Safari Lodges and Accommodation in Zambia

Accommodation at Nkwali, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

NKWALI

Bush camp
South Luangwa National Park
Just six thatched chalets
Abundant African wildlife

Nkwali is located on private land overlooking the South Luangwa National Park. The land is superb game country with a beautiful area of ebony woodland and open grass plains. Situated in the central all-weather area, Nkwali offers a longer season than some camps.

The six A-frame, thatched chalets are airy and very spacious with beautiful river views. The en suite bathrooms are partially open to the sky, and to shower in the moonlight is a luxurious experience. The magnificent bar is set on the banks of the river and was built around a massive ebony tree. From the bar, spectacular sunsets are frequently accompanied by a large herd of elephant crossing the river. The dining room overlooks a lagoon where many of the resident animals drink during the day.

At night, some of these animals wander through the camp feeding on the vegetation. You might well be awakened by the sound of giraffe browsing outside your chalet. Nkwali is surrounded by thickets and wooded glades which provide cover for many birds, including some very unusual species. The area traversed during morning and night game-drives is famous for leopards and they are often seen hunting. From the top of the nearby Chindeni Hills the view across the valley is exceptional.

* 12 guests
* en suite bathrooms
* open April - December
* walking safaris, drives, night drives

The LUANGWA VALLEY, which marks the end of the Great Rift Valley, is one of the last unspoilt wilderness areas and possibly the finest wildlife sanctuary in Africa. It covers an area of over 9000 sq. km. through which the meandering Luangwa River runs. The oxbow lagoons, woodland and plains of the valley host huge concentrations of game - including elephant, buffalo, leopard, lion, giraffe, hippo - and over 400 species of birds.

To explore this wilderness, Robin has a number of camps situated through the Luangwa Valley. All his camps are intimate and highly personalised. Exceptional service has become the hallmark of all Robin's operations. Flexibility and responsiveness to guests wishes are key. The specialities of these safaris are:

WALKING SAFARIS - The only way to really discover the secrets of the bush. Walks are led by an experienced naturalist and accompanied by an armed game scout.

GAME DRIVES - Conducted in open four wheel drive vehicles by knowledgeable safari guides. Special gameviewing seats provide excellent viewing and opportunities for photography.

NIGHT DRIVES - Set out in the afternoon. Later, after watching the sun set over the river with a sundowner in hand, the drive continues with a powerful spotlight. The nocturnal world of the bush is witnessed from owls, genets to hunting lions and the graceful leopard.

Staying at Nkwali, Nsefu and Tena Tena gives you an excellent view of the Luangwa Valley. For those who wish to explore the bush in more depth we recommend:

WALKING MOBILE SAFARI
combining Nkwali, Walking (5 nights under canvas) and Tena Tena (10 nights)

NORTH LUANGWA WALKING TRAILS
combining Nkwali and Tena Tena, with 4 nights at Kutandala Camp (10 nights

NKWALI IN DECEMBER - COMMENTS
Thinking of Nkwali - Think of the Green Season You’ll Love It!
Christmas 2002
By Jill Whillock, UK
John and I have been to Africa many times, but always in the dry season when animals tend to gather around any available water and their profiles merge with the surrounding dry, fawn coloured habitant. The days are typically hot, hazy and very dusty with an occasionally warm, but welcome breeze. Evenings are cooler but still too warm for a long peaceful and restful sleep.

Many times we have talked about spending a whole year in Africa to experience the changing seasons and animal behaviour. Safari guides from camps we have stayed in have impressed on us that the Green Season is such a wonderful period in which to visit, of course conditions are more of a challenge, but they are certainly not impossible and the rewards are certainly worth the effort. Our past reluctance to see Africa outside of the core times has largely stemmed from only having 5 weeks vacation per year and the wish to ensure that we have a good wildlife experiences in our limited time but last year we threw caution to the wind and decided to go for the GREEN SEASON!

We had an idea of what to expect - we were 100% sure it would rain, be cool, overcast with a high probability of thunder and lightning. Cold early morning and evenings, impassable roads and the animals would hide to keep dry. WHY are we going!

