About Luangwa

The Luangwa Valley is a beautiful, untouched wildlife sanctuary of Africa. It is an extension to the Great East African rift valley. The Luangwa River rises from the dramatic Mafinga Mountains in the north-eastern corner of Zambia, and has many scenic ox-bows and lagoons, filled with hippos and crocodiles. The rich volcanic soil supports a wide variety of lush vegetation and a wealth of animal and birdlife. Situated far from all the major cities, the Luangwa Valley is remote and has therefore been spared the masses of tourists in minibuses - this is a pristine, over 9 000km² stretch of lush riverine vegetation, plentiful game and fantastic bird watching.

The Luangwa Valley is an ancient branch off the Great African Rift Valley system. Flood waters from high up the Rift Valley deposit nutrients downstream in the Luangwa, resulting in the riparian soils being more fertile than the surrounding area which is poor leached soil. Thus, the areas close to the river supports a wide biodiversity of plant and animal life. The river is permanent but levels rise and fall dramatically which produces an additional seasonal flood-plain habitat which boosts grazer numbers and allows for the existence of puku which are highly dependent on the green belt along the water's edge.

The valley experiences two distinct seasons, the Dry Season from May to November, and the Green Season from December to April. The best time to view game is between July and September. The coldest time of year is June and July. By October temperatures reach 37 degrees centigrade but the game viewing "hots" up too as the outlying water dries up forcing the game to the riverine area.

For scenery and variety of animals, South Luangwa (area of 9050sq kilometre) is probably the best park in Zambia. Walking safaris first began here, and are a thrilling way to experience Africa's wildlife at very close quarters. There are 60 different animal species and over 400 different bird species.