African Safari Destination – The Luangwa Valley, Zambia

A pristine river runs through the lush rift valley that is known as Luangwa National Park, Zambia. The Luangwa river is one of the major tributaries of the Zambezi River, and one of the four biggest rivers in Zambia. Surprisingly, it is largely unaffected by man – there is no commercial agriculture along its banks, no sections of the river have been dammed and there is little/no pollution problem. The result is a very natural and untouched river, deep in the African countryside where natural seasonal fluctuations of water (flooding through to the vision of crisp river bed in the dry season) can be witnessed together with teaming wildlife during an African adventure holiday.

The river is so natural that oxbow lakes are scattered across the valley from where the river course has changed with the floods. Over the years river side camps and lodges have had to move. Here the river is king!

It is said that the Luangwa River in Zambia is the most unaltered and significant river system in Africa and it certainly is the key ingredient that keeps all 9050km2 of the park with over 60 different animal species and over 400 different bird species alive.

A large quantity of game can be found here since Zambia remains largely untouched by the tourist rush. Water results in rich vegetation that feeds varying herbivore animals and herds including buffalo, elephant, puku, impala and the more rare subspecies of Thornicroft giraffe and Crawshay’s zebra that are found here. Healthy and large populations of herbivores feed predators like lion, hyenas and leopard. In fact a BBC documentary suggests an average density of one leopard per 2.5km2 – twice the density recorded in Kruger, South Africa.

The best time to see game is in the dry season from April to October. As the river dries up the animals visit the lagoons and oxbow lakes to drink more frequently. Seeing them here in their natural environment is breathtaking.

As short rain showers begin to fall in November most animals give birth to their young and since the grass is still short spectacular sightings of mothers and their young can be seen. The landscape begins to change from a golden brown, dusty and dry land to an emerald green – known as Zambia’s green season.

Zambia’s Luangwa River also means that the valley can boast very rich populations of tropical bird life, including birds that live close to water and birds that prefer drier habitats in the forests and on the plains. The best time to see these birds is in the rainy season (November to March) since the rain provides abundant food supplies for them. Summer migrants are also present in the Luangwa valley at this time. Flocks of birds can be noted and a special site is a breeding colony of yellow-billed storks with their pink breeding plumage. The rain does not fall consistently and rarely lasts for more than a few hours, so you can still enjoy game drives and birding to the full.

In April and May, the rains will have stopped and the landscape begins to dry out. The Luangwa rivers water level begins to drop and sandbanks (the signature of the Luangwa River) are exposed. Once drenched roads begin to dry out and the main safari season beings once more. As the lush green grass begins to turn golden brown one truly understands the Luangwa River really is the life blood of this untouched landscape in the Luangwa National Park, Zambia.

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Sara Brown is instrumental in the running of the Best of Zambia site (http://www.thebestofzambia.com/), a website dedicated to putting Zambia on the map by creating a strong internet presence and successfully promoting Zambia and those operating in Zambia. This site will help potential visitors to Zambia reasearch this beautiful country, find the perfect holiday in Zambia, plan their trip and send out enquiries. As the site develops it will have useful links to the international development sector, commercial and investment opportunities and, local businesses and services.

Our mission is to ensure the Best of Zambia site becomes THE information hub for all things Zambia. You can learn more about the Best of Zambia and how you can benefit from our products and services at our constantly updated website, http://www.thebestofzambia.com/

Zambia is stunning and tourism is increasing. Despite this many would prefer Zambia to stay exactly as it is – a place that is fascinating, a rich resource of natural habitat and animals that few other people visit. As we promote Zambia, we ask that you respect its resources and people and help to preserve it – be a thoughtful visitor.

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