North Luangwa

North Luangwa, Zambia; an Expert Safari Guide to the National Park

Covering an area of 4636 square kilometres North Luangwa is approximately half the size of its bigger brother. On the outset the parks are both very similar, with the same diversity of flora and fauna coupled with rivers running through their centres.

The Mwaleshi River runs through the North Park, a small river that runs down from the Muchunga Escarpment (the hazy outline you can see from South Luangwa) into the valley over a number of waterfalls. The escarpment is infact the principle difference between the 2 parks; North Luangwa is much more hilly than the South Park.

The North Park is also slightly more diverse in terms of its fauna than the South Park; Mopane woodland and riverine forests are home to massive sausage trees, ivory palms, red mahogany and leadwood trees - a stark contrast to the open grasslands, acacia thicket and rivers that make up the other habitats found throughout the park. There are also a number of beautiful lagoons filled with nile cabbages and the resulting hippos.

The beauty of visiting this park however is that there are virtually no roads and subsequently very few visitors - there are no permanent lodges to be found throughout the park and visitors who push themselves to get this far will be rewarded by finding themselves merely an unobtrusive witness to the parks natural beauty and drama; it is an absolute treat to be in such an unntouched area.

Overall, it is the low visitor numbers and the resulting exclusivity that makes North Luangwa such a special place. It is not for the first time visitor but much more for the safari conoisseur who searches for Africa's last areas of true wilderness.

North Luangwa - The Wildlife

For more than thirty years, the park was only open to Game Department rangers and it was only in 1984 that the first photographic walking safaris were permitted. Over those years, as with much of Zambia’s wildlife, game was severely hunted and poached.

In 1989 however Marc and Delia Owens, two researchers and authors of Cry of the Kalahari set up a research project in the area. Their presence and drive to preserve the poaching immediately saw results and over the years game has returned.

Today the park is well known for its vast herds of buffalo. Other common mammals are wildebeest, bushbuck, zebra, warthog, baboon, vervet monkey, puku, impala hartebeest, reedbuck and eland.

North Luangwa - The Predators

North Luangwa is well known for its large prides of lion, regarded as the largest in Zambia. These prides battle regularly with the huge buffalo herds; game drives can be explosive. Leopard are also fairly common although not nearly as much as in the South Park. Wild Dog are seen but only very rarely.

North Luangwa - For the Connoisseur

Cookson's wildebeest are endemic to the Luangwa valley, the North Park being the place to find them over the South Park. The hyena clans here are also a reason to visit as they are specialist hunters as opposed to scavengers.

The most exciting recent news in the Luangwa valley however is the recent introduction of rhino. Currently they are not for viewing by tourists but watch this space.

Zambia Odyssey View

For second time visitors to Zambia or for those of us looking for the ultimate in authentic rustic safari North Luangwa will meet all expectations; it is a truly fantastic park. The walking safaris are of the highest standard and the fact that you really can go for days without seeing another person or vehicle makes North Luangwa an absolute must for those of us who want to get away from it all. Not as great game however as South Luangwa

North Luangwa - Further information

For details of all the lodges in the North Luangwa please look at North Luangwa Lodge Page

For General safari information please look at Zambia Safari Page

Phone us to discuss with one of our consultants their last trip to the Zambezi Valley. Even better, come in in person. Tel 44 (0) 20 7471 8780 or Email Us