We returned from our June trip to Zambia and just wanted to post that it was an incredible and unforgetable vacation. The fodorites, especially Rocco, helped us plan a flawless trip. Thank you all. We are so pleased we went to Zambia. It was a "real" experience with no fences and little tourism. The Zambian people are exceptionally friendly. We stayed at Luwanga River Lodge for five nights and at Chiawa Camp for five nights. We would recommend both and especially enjoyed Barry's guide Victor at Luwanga. He has exceptional knowledge and a passion for the bush. Barry and Tara have a wonderful facility and treat you as if you are friends. They accomodated all of our requests and we would go back in a minute. Chiawa is another wonderful camp and being in South Zambia on the river afforded the opportunity to experience Africa from the water. We fished and caught an 8 pound tiger fish...what an experience! The wildlife sightings were great and the surprises at the camp are incredible. Craig is an awesome manager and pays great attention to his guests. An elephant and several cape buffaloes spent time right in the camp. The lodgings are luxurious. Being a wild environment, the lodges pay a great deal of attention to keeping you save. We never felt in harms way. Barry at Luwanga gets a special thanks as he personally saw to our internal flights and helped us we every detail. I don't think I could have done the planning by myself without him. I hope all of you going to Africa plan on spending time in Zambia before it gets too run over with progress.

Welcome back! Glad you enjoyed Zambia so much! I've been to LRL twice but not Chiawa yet. It is a beautiful, friendly country and can't wait to go back again!

Welcome back and thanks for sharing your experiences - would love to read a fuller trip report if you'd be willing?

Welcome back and glad you enjoyed your stay and that the elephants and buffalo shared their camp with you.

Welcome back, Stru! Yes, Zambia just steals your heart, doesn't it? I, too, am glad you enjoyed it so much. Looking forward to photos!

Sharon

Stru, glad to hear you had a great time, I am interested in visiting these 2 areas. It was funny to read your original post and watch how your itinerary twisted from SA to Zambia. If you did it again would you change anything?

I was very pleased with our choices. Being at LRL we were able to not only see the park, but visit the actual people and Barry actually took us to a school and to a local pub. They were both quite an experience. At the pub a local man danced and sang a currently popular song for us....what fun!! Going to Chiawa was also what we were looking for. It is entirely in the park and we didn't see the locals, but the river was an incredible addition to our LRL experience. Chiawa is much more formal than LRL which may or may not be to your liking. I personally wouldn't change anything. Of course, if you are more adventurous, bush camping would also be an option. Old Madura (sp?) is run by Chiawa so it is as good of quality, but it is more rustic and scaled down if that would be to your liking. I really enjoyed being pampered in the middle of Africa. What extremes....watching a lion pride for 3 hours and then returning to gourmet four course eating.

Good news...I was just talking to Barry at Luangwa River Lodge yesterday and he has told me that he now has permission and that within two weeks, after the water recedes just a bit more, the vehicles from Luangwa River Lodge will be able to cross directly into the park from the lodge. This definitely makes Luangwa River Lodge all the more attractive.

Also, all of their vehicles have now been changed over from Land Rovers to Land Cruisers for the comfort of the guests.

Finally, the website for Luangwa River Lodge should be totally renovated within the next month. This will be especially valuable for Fodorites considering visits in 2007:

www.luangwariverlodge.com

Luangwa River Lodge remains one of the best values in Africa for 2007 at only $380 per person per night sharing in low season and $500 per person per night sharing in high season with a stay 5 nights, get 6th night free special. While 6 nights seems way too long for most lodges, that is certainly not the case with Luangwa River Lodge where it is possible to explore both the northern part of the park and as far down as the Chichele area of the park.

stru_lgr, glad you had a great time and were able to experience the best of Zambia.

stru:
Glad that you had a great time.

Rocco,
Again thanks for all your help planning our trip to Zambia. It was all you said it would be and so much more. It is a trip you could never fully explain in words.
We are presently getting very depressed as we are trying to plan our next trip and no matter what we look at on the net it doesn't even seem to begin to compare to Zambia. Any ideas?

Stru - just go back to Zambia!

Stru,

It was my pleasure in helping you discover Zambia.

Well, although it would serve me better to be more objective, I cannot hide my own affection for Zambia. Now that you have seen South Luangwa at the end of the low season, perhaps it is time to see it at the height of high season in mid September to early October?

This would allow you to visit places like Kaingo or Tafika, as well as go to North Luangwa or Kafue, areas that are only open between June - October.

Other than Zambia, my favorite destination so far has been Tanzania. However, as a disclaimer, I did everything in my power to make my Tanzania visit as Southern-African like in character as possible...staying at smaller luxury lodges and staying at Nomad Serengeti's semi-mobile camps that take a maximum of four couples, each in their own private vehicle. This would be my suggestion if you could not wait until beyond February/March for your next safari.