Well, we were now determined not to be dissuaded and our investigations indicated that all was not lost, we read the past Green Season reports of “Its Monday” and although there were reports of rain there were also reports of GREAT animal sightings. It was decided - Champagne and smoked salmon for breakfast on Christmas Day, coupled with favourable conditions for good nights sleep was not to be missed……...we decided to JUST DO IT! If we wanted to see Africa Green then by staying with RPS at Nkwali we were certainly guaranteed to have a great time whatever nature had in store for us.

We flew out for Christmas and the New Year period; arriving on the 22nd December, imagine our surprise and pleasure when we landed at Mfuwe to a hot sunny day with clear blue skies and the occasional fluffy white cloud. Later that afternoon we took our first game drive into the park, the drive out of Nkwali took ages, we were not stuck in the mud, the roads were great in fact we came across the most amazingly huge herds of Elephant and Giraffe. We hardly recognised the area from our previous visits - the bush was a lush vibrant green, not too high, and the animals glowed in the soft afternoon sunlight, perfect conditions for taking photographs.

We eventually reached the park gates and there appeared to be no shortage of routes to take, of course some tracks were impassable, but this did not matter as there were noticeably lower concentrations of other vehicles. The abundance of water flowing in the rivers and in the lagoons provided good hippo and crocodile viewing plus great reflections for yet more picture taking. The sun continued to shine with a cloud build up in the distance and so far the animal sightings far exceeded our expectations and easily equalled the dry season. A fresh, clear and clean environment replaced the dry, dusty and hazy atmosphere, which is so typical of the summertime. The lack of dust in the atmosphere meant that the suns rays in the heat of the day were far more intense and that extra sunscreen with a higher factor was called for. We were caught out and after an early morning drive we returned to camp wrapped in the Kikois provided by RPS, needless to say the sunscreen was applied rather generously after that.

We spent 10 days in total at Nkwali and during this time the mornings tended to be a little overcast and cool very early on, the sun would rise and burn the cloud away and by 9.00am the weather would be sunny and warm. The sun would last until mid afternoon when during siesta time a wind would suddenly whip up, the leaves on the trees would rustle loudly and clouds would gather. A couple of times the skies opened with enormous ferocity, the thunder clapped and lightening forked on the horizon. It was amazing to witness the river level by the camp rise significantly in matter of hours due to the many tributary rivers suddenly swelling and emptying into the Luwanga river. Other times it would rain for 15 – 20 minutes with the skies clearing so fast that by the time afternoon tea was drunk and cakes demolished the paths and roads were virtually dry, the sun would shine and only the occasional fresh puddle gave the game away that it had just rained.

Surprisingly, we found that the animals were relatively undisturbed by the wet weather, infact they tended to come closer to the roads as the internal plains were too boggy for them. The Impala and Puku concentrated themselves into large herds in an effort to give protection to recently born lambs, which persisted in straying away from the group on their delicate and extremely fragile looking legs. The lambs were often seen drinking from the waters edge where crocs were likely to be lurking in murky depths, ready and keenly waiting for the opportunity to leap out in a split second to grab a young, tender and unsuspecting victim.

Lions were highly visible with all four prides, Mfuwe, Chichele, Mushilashi and Katete being sighted several times, the Katete and Chichele prides had some very young and adorable cubs both of whom we saw gorging on recent kills of hippo and zebra. Leopards were sighted several times on night drives quietly slinking along the roadside in and out of the bushes hunting for any unsuspecting youngsters straying from the main herd. Baboons and their young provided endless entertainment, with their family loyalty very evident when any threat was to approach. Branches of trees supported hundreds of black storks as they kept watch for food in the nearby lagoons. Egrets filled the bushes to capacity resting and enjoying the warm sun.

