Zambia Wildlife Safari
Zambia Hiking + Walking Tours
Overview
Zambia is an exceptional choice for a safari, offering spectacular wildlife viewing, captivating scenery, and raw beauty. This tailored safari showcases three iconic spots: Victoria Falls in Livingstone, the remote wilderness of South Luangwa, and the game-rich Lower Zambezi.
Starting on the Zambian side of the Falls in Livingstone, experience the 'Smoke that Thunders' or the Victoria Falls up close. Counted as one of the largest waterfalls in the world, it is a natural wonder well worth exploring. Go on a rainforest walk, a thrilling helicopter ride, a serene boat cruise, or an adrenaline-pumping activity like whitewater rafting.
Your journey continues in South Luangwa National Park - a remote, wild, and captivating place. The park has a high concentration of leopards and endemic species unique to the area, such as Thornicroft's Giraffe. For something different, take a bush walk with an experienced ranger to see animals on foot and explore the smaller details of the African bush, like tracks, beetles, and plants.
Spend your last few days unwinding in the spectacular Lower Zambezi National Park. Nestled on the banks of the Zambezi River, this environment is a drawcard for big game like hippos, elephants, and buffalos. Guided game drives and nature walks allow you to search for animals and birds along the floodplains, woodlands, and riverine areas that make up the park. For a change in pace, try your hand at some tiger-fishing or toast the end of your safari on a sundowner cruise.
Highlights
- Victoria Falls UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Exciting adventure activities like game drives, bush walks, boat cruises
- Big-5 game viewing
- The 'Valley of the Leopard' - South Luangwa
- Impressive birding
- Lower Zambezi National Park
- Lodges set in prime locations
Itinerary
Day 1-3: Arrival to Livingstone
Day 3: Flight to Lower Zambezi National Park
Day 4-7: Lower Zambezi National Park
Day 7: Fly to Mfuwe. Travel to South Luangwa
Day 8-12: South Luangwa National Park
Day 12: Departure* This tour can be tailored to suit your requirements. Please let us know and we will send you a revised quote.
Day 1-3: Arrival to Livingstone
Welcome to Zambia! On your arrival at Livingstone Airport, you will be welcomed by a representative and transferred to your lodge (15 minutes). The colonial town of Livingstone - so named after the Scottish missionary and adventurer Dr. David Livingstone - is a hub for outdoor pursuits and adventure. Over the next two days, you will have time to visit 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' or the 'Smoke that Thunders' - better known as Victoria Falls. You can view this majestic waterfall from the Zambian side from the many stops along the rainforest walk inside the National Park. You should allow a couple of hours to see and take pictures of the Falls. Other activities include helicopter flips and microlight flights above the Falls, white water rafting, bungee jumping, zip lining, and river cruises to mention just a few. It's advisable to plan what you would like to see and do before arriving, so you can make the most of your time here.Accommodation, meals, and activities:
Category A: Royal Chundu. All meals, tea, coffee, and soft and alcoholic house drinks (non-premium brands). VAT and 10% service charge.
Included activities: One-way helicopter transfer (over the Falls) from Livingstone Airport to lodge. Return airport road transfer. Daily sunset experience. River cruises, birding safaris, canoeing, Victoria Falls walking tour with transfers (Zambian side), cultural tours.Category B: Chundukwa. Breakfast.
Included activities: Return Livingstone airport transfers.Category C: Victoria Falls Waterfront. Breakfast.
Included activities: Return Livingstone airport transfers.
Day 3: Lower Zambezi National Park
After breakfast, you will transfer back to Livingstone for your flight to Lower Zambezi National Park. It's about a 2-hour flight with a transfer to your lodge. The transfer will be conducted as a game drive and is approximately 1 hour (depending on which lodge you stay at and game you see). The Lower Zambezi National Park, which borders the remarkable Zambezi River, is a magnet for big game such as elephant, hippopotamus, and buffalo. It is an incredibly scenic park and your game drive will give you an introduction on what you can expect to see over the next few days. You will be in time to see your first sunset with a refreshing beverage in hand.Accommodation, meals, and activities:
Category A: Anabezi. All meals and beverages (non-premium brands).
Included activities: Return transfers from/to Jeki/Kulefu airstrips. Laundry. Game drives, walking safaris, boat cruises, fishing (1 fishing permit incl.) canoeing, birding.Category B: Zambezi Grande. All meals.
