

Days 1 and 2 After meeting you at the Mfuwe airport your guide will drive you to Nkwali Camp through colourful local scenes of villages, agriculture as well as bush. Nkwali Camp overlooks a wide bend of the Luangwa River into the South Luangwa National Park and is ideally situated for the start of your safari. All rooms have a view of the river and open air bathrooms. The game in this area is excellent - and includes many family herds of elephants and the endemic Thornicroft Giraffe.

A typical day at Nkwali has you waking with the dawn to enjoy breakfast round a camp fire before heading out on your morning activity. A delicious lunch is enjoyed on the bank of the lagoon, which is frequently visited by a variety of wildlife. The afternoon is the quiet part of the day, perfect for siesta or a swim in the pool. In the mid-afternoon you meet up with your guide before heading out for your evening adventure, finding a beautiful location to watch the sun go down with a well earned drink in hand. The opportunity to discover the nocturnal world by spotlight is a wonderful treat before heading back to Nkwali for dinner.

NKWALI CAMP

Days 3 and 4 After an early breakfast, a gamedrive through the park and across the river takes you into the Nsefu Sector, which is recognised as a phenomenal game viewing area. Nsefu was the first game camp in Zambia and dates back to the early fifties. There are six round rondavels with luxurious ensuite facilities and each room has a clear view of the sweeping bend of the Luangwa River through large windows and from the wooden verandahs.

During your stay you have the opportunity to drive or walk through the ebony groves or, depending on the heat and time of year, to explore further afield with an all day picnic drive to the salt pans that will cover different habitats and is an exceptional day's safari. There is also the option of visiting the community at Kawaza Village to meet interesting local people and experience life in a real non-tourist village.

(Note: option of booking Tena Tena for the 3 nights).

NSEFU CAMP

Days 5 and 6 In the morning you fly to Lower Zambezi via Lusaka (about 4 hours door to door). As you fly into the area, you will see the wide Zambezi River, dotted with islands. Buffalo and elephant are always seen feeding along with the pods of hippos that rest on the edge of the sandbanks. A game drive from the airstrip introduces you to the game of Lower Zambezi before arriving at Chiawa.

Chiawa Camp rests on the banks of the Zambezi under a lush grove of mahogany and acacia trees, eight spacious tents on elevated wooden platforms with en-suite facilities offer Chiawa's guests ample comfort and stunning views. Game-viewing in the pristine Lower Zambezi National Park is superb and big game, such as elephant, hippo, buffalo and the big cats are even seen regularly in and around the camp! At Chiawa there are various activities to choose from. Not only on offer are exciting day and night drives and bush walks, but Chiawa's guests can choose their own day's itinerary from a selection of canoe trips, river safaris on safe, stable pontoon boats and catch & release angling for the infamous tiger fish.

CHIAWA CAMP

Days 7 and 8 After breakfast and farewells, a drive through the park to the airstrip to meet the plane taking you to the Kafue National Park (1.3 hours). Landing on the private airstrip, you will be met by cool refreshing drinks before a 10 - 15 minute drive to Lufupa Tented Camp. The camp is situated in the northern sector of the acclaimed Kafue National Park, near the confluence of the Lufupa and Kafue rivers - an area filled with floodplains, broad-leaved woodland, lush riverine vegetation and dambos (seasonally flooded grassy clearings). The Kafue area hosts many species of birds and mammals not (or rarely) seen in the Luangwa and Zambezi Valleys including hartebeest and sable antelope and cheetah.

You will spend your time here discovering the area by a variety of options to include day and night nature drives exploring prime game viewing areas adjoining the Lufupa Channel. Boat trips also reveal the incredible hippo population of the area complemented by a constant array of colourful water birds, reptiles (Nile crocodile, water monitor, terrapins) and lush riverine vegetation. Guided nature walks are also on offer.

LUFUPA TENTED CAMP

Day 9 and 10 Your transfer to Busanga Bushcamp is by helicopter affording your great views of the Busanga Swamps. You will arrive in time for lunch - at the small and discrete bush camp built on an "island" in the plains. Busanga Bushcamp is a simple, extremely remote camp and a superb base from which to explore the unusual ecosystem of the floodplains.

This vast area is flooded during the rains but dries up annually leaving short and rich grazing for the many herds of different antelope. And where there is game in numbers, so there are predators. The lion population in the area is well known, and there is a good chance of sighting cheetah.

Discover the variety of life on a walk, or go further afield on an extended drive up the floodplain. An afternoon drive can extend into the evening where there is a good chance of following lions.

BUSANGA BUSHCAMP

Day 11 Depending on your flight times you may be able to squeeze in one last fabulous activity before flying to Lusaka to connect to your onward flight.

This package includes

Robin Pope Safaris ~ full board, all gameviewing, laundry, bar, National Park fees, transfers to/from Mfuwe Airport
Chiawa Camp ~ accommodation, meals, local drinks, park fees, laundry, all activities, and transfers to/from airstrip
Wilderness Safaris (Lufupa & Busanga) ~ accommodation, all meals, local drinks, 2 game activities per day, park fees and bed levy

This package excludes

Visas, Airport Taxes, International Flights. Premium brand drinks at the Wilderness Camps

Conditions

Minimum 2 people. Children of 13 years and above are welcome at full rate.

