Luangwa National park - ZAMBIA
It is one of the best parks of Africa and lies on the
west side of the Rift valley and is broadly divided into the larger South Luangwa and the
North Luangwa. Most people visit the South Luangwa park. Luangwa
National park is the ideal place for travel and tourism for nature and wild life
lovers.
The Luangwa park covers Covering almost 3,500 square miles, the park is mostly miombo woodland. The concentration of game is around the Luangwa river and it’s ox bow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa. There are 60 different animal species and over 400 different bird species. As you cross over the bridge into the park there are usually between 30 and 70 hippos lounging in the river below. A bit over 400 miles from the capital of Lusaka, South Luangwa offers a remote wildlife experience far off the typical East Africa track. Few parks can match this phenomenally high game density nor do they have the ability to show visitors such remarkable wildlife in so remote and isolated a wilderness. And if foot is your favorite mode of travel, South Luangwa is the place to be.
In the stunning light of early morning and late afternoon, one can often see elephants, impala, puku, troops of baboons, buffalo, flocks of water birds, crocodiles and hippos all through the same view finder of your camera or binoculars. There are several animal and bird species in Luangwa park. Commonly seen mammals include elephants, hippos, lion, leopard, impala, waterbuck, hyenas, giraffe, zebra, baboons, & warthogs. Especially in the dry season, herds of buffalos congregate and march en masse to the river to drink. Other mammals in the park sometimes seen include kudu, sable antelope, jackal and wild dogs. Night safaris offer the chance to see civets, genets, porcupines and mongoose and a greater chance to see lion and leopard. Crayshaw´s Zebras . Puku Antelope, Thornicrofts Giraffe and Cookson’s Wildebeest are unique Specialties to Lungwa. Birdwatching is superb in the Valley.
There is an abundance of water birds including commonly seen Yellow-Billed, Saddle-billed, Open-billed, White, Black and Abdims Storks. Egrets, Ibises and Herons are also abundant in the lagoon areas. Stunning colors to be seen everywhere include Lilac-breasted Rollers, Meyer’s Parrots, Lillian’s Lovebirds and Carmine Bee Eaters (the later have huge nesting colonies along the river banks around October).
When to go:
Domestic flights operate about ten times a week in peak season (June-Oct) from Lusaka. The dry season at South Luangwa runs from April to November. If you want to walk, plan on arriving from June to October, when walking safaris are conducted.