Included activities: Return airstrip transfers. Game drives, walking safaris, river cruises, fishing, and cultural village tours.Category C: Kiambi Safari Lodge. All meals.
Included activities: Return airstrip transfers. Sunset cruise, half-day canoe safari. One can opt to do a 1/2/3-night canoe safari instead of staying at the lodge. The first night of the canoe safari will always be at the lodge. The other nights will be outdoors camping. All equipment will be provided (advance booking is required).
Day 4-7: Lower Zambezi National Park
Over the next three days, you will have a chance to do morning and afternoon game drives, and any of the other included activities, in the reserve. Water-based activities like canoeing and cruises are a great way to see animals from the water and get a different perspective.The Lower Zambezi National Park has a diverse range of habitats such as riverine forests, floodplains, Miombo Woodlands, and open grasslands. The Escarpment and Hills back the park and give an ethereal feel to this incredible area. Birdlife is spectacular, and each ecosystem boasts its own unique species. The park was officially established in 1983 to protect and conserve the unique ecosystems found in the park and most of the rangers and staff come from the surrounding communities.
Accommodation + activities: As above
Day 7: South Luangwa National Park
You will leave Lower Zambzi National Park today and head to South Luangwa. You will take a charter flight to Mfuwe followed by a road transfer. This remote park, located in the eastern corner of Zambia, is the next stop on your safari adventure. Also known as the 'Valley of the Leopard' this park offers some of the best sightings of these elusive cats in Africa. Bordered by the Luangwa River, a drawcard and lifeline to many animals in the park, especially during the dry season, the park has high concentrations of the Big 5 together with over 400 recorded species of bird. Colorful kingfishers, lovebirds, storks and eagles all make the list.After arriving at your lodge, you will be welcomed with a refreshing drink and time to unpack before your afternoon/evening game drive. The game drive usually departs around 16h00 pm, offering incredible sunsets and lighting opportunities for photography. The drive will move into early dusk and nightfall, where crepuscular animals start to emerge to feed, hunt, and become active. This offers an entirely new experience.
Accommodation, meals, and activities:
Category A: Lion Camp. All meals and beverages (non-premium brands) including service charge, tax, tourism levy. No credit card facilities at the lodge.
Included activities: Return transfers from/to Mfuwe airstrip. Limited laundry. Game drives and walking safaris.Category B: Chikunto. All meals. All soft drinks, water, wine, beer and spirits (excl. premium brands),
Included activities: Return airport transfers to/from Mfuwe Airport. Two game-viewing activities per day (game drives, walking safari, village tour, tribal textile/local market tour, boat cruise - water level dependent). Laundry. VAT.Category C:
Msandile River Lodge (2 nights). All meals.
Included activities: Return airport transfers to/from Mfuwe Airport. Morning/afternoon game drives.
Flatdogs Camp (3 nights). All meals.
Included Activities: Return airport transfers to/from Mfuwe Airport. LCCF fees. Laundry. Morning/afternoon game drives.
Day 8-12: South Luangwa National Park
You will have time South Luangwa National Park over the next few days on game drives and game walks (and selected lodges only). The park comprises a variety of different habitats that attract different wildlife. The riverine forests - with lush vegetation - attracts incredible bird species and smaller mammals, large herds of herbivores frequent the seasonal floodplains and the woodland savanna and grassy plains are a great chance to see lion, leopard, wild dog, elephant, giraffe, and a host of other predators and animals.There will be plenty of time to catch a siesta at your room, cool off in the pool, do some birdwatching from the lodge, and relax. Dinners are often served around the campfire, al fresco, where you can hear the calls of the wild as you enjoy a delicious meal.
Accommodation + activities: As above
Day 12: Tour ends. Departure.
Today marks the end of your safari! You will take a road transfer back to Mfuwe Airport for your flight back to Lusaka and onward journey.Accommodation
There are three categories available on this tour: Standard, mid-range, and luxury
Category A: Luxury accommodations: High-end luxury camps and lodges of a 5-star quality
Category B: Mid-range accommodations: Lodges and camps of a 3 and 4-star quality
Category C: Standard accommodation: Comfortable tented camps and chalets of a 3-star quality
There is a range of lodges and camps in all locations. Should space be booked, we will recommend an alternative of a similar standard. If you would like to include two different lodges/camps in one location, then please let us know.
