South Luangwa Safari with Teenagers
Multi-generational safari travel is on the rise: grandparents, parents and children are now enjoying a proper African safari together: big wildlife, camp fires, sleep-outs and bush walks. Wilder and more remote destinations have become available to families, hosted by lodges designed for them and led by guides well experienced in family safaris.
Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park is such a wild and remote place; indeed, few other safari destinations can match the pedigree of the South Luangwa when it comes to delivering big game viewing in unspoilt surroundings. Its ruptured, river-riven landscape marks the end of the Great Rift Valley and the park supports large numbers of animals, including big cats and wild dog, as well as a huge bird list.
And although you’ll find that many family-safari camps in the South Luangwa are happy to accept children of all ages – which works very well – the South Luangwa National Park is famous for its guided walking safaris, and that’s where the teenager bit comes in.
Families with younger children are not going to miss out – the classic South Luangwa safari activities are still available: 4X4 game drives, boat cruises, waterhole viewing plus age-appropriate games and fun. It’s also a park where spot-lit night drives are permitted, allowing for the chance to see leopards, bush-babies and perhaps the super-rare aardvark.
But children have to be 12 or older to go on the South Luangwa’s other safari activities: canoeing, sleep-outs and bush walking (at the guide’s discretion). And with walking safaris now available to the family, a whole new facet opens up. Walking in the South Luangwa is one of the most exhilarating experiences imaginable; getting up close to herds of elephant and buffalo, tracking lions, watching hippos fight, all under the watchful eye of your armed guides and park rangers. Morning walks may finish with an alfresco breakfast; afternoon walks are bound to end with cold drinks and a sunset view.
Teenagers? You know what you’ll be asked: and yes, some camps have internet but don’t count on it. Instead, you’ll find plenty else to entertain the family. Why not take them to a local community to see how their fellow teenagers live? They’ll have more in common than they might think. And make sure you choose a lodge with a swimming pool, or one with a photographic bird hide. The sight of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters in flight is something your family will talk about for a long time to come.
Where to go? South Luangwa has a sister park – the North Luangwa National Park – which is far less developed than the South, and offers a more remote experience with a limited number of accommodation options. The central area of the South Luangwa is home to a handful of bush camps, usually operating on a seasonal basis, while the majority of the lodges in the South Luangwa are set on the Luangwa River itself, on the eastern edge of the park. Now you have a wide range of accommodation to choose from – budget-friendly, mid-range and top-end. And if you are a large family, it makes sense to look at private camps that can be booked exclusively and come with their own chef, camp staff, guide and vehicle.
When to go? If you want the most comfortable experience, then Zambia’s dry season between June and October is hard to beat. June and July are cold and clear, offering reduced rates as a shoulder season, and then as the rivers dry up, the August, September and October period usually delivers the best wildlife watching as so many animals are concentrated at the remaining water sources but you’ll have to be prepared for some heat, especially in October. Avoid the rainy months of December through April.
How to get there? The South Luangwa is remote but served by Mfuwe International Airport, making it easy to connect with travel hubs such as Johannesburg as well as other local destinations such as Victoria Falls; and if you thought your teenagers enjoyed the South Luangwa, wait until they get to the beaches of Lake Malawi.