This trip to Zambia concentrates on the South Luangwa in the dry season, staying for 9 nights in camps run by Norman Carr Safaris - with a clear focus on walking safaris and the opportunity to walk from camp to camp between four superb little bushcamps. Your route follows the Lubi River, a tributary of the Luangwa River which dries up during the dry season, from dense bush to open grassland near the Luangwa River.

Zambia's weather is generally fine and dry from June to October). For the equivalent trip during the green season (December to May), see Aardvark safari (wet).

Day 1

Starting from London Heathrow, your scheduled British Airways overnight flight takes you directly to Lusaka.

Day 2 South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Landing early in the morning in Lusaka, you connect to a light aircraft for a flight (about 60 minutes) to Mfuwe Airport, beside South Luangwa National Park. Here you meet a safari guide who drives you for your first night to one of the oldest camps in the Luangwa Valley –

Kapani Lodge (full board & activities)

You usually arrive in time for lunch, after which there's an activity – usually a 4WD game drive. (All game drives in the Luangwa Valley are in open 4WD vehicles.)

Days 3-4 South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

After your morning game drive, and a substantial brunch, you are driven for a few hours through the park to the start of the walking trail. Activities for the rest of this trip focus mainly on walking safaris in small groups with an armed guide. You begin by staying for 2 nights at

Luwi Bushcamp (full board & activities)

Days 5-6 South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

After a full day exploring the area around Luwi bush camp, this morning's walk follows the path of the dry Lubi River. As usual, as you walk with your safari guide and armed game scout; all your luggage is transferred by vehicle. By late morning both you and your luggage arrive for 2 nights at –

Nsolo Bushcamp (full board & activities)

Days 7-8 South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Having spent a day walking around Nsolo, continue your journey along the Lubi River to its confluence with the Luangwa. During the walking (dry) season, the drying Luangwa forms a series of pools, linked by streams and populated by dense pods of hippos and endless crocodiles. Overlooking this, you stay for 2 nights at

Kakuli Bushcamp (full board & activities)

As an alternative to walking safaris, Kakuli offers 4WD game drives; these usually continue (after sun-downer drinks) into a night drive – in search of leopards and the Valley's other nocturnal wildlife.

Days 9-10 South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Shadowing the Luangwa River and walking upstream, it's only a few hours walk Kakuli to Mchenja – although you can opt to be driven if you prefer. Either way, you reach one of the Luangwa's Valley's best locations: a grove of dark, tall ebony trees beside the banks of the Luangwa River. There spend 2 nights at –

Mchenja Bushcamp (full board & activities)

Day 11 Lusaka area, Zambia

Spend the morning exploring the area around Mchenja, with its old ox-bow lagoons then transfer through to Mfuwe Airport for your 60 minute flight back to Lusaka. On arrival in Lusaka you'll be collected at the airport and taken for one night at -

Pioneer Camp (bed & breakfast)

Relax at your camp in 25 acres of lawns and woodland, and book yourself onto the twenty minute transfer to Lusaka Airport for your British Airways return flight the next day.

Day 12

Rising early in the morning, after a good breakfast, you will be transferred to Lusaka Airport. There you connect back to your direct flight back to London Heathrow with British Airways. You arrive back into Heathrow in the late afternoon – after a superb trip to Zambia.

Cost of this trip
From	To	Cost
1-Jun-2010	30-Jun-2010	£3,421
1-Jul-2010	31-Oct-2010	£3,717
Notes: • The prices shown are per person sharing; call us for single person supplements. • It is very easy to change the duration of this trip by a few days, either staying longer at the camps, or shortening it by one or two days. Just discuss what you want with us. • Note that these bushcamps only open between 1 June and 31 October.

This itinerary includes:
• Economy flights, as above, plus UK airport departure taxes.
• All internal flights and transfers in Zambia
• All meals and most drinks whilst on safari (including all soft drinks, house wines and local beers & spirits)
• All safari activities, including walking safaris and 4WD safaris in open safari vehicles
• Park fees at all the safari camps
• A comprehensive pack of information covering the places that you'll be visiting, including the a copy of Zambia: the Bradt Travel Guide, written by Expert Africa's Chris McIntyre

This itinerary excludes:
• Champagne, specially imported spirits, fine vintage wines and similarly exotic alcoholic drinks (for which all safari camps & hotels will charge extra)
• Tips and gratuities (which are optional)
• Zambian visa fees (at present these are $50 per person for a single entry and $80 per person for a multiple entry)


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