Sundowners took on a new meaning, as the huge glowing ball of fire would sink slowly down between fabulous cloud formations, light radiating through the gaps and lighting up the sky with deep hues of orange, red and yellow. Gin and Tonics were sipped to the visible and increasing intensity of a far distant storm, which was occasionally accompanied by rumblings of thunder and lighting flashes. The light tended to disappear fast as the clouds closed in. One night we spied a lion hiding behind a bush with impala in front, blissfully and totally unaware of the lion’s presence. It wasn’t raining but the thunder rumbled loudly and lightning lit up the scene, it was a truly magical moment. Sometimes we stopped the vehicle and turned off all the lights, we would watch a storm in the distance and all around there would be thousands of fireflies, only their tiny bright lights seen surrounding us as they danced in the cool air. Once or twice the skies opened during the afternoon drive, poncho’s magically appeared and cameras were safely tucked away beneath the poncho or carefully stowed in a spare cooler box, no one minded the rain too much so long as the cameras were safe, it was all part of the green experience.

The Green Season also brings many other opportunities and excitement such as Sunrise Safaris with breakfast in the bush. The possibility of boating on the now full and flowing Luwanga River, seeing the many migratory birds, dodging the unpredictable hippos enjoying themselves in the deep waters and identifying passing logs as crocodiles. Perhaps the most wished for highlight is the good possibility of seeing WILD DOGS. For some reason they seem to make guest appearances throughout the green season and they tend to disappear in the far depths of the park during the dry season. We caught sight of the dogs twice during our stay, once at a distance of about 50 metres from us feeding on a kill and constantly chasing the vultures away. The second time was on Christmas morning after they had just finished feeding and all ten of them decided to come and investigate our vehicle. They came up very close to the jeep, heads held high with noses pointed upwards sniffing our presence, their glistening sharp pointed white teeth bared through slightly open mouths. They are spectacular animals, such beautiful faces and expressions, their fur irregularly patterned with such an array of colours, earning them the name “painted” dogs. To our delight the dogs were very relaxed and began to settle down to sleep close by.

The possibility of spending Christmas and New Year in Africa are also a feature of the Green Season, we found it to be very special, un-commercialised, yet there were still subtle reminders of the festive season so that it didn’t feel totally alien or forgotten. On Christmas Eve it was baking hot and sunny so pre lunch we boated out to a small land spit (now an island) in the middle of the river not far from the camp. Here we enjoyed ice cold Pimms and lemonade served under a huge umbrella to protect us all from the intense sun.

Late afternoon it began to rain in true British Christmas style, we all proceeded to Mfuwe Lodge which is situated just inside the Park, a short drive from the gate. We all gathered outside on the covered veranda which overlooks the lagoon, a representation of staff from each of the local safari camps and lodges came together to form the “South Luwanga Choir” singing carols under the soft glow of candlelight. Guests and remaining staff from the camps and lodges were also given candles and carol sheets and we were all encouraged to join in. Each camp brought drinks and canapés and as the wine and beer flowed so the carol singing took off with gusto.

A special guest of the evening was an orphaned baby vervet monkey who was in constant need of feeding in an effort to strengthen and prepare it for its’ eventual release into the wild. The monkey, who was recently found by a park ranger was taken to the nearby Chipembele Educational centre, which inadvertently, appears to have become the local sanctuary for sick and orphaned animals.

After the carols we continued to drink and chat amongst ourselves when the local Zambians decided it was time to treat us to some traditional dancing and music, of course we were all invited to join in and majority of us could not resist the invitation – it was great fun. All too soon it was time for us all to disappear and to make our way back to our idyllic, peaceful riverside hideaway, Nkwali, where Shanie and the chefs had excelled once again with a super festive Christmas Eve feast.

Christmas Day we ventured out on a game drive and as mentioned above we were treated to a superb Wild Dog sighting.

We came back to camp early at 9.00am and enjoyed a sumptuous cooked breakfast of Scrambled Eggs, Smoked Salmon and Champagne, which we ate by the lagoon to the rear of the camp watching the baboons and impala feeding and playing. Lunch was served in truly traditional festive style, more champagne, wine, turkey, roast potatoes and all the trimmings. A huge dining table was erected under the canopy of the huge ebony tree, it was decorated with crackers, party poppers and creative bush flora and fauna candle displays. To one side was the bar and to the other was the river where hippos grunted and splashed around as we ate, drank and made merry. Rain came during lunch, the hippos loved it and entertained us all the more.

