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We stayed at the superb Kafunta Lodge which is just outside South Luangwa. The setting was spectacular with elephant, hippo, giraffe, puku, baboon, etc, coming to drink daily by the lodge. The staff could not have been more helpful and the food was excellent. We went on game drives morning and evening and the guides knowledge was most impressive. They [Naturetrek] were most efficient and could not have been more helpful. This is the third holiday I have had with them and each one was very well organised and enjoyable.
N.H. South Yorkshire, Nov 22
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Zambia's South Luangwa National Park (Birds)
Tour Code: ZMB01A 10-day birding holiday based at a luxury lodge on the edge of the wonderful South Luangwa National Park, one of the most famous and best national parks in Africa.
10 days
from
£4,595 (Inc flights)
£4,595 (Inc flights)
Land only price
from
£3,745
£3,745
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
South Luangwa National Park is Zambia’s foremost wildlife reserve. Bordered by the Luangwa River, it encompasses over 9,000 square kilometres of wilderness and is home to an abundance of birds, mammals and other wildlife. This birdwatching tour is special in that it is a single-centre holiday, based for 7 nights at Kafunta Lodge. From here you can enjoy morning birdwatching drives into the national park and return each afternoon on optional night safaris in search of nocturnal birds – including Pel’s Fishing Owl and Pennant-winged Nightjar – and hunting Lions and Leopard. In November, flocks of colourful Southern Carmine Bee-eaters nest along the Luangwa River, then, as the ‘Green Season’ sets in, colourful weavers, widows and whydahs moult into their spectacular breeding plumages.
- 7 nights in a small luxury lodge
- Daily morning birdwatching drives in South Luangwa National Park
- Daily optional night safaris in South Luangwa National Park
- Fully open vehicles, excellent for photography
- Abundant mammals including Elephant, Thornicroft's Giraffe and Lion
- One of the best places in Africa – indeed the world – to view Leopards
- Around 200 species of bird typically recorded
- Southern Carmine Bee-eater colonies (Oct/Nov only)
- Expertly guided by our local Zambian ornithologists
Grading
A traditional vehicular birdwatching safari with the occasional bush walk if conditions allow.This exciting safari is based at Kafunta River Lodge, a comfortable lodge situated on the edge of the Luangwa River. Kafunta can accommodate up to 20 guests in thatched cottages, each with private facilities and a private verandah. The aim of the holiday will be to gain a thorough appreciation of both the birds and mammals of one of the most famous and best National Parks in Africa. By concentrating only on this one park during this relatively short holiday, we will maximise our time in the field, minimising wearisome overland travel. In addition, by travelling in Zambia's 'Green Season' we may have to put up with the occasional rain shower, but are likely to be more than compensated not only by the beauty of this time of year, but also by the lack of other tourists. Indeed, even in Zambia's high season, tourists are never as thick on the ground as in other parts of Africa, due to the limited accommodation in Zambia's National Parks, and the very high cost of this destination. The South Luangwa National Park also has other advantages over most African National Parks. Here, we may do some birdwatching walks in the Game Management Area (GMA) - grass levels permitting - along the edge of the park and within the area of our lodge, and are permitted to go on night drives in search of nocturnal mammals and birds not normally seen in other African countries, where night driving is forbidden (please note that night drives are not included in the cost of the holiday and are offered daily at an additional charge). In all, during our stay, we hope to see over 200 bird species, together with around 30 species of mammals ... a truly unforgettable week of wildlife!
Outline Itinerary
Day 1
Depart London
Day 2/8
South Luangwa National Park
Day 9
Depart Lusaka
Day 10
Fly London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation: Single centre holiday based at Kafunta River Lodge, a small, exclusive lodges on the edge of the South Luangwa Valley.
- Food:
All food is included (except for dinner in Lusaka on Day 9)
Reviews
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The birds and wild life were plentiful. The guides worked hard to help us find as much as possible and were very knowledgeable, very helpful and cheerful.
