Luxury Zambia Safari

Trip Itinerary

Days 1 - 6: South Luangwa National Park

Day 1 - Arrival in Zambia & Transfer to South Luangwa National Park

On arrival in Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), you’ll be met by a Wayfairer representative and escorted to Mfuwe Airport (MFU) for your next domestic flight.

You will be met by your private driver at Mfuwe Airport in South Luangwa National Park and transferred to Time + Tide Chinzombo, your camp for the next three nights. The drive to your camp will take around thirty minutes and you’ll have the chance to start spotting wildlife as you travel through the national park.

Time + Tide Chinzombo is a luxurious camp that melts into its gorgeous natural setting on the Luangwa River in the Luangwa Valley. Spend the afternoon relaxing by your villa’s private pool and enjoy an in-villa spa treatment.

You can begin your wildlife spotting from your camp with the many animals who frequent the nearby river banks. You can even listen to the hippos bellowing across the river. You’ll adore the modern amenities including soaking tubs and feathertop beds, while feeling immersed in the environment with the grass and canvas villa walls.

Day 2 - Explore South Luangwa National Park

Today is your first full day in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia’s leading wildlife haven. Spanning an area of 9,050 square kilometres, the national park is home to over 60 mammal species and around 450 bird species.

Situated between the Luangwa River and the Mchinga escarpment, the national park has excellent wildlife spotting opportunities thanks to the large numbers of animals that flock to the river. The winding Luangwa River and its lagoons hold some of the highest concentrations of wildlife and predator action in Africa.

Venture out on a game drive to spot lions, large herds of elephants and Cape buffaloes, rare Thornicroft’s giraffes, endemic populations of wildebeest and zebra, an incredible array of birds, and rivers teeming with hippos and crocodiles. South Luangwa National Park is also renowned as one of the best destinations for spotting the elusive leopard.

Day 3 - Explore South Luangwa National Park

Spend the day on another exciting game drive or try a different type of safari with a walking safari. South Luangwa National Park is the birthplace of walking safaris and they were available in this national park long before other safari destinations.

Here you’ll find an exceptional range of walking safaris with expert guides and spectacular trails. The abundant wildlife and incredible landscapes of the national park make South Luangwa one of the best destinations on the continent to experience this thrilling foray into the African bush.

If you’d like to explore the park on foot and get closer to Zambia’s flora and fauna, a walking safari is the perfect immersive experience. Our Africa Team will be happy to help you choose the best walking safari for your Zambia holiday.

Day 4 - Transfer to Tena Tena, South Luangwa National Park

This morning you will check out of Time + Tide Chinzombo and will be transferred to Tena Tena, your camp for the next three nights. The drive to Tena Tena will take around one hour as you pass by the meandering rivers, ox bow lagoons, iconic baobab trees and woodland savannahs of South Luangwa National Park.

Tena Tena is located in the exclusive Nsefu Sector and was one of the first camps opened in the national park. Settle into your luxury tent tucked within a gorgeous grove of mahogany trees. Each secluded tent features a private verandah with sweeping views over the Luangwa River and you may even spot lions and hippos roaming along the banks.

Day 5 - Explore South Luangwa National Park

Venture out on safari to explore your new corner of South Luangwa National Park. Another fantastic way to see the incredible wildlife is with a night game drive. You’ll have the chance to spot nocturnal animals that hide away during the day and you’ll experience the magical vibrancy as the park comes to life at night with the rustle and yowling of the wildlife.

The diverse ecosystems of South Luangwa make the perfect habitat for leopards and the national park is home to exceptionally high concentrations of this secretive animal. A night game drive provides an excellent opportunity to spot prowling leopards in the dark and you’ll have spotlights on hand for sightings. Although leopards are particularly active at night, it’s also common to spot them during the day.

Day 6 - Explore South Luangwa National Park

Today is your final full day in South Luangwa National Park. You may like to go on a birding safari with an expert birding guide, a boating safari along the spectacular Luangwa River, or even a photographic safari to get those perfect wildlife shots.

Get to know the culture and history of the region with a visit to the Kawaza Village, located just outside the national park. Home to the Kunda tribe, you’ll gain a fantastic insight into the local traditions and customs.

There are also a number of fantastic conservation initiatives being carried out in the park, which you may like to learn more about. Poaching has caused serious destruction in the region with the black rhino wiped out by 1987 and elephant populations under serious threat. The Luangwa Valley used to have the largest elephant population in Africa and while that is no longer the case, the wonderful work done by Conservation South Luangwa means the numbers are increasing.

Days 7 - 10: Lower Zambezi National Park

Day 7 - Transfer to Lower Zambezi National Park

This morning you will check out of Tena Tena and be met at the camp by your driver who will transfer you to Mfuwe Airport. From there, you will board a flight to Lower Zambezi National Park, flying directly into Chiawa Camp, your accommodation for the next four nights.

Chiawa Camp is a multi-award winning property and one of Africa’s most renowned safari camps. You’ll stay in luxurious tents with jaw-dropping views of the Zambezi and its wildlife. Spend the afternoon relaxing in the camp with a thatched lounge and bar area, a gorgeous pool and a sundeck with one of the best views over the Zambezi.

You can begin your wildlife spotting from the camp’s two viewing platforms or two viewing hides. It’s possible to spot lions, leopards, elephants, waterbuck, buffalo, hippos and crocodiles from the camp.

Day 8 - Explore Lower Zambezi National Park

Today is your first full day in Lower Zambezi National Park. Undeveloped and unspoiled, Lower Zambezi offers you a chance to step into true wilderness and get close to the wildlife that flock around the Zambezi water channels.