Everyone felt very well fed and watered and one by one they slipped away for a late afternoon siesta. That evening we all gathered together again for more food, drinks and merriment.

A few days later and a change of guests we all looked forward to the New Year. Drinks, champagne and canapés were served around the bar followed by a superb meal with a selection of delicious cheeses, port and coffee to finish. After dinner, guests could choose to go to “Flatdogs” a nearby camp to see in the New Year with many other people from the surrounding valley camps or they could choose to stay at Nkwali and see in the New Year at the bar on the banks of the Luwanga River. Whatever their choice everyone enjoyed their selves and this was the one time in any safari camp we have stayed at that NO guests appeared for a morning game drive despite the guides and drivers being impressively ready, waiting and I think willing!

In conclusion, the Zambian Green Season typically from November until April was a fabulous experience and we certainly saw Africa and its wildlife from another angle. Both the animals and the occasional inclement weather conditions all contributed to another wonderful and memorable African (and Christmas) experience that certainly equals the best of the many other African Safaris we have been fortunate to be on.

SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK:
Experts have called the South Luangwa National Park one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, with good reason. Few parks can match this phenomenally high game density nor do they have the ability to show visitors such remarkable wildlife in so remote and isolated a wilderness. The concentration of game around the Luangwa river is among the most intense in Africa and the Luangwa River system, the park's lifeblood, is the most intact river system in Africa.

In 1904, a Luangwa Game Park was declared on the eastern bank of the river, but this was not maintained. Then in May 1938 three parks were defined in the valley: the North Luangwa Game Reserve; the Lukusuzi Game Reserve; and the South Luangwa Game Reserve. In 1949 Senior Chief Nsefu established a private game reserve on the Luangwa’s eastern bank, between the Mwasauke and Kauluzi Rivers.

This became the Nsefu Sector, which was absorbed into the boundaries of the present park when new legislation turned all game reserves into national parks in February 1972. Nesting at the tail end of the Great Rift Valley, in the Luangwa Valley, the South Luangwa National Park is 9050 sq km of wild and remote bushveld. This huge area of pristine wilderness is home to a large variety of game and birds, as well as the bigger predators. There are 60 different animal species and 400 different bird species. The only notable exception is the rhino, sadly poached to extinction.

The survival of the valley depends on the winding Luangwa River, crowded with hippos, crocodiles and wading waterfowl. The hippo is one animal you definitely won't miss. As you cross over the bridge into the park there are usually between 30 to 70 hippos lounging around in the river below. There are estimated to be at least 50 hippos per kilometre of the Luangwa River!

Birdwatching is superb in the valley. Near the end of the dry season, when the river and oxbow lagoons begin to recede, hundreds of large waterbirds can be seen wading through the shallows. Of the most beautiful are the elegant crowned cranes with their golden tufts, which congregate in large flocks at the salt pans.

If you have an interest in trees and plants, you will find the varying vegetation very rewarding. Some magnificent trees grow in the valley among which are the mopane, leadwood and winterthorn. There are also some beautiful specimens of baobab, large ebony forests, teh tall vegetable ivory palm, marula and the magnificent tamarind tree.

There are many excellent lodges in this park. If you are staying at one, the guides will ensure that you see all that the valley has to offer in terms of birds, wildlife and varied vegetation and habitats. If you are in your own vehicle be sure to get a map of the park from the Crocodile farm at the entrance.

Seasonal changes are very pronounced in the Luangwa Valley. The dry season begins in April and intensifies through to October, the hottest month, when game concentrations are at their height. Warm sunny days and chilly nights typify teh dry winter months of May to August. The wet season begins in November as the leaves turn green and the dry terrain becomes a lush jungle. The rainy season lasts until the end of March and migrant birds arrive in droves. Lodges in South Luangwa stay open for as long as access is possible, depending on their location.

