Luxury Zambia Safari – Lower Zambezi & South Luangwa

Safari Overview

• Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights
• Destinations: Lower Zambezi & South Luangwa National Park
• Lodges: Chiawa Safaris - Old Mondoro & Chikunto Safaris
• Best For: Classic Zambia safari, walking safaris, river activities, leopard sightings and intimate bush camps

This itinerary combines two of Zambia’s most iconic safari areas in one seamless journey, offering a rewarding mix of river-based activities in the Lower Zambezi and wildlife-rich game viewing in South Luangwa.

It is particularly well suited to travellers who want a more authentic safari experience, with strong guiding, fewer crowds and camps that place you right in the heart of the bush.

Lower Zambezi

The Lower Zambezi is one of Zambia’s most beautiful safari regions, where the Zambezi River, open floodplains and scattered woodlands create a striking and varied wilderness landscape.

This area is known not only for excellent game viewing, but also for the range of safari activities possible here, from game drives and bush walks to boat trips and canoeing along the river.

Camp One: Old Mondoro

Owned and operated by the Cumings family of Chiawa Camp, Old Mondoro is one of the Lower Zambezi’s most intimate and characterful safari camps. Set in a pristine part of the park, it offers an authentic bush atmosphere without sacrificing comfort or service.

With just four reed and canvas chalets, each with a private veranda, outdoor bath and shower, the camp feels deeply connected to its surroundings. Wildlife often moves directly through camp, making this one of Zambia’s most immersive safari stays.

• 4 Nights
• Intimate and authentic Lower Zambezi camp
• Excellent leopard sightings in the dry season
• Game drives, walks, boat trips and angling

Old Mondoro is a superb choice for travellers seeking a classic Zambia safari atmosphere with exceptional guiding and an unusually strong sense of privacy.

South Luangwa National Park

South Luangwa is one of Africa’s great safari destinations, celebrated for its rich wildlife, excellent guiding and long-standing reputation as the birthplace of the walking safari.

The Luangwa River and its surrounding habitats support dense wildlife concentrations, while the park’s relatively low visitor numbers help preserve the sense of discovery that makes Zambia so special.

Camp Two: Chikunto Safari Lodge

Chikunto Safari Lodge is a boutique luxury camp in a beautiful part of South Luangwa, offering a more exclusive experience away from the busier central Mfuwe area. It combines a strong safari focus with a polished and contemporary camp style.

The spacious tented suites, river views, photographic hide and dedicated editing suite make it especially appealing to travellers who value both comfort and the opportunity to spend time observing and photographing wildlife in depth.

• 4 Nights
• Boutique luxury camp inside South Luangwa
• Excellent wildlife density and quieter location
• Strong photography and safari focus

Chikunto offers a refined but deeply grounded safari experience, making it an ideal complement to the wilder, more river-shaped atmosphere of the Lower Zambezi.

Safari Highlights

• Two of Zambia’s most celebrated safari regions in one trip
• River-based safari activities in the Lower Zambezi
• Excellent leopard and general game viewing
• Classic walking safari country in South Luangwa
• Intimate and characterful camps throughout
• Strong photographic opportunities, especially at Chikunto
• A seamless flight-based safari through Zambia

Travel Logistics

This itinerary is designed to move smoothly between Zambia’s major safari regions using a combination of domestic flights and camp transfers.

All domestic or local flights are included between Lusaka and Lower Zambezi, Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa, and South Luangwa and Lusaka.

On arrival into each safari region, you are met and transferred onward to camp. In the Lower Zambezi, transfers are between the relevant airstrip and Old Mondoro, while in South Luangwa your onward camp arrangements are handled locally.

This keeps travel efficient and allows you to experience two of Zambia’s finest safari areas in one well-paced and seamless journey.