Lying on the banks of the iconic Zambezi River, the national park is also opposite the Mana Pools Reserve in Zimbabwe, creating an incredibly vast wildlife destination. The national park covers an expanse of 4,092 square kilometres, however most of the wildlife gathers along the valley floor.

Take a spectacular game drive to spot up to 57 mammal species and nearly 400 bird species. The Zambezi is home to lions, leopards, buffalo, waterbuck, zebras, hippos, crocodiles and large herds of up to one hundred elephants. The impressive array of birdlife includes the fish eagle, black eagle, trumpeter hornbill, Meyer’s parrot and Lilian’s lovebird.

You’ll even have the chance to spot the endangered Cape wild dog (also known as painted wild dog or painted wolf), an incredible animal featured in David Attenborough’s Dynasties documentary.

Day 9 - Explore Lower Zambezi National Park

Chiawa Camp offers a range of fantastic activities including the classic day and night safari game drives through the remote wilderness. A night game drive offers the chance to spot the nocturnal creatures of the Zambezi including civets, hyenas, porcupines, genets and honey badgers. You may even witness lions and leopards prowling through the bush or on a kill.

You can go on a fascinating bushwalk with trained naturalists, traversing through the national park’s jaw-dropping scenery. Pass by riverines, mopane forests and floodplains strewn with acacia trees soaring up to 30 metres high. You’ll spot a range of birds, insects and plants and learn how they interact with each other to keep the ecosystem thriving.

Take a canoe trip down the mighty Zambezi, board a boating safari to get up close to the river wildlife, or go on a catch and release angling trip for the chance to snag tigerfish and bream.

Day 10 - Explore Lower Zambezi National Park

This is your final full day in the Lower Zambezi National Park. Take another game drive, roam the rivers in search of wildlife or hike to the spectacular Chongwe Falls. Enjoy a tranquil picnic by the gushing waterfall or on the sandbanks of the Zambezi River.

You can also learn about the culture of the region with a visit to the local Goba villages where you may witness traditional African Goba dancing, or get involved with the fantastic work done by Conservation Lower Zambezi. You can attend an elephant workshop to learn about the fascinating world of elephants including their social structures, communication mediums, behavioural patterns, importance to the ecosystem and the damaging effects of the ivory trade in Africa.

Days 11 - 15: Livingstone (Victoria Falls)

Day 11 - Transfer to Livingstone (Victoria Falls)

This morning you will check out of Chiawa Camp and board your flight to Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI). You will be met on arrival and transferred to Royal Chundu Zambezi River Lodge, your accommodation for the next four nights.

Royal Chundu Zambezi River Lodge is a breathtaking lodge on the banks of the Zambezi River, with incredible luxury amenities and an unparalleled location. You can stay in a lavish river lodge with a large deck right on the banks of the river, or for the ultimate private retreat, stay on Katambura private island in an island lodge suite.

Relax in the evening in your open air bath or deck with stunning views of the surrounding river, ancient Baobab trees and the Matetsi Private Game Reserve across the river.

Day 12 - Explore Livingstone (Victoria Falls)

Today you’ll witness one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. Towering to a height of 108 metres with a colossal width of 1,708 metres, the Victoria Falls are the largest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

There are many ways to experience this magnificent spectacle, known to locals as Mosi Oa Tunya or “The Smoke that Thunders.” Take a white-water rafting cruise through the churning ravine or see it from the air with a helicopter flight from Royal Chundu’s private helipad.

For a truly thrilling experience, take a dip in Devil’s Pool, a natural infinity pool on the edge of the falls. You can experience the Victoria Falls within Zambia or hop over to Zimbabwe for another perspective.

Day 13 - Explore Livingstone (Victoria Falls)

If you can’t get enough of the jaw-dropping Victoria Falls, there are some unique activities to really make the most of this natural wonder. From mid-July to January (during the low water season), you can take a boat trip to Livingstone Island for the best view of the Victoria Falls you can get.

If you’re visiting between March and July, you’ll have the chance to witness the lunar Rainbow, a rare event that occurs when light is reflected from the moon’s surface. A rainbow will appear through direct sunlight and the spray from the Victoria Falls causes a stunning “moonbow” to arc over the gorge.

Known as the adrenaline capital of southern Africa, Livingstone offers an array of heart-stopping activities for thrill-seekers. You can bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge, go jet boating in the Batoka Gorge below the Victoria Falls, or sit in the open cockpit on an adrenaline-pumping microlight flight.

Day 14 - Explore Livingstone (Victoria Falls)

Today is your last full day in Livingstone and Royal Chundu and offers plenty of incredible things to do on your private reserve. Go on a guided walk around Katombora Island to see python creepers, baobabs trees, and 2,000-year-old jackalberry trees. You’ll learn about the traditional and medicinal uses of the island’s flora and may even spot a cheeky baboon.

You can also go on a birding tour with expert guides, take a fishing trip down the Zambezi, go horseback riding through the African bush, or take a walk through a local village while learning about the village culture and customs.

An unforgettable experience is a sunset cruise down 15 kilometres of private Zambezi to take in the glorious Zambian sunset. You’ll spot crocodiles and hippos in the river and can even spot elephants, impalas, warthogs and buffalo by the riverbanks.

Day 15 - Departure from Zambia

It is time to say farewell this morning as you check out of Royal Chundu Zambezi River Lodge. You will be transferred to Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport for your return flight home.

Although your incredible luxury Zambia holiday has come to an end, we hope you’ll be leaving with many special memories and stories to tell. After two weeks of amazing wildlife, spectacular natural wonders, and some of the country’s most luxurious safari lodgings, we’re sure you’ll be hooked on Zambia and the African continent. Where will you explore next?

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