Mitch,
I also have been communicating with Luangwa River Lodge, at Roccos's suggestion. Barry has been very helpful.
But are you saying that that wouldn't be the best location for wildlife viewing? What would you suggest for possibly 3 locations (that wouldn't involve long transfers between)that you would consider best----spending 3-4 days at each place.
Thanks

tigerpaw,

I think I already made my opinion regarding the wildlife situation outside the park clear.

My suggestions for three locations are southern sector of the park (Bushcamp Company), Mfuwe Sector (Puku Ridge) and Nsefu Sector (Nsefu, Tena Tena, Kaingo, Tafika).

You can find links to the camps on my website at
http://www.safari-portal.de/Lodging....SouthLuangwaNP

Mitch

PS: If you don't want longer transfers (what is long?) I always would recommend to stay in Nsefu Sector.

tigerpaw-Rocco should be posting about his stay at luangwa river lodge in about 7 days when he gets to capetown (if not sooner if he can persuade Barry to get him online) and will tell us about the wildlife viewing firsthand. Bwanamitch seems to be VERY knowledgeable and helpful and i'm disappointed about his comments about l.r.l. and game viewing as i am staying there in october, but as he said, he's sure i will have a good time. Hopefully by some fluke, all the animals will decide to come to L.R.L while i am there! :)

Pretty sure Barry will allow him to post... Rocco should be at LRL today or tomorrow. isnt it funny

Mitch,
Thanks for the information. Your website is excellent.

Matnik,
I'll be very anxious to hear of your experiences. I'm sure you'll have a great trip. I'm in the planning process for a 2006 trip. Don't know which month yet.
Thanks.

Mitch or anyone: Do you know in which sector the Luangwa River Lodge is located?

The people of Luangwa River Lodge wrote me the following:
"We are infact located in the Upper Lupande GMA overlooking the Luangwa Wafwa section of the SLNP. As you cross the bridge leading into the park (Main Gate) we are upstream (North) 9kms as the river runs. About half way to Tena Tena camp. From the Airport we are a 50 minute transfer."

In Google Maps this is about here:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=-13.05...64128+(Luangwa River Lodge)&spn=0.140435,0.161121&t=k&hl=en

That means, the lodge is located directly south of Nsefu Sector and more than 10 kms away from all the other 'big' lodges in the GMA which are located southwest of Mfuwe Bridge,
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=-13.09...;t=k&hl=en

I have my fingers crossed for you, Dennis.

Mitch

PS: Please, Dennis, tell me the exact location after you are back.

Thanks Bwana!

After I've researched this one thing is clear:
Luangwa River Lodge doesn't share the same area with the other lodges during game drives. I also guess that they don't use a pontoon for getting into the park, instead that they drive north into Nsefu Sector.

Mitch

You should compare LRL's location with the area I will go:
http://www.virtuellesafari.de/Itiner...bia2005.d.html

Mitch

Isn't it a good thing that they don't share the area with other lodges on game drives? Fewer people, vehicles, etc.? Thanks

Or are you saying LRL doesn't even go into the park? Sorry - I really am trying to keep up here! ;-)

biting my nails here! i would think it's good they don't go where everyone else goes, right? just have to wait until we hear from Rocco! :'(

Here is map of the area on the Norman Carr Safaris website:
http://www.normancarrsafaris.com/zam...uangwa_map.htm

LRL is located SSW of Kakuli Bushcamp, the other 'big' lodges of the Mfuwe Area are located around Kapani Lodge, and Nsefu Sector is the park area east of the river in the north (east of Kakuli and Mchenja). It is unlikely, that LRL will do its game drives on the west bank because this area seems to be the 'concession' of Norman Carr Safaris.

Mitch

I'm reading that the nsefu sector is game rich, so if lrl does there drives there, we will be in a game rich area.

Dennis - I've read that, too. Mitch, don't roll your eyes at me but is the LRL in the Nsefu sector or not?!

(confused face here)

Sharon

Nsefu Sector is regarded as one of the best areas of the park. However, it's also the 'territory' of Robin Pope Safaris. Their flagship camp Tena Tena is located just NE of Kakuli Camp on the east bank, or in Google Maps:
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=-12.99...1.905413+(Tena Tena)&spn=0.078655,0.084475&t=k&hl=en

So I really have no idea where the people of LRL are going during their game drives. Maybe they go SW and then cross the river... this would still be an exclusive area. Would be interesting to hear what Rocco is telling us when he's back.

Mitch

Sharon,

LRL is outside the park and outside Nsefu Sector. Have a look at the Norman Carr Safaris map. LRL is 7 o'clock (down left) from Kakuli Camp, in the area where the Luangwa River forms a big ox bow.

Nsefu Sector starts right of Kakuli Camp, the green lappet.

Mitch

according to a "testimonial" on LRL's website, the transfer into the park is done by boat.

Then I guess it must be the area west of the big ox bow,
http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-13.0...;t=k&hl=en

Looks like an exclusive area... I don't remember any camps in that area.

Mitch

PS: Wow. Over 100 postings in the 'Sharon" thread...

just think of what the number would be if Rocco was in town!!! :)

yeah, and the number of '$' characters... (currently none) :-D

HAHAHA!! :p

I know~ I am so honored! And confused. I picked Zambia thinking, among other things, my choices would be EASIER. Thanks, Mitch! ;-)

I noticed many of you are always asking where the camps/lodges are? Can you get a gps coordinate when communicating with the operators? Or even take a gps for locting them when you go and those wonderful photo ops.

I've just sent a mail to Barry asking for GPS coordinates and the game driving area.

