From:

US$9,544 per person sharing

US$12,082 single room

Group size:

4 guests

Destination:

South Luangwa national park, Zambia

Safari dates:

15-21. October, 2026

In the heart of Zambia’s pristine Luangwa valley lies on of Africa’s last great wilderness areas: South Luangwa national park. This park is well-known for its large predator populations of lions, hyaenas and the rare African wild dogs that hunts together in large numbers. But first and foremost South Luangwa is known as the Valley of the Leopards since here we find what is Africa’s densest leopard population. Different habitats like large plains, dense forests and green lagoons adds to the experience and gives you the feeling of being in Africa of old, that classic safari experience.

We’ll be visiting in October as the dry season comes to an end. The small rivers and water holes of the park have dried out, and with that the wildlife is drawn towards the remaining water of the Luangwa river. This is Africa at its most intense when predators and prey is gathering around the last water source. This safari is taking place at this time since the chances of spectacular wildlife observations is at the highest and when sightings of large predators is at an all time high. The Luangwa river itself has the continents largest hippo and crocodile populations, and the dry season results in intense confrontations as these water depending animals fights over what’s left of the river.

South Luangwa is also a paradise for bird watchers with over 400 species being registered here, which includes both migrants and rare species. Every year at the beginning of the dry season large flock of Southern carmine bee-eaters migrates to the Luangwa valley and builds nests on the bank of the Luangwa river. We’re having a real treat as we have access to a photo hide that allows us to get up close for photography without disturbing these vibrant birds.

We’ll be staying at a historic camp that’s placed right at the bank of the Luangwa river itself, and this gives us a huge advantage since we’ll be based right where the wildlife is at. This safari to South Luangwa is designed to give you a perfect mixture of a luxurious safari camp and some of Africa’s best animal viewings, all in one experience that lets you feel nature’s rhythms and that awakens your senses. If you’re after authentic meetings with wild, free-roaming animals and wanna photograph Africa’s most iconic species in one of the content’s most untouched and remote wildernesses, then this safari is perfect for you.

Day 1 - Arrival to Lusaka:

Welcome to Lusaka. When you land at the airport you will be met by a friendly representative from the hotel who will pick you up and transfer you to the hotel for your first night. Here you will meet your tour guide and meet the rest of the group. We will go over the program and have dinner together.

Day 2 - Lusaka to Kaingo, South Luangwa:

Today we fly from Lusaka to Mfuwe. The flight takes just over an hour, and when we land we will be met by our local guide and driver who will take us to Kaingo Bush Camp. The drive will take approximately one and a half hours. Half of the drive will be through colorful villages and rural Zambia, and the other half through the park itself on the way to the camp. When we arrive at Kaingo Bush Camp we will be accommodated in the camp before heading straight out on our first game drive in search of action-packed sightings.

In the evening we have a night game drive as we make our way back to our camp. After the sun has set behind the horizon a new world awakens as leopards, lions and hyenas become more active, giving us an insight into their nocturnal world. Dinner is served when we are back at the camp.

Day 3-6 - Safari in South Luangwa:

We wake up early in the morning and start the day with coffee around campfire along the Luangwa River. Before the sun creeps over the horizon we head out on a morning game drive to look for the big predators. Kaingo Bush Camp is located inside the park right on the Luangwa River which means the chances of finding wild animals are higher here. We focus on lions and leopards early in the morning when they are active. Later we explore further along the Luangwa River as the animals come down here to drink, but we are flexible and decide what we want to focus on. We return to the game after a few hours for breakfast.

After breakfast we have time to relax in camp, go through photo editing or enjoy refreshing drinks along the river for those who wish. Lunch is served in the morning before we head out again in the afternoon. If we find predators in the morning we will most likely follow them up, or we can choose to explore other parts along the Luangwa River. Over 400 bird species have been recorded in South Luangwa, so we will also spend time photographing birds. In the evening we finish with a night game drive in the dark before returning to camp for a delicious dinner. We have a total of 11 game drives including a night game drive each evening with a private safari jeep and driver to maximize the chances of getting the images we are after.

Kaingo has access to Shenton Safari’s unique network of photo hides. When it comes to getting up close – especially with a camera – these fantastic hides offer a diverse range of wildlife sightings. A great advantage of staying at Kaingo is that we have access to the Bee-eater Hide. Large flocks of Southern carmine bee-eaters arrive in September and build nests along the Luangwa River, so the hide can only be guaranteed in September and October when the location of the nests are known. We also have access to other hides in different locations, so we decide which days we want to visit them.

Day 7 - Departure from Kaingo to Lusaka:

We set off early for a game drive for more action-packed encounters with South Luangwa’s wildlife. After a few hours we return to camp for breakfast and to pack our bags. After breakfast we set off on another game drive which will be ending at Mfuwi Airport. We board our charter flight back to Lusaka in the afternoon. Once we arrive in Lusaka our safari experience is over.