I have two visits coming up in the next 10 months. The first of the two will not be too groundbreaking as I will be visiting areas that many on the forum have already visited but places that I believe are necessary from a business point of view:

Michelangelo Towers (1) www.legacyhotels.co.za

Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge (3)
www.sabisabi.com

Mateya (3)
www.mateyasafari.com

Little Kwara (3)
www.kwando.co.za

Lebala (2)
www.kwando.co.za

Lagoon (2)
www.kwando.co.za

Chiefs Camp (3)
www.sanctuarylodges.com

Baines Camp (3)
www.sanctuarylodges.com
(I will do the Elephant Experience here, a 4 hour walking safari with three semi-tame elephants and their handlers...if anybody here has done this before, please let me know your thoughts)

However, one thing that I hope to share with this trip is how productive a shoulder season safari to Botswana proves to be. In the past, while I was a regular consumer, I always felt very pressured into going to Botswana when it was at its most expensive. As a result, I always postponed. However, now that I am in the position I am in, I know that Botswana, if done in shoulder season or, better yet, in "Secret Season" (December - March) is about one of the best values remaining.

However, it is my May/June 2007 trip where I hope to really enlighten other travelers. This trip will either be ALL Zimbabwe or a majority of Zimbabwe with a week in Mozambique, as well. If I do, in fact, go to Mozambique, not only will I visit one of the very posh beach lodges, but I will also venture way off the beaten path to visit Lugenda Safari Lodge, in the Lugenda Wildlife Reserve.

www.luwire.com

This area is supposed to have one of the largest populations of wild dogs in all of Africa as well as a very strong elephant population and many other species.

http://www.raniresorts.com/resorts/lugenda.php

My itinerary would go something like this:

The Hide, Hwange (2)
www.thehide.com

Somalisa, Hwange (2)
www.africanbushcamps.com
http://www.game-reserve.com/zimbabwe_hwange_np.html

Camp Amalinda, Matobos Hills (3)
www.campamalinda.com
http://www.game-reserve.com/zimbabwe_matobo.html

Pamushana, Malilangwe Game Reserve (3)
www.pamushana.com
http://www.game-reserve.com/zimbabwe_malilangwe.html
Vundu, Mana Pools (2)
www.africanbushcamps.com

Ruckomechi, Mana Pools (2)
www.wilderness-safaris.com
http://www.game-reserve.com/zimbabwe_manapools.html

Michelangelo Towers, Joburg (1)

Lugenda Safari Lodge (4)
www.rani

Medjumbe Island (3)


While I could easily return to Zambia, year after year, I do wish to explore Africa, both Southern and East Africa, so that I am in a position within a couple years to really know which places are truly remarkable.

However, all I can say for now is that if you loved Zambia in late May, you ain't seen nothing yet. Go in high season and while it may not be as visually stunning after it has dried out completely, the improved wildlife viewing will more than compensate.

Stru, while you have set the bar high for yourself by starting out with Chiawa and Luangwa River Lodge, there are still some amazing Zambian properties that would provide you with incredible and unforgettable experiences. Here are just a few:

www.shiwangandu.com (You MUST read "The Africa House" by Christina Lamb)

www.kutandala.com

www.kaingo.com

www.sausagetreecamp.com

www.starofafrica.com (for Puku Ridge, especially)

www.mutemwa.com (Take a look at both their Liuwa Plains safari in November and their Ku-omboka cultural event in early April). As you have experienced first hand, it is not all about the wildlife in Zambia, but also about the people. Royal Barotse Safaris works hand in hand with the King to make this event really special for Royal Barotse's guests.

www.remoteafrica.com (For Tafika and Mwaleshi)

www.chongwe-river.com (Besides Chongwe River Camp, they have now started a bush camp in the escarpment area of the Lower Zambezi, mostly for walking safaris)

www.wilderness-safaris.com (I believe their Kafue safaris will be something special and they have just bought out Luamfwa Lodge in the southern part of South Luangwa and will surely make this into a very special luxury camp)

www.luangwa.com (Kafunta Safaris...you may just want to experience an overland North Luangwa/South Luangwa safari or visit their rustic yet beautiful Kafunta Island Bush Camp which, as far as I know, is the southernmost camp in the entire South Luangwa)

www.kasanka.com (the largest mammal migration in the world is NOT in the Serengeti/Masai Mara, but rather in Kasanka National Park, Zambia, where 5 Million+ fruit bats migrate each November/December and when taking to the skies, turn the skies black like an Alfred Hitchcock thriller)

http://www.kasanka.com/activities_an...of_special.htm

http://www.kasanka.com/bat-gallery.htm

For Lugenda Safari Lodge and for Medjumbe Island Lodge, I did not type in the full link:

www.raniresorts.com