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User Reviews of South Luangwa National Park (61 Reviews)

Best Park South Luangwa Safaris Zambia
Sort By: Date Most Helpful Rating 31-40 of 61 Reviews

Average User Rating

4.8361 / 5 4.8 /5
4.7966 / 5 4.5085 / 5 4.4915 / 5 4.5000 / 5

Rating Breakdown

5 star 52 / 10 52
4 star 8 / 10 8
3 star 1 / 10 1
2 star 0 / 10 0
1 star 0 / 10 0
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Male avatar icon West Tribe Canada flag CA       Visited: November 2016 Reviewed: Apr 29, 2017

Email West Tribe  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

Amazing and affordable.

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 4 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5
There are innumerable advantages that South Luangwa National Park hold above the local competition, not least of which is the affordability of the surrounding lodges. I arrived from Lusaka via local bus for about 40.00$, another 25.00$ taxi fare got me to my lodge (flat dogs) and 20.00$/night secured me a cabin with 2 bedrooms, 4 beds, A/C, fans and a shower. Another 40.00$/game drive, night or day + 20.00$/day park entry fee and that pretty much covered my expense. Food at the lodges tends to be expensive (15.00$ - 25.00$) however a quick excursion to town will allow you to soak in some local atmosphere and eat at local restaurants for about 1.00$ a meal. The wildlife is by no means confined to the park, I often opened the front door to my cabin to find elephants standing within 20 meters, hippos, banded mongooses, giraffes, grey crowned cranes, fish eagles, vervet monkeys and baboons are all frequent visitors to the lodge and the list goes on. The park itself was great, absolutely packed
Read more with fantastic wildlife, one of the few to offer spotlight game drives at night and not too crowded. For some photos of the park feel free to view - https://www.flickr.com/photos/84579258@N06/albums/72157676475945555
Male avatar icon Paul Sivley United States flag US       Visited: May 2017 Reviewed: Jun 9, 2017

Email Paul Sivley  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5

see above

Male avatar icon Marc United States flag US       Visited: July 2017 Reviewed: Oct 20, 2017

Email Marc  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

Absolutely Worth the Effort to Get There

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 4 / 5 5 / 5 / 5

South Luangwa is a bit off the beaten path but a rich reward for whomever makes the journey. Confined between a dense forest and a wide river, animals are plentiful in this park. I have seen more cats in one day then weeks at other flagship parks in southern Africa. I have made to trek's there because the photo opportunities and wildlife viewing are unparalleled; even in the wet season. I stayed at Mfuwe Lodge twice! The people, the food, the guides and the rooms are above and beyond. On my first night during my first trip we found a leopard in a tree right above us...amazing. On my first night during my second trip we came across a leopard moments before it took out a bush hare. It was over before I could understand what was happening. I love this park and will definitely go again.

Female avatar icon aniphone Belgium flag BE       Visited: June 2018 Reviewed: Jun 22, 2018

Email aniphone  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

One of the best

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 4 / 5

I stayed in two different places, one just outside of the park (Wildlife Camp - which is good value for money, situated in a preservation area) and one bush camp (Nkonzi - an affordable and very stylish lodging). It was the second time I came here for a whole week. Don't expect to see cheeta or rhino, but apart from those species you'll get to see almost every animal you can think of. Leopards almost every day, bunches of wild dogs, lions, southern grounded hornbill ... The night drives are incredible. especially our guide at Wildlife Camp knew sounds and tracks so well he managed to give us incredible sightings. Bushbabies, servals, a civet, leopards, chasing lions, ... The walking safari guides are also very knowledgeable and an absolute must if you visit this park.

Male avatar icon Greg Sensei Canada flag CA       Visited: August 2014 Reviewed: Aug 3, 2018

Email Greg Sensei  |  35-50 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Wildlife immersion in its truest sense.

4 / 5 4 /5
4 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 3 / 5

We stayed at the Kaingo lodge (www.kaingo.com) for a few nights.

While it was expensive and hard to access, it was a safari in its purest sense. We saw lots of wildlife, including many lions and our first leopards on our time in southern Africa(including one eating an impala in a tree at night).

Accommodation was at it should be, but be careful to not leave your room at night as there are no barriers to the wildlife coming through camp. I actually had an elephant walk just outside my window and start munching on leaves on a tree!