J.G. Yorkshire, Nov 19 -
A fabulous week in Zambia’s South Luangwa’s National Park. On early morning drives and eve night night spotting we saw a wide variety of animals and birds, from herds of elephant to tiny scar mine bee eaters. The area is know as leopard valley and we saw leopard on four different occasions. We saw a new born baby impala take his first tottering steps, after tangling up his legs several times he managed to get up and follow his mother. What a privilege to share in such intimate moments. Excellent service. As I am partially sighted they sorted my access needs with no fuss. Queries were dealt with quickly and efficiently. It all went so smoothly in a small but delightful safari camp.
C.W. County Down, Nov 18 -
Am I pleased I went to Zambia! Fantastic lodge, safari vehicles and guide. Wildlife was unbelievable including 2 bush babies and an Aardvark not to mention Painted Dogs. The birds were brilliant and the weather was great.
R.B. North Yorkshire -
A brilliant trip. Thanks a million. Am coming back for more!
L.R. Lincolnshire -
We were extremely well looked after. The accommodation and food were excellent. Although there were many wild animals around, we were supervised at all times and felt safe. I was very pleased that the welfare of the animals was very high on the list of priorities and was never threatened. The animals were persuaded to move out of camp but if they decided not to move, then we just waited until they did move. Right from the start, Naturetrek went out of their way to be as helpful as they could. I have mobility concerns and they went out of their way to accommodate any needs and to make sure all went very smoothly for me. I can't praise them enough.
M.R. Highland -
The location in Zambia was superb, with lots of wildlife on the doorstep (sometimes literally)! Guides were friendly and knowledgeable about the wildlife and the local area and we had two successful drives each day. All staff at Kafunta River Lodge were excellent and the accommodation and food was great. We saw 144 species of birds during the week, as well as most of the hoped-for mammals and quite a few reptiles, insects, etc. Elephants and hippos wandering around the camp were an unexpected and wonderful experience, with staff on hand to make sure we were safe. All in all thoroughly recommended!
P.S. Highland -
A superb trip - everything wed hoped for. Excellent local guides. Wonderful lodge.
S. & A.L. Hertfordshire -
I enjoyed the Zambian holiday and found the staff very helpful. The location was interesting and the lodges were clean. I am grateful for the work you and your staff did in organising my tickets.
A.Y. Devon -
The wildlife and birds were excellent as was the accommodation and food.
B.F. Devon -
I have just returned after a splendid time bird watching in Zambia. Five was a superb number. The venue was excellent. Luckily several guests were experts in their own right – I was so lucky to be on this trip. The rainy season has just started and that alone gave us an insight into the conditions that are so much a part of Zambian life… I loved the holiday.
J.W. Surrey -
The holiday exceeded our expectations and was excellent - what else can one say when you see Wild Dogs the first evening and a crocodile kill on the first evening and that's before we got the excellent views of the various bird species. The accommodation was good and food was superb and the staff very friendly and guides excellent. All in all another successful holiday.
Mrs & Mrs M. Sutherland -
As vegetarians we were very well catered for at the Lodge - excellent Lodge all round.
M.N. Kent -
Once again I have enjoyed another Naturetrek holdiay (this was my seventh). I still consider we were a lucky group - how many groups could say they had seen Pel's Fishing Owl, African Wild Dogs and Porcupine on a nine day visit?
A.H. Warwickshire -
I can't fault this trip - it was a wonderful experience! Thank you.
J.C. Kent -
The Kafunta Lodge was superb, the staff couldn't have been more helpful. Our guide was excellent, the food was wonderful, and of course the setting and the wildlife were amazing. The Pioneer Camp that we went to while we waited for our flight to Dubai was excellent too. They couldn't have been more helpful, giving us meals when we wanted them and providing a large bungalow for our use. The grounds provided excellent birdwatching as well.
M.E. Suffolk
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Thu 13th Nov – Sat 22nd Nov
SPACES
£4,595
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£3,745
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£595
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Our bargain birdwatching tours suit keen birders who want an active, fast-paced birding holiday with a dedicated focus on searching for birds rather than on looking at the area’s other wildlife or cultural highlights.
We offer a wide selection of long-haul holidays to many destinations in South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and elsewhere.
What can I expect?
