Overview–zambia

South Luangwa National Park

South Luangwa National Park is Zambia’s most popular park. And for good reason too. Four Big Five are easily seen (only the rhino is missing). This is where walking safaris originated and there is still no better place to experience the bush on foot. Be prepared for some thrilling wildlife encounters while following in the footsteps of Africa’s pioneering safari guides.

Best Time to Visit

July to October are the best wildlife-viewing months. This is the middle and end of the Dry season and water in the bush has dried up, so animals gather around the rivers and watercourses. However, October is extremely hot, and some people may find conditions difficult to cope with in this month.

May to October –Dry Season

Animals gather around the river and vegetation thins – prime wildlife-viewing time
Lots of sunshine and no rain
Fewer mosquitoes means less risk of malaria
The Mfuwe area, where most lodges are situated, has become busy
High-season rates apply from July to October
The sky is very hazy and the bush looks parched
October is extremely hot

November to April –Wet Season

This is the ‘Emerald season’ – the scenery is green and the sky is free of haze
There are very few tourists and rates are lower
Best time for birding with migrants present
There are many newborn animals
Wildlife viewing is superior in the Dry season
It is very hot and humid
Many lodges close from December to March
Malaria is a bigger concern than in the Dry season
Some roads become difficult to drive and even impassable

Scenery

The meandering Luangwa River is the lifeline of the park. This impressive waterway reduces to a mosaic of floodplains, pools, and oxbow lagoons in the Dry season, providing much-needed water throughout the year. Open grassy plains are mixed with woodland and acacia shrubs. The Muchinga escarpment creates a scenic backdrop to this beautiful valley.

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

Jul

Aug

Sept

Jan

Feb

Mar

Dec

April

May

Jun

Oct

Nov

Rates

From: $187 to $981 pp/day

Best Time to Go

From: July to October (Animals are easy to find)

High Season

From: July to October (Busy and high-season rates apply)

Size

From: 9,050km² / 3,494mi²

Wildlife & Animals

Visit any combination of the country’s trio of premier parks (South Luangwa, Kafue, and Lower Zambezi National Parks) and you’re almost certain to see four of the Big Five. Buffalo, elephants, and lions are very common throughout. Zambia is also famed for offering high-quality sightings of Africa’s most notoriously secretive cat, the leopard. Your best bet of seeing rhinos is in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, where you can track these heavyweights on foot.

Wildlife Highlights

Although highly endangered, wild dogs are thriving in Zambia; seeing these highly skilled hunters in action is a real treat. One of their preferred prey is lechwe and Zambia is home to three different subspecies of this swamp-loving antelope: the endemic Kafue and black lechwe as well as the more widespread red lechwe. Also of interest are the endemic subspecies Thornicroft's giraffe and Cookson's wildebeest.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The best wildlife-viewing time coincides with the Dry season (May to October) when water is scarce and animals gather at waterholes and rivers. The bush is less lush at this time, and animals are easier to spot. From October until the rains, it can be unbearably hot. Some roads become impassable during the Wet season (November to April), and many camps close at this time.

General Wheather

South Luangwa National Park’s climate is hot, and it has a Dry and Wet season. The average temperature remains reasonably uniform all year. Nights are much cooler though in the Dry season, and daytime temperatures peak in October, just before the rains commence.

Dry Season –May to October

There is literally no rain at all in the Dry season. It’s hot during the day, but it’s cool at night. The bush becomes drier and drier as the season advances. This is the best time for wildlife viewing.

May – While the bush may be lush, and there’s water everywhere, rain has slowed to a trickle. This is the beginning of the Dry season.
June & July – Now the rain stops completely, and the bush dries out. June and July are the coolest months – daytime temperatures are about 27°C/81°F. Cold nights have average temperatures of around 13°C/55°F. Warm clothing for morning game drives is advisable.
August & September – The bush is starting to look parched – there’s no rainfall at this time of year. Temperatures are on the rise and September day’s average is 32°C/90°F. Mornings are warming up too.
October – Until the rains begin, temperatures keep increasing and average 34°C/93°F. It can peak higher with the heat becoming excruciating during the day. Mornings are lovely with temperatures of 21°C/70°F. The first rain of the season might fall late October/early November. This comes as a relief as temperatures drop.

Wet Season –November to April

Some remote areas are difficult to reach as roads deteriorate, and many camps are closed during the warm Wet season. Afternoon showers are common. The park’s vegetation is lush.

November – The average temperature during the day is a very hot 34°C/93°F. The rain is a relief because the bush is extremely dry. Rain mostly falls in afternoon thunderstorms, but it doesn’t rain every day.
December, January, February & March – Daytime temperatures reach 33°C/91°F, while warm nights average 18°C/64°F. These are the wettest months with rain falling most days, although it rarely continues for the whole day.
April – A great month in the park: the rain is easing, and the landscape is many shades of green.

Prons

Excellent wildlife viewing
Game drives, night drives and walking safaris offered
Lots of accommodation options

Cons

The sky gets very hazy in the Dry season
The Mfuwe area gets very busy

How To Get There

South Luangwa National Park is located near the village of Mfuwe and is 700km/343 mi from the capital, Lusaka. The best route is via Chipata and the direct drive takes about 9 or 10 hours*.

New arrivals to Zambia will often come through Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), the country’s major airport, 14km/9 mi from the capital.

*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), and what tickets would cost.

www.skyscanner.com

Domestic Flights

Charter flights between parks are usually incorporated into your safari package and are most often booked by your tour operator.

From Lusaka, regular flights take visitors to Mfuwe International Airport (MFU), just outside the park. It is also possible to fly directly to Mfuwe from Lower Zambezi National Park.

Proflight runs up to three scheduled flights a day from Lusaka to Mfuwe.

Passport, Visa & Other Entry Requirements

Please check our Getting There – Zambia page to learn more about passports, visas, COVID-19, and other entry requirements.