Deep in the Luangwa Valley: Safari Stories from South Luangwa, Part 1
In October 2025,WildLens Adventures hosted a nine-night safari deep in the heart of Zambia’s legendary South Luangwa National Park. Our journey began with three guests from London, joining founder Marno Jooste for an exploration of one of Africa’s last truly wild, predator-rich landscapes. We based ourselves at Chindeni and Kapamba Bushcamps — two of The Bushcamp Company’s most remote and intimate properties, each offering front-row access to the magic of the Luangwa Valley.
Map of the Bushcamp Company Camps in South Luangwa.
For WildLens, this trip was an important proof point: a small, privately hosted Zambia safari designed around strong guiding, intimate camps, walking, photography and time in one of Africa’s most predator-rich landscapes. It was not about racing from sighting to sighting, but about experiencing South Luangwa properly, on foot, by vehicle, around the fire, and through the daily rhythm of the bush.
Trip At a Glance?
Destination: South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
When we travelled: October 2025
Length covered in this post: 5 nights
Camps: Chindeni and Kapamba, The Bushcamp Company
Wider itinerary: 9 nights / 10 days, continuing to Nkonzi Camp with Gavin Opie Safaris
Group: 3 guests from London, hosted by WildLens Adventures
Activities: Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, bush brunches and camp-to-camp transfers
Standout sightings: Lions on a buffalo kill, multiple leopard sightings, 250+ buffalo herd, roaring male lion, carmine bee-eaters and hyenas hunting a wounded buffalo
Best for: Guests looking for a predator-rich Zambia safari with walking, intimate bush camps, strong guiding and a real sense of wilderness
Season note: October is hot and dry, with excellent game viewing as wildlife concentrates around remaining water sources
Arrival in South Luangwa – Welcome to the Valley of the Leopard
From the moment we touched down in Mfuwe, South Luangwa wasted no time showing off. We made a brief stop at Mfuwe Lodge to freshen up and enjoy lunch overlooking a classic Luangwa scene: a dry riverbed snaking between ebony and mahogany trees, a pool filled with hippos, and smaller crocodiles sunning themselves nearby while the antelope, zebra and warthogs grazed on the river banks.
Lioness resting in the dry river bed after feeding on a buffalo kill.
But the real welcome came minutes later. As we left the lodge, our introduction to the valley arrived in spectacular fashion — a pride of lions feeding on a fresh buffalo kill, while hooded vultures waited patiently for their turn. It was a raw, unfiltered reminder of what makes this ecosystem so extraordinary.
Lunch time views at Mfuwe Lodge - The Buschcamp Company.
By sunset we reached Chindeni Bushcamp, perched on the edge of a quiet oxbow lagoon. With just four tented chalets overlooking the water, alive with birdlife, hippos, and passing antelope, the atmosphere was both peaceful and intensely wild. Dinner under a star-studded sky set the tone for the days ahead.
Day 2 – Walking the Wild Pathways of Luangwa
Our first full morning began with one of Luangwa’s signature experiences: a guided walking safari with our expert guide, Charles. On foot, the valley reveals its secrets. We followed leopard scat, porcupine trails, giraffe and hyena tracks, and paused at the delicate, intricate fungus gardens of harvester termites.
Emerging from the forest and stepping into full view of the mighty Luangwa River was a breathtaking moment — a vast sweep of wilderness stretching to the horizon, dotted with hippos, elephants, and the occasional fish eagle perched on a branch. The last wildlife highlight of the morning was stumbling across a lioness taking some cover in the shade along the river - very comfortable and not looking like she was going to move for some time.
As if the morning wasn’t memorable enough, we were treated to a surprise bush brunch along the riverbank: wood-fired pizza, fresh fruit, and brandy and cokes — a Luangwa tradition (with a South African twist) that never loses its charm.
The afternoon delivered our first leopard sighting of the trip: a female reclining high in a tree, framed by warm golden light. We watched her for some time before she descended silently at dusk, beginning her evening hunt. The night drive revealed the park’s lesser-seen nocturnal residents: white-tailed mongoose, bushy-tailed mongoose, and square-tailed nightjars fluttering through the headlights.
A female leopard sleeping in the tree.
Day 3 – Buffalo Herds, Big Skies & Arrival at Kapamba
The next morning’s drive brought another hidden leopard resting in a sausage tree, perfectly camouflaged among the branches. Sausage trees can be productive places to look for leopard, particularly when antelope are drawn to the fallen flowers and fruit below. Not far away, a massive herd of more than 250 buffalo moved across the plains in a thunder of hooves and dust — an awe-inspiring sight that never fails to impress even seasoned safari-goers.
Buffalo with some yellow billed oxpeckers ontop, searching for insects.
After a relaxing lunch back at Chindeni, we began our journey south toward Kapamba Bushcamp. Positioned deep in the remote interior of the park, the camp sits right on the banks of the Kapamba River, offering wildlife right at your doorstep. A relaxed hyena welcomed us on arrival, cooling off in the shallows without so much as a glance in our direction.
