South Luangwa National Park
You will have a chance to embark on one more game drive this morning. The Park is renowned for its large population of leopard and hippos. Following a tasty lunch, we pay a visit to the community-run tribal textile project, as well as a charming local village.
Located in eastern Zambia, the South Luangwa National Park is a world famous wildlife sanctuary that is well-known for its beautiful walking safaris. The Park has a large population of Thorneycroft’s Giraffe, as well as herds of elephant and buffalo. The Luangwa River sustains plenty of crocodile and hippo. Established as a game reserve in 1983, the area was declared a National Park in 1972 and presently covers over 9000 square kilometres. Hippopotami flourish in this Park due to the areas of flooded grassland habitats that are situated nearby to the river, on which they happily graze during the evenings.
We may be able to spot pods of over 500 hippos during the dry season as this is when the river dries up and leaves them restricted to areas of deep pools. On average, there are most likely up to 42 hippos per kilometre. These magnificent creatures are crucial to the Park’s ecosystem as their excrement released into the river fertilises the waters and supports the fish population which, in turn, sustain the crocodiles. The South Luangwa National Park is also believed to contain the largest population of leopard throughout the entire African continent. It is estimated that there is one leopard for every kilometre of river in the Luangwa Valley. Therefore, the possibility of spotting this elusive and majestic nocturnal creature is quite high.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation: Wildlife Camp
Facilities: Water not drinkable, shared ablutions, hot showers, swimming pool, bar
Activity Package: Village and textile visit.
Optional Activities: Morning game drive, Game walk inside park
