Research Your Trip
In the Know
|
Itinerary & Map
Wednesday, October 13 Depart USADepart USA on your independent international flight to Lusaka, Zambia. back to the top Thursday, October 14 Lusaka, ZambiaArrive Lusaka and transfer to the Taj Pamodzi Hotel, surrounded by lush gardens and situated in the heart of the city. Welcome dinner and overnight. back to the top  October 15–18 Lusaka / Kafue National ParkFly to Busanga airstrip, our gateway into Kafue, Zambia’s oldest and largest national park. Untouched by human development, the magnificent Busanga Plains are populated by astounding quantities and diversity of wildlife that move into the region as the dry season progresses. Red lechwe, nearly extinct just 50 years ago, now graze the protected plains in the thousands, as do puku, oribi, roan and sable antelope, herds of tsessebe, hartebeest, zebra, and buffalo. This incredible wealth of game draws predators in large numbers, including wild dogs, leopards, and cheetahs, which can achieve their full speed on this flat landscape. Lion on the hunt are often spotted—sometimes in prides numbering close to 20. Nocturnal species include aardvark, genet, civet, hyena, and the amazing greater and lesser bushbaby. With luck we may also witness the nocturnal flight of the pennant-winged nightjar.
Birding on the plains is an exceptional experience and Kafue boasts 490 avian species including crowned and rare wattled cranes, black storks, African finfoot, black-collared eremomela, scaly-throated honeyguide, and the endemic Chaplin’s barbet.
We spend four days here with the group split two nights each at Shumba and Kapinga Camps, allowing for an in-depth exploration of the wildlife-rich Busanga Plains that spread across nearly 300 square miles of the northernmost region of the park.
Shumba Camp - Located in the heart of the Busanga Plains, Shumba Camp sits close to permanent water and seasonal floodplains. Raised platforms afford stupendous views and wildlife watching opportunities. Hippos in great numbers frequent the local waters and bird activity is lively in the lush fig tree branches that shelter the camp.
Kapinga Camp - Designed and built in harmonious relationship with its environment, Kapinga is situated in the northwest corner of the Busanga Plains with sweeping views of the land and the many species of antelope that graze here. Herds of wildebeest, zebra, and buffalo are commonly seen and birders will thrill to the sighting of Bohm’s bee-eaters that thrive in the shade of the camp.
At both camps enjoy multiple opportunities to view and photograph both iconic and lesser-known herd and predator species on walking safaris, by open 4x4 vehicles, and on night drives. back to the top  October 19–21 Kafue National Park / South Luangwa National ParkFly by charter aircraft to Kalamu in South Luangwa National Park for three extraordinary days of exploration in one of Africa’s most spectacular wildlife sanctuaries.
Fabled for its incredible wildlife that comprise 60 animal species, and its few human visitors, South Luangwa is also considered the best walking safari destination in all of Africa. During our time here we have the chance to explore the Luangwa River vegetation and adjacent dambos, a series of area wetlands, on guided walks. Game viewing drives take us through mopane woodland, open grassland, and along river shores lined with giant crocodiles, and to oxbow lakes where herds of elephant gather and hippos jostle for space. Birders watch for yellow-billed storks, tropical boubou, crested cranes, scarlet-chested sunbirds, and Lillian’s lovebird, to name but a few species found here.
South Luangwa’s leopard population is the densest in Africa. These magnificent cats seem to pose for the camera as they laze among tree branches or move stealthily through dense underbrush. At night, their rasping sounds can create a dramatic soundtrack. Other predators—lions, wild dogs, spotted hyena—are easily viewed in this driest time of the year, when water becomes a shrinking commodity and game is increasingly concentrated. Cookson’s wildebeest and Thornicroft’s giraffe—the world’s tallest animal at nearly 18-feet—are found nowhere else on the planet except in this corner of Africa.
Kalamu Lagoon Camp - Built beneath a canopy of ebony trees, this new camp sits along a lagoon off the Luangwa River in the remote southern section of the park. A viewing platform offers spectacular views of the intense numbers of wildlife attracted to the lagoon shores. back to the top  October 22–24 South Luangwa National Park / Lower Zambezi National ParkWe fly by charter aircraft to Jeki airstrip in Lower Zambezi National Park and spend three days exploring the region around the legendary Zambezi River.
Breathtaking wilderness is modest praise for Lower Zambezi, which encompasses 1,580 square miles of diverse ecosystems, including rugged escarpment, 80 miles of riverfront, and countless islands, lagoons, and acacia-dotted floodplains. Lush vegetation provides rich habitat for huge herds of elephants often spotted drinking along the water’s edge. Buffalo and waterbuck feed along the grassy banks of the Zambezi, and Africa’s iconic predators—lion, leopard, and wild dog—all thrive on the abundant prey.
Ride motorized boats or canoes past crocodiles basking in the sun, down channels teeming with hippos, and close to reed islands where wildlife feed. A trip highlight could be witnessing a group of elephants swimming across the river. Birdlife here is astounding as well, and we watch for Pel’s fishing owl, majestic fish eagles, goliath heron, woolly-necked storks, as well as lovebirds, hornbills, and dazzling little bee-eaters.
Game drives give us excellent photographic opportunities with antelope, buffalo, and elephants filling the lens. Lions stalking their prey are a frequent sight, and leopards are particularly fond of the baboons and vervet monkeys that thrive here. Walking the floodplains and mopane forests is also an option, as are night drives, which offer the best chance to spot leopards.
Chiawa Camp - An award-winning safari camp, Chiawa sits beneath a grove of evergreen mahogany trees overlooking the confluence of the Zambezi and Chiawa Rivers. After Lower Zambezi was established as a national park in 1983, the Cumings family built the camp and brought the very first tourists to the park. It was also along these local riverbanks that Calvinist missionary David Livingstone traveled during his exploration of southern Africa nearly 150 years ago. back to the top Monday, October 25 Lower Zambezi National Park / LusakaTransfer to Jeki airstrip for our flight to Lusaka and connect to your flight to the USA. back to the top Tuesday, October 26 Lusaka / USAArrive USA and connect with homeward flights. back to the top
|
