South Luangwa is famed for walking safaris with two notable companies (Norman Carr and Robin Pope) offering multi-day walks or shorter walks between permanent camps. I wasn’t spending enough time in the park to take advantage of either of these options, but Tena Tena, the camp I was staying at, offered walks in place of the standard game drive. Unlike walks I have done in other countries, a walking safari in South Luangwa National Park feels more wild and remote.
Everyone has heard about the Big Five, but what about the elusive eleven? Here is a look at the bush’s secretive, primarily nocturnal creatures. How many have you seen?
I tried to whittle this down to fifteen favorite wildlife images or special moments, but sixteen was the best that I could muster.
As our airplane flies low over the Zambezi River I count numerous elephants and hippos grazing along the verdant banks and wallowing in the cool river current. We circle back to land on the dusty, dirt runway and as the plane doors open, I am blasted by a hot breeze that offers little relief. From the airstrip, it is a short drive to the river where we board a boat for Sausage Tree Camp where I will be spending the next three nights.