South Luangwa National Park with Robin Pope Safaris

The Luangwa Valley, which marks the end of the Great Rift Valley, is one of the last unspoilt wilderness areas and possibly the finest wildlife sanctuary in Africa. It covers an area of over 9000 sq. km. through which the meandering Luangwa River runs. The oxbow lagoons, woodland and plains of the valley host huge concentrations of game - including elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion, giraffe, hippo - and over 400 species of birds.

To explore this wilderness, Robin Pope has three camps from which you can drive, walk and night drive. Robin's camps are known world wide for their atmosphere and care for the guest.

Nkwali Camp is located on Robin's private land, overlooking the National Park. The land is superb gameviewing country, with a beautiful area of ebony woodland and open grass plains. Elephants often cross the Luangwa, seen from the bar, or come to the waterhole near the thatched dining room. The chalets are cool and spacious, overlooking the river. Access to the park is through the main entrance over the bridge, by boat or by our nearby pontoon. The area is famous for leopard and giraffe sightings.

12 guests
en suite bathrooms
open all year
walking, drives, night drives

Nsefu Camp. On a sweeping bend of the river, 12 kilometers north of Tena Tena, lies Nsefu. Nsefu was the first game camp in Zambia and dates back to the early fifties. The Nsefu Sector was recognised then as a phenomenal area and it still is. We reopened the camp in 1999, in keeping with the original style, and so operate the only 2 camps in the Nsefu Sector of the park.

The view of the river is superb and includes a terraced area where game grazes during the day. The bar, tucked in beside a huge extinct termite mound, overlooks a waterhole that is very productive for game, especially leopard at night. The original rondavels have been extended, with a spacious bathroom added. Each room has a clear view of the river, through large windows and from the new wooden verandah. The camp lies in the heart of the undeveloped Nsefu sector and so offers charm and total comfort in remoteness and seclusion.

12 guests
en suite bathrooms
open late May - early November
open mid January to end March for River Journeys
walking, drives, night drives

“Tena Tena Camp … is altogether beyond superlatives, and must be one of the best safari camps in the whole of Africa”, The Times, London. This remote and small camp lies within the National Park and enjoys a stunning location on a sweeping bend of the Luangwa River. A grove of mahogany trees shade the large custom-made tents. The dining room is on an elevated deck overlooking the lagoon, where guests can watch an assortment of animals that come to the lagoon to drink. Nearby there is a spectacular lagoon, Buca Buca, where a whole morning can be spent quietly sitting while the game comes down to feed and drink. With the camp being remote and small, we have these scenes to ourselves.

8-10 guests
tents
en suite bathrooms
open late May - early November
walking, drives, night drives

Lower Zambezi National Park

With the dramatic backdrop of the Zambezi escarpment and the wide, clear watered Zambezi River this park has spectacular landscapes and views. The gameviewing is excellent and the boating on the river gives a varied safari. The elephants and buffalo regularly cross the river and feed on the grass covered islands.

Chiawa Chiawa Camp. Set deep inside the park, on the banks of the Zambezi River and in the heart of big game country, Chiawa Camp is owned and operated by the Cummings family. The 8 ensuite tents, each set on it's own elevated wooden platform, over look the river where game is constantly coming down to feed and water. In addition to drives and walks, the camp offers boating and fishing.

16 beds - superior and honeymoon suite available
walk in safari tents on raised platforms
open 15 April to 15 Nov
game drives, walking, boating, canoeing and fishing

Northern Kafue National Park

The Northern Kafue is a mix of Miombo forest broken by 'dambos', a local term for open grass areas. It is particularly good habitat for sable, roan and Lichtenstein's hartebeest as well as reedbuck and oribi. The major rivers in the area are the Kafue and the Lunga, which are clear flowing with thick, lush, green riverine vegetation lining the banks, hosting rich birdlife.

Lufupa Tented Camp is located on the confluence of the Lufupa and Kafue Rivers. This is as 'wild' as you can get in today's world: an unfenced mosaic of expansive grassy seasonal floodplains, "dambos" (seasonally flooded grass plains) and diverse riverine vegetation. This camp is perfectly situated overlooking the Kafue River. You can enjoy your en-suite Meru-style tented units each with a wooden deck on which to contemplate the wide river view. A relaxed central area, complete with a boma, fireplace, dining area and small plunge pool, lies on the edge of the broad Kafue River.

Busanga Plains Bush Camp. From Lunga River Lodge a game drive through an exceptionally old Miombo Forest and over the flood plain to Busanga Bush Camp is a great opportunity to see sable and roan. The north western section of the Kafue park is dominated by the Busanga Plains, a seasonal flood plain fed by the Lufupa river system. In essence a mini Delta during the rains, which dries up in May/June attracting large volumes of game, noticeably lechwe and puku as well as the large plains game species such as roan, sable, hartebeest, zebra and wildebeest. The concentration of plains game attracts a good number of lion and cheetah. Busanga Plains Bush Camp, which is located on a fig tree 'island' in the middle of the plains is a small 6 bedded camp. Accommodation is in comfortable thatch huts, with ensuite bush showers and long drop toilets.