Kapamba felt different to Chindeni: still intimate and remote, but with its own river-focused character. For future guests, this is one of the reasons I like combining camps within the same park, the wildlife may be part of the same broader ecosystem, but the feel of each area changes.
The afternoon continued with sightings of roan antelope — a rare and highly prized species here — along with giraffes, eagles, and southern ground hornbills strutting across the floodplain. We ended the day with the iconic Kapamba tradition: sundowners standing in the middle of the dry river, ice cold drinks in our hands as the sky blazed orange.
Day 4 – Tracks, Drama & One Unforgettable Leopard
Day four was a masterclass in Luangwa drama. Our morning walk revealed fresh lion and leopard tracks, the remarkable story of African catfish surviving for months beneath cracked mud, and a tense encounter with three old buffalo bulls — the formidable “dagga boys.”
In the afternoon, we briefly spotted a leopard dashing across a riverbed after being discovered and chased by a troop of baboons — a chaotic scene filled with alarm calls and dust.
But what happened next became one of the highlights of the trip.
As the sun dropped toward the horizon, we encountered a second leopard perched high in a tall tree, glowing gold in the perfect sunset light. It was a picture-perfect moment — calm, commanding, and utterly breathtaking. For Marno, it was one of the most memorable leopard sightings he’s experienced to date and certainly produced the cover photo for our trip.
A female leopard relaxing in a tree in the late afternoon.
Shortly after dark, the evening reached a crescendo. A dominant male lion appeared along the Luangwa River, roaring and scent-marking as he patrolled — likely one of two brothers attempting to take over a pride across the river. The power of his call echoed through the valley, leaving us in stunned silence.
South Luangwa has over 450 different bird species. We managed to cross off over 100 on our nine day trip.
Day 5 – Carmine Cliffs, Trail-Camera Mischief & A Final Night of Wild Drama
Our final morning offered a change of pace — a celebration of colour and movement. Along a long stretch of riverbank, hundreds of southern carmine bee-eaters were busy nesting, streaking overhead in vibrant scarlet as they returned to their burrows. A lilac-breasted roller chased a kite in mid-air, while the cry of a fish eagle rolled down the river.
Later that afternoon, we retrieved the Bushnell Trail Camera we had set up earlier in the trip — only to discover that a hyena had chewed it beyond repair. Luckily, the footage survived long enough to reveal the culprit in action.
But the valley had one more dramatic scene waiting for us. After dark, on our way to a reported leopard sighting, we stumbled upon two hyenas attempting to bring down a wounded buffalo bull at a shallow waterhole. Though unlikely to succeed without reinforcements, the pair called loudly for the rest of the clan. Meanwhile, baboons screamed from the trees, still agitated from a nearby leopard encounter. Under the rising full moon, the intensity of the moment was extraordinary.
For the group, it was a reminder that some of the most memorable safari moments are not the clean, postcard-perfect sightings. Sometimes they are noisy, messy, unresolved and half-seen in torchlight, but they stay with you because they feel completely wild.
Stunning views from Kapamba Camp.
A Safari That Captures the Spirit of South Luangwa
Across five nights with The Bushcamp Company, the group recorded more than 30 mammal species, including Thornicroft’s giraffe, roan antelope, Crawshay’s zebra, wild dog, and several incredible leopard sightings, as well as over 50 bird species. Each day revealed new layers of wilderness, from the delicate stories told on walking safaris to the roaring power of Luangwa’s apex predators.
Next up: Part 2 of our adventure, where we head north to Nkonzi Camp with Gavin Opie Safaris for four more nights in a beautifully remote corner of the valley.
For me, this first half of the trip captured why South Luangwa remains one of Africa’s great safari landscapes. It was not just the number of sightings, although the wildlife was exceptional. It was the combination of walking, night drives, intimate camps, predator drama, birdlife, riverine scenery and the sense that each day revealed another layer of the valley.
From a WildLens perspective, this is exactly the kind of safari I want to build more of: small groups, strong guiding, proper time in the field, space for photography, and a deeper connection to the places we visit.
How I would use South Luangwa in a WildLens itinerary
South Luangwa remains one of the Zambia destinations I would be most confident recommending to future WildLens guests. It works especially well for travellers who want a serious wildlife experience without losing the intimacy of small camps and good hosting.
I would use luxury camps like Chindeni and Kapamba for guests who want the classic Bushcamp Company rhythm: early starts, walking, riverine landscapes, strong guiding, good food, night drives and a real feeling of being deep in the park. For photographers, the combination of leopards, lions, buffalo, birds, river crossings, dust, golden light and night-drive opportunities makes the valley exceptionally rewarding.
I would most likely pair this section of the trip with a more remote camp such as Nkonzi, or with the Lower Zambezi for guests who want a broader Zambia itinerary combining walking, predators, winterthorn forests and river-based safari.
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If you are considering Zambia for a future safari, we would be happy to help shape a privately hosted itinerary around South Luangwa, the Lower Zambezi, or a combination of both.