- An expert English-speaking local ornithologist leader
- Outstanding value for money
- Dawn-to-dusk birding with limited time for rest, relaxation and outside interests
- Enviable bird lists
- Focused searches for endemics and regional specialities
Who are these tours best suited to?
- Keen & active birders – whether expert or making their first visit to a country or continent
- People looking for an action-packed bird-focused tour
Where can I go?
Naturetrek's selection of birdwatching holidays includes many South and Central American countries including Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and Panama.
In Africa our selection includes Malawi, Ethiopia and South Africa, while in India and Nepal we offer a choice of 17 bargain birdwatching tours! Here are a few more choices:
- Endemics of Western Australia
- Argentina's Mar Chiquita
- Birds of Brazils Atlantic rainforest
- Colombia – home to the world’s richest avifauna
- Sri Lanka’s endemic birds
Our specialist recommends...
"I’d recommend our ‘Nepal’ holiday visiting Chitwan National Park and Koshi Tappu Reserve, and ‘India – Bharatpur & Chambal’ within Asia. Try ‘Ecuador – Cock-of-the-rock’ for a superb introduction to Andean birding, while, if you want a bit of luxury, the accommodation we use on our ‘Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park’ tour is top class.”
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
All Bargain birdwatching Tours
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The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Safari Holidays – Experience Earth’s Greatest Continent for Wildlife
Why choose Africa for wildlife safaris?
When people think of visiting Africa, safari holidays are regularly at the top of the list. Riding in an open-top jeep along dusty tracks and looking out across sun-baked savannahs teeming with big game is arguably one of life’s best experiences.
For the nature enthusiast, Naturetrek’s African safari holidays offer unparalleled opportunities. Africa is the world’s greatest continent for wildlife, being home to many of the planet’s most iconic mammals and birds.
Many of these animals are relatively easy to observe and exist in scarcely believable abundance, guaranteeing that our African safari tours are always full of amazing sightings.
From the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to Namibia’s Etosha National Park and the superb Kruger National Park in South Africa, our African wildlife safaris will take you to all the continent’s most unmissable destinations.
Classic African safari holidays
We offer classic safari-style packages to Botswana, Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa and Namibia.
On these African safari tours you will stay in or very near the prime game-rich areas such as national parks and reserves, heading out daily for wildlife watching in vehicles. There will usually be additional chances to join night drives and look for nocturnal species.
On the majority of our African wildlife safaris, even those in our bargain range, we are able to use superb accommodation, including in remote locations. Tented, fully serviced camps with private facilities are the norm.
Expert naturalist guides
All of our African safari tours are led by expert naturalist guides. Most of our tours are led by superb local guides (the quality of guiding in many parts of Africa is second to none), while some of our longer tours are joined by a UK leader.
What wildlife might I see?
Africa is the best place in the world for seeing large concentrations of big game such as African Bush Elephant, Lion, Cape Buffalo, Giraffe and Blue Wildebeest. On Naturetrek’s African safari tours we visit some of the world’s most famous national parks and reserves, such as the Serengeti, Kruger and Okavango Delta, as well as some less well known regions, in search of a full range of the continent’s most spectacular mammals, from Hippos, Wild Dogs and White Rhinos to Leopards, bushbabies and African Wildcats.
The birdlife is equally staggering, with an enormous variety of charismatic species found across the continent, from bee-eaters and hornbills to finches, weavers and a stunning diversity of birds of prey. Naturetrek’s African wildlife safaris offer a chance to search for a superb variety of species and avian spectacles, such as flamingo-lined lakes in the Rift Valley, bizarre Shoebills in Uganda’s swamps, and giant Ostriches strutting across endless savannahs.
See our list of the best African Safari Holidays
Our specialist recommends...
"We offer a superb choice of expert-led African safari holidays ranging from 9-day bargain tours in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park to a 17-day birdwatching and mammal-viewing safari through Namibia, Botswana and Zambia. For those who have previously enjoyed a traditional safari, I would recommend our ‘South Africa’s Rare Mammals’ tour, which targets some of the continent’s most rarely seen creatures, such as Aardwolf, Black-footed Cat, Cape Porcupine, African Wildcat, Brown Hyaena and the iconic Aardvark
Paul Stanbury – Operations Manager
Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
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