Male avatar icon Guillaume d'Autichamp France flag FR       Visited: October 2018 Reviewed: Oct 31, 2018

Email Guillaume d'Autichamp  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 4 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5

South Luangwa is Zambia's flaghsip park for so many good reasons :
Wildlife is extremely abundant and leopard sighting is probably the best in africa (not to mention the hippo density which at 25000 is the highest in the world)
We stayed at the very exclusive Mfue Lodge : everything was great here, except maybe the high number of visitors in the area: to avoid that we moved 86 km inside the Park in the Zungulila Bushcamp which has been our greatest safari experience so far (very exclusive bushcamp, amazing scenery, delicious food, very friendly staff, excellent guiding and hyenas laughing at night all around us): we saw a pack of 20 wild dogs and of course we had the traditionnal zambian sunset drink along the luangwa river !

Visitors numbers can seem high at the Mfue gate but as soon as you drive inside the park : wildlife is for yourself !!

Male avatar icon Graeme United Kingdom flag GB       Visited: July 2019 Reviewed: Jul 29, 2019

Email Graeme  |  20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: first safari

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 4 / 5 4 / 5 5 / 5

Game density and diversity are both excellent in the park, with four of the Big Five present as well as hippos, giraffes, greater kudu, spotted hyenas and many other incredible species. The park's vistas over the river are beautiful, however it is scrubbier woodland further into the park, presenting a more complicated backdrop for photography. The bush vibe is largely great, however it was slightly undermined at times by self-drive vehicles crowding into view or ignoring the etiquette that drivers and guides overwhelmingly adhere to. Birding is similarly excellent- I spotted around 90 species while I was in the park, including stars like martial eagles, grey-crowned cranes and so many more.

Male avatar icon Philippe France flag FR       Visited: September 2022 Reviewed: Oct 20, 2022

Email Philippe  |  50-65 years of age  |  Experience level: over 5 safaris

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5

Very interesting place with a lot of different ecosystems. Bird's and obviously the marvelous leopard. Plan a stay of at least 3 or 4 days because he is not always easy to see !

Male avatar icon Jeff S Zambia flag ZM       Visited: October 2014 Reviewed: May 8, 2015

20-35 years of age  |  Experience level: 2-5 safaris

Wonderful park with lots of cats, elephants, and birds. Stay on the river at Track & Trail Lodge

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 3 / 5 4 / 5 5 / 5
Great park with heaps of animals. A brand new tar road leads from Chipata to Mfuwe which cuts down that drive time from 7hrs to 1-2hrs, but also increases the traffic in the park. Mfuwe airport is also an easy place to fly into on Pro-flight and many lodges offer pickup on the spot.

Park is known for it's cats. This park probably gives you the best chance of seeing lions and leopards. We drove into the park and immediately stumbled on 10 lions feeding on a carcass followed by a elderly leopard hunting. Birds are fantastic too, as always in Zambia. Lots of hippos, crocs and elephants. It can get crowded with safari vehicles in the busy season, but still enough lions to go around and the river at low water is beautiful.

Stay at one of the lodges on the river and you will not be disappointed -- I chose Track&Trail which was superb. I'm an avid photographer, but the owner is a real pro. Shooting with him, getting pointers, and most importantly having
Read more a photographer driving the vehicle made a HUGE difference. Elephants, hippos, and monkeys regularly walked through the camp. I packed my own food and camped on a platform at the lodge, but dinner at the lodge was great -- family style barbeque which was delicious and there was a great homemade aioli sauce.

I've also heard there are some great lodges in this area if you have small children. Ask the lodge if they have babysitting or nanny services.
Avatar icon michael heyns Visited: April 2014 Reviewed: May 19, 2015

Probably the most beutifull place I have been to.

5 / 5 5 /5
5 / 5 3 / 5 5 / 5 5 / 5

There were many excellent sightings, beautifull landscapes, freedom of movement. It was no easy to get there by car, as we did, but I am sure there is other modes of travel

We went as a family with teenagers and they really enjoyed it as well. We camped and did not use the accomodation on offer, but it seemed good. We did a self drive excursion. No guides.

One night we did a night drive with guides, lots of animals, great knowlegeable guide.

Camping on the lUangwa river bend was definitely a highlight.