Please note that some lodges and camps close earlier or later than others, and may not be offered towards the beginning or end of a season.Inclusions
What’s Included
- 11 nights accommodation in the chosen category
- All airport and local/intercamp transfers
- Local flights: Livingstone-Jeki; Jeki-Mfuwe; Mfuwe-Lusaka
- All meals as per itinerary
- Local beers, wines, & soft drinks at
- English-speaking guides
- All activities as per itinerary
- All park fees in Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa
What’s Not Included
- Travel to start/finish
- Meals and drinks not mentioned
- Airport departure tax
- Detours
- Zambian visa (USD)
- Park fees Victoria Falls (single entry USD15 pp)
- Any items of a personal nature
- Extra activities (not mentioned)
- Gratuities
- Travel Insurance
Dates & Pricing
Dates
Daily departures from April through to November 2024.
Please Note
- Rates are per person, based on double occupancy
- Tour prices are based on the fuel costs at time prices are set, often months or years in advance. In rare cases, additional fees may apply for fuel cost increases.
- Information to read before you book
- We recommend purchasing trip insurance
- Please see our FAQ
Pricing
Category A (Luxury):
Low season: May 21 up to and including June 14; & October 16-31, 2024
High season: June 15 up to and including October 15, 2024Category B (Mid-range):
Low season: April 1 up to and including May 31, 2024
Mid season: Oct 1 up to and including Nov 30, 2024
High season: June 1 up to and including Sep 30, 2024Category C (Standard):
Low season: April 1 up to and including June 30, & Nov 1-30, 2024
High season: July 1 up to and including October 31, 2024
Category A Category B Category C Low season $ 16916 £ 8932 $ 15,302 € 10380 kr 1561227 ₪ 41707 ¥ 1742982 Mex$ 187745 NZ$ 18587 NOK 121314 zł 44702 S$ 15158 kr 121549 $ 10,969 $ 10894 £ 5752 $ 9,854 € 6685 kr 1005425 ₪ 26859 ¥ 1122475 Mex$ 120907 NZ$ 11970 NOK 78126 zł 28788 S$ 9762 kr 78277 $ 7,064 $ 6456 £ 3409 $ 5,839 € 3961 kr 595797 ₪ 15916 ¥ 665158 Mex$ 71648 NZ$ 7093 NOK 46296 zł 17059 S$ 5785 kr 46386 $ 4,186 Single supplement $ 1379 £ 728 $ 1,247 € 846 kr 127244 ₪ 3399 ¥ 142057 Mex$ 15302 NZ$ 1515 NOK 9887 zł 3643 S$ 1235 kr 9907 $ 894 $ 2656 £ 1402 $ 2,402 € 1630 kr 245094 ₪ 6547 ¥ 273627 Mex$ 29474 NZ$ 2918 NOK 19045 zł 7018 S$ 2380 kr 19082 $ 1,722 $ 711 £ 375 $ 643 € 436 kr 65614 ₪ 1753 ¥ 73253 Mex$ 7890 NZ$ 781 NOK 5099 zł 1879 S$ 637 kr 5108 $ 461 Mid season n/a $ 11451 £ 6046 $ 10,358 € 7026 kr 1056806 ₪ 28232 ¥ 1179838 Mex$ 127086 NZ$ 12582 NOK 82118 zł 30259 S$ 10261 kr 82278 $ 7,425 n/a Single supplement n/a $ 2819 £ 1489 $ 2,550 € 1730 kr 260181 ₪ 6951 ¥ 290470 Mex$ 31288 NZ$ 3098 NOK 20217 zł 7450 S$ 2526 kr 20256 $ 1,828 n/a High season $ 18642 £ 9843 $ 16,863 € 11439 kr 1720495 ₪ 45962 ¥ 1920792 Mex$ 206898 NZ$ 20483 NOK 133689 zł 49263 S$ 16704 kr 133949 $ 12,088 $ 12444 £ 6571 $ 11,256 € 7636 kr 1148467 ₪ 30680 ¥ 1282170 Mex$ 138109 NZ$ 13673 NOK 89241 zł 32884 S$ 11151 kr 89414 $ 8,069 $ 7373 £ 3893 $ 6,670 € 4524 kr 680484 ₪ 18179 ¥ 759704 Mex$ 81832 NZ$ 8101 NOK 52876 zł 19484 S$ 6607 kr 52979 $ 4,781 Single supplement $ 4078 £ 2153 $ 3,688 € 2502 kr 376323 ₪ 10053 ¥ 420133 Mex$ 45255 NZ$ 4480 NOK 29242 zł 10775 S$ 3654 kr 29299 $ 2,644 $ 3325 £ 1756 $ 3,008 € 2040 kr 306865 ₪ 8198 ¥ 342590 Mex$ 36902 NZ$ 3653 NOK 23845 zł 8786 S$ 2979 kr 23891 $ 2,156 $ 762 £ 402 $ 689 € 467 kr 70311 ₪ 1878 ¥ 78497 Mex$ 8455 NZ$ 837 NOK 5463 zł 2013 S$ 683 kr 5474 $ 494 Extra Options
Extra nights: On request
Extensions: On requestExtra Info
Skill Level — Easy
