It’s no surprise that South Luangwa is known as ‘the valley of the leopard’. These sought-after but shy cats are often spotted in its mature ebony and mahogany trees; thanks to exceptional conservation efforts, there is a very high density of leopard in this popular national park. Large breeding herds of elephant make short work of mopane trees while safari aficionados go in search of subspecies like Crawshay’s zebra and Luangwa giraffe (although known as Thornicroft’s or Rhodesian giraffe). And that’s before we get to the 60 other mammal species and over 400 birds!
South Luangwa is popular because it is easily reachable from Lusaka and has numerous beautiful lodges and camps dotted along the Luangwa River. Although it looks tempting, the water is considered too unpredictable and mercurial for boating activities (unlike the Zambezi). But no matter because the park is home of the walking safari, a huge thrill all of its own. More than just a two-hour ‘nature walk’ around camp, walking safaris are multi-day treks through the bush, sometimes going from camp to camp, sometimes circling back to the same camp. There is something truly electrifying about encountering a herd of puku or a pride of lion while on foot. Your senses are immediately keener, you have to watch the animals far more closely and you have a renewed appreciation for people of the past who spent their lives on foot, living and walking among wild dog, hyena, buffalo and zebra. It is a disappearing lifestyle and a privilege to experience…