Experts have dubbed South Luangwa as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, and not without reason. The concentration of game around the Luangwa river and it’s ox bow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa.

The Luangwa River is the most intact major river system in Africa and is the life blood of the park's 9050km2. The Park hosts a wide variety of wildlife birds and vegetation. The now famous ‘walking safari’ originated in this park and is still one of the finest ways to experience this pristine wilderness first hand. The changing seasons add to the Park’s richness ranging from dry, bare bushveld in the winter to a lush green wonderland in the summer months. There are 60 different animal species and over 400 different bird species. The only notable exception is the rhino, sadly poached to extinction.

Wildlife:
If you’re staying at one of the Valley’s lodges, the guides will ensure you have every opportunity to see all that the valley has to offer of its wildlife, birds and varying vegetation and habitats. If you’re in your own vehicle, be sure to get a map of the park from the Crocodile Farm at the park entrance and follow the loop roads graded in the park, past dambos bursting with hippos, crowned cranes, grazing antelope and scurrying baboons. Further out on the plains you’re bound to see the large elephant herds, reaching up to 70 in number. Buffalo are abundant and spread throughout the valley.

The hippopotamus is one animal you won’t miss. As you cross over the bridge into the park there are usually between 30 and 70 hippos lounging in the river below and most of the dambos and lagoons will reveal many. There is estimated to be at least 50 hippos per kilometre of the Luangwa River!

Zebra can be seen running in small herds of about a dozen. The difference between Zambia’s zebras and those in the south and east of Africa are in the stripes. Here they are evenly spaced as opposed to broad light stripes with a faint shadow stripe in-between.

Thornicroft’s Giraffe, unique to Luangwa Valley should be easily spotted.

The park has 14 different antelope species, most of which are easily seen on game and night drives. Watch out for the elusive bushbuck, preferring to inhabit densely covered areas. The common duiker is not that common near the Luangwa river but inhabits the back country of the Luangwa Valley. The largest of the antelope is the eland, usually near the Nsefu sector of the park. The most numerous antelope is the impala, these gregarious animals can be seen in herds all over the park. Not to be confused with the Puku, of similar size but a much fluffier buck with a rich orange coat and also prolific.

Perhaps the most beautiful is the Kudu, with its majestic spiral horns and delicate face. Although fairly common, they’re not always easy to find due to their retiring habits and preference for dense bush.. Reedbuck, roan, sable, hartebeest, grysbok, klipspringer and oribi are all here but not prolific in the central tourist area of the Park. They tend to stay deeper in the remote parts towards the Muchinga escarpment.

Of the primates, baboons and vervet monkeys are prolific. More scarce is Maloney’s monkey. Present, but unlikely to be seen except on night drives is the night ape, and the nocturnal bushbaby.

Hyenas are fairly common throughout the valley and their plaintive, eerie cry, so characteristic of the African bush can be heard on most nights.

South Luangwa has a good population of leopard but they are not that easy to spot and tend to retreat when they hear vehicles. Many of the Lodge’s game trackers are skilled in finding leopards on night drives however, and often visitors are rewarded with a full view of a kill.

Lions are as plentiful in the Luangwa as anywhere else in Africa, but when a kill is made away from the central tourist area, the pride may stay away for several days and may not be seen by visitors on a short stay. Very often they roam in prides of up to thirty.

Of the other carnivores present but not often seen is the caracal, wild dog, serval and side striped jackal.

The Luangwa river also has an extraordinarily high number of crocodiles. It is not uncommon to see several basking on the riverbanks or even floating down the river tearing at a dead animal.

Night drives are fascinating in the Luangwa. Not only for the chance of seeing a leopard but for the many interesting animals that only come to life at night. Genets, civets, servals, hyenas, and bushbabies as well as owls, nightjars, the foraging hippos, honey badgers and lion.