Btw, the questions for camp locations will soon be over when I'm back from Zambia... ;-)

I've got another, unrelated question. I'll post here first, but I may repost as a new thread if I don't get my answer here. I am wondering about when to go. First, I do understand the different seasons and that Aug-Sept. are probably best for game. But I am considering going mid May to mid June to save money and see things when they are a bit more green. I'd really like to know if anyone has been to Zambia during this time and how it really is. Is it very hot and humid? Is it really that hard to spot game? I know wild dog may be more active during this time which would be very cool. The other thing I'd like to know is this: Let's say I decide to wait and go in June or July. At this point, there is no seasonal discount to be had, so is it just as well to wait until Aug-Sept. for "peak" animal time? Is the terrain THAT much different in June/July compared to Aug./Sept? Animal viewing? OK - I think that's it for now. Again, I know what everyone says about the seasons. I'm looking for some real life observations to help me plan this trip. Photography is a priority, if that matters. (Hmm.. Going later allows me to save more money; going earlier allows me to spend less money. Maybe that part evens out!) :-)
Thanks everyone!

Sharon
Thanks for your questions. I have been wondering about the exact same things---the various Zambia locations, the best season for the cost involved and the game viewing conditions.
I am getting more and more confused the more I read!
Thanks

You're most welcome, Tigerpaw! I hope someone has some input. Actually, I am not as confused as I sound. I know (pretty much, lol) where I'm going. Now it's a matter of choosing camps, and choosing the time of year to go! And I'm still weighing out going to Zimbabwe. It will be great to get Rocco's report, and to hear from Mitch after he goes, as well.

The best month for game viewing in North and South Luangwa is October. But then it gets progressively hotter and humid, but the grazers have reduced the foliage to block viewing and your pics.Mozzies not an issue yet till the rains. The best all around time is Sept.
The rains start in November and continue, so then you get into the lower rates. November North Luangwa buttons up and will not open till it dries out again, usually by the 1st of June. But they are rebuilding camps in May.
Because of the higher visitor numbers, year round tracks and some operating nearly year round in SLNP, the program is different there.

well at least it looks like I am going at the best time! phewwwwwww :)

Mitch,

I noticed that you mentioned that certain areas of South Luangwa NP are considered the 'concessions' of particular safari companies (e.g. Robin Pope and Nsefu). Does this mean that if I want to see the Nsefu area, I need to stay at a Robin Pope camp?

Cheers,
Julian

Julian,

I'm not quite sure whether there are real concessions or only operators' agreements, however, all the areas in the park west of the river where the big operators have their bush camps and make their walking trails, are for exclusive use by one operator only.

Nsefu Sector is not an exclusive area of Robin Pope Safaris, although other operators respect the nice areas around Nsefu Camp and Tena Tena. I've been in Nsefu Sector with Remote Africa (Tafika Camp) and met RPS vehicles, and vice versa. I saw no other operators during my 8-day stay in the area.

Mitch

cooncat2.
I am new to this stream, however not a stranger to Zambia or the South & North Luangwa valleys:

1) Time of year.
As someone has already advised, most camps in the SLV are closed until June. This has everythjing to do with the subsiding river and nothing to do with the game. The game is there year round.

The river gets progressively lower from July through November. The vegetation thins out over this time too, a result of both browsing and drought.

2) Game viewing during the wet season from Mfuwe Lodge & Chichele is good in the Nov - Jun periods as the game tend towards the raised roads keeping out of the mrashy floodplains. During November Mfuwe Lodge enjoys a special sight, a small herd of elephant wander through the lodge reception to feed on a mango tree in the lodge grounds. This is a curios activity that they have en joyed for some years.

In the Nsefu Sector Tafika is open between Feb and April.

In choosing your lodge/camp you need to decide what it is that you want. Do you want a very private and personal experience? Then go for the Bushcamps as they only accommodate 6 people. Do you want to spend less? Then look at Mfuwe lodge or the other larger facilities, they take around forty people making the experience less personal, buut none the less enjoyable.

3) If you have the time, I would agree that visiting Zim would be an added jewel to the trip, spend some time at Vic Falls too up until the end of July the flow is awesome. If however you end up there around Sept onwards, the falls are best viewed from the Zim side, Zambia has almost no water.

Last comment on choosing your camp.
The game is good year round. No matter where you stay I believe that you will see good game. Yes being in the park is a better, you don't need to exit before closure.
However the guide will make or break your stay. I suggest you look carefully at the inclusions and find the camp that offers the best values, generally they are the ones that are keyed into their guests needs and will provide you with the better and more committed guides.

good luck

Mkhonzo-Thank you so much for the reply. This will be of help to me and others who are trying to plan trips to Zambia. This is going to sound like a broken record to some on this board, but since you're new, let me explain a bit more and maybe you'll have more advice. When you asked what experiences I'm looking for, etc., I prefer the idea of a smaller camp and a smaller group. But I am going solo, and I also hope to avoid being stuck with a large family group, for instance, or couples who don't want a "third wheel" around. I really don't mean to drone on about this and I do understand that it's always a crap shoot when you travel. So.... with that said, would you go with bush camps over the lodges? Also, any idea about humidity levels in May? I can take heat better than humidity! Photography in May? Will the grass really hide the animals? That's it...for now. Thank you a million times over!
Sharon

Norman Carr has written a wonderful book, "Valley of the Elephants", that describes wildlife and climatic changes in South Luangwa through the months of the year. It's out of print for years, but maybe you find a copy at your local library.

Book info on my site:
http://www.safari-shop.de/FieldStudi...#0-00-216841-3

Mitch

Thanks Mitch - At a first attempt, the only copy I could find was a used version on Amazon for $295.00! That's a little too much but it does sound like a great book. I'll check my local library!