Spoiled for choice is a wonderful term with which to associate with safari, and it is certainly the case when looking into lodge options within the South Luangwa Time & Tide portfolio.
Stunning camps – some of which are set along the banks of the Luangwa River while the others are further west on the seasonal Luwi Riverbed – provide access to a wide diversity of habitats, ensuring maximum game viewing opportunities in one of Africa’s greatest wildlife areas.
Time & Tide camps are currently available at 35% off, but this limited-time offer is set to expire in a couple of months, so this is the time to book!
Essentially what you are looking at is a wonderful spectrum that takes you from the heart of one of the core game viewing areas out into the true wilderness areas of the park where there are far fewer operators; you will work a bit harder for your major sightings in the more remote camps, but whatever you find you will likely have all to yourself.
Our personal recommendation would be to combine two of the camps in your trip; either Chinzombo or Kakuli at which the chances of seeing excellent game are exceptionally high, and then moving on to a Luwi or Nsolo camp where you will get a true sense of wilderness. Apart from dusty roads there will be almost no other evidence of human presence. The stars will be more brilliant than you could imagine and you will feel like you are a part of the community
The beauty of Luangwa is its seasonality. Cool dry winters give way to a hot dusty spring, with the promise of rain threatening more and more each day. Wildlife congregates around the river and permanent waterholes during the dry times, but when the rains unleash during the summer months the entire landscape transforms into one of vibrant greens, with ephemeral pans topped up, frogs calling throughout the night, and the dambos (dry floodplains) turning into boggy ground that is difficult to negotiate with even the hardiest of vehicles. It’s all part of the adventure, and for photographers in particular this is a time of plenty. The migrant birds have returned, baby impalas are all over the place and everything is clean and colourful.
Some of the more remote camps shut down over the rainy season due to the logistical difficulty of getting supplies in during muddy periods, but Chinzombo remains open due to its still-navigable road network.
One of the main reasons to visit South Luangwa is the leopards. There are plenty of them. Plenty. The dry season in particular is an amazing time to visit as the leopards alter their behaviour to suit the terrain. As the grass dies through the winter, cover becomes sparse and the hunting becomes difficult. The leopards then take to the trees, in particular the heavily foliated sausage and mahogany trees. With ample cover up in the branches, they have shady refuges from which to scan for hunting opportunities, often only waiting until darkness has descended before descending to attempt a stalk.
On rare occasions they will even drop straight from a tree onto unsuspecting prey down below.
Zambia, and South Luangwa in particular is swiftly emerging as front-runner in Africa’s wildlife real estate; a place to compete with the Okavango Delta to the south or the East African grasslands.
With the amazing 35% special currently running with Time & Tide, there could be no better time to book, so you can see for yourself…
Get in touch through info@iconicafrica.com to find out more about the special, camp rates and availability…