Birdlife:
Birdwatching is superb in the Valley. Near the end of the dry season, when the river and oxbow lagoons begin to recede, hundreds of large waterbirds can be seen wading through the shallows. The red faced yellow billed storks move along with their beaks open underwater, disturbing the muddy liquid with their feet until the fish flop into their mouths. The pelicans tend to operate in lines abreast, driving the fish before them into shallows before scooping them up into their beak pouches. The striking 1.6m saddle bill stork makes quick darting movements into the water. Then there’s the marabou stork, great white egrets, black headed herons, open billed storks and the stately goliath heron that can stand in the same position for hours before pouncing. Of the most beautiful are the elegant crowned cranes, with their golden tufts congregating in large flocks at the salt pans.

Around the same time, just before the rains set in, in November, the palearctic migrants from Northern Europe and the intra-African migrants arrive to exploit the feeding opportunities that the warm rainy season brings. These include the red chested cuckoo, white storks, European swallows. Swifts, hobbies and bee-eaters, as well as birds of prey such as the Steppe eagles and Steppe buzzards that come all the way from Russia. A special sight is the hundreds of brightly coloured carmine bee-eaters nesting in the steep sandy banks of the river.

The ever-present sounds of the birds in the Valley takes some getting used to. An early caller is the ground hornbill, looking like a well-dressed turkey, but emitting the sound of a deep base drum. The melodious Heuglin’s robin, the shrill cry of the fish eagle and the background cooing of doves and larks.

With about 400 of Zambia’s 732 species of birds appearing in the Valley, including 39 birds of prey and 47 migrant species, there is plenty for the birdwatcher to spot, whatever the season.

For an enhanced experience of the bush, one would do well to develop an interest in the varying vegetation in Zambia. Some magnificent trees grow in the Valley and it certainly adds to the richness of one’s experience to begin to recognise different tree species and figure out the implications of them growing in that particular area.

Among the more common trees in the valley are the mopane, leadwood, winterthorn, some beautiful specimens of baobab, large ebony forests, the tall vegetable ivory palm, marula and the magnificent tamarind tree.

Getting there:
Mfuwe Airport recently achieved international status and various airlines were looking at scheduled flights from abroad

Domestic flights operate about ten times a week in peak season (June-Oct) from Lusaka. Check with any travel agent for schedules.
Charter planes from outside the country can now fly direct without clearing customs at Lusaka and there are a number of charter companies in Zambia, that can fly to and from Zambia’s top destinations. All lodges do transfers to and from the airport. Zambian Airways has scheduled flights from Lusaka to Mfuwe. Air Malawi has scheduled flights from Lilongwe to Mfuwe

While you await your flight or before you head off to the bush, don't miss a visit to Jake's Moondog Cafe just outside the airport. An excellent bush bar with ice cold beers and great food. Next door is the famous Magenge Crafts Shop with an impressive collection of fine arts and crafts made by the local artists and craftsmen in the valley.

Driving, one can approach from three sides. The usual route is from Chipata. This is a good road if a little corrugated and the 123km drive takes about two hours to Mfuwe, just outside the Park. If travelling in a robust 4x4 from Lusaka, it is possible to take a short cut from the Great East Road at Petauke, up alongside the Luangwa River to Mfuwe. Only to be attempted well into the dry season. A good overnight stop along the way is at the Luangwa River Bridge at Bridge Camp.

The Northern access is from Mpika on the Great North Road or Lundazi, near Zambia’s eastern border with Malawi. Just below Mpika, there is a road running down the Munyamadzi Corridor between North and South Luangwa Parks. It is passable but only in 4WD and preferably with two vehicles as help is a long way away. The mountain pass down the escarpment is quite formidable, very rocky and bumpy but the view over this, the tail end of the Great Rift Valley, is quite spectacular.

When to Go:
Seasonal changes are very pronounced in Luangwa. The dry season begins in April and intensifies through to October, the hottest month when game concentrations are at their height. Warm sunny days and chilly nights typify the dry winter months of May to August. The wet season begins in November as the leaves turn green, and the dry bleak terrain becomes a lush jungle. The rainy season lasts up until the end of March and the migrant birds arrive in droves. Each lodge stays open for as long as access is possible, depending on its location in the area