The majority of activities included in this tour are game drives and bush walks - which only require a basic level of fitness. The adventure activities on offer in Livingstone range from white-water rafting to bungee jumping, which may require some level of fitness, depending on the activity chosen.
Airport Info
Fly into Harry Mwanga Livingstone Airport (LVI) and fly out of Kenneth Kaunda Lusaka Airport (LUN).
Local Travel
Airport transfers are included in your package. You will be collected on your arrival and dropped off on your departure (flight details will be required). Local flights are also included in your package price, namely from Livingstone (LVI) to Jeki (JEK) in Lower Zambezi, and Jeki (JEK) to Mfuwe (MFU), and Mfuwe (MFU) to Lusaka (LUN).
Climate
Zambia has a predominantly sub-tropical climate with three distinct seasons: a hot and dry season (mid-August to mid-November), a wet rainy season (mid-November to April), and a cool dry season (May to mid-August). Please check local conditions prior to departure. It can get uncomfortably hot from mid-Oct through to the end of November with temperatures reaching on average 104F (40C), so we only recommend traveling during this period if you are used to high temperatures.
Day of Rest
Any day, apart from traveling days, can be a day of rest! Extra nights can be added in any of the locations.
Remarks
This is a custom tour that can be tailormade to suit your requirements. Please ask for a quote! Once we have confirmed the pricing, you can then proceed with booking your preferred dates.
Important to know
Travel Documents
It is each traveler's responsibility to ensure that you comply with the country or countries you plan to visit. This includes and is not limited to passport validity, visa requirements, and acquisition, blank passport pages required for your destination (s), etc.
For most passport holders, visas are required to enter Zambia: a single entry visa (30 days) is US$25 per person and can be obtained at all ports of entry in US dollar cash (notes must be no older than 2013). If entering Zambia on more than one occasion, you can get a double entry visa (US$40 pp) or a KAZA UniVisa (US$50 pp) which allows travel between Zambia and Zimbabwe multiple times within a year (up to 30 days each visit). These can be applied for online or obtained at these points of entry: Harry Mwanga (Livingstone) International Airport, Victoria Falls/Livingstone border, Kazungula border, Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
Note: some passport holders (found HERE) will have to apply for their visa in advance. This can be applied for online. Some passport holders, like SADC countries, don't require a visa (list can be found HERE). An onward or return ticket is required, as well as sufficient funds and detailed travel plans. Visitors to Zambia must have a minimum of 6 months validity AND two blank/empty pages in their passport. We advise you to contact the Zambian Embassy directly to confirm.
Don’t forget to bring US dollars (in cash) with you to pay for your visa.
US citizens: A good website to research the requirements and entry into other countries is travel.state.gov.
Non-EU and EU residents: Please research the requirements of your country of residence for international travel and your destination country or countries.Extra Stay
You can add extra nights in any of the locations or even add an extension to Kafue or Malawi. Let us know your preferences and we can arrange a quote for you.
Tour Operator
This tour is run by Crafted Africa.
We value the strong relationship we have with our local partners and the services we provide.
We are not a broker.
We do not inflate tour prices.
We are simply travelers helping travelers.Would you like to learn more About Us? How about What Makes Us Different than other companies?
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