Zambia Walking Safaris – They’re Wild!

You may think walking safaris are all about tracking down lions and other “Big Five” animals (leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhinoceros).

Walking safaris – what you’re supposed to see

The main point of walking safaris is to learn about the smaller critters (insects, termites, birds), animal tracks, ebony trees and the mopane tree bark that elephants love to graze on.

It’s to reflect on the whole remarkable cycle of life, death and rebirth in the African bush.

They are not the small creatures we’re supposed to see.

Their bulging eyes and curled piggy ears poke up through the emerald-green Nile cabbage covering the lagoon, a little too close for comfort.

The lure of a Zambia safari

Visiting Africa ignited a fire in us.

Ever since our first safari in Zambia, we’ve hankered to return.

You’re sure to see the “Big Five” animals (lions, leopards, buffalo, rhinos and elephants) on safari in South Africa’s Sabi Sands reserve. The game drives are thrilling there, and most of the lodges are exceptionally luxurious.

But Zambia is more remote than South Africa, harder to get to and much less visited – and the safari experience feels wilder, more raw.

Safari aficionados say Zambia is what Kenya was like decades ago.

There was simply no denying the tug on our heartstrings. We wanted to go back.

Last time, the Lower Zambezi National Park in the southeastern part of the country was our safari stomping ground.

This time, we try Zambia’s drier South Luangwa National Park.

Norman Carr: Pioneer of the walking safari in Zambia

Decades ago, a safari meant hunting and shooting game.

The term “Big Five” was coined by big-game hunters for the five most dangerous animals in Africa to hunt on foot.

Norman Carr, a formidable hunter himself, broke the mold. 

He pioneered the idea of taking visitors on walking safaris to photograph the animals, not kill them. In 1950, he built the first safari camp in South Luangwa.

Types of walking safaris

There are two types of walking safaris.

Multi-day walking safaris

“True” walking safaris are multi-day trips in the bush.

You’re on foot most of the time, perhaps walking from camp to camp, or returning sometimes to the same bush camp for a second night.

Half-day bush walks

The other type is a guided bush walk ranging from a couple of hours to half a day.

These are offered by some African safaris in the morning or late afternoon as an alternative to going on a game drive. 

This is how we experienced our walking safaris – going on guided walks at two Time+Tide camps in the South Luangwa.

Five luxurious South Luangwa safari camps

You could call our first, late afternoon “hippo” walk a “walking safari lite,” as we don’t walk for more than 90 minutes or so.

It’s not a good idea to stay out late and risk being caught in the dark – that’s when lions hunt.

Besides, some killer gin-and-tonics are waiting for us back at camp.

Luwi Bush Camp

Our camp here is Luwi, a seasonal bush camp and the most rustic and remote.

It has just four thatched huts for eight guests.

Each year, Luwi Bush Camp is completely rebuilt, opening in May after the rains have stopped.

Grass mats that cover the packed earth floor in the bathrooms are woven by local village women.

Mchenja Bush Camp

Our second morning walk is from the more deluxe Mchenja Bush Camp.

Mchenja has five bush-chic tented chalets overlooking the Luangwa River.

Our walk from Mchenja is longer than the walk from Luwi.

We even have a “porter” who carries a massive backpack – turns out it’s for the tea, coffee and shortbread cookies for our mid-morning break.

Other bush camps

The two other bush camps are Nsolo and Kakuli.

Chinzombo is the fifth camp in South Luangwa (covered below).

Multi-day walking safaris

If you want a more extended walking safari experience, you can walk from camp to camp in a circuit, staying overnight at each.

They’re located within a morning or easy day’s walk from each other.

Safari game drives in South Luangwa

You see more wildlife, closer up, when you’re on a game drive – the more popular way to go on safari these days. African safari animals are comfortable letting you approach them up close in a Land Rover.

In South Luangwa, we also go on plenty of game drives with Time+Tide.

On our drive to Luwi Bush Camp, three lions by the river catch our attention.

They appear to be waiting to swim across, but they’re cautious, pacing on the riverbank, taking their time. They’ve spotted a large Nile crocodile gliding back and forth right in front of them.

“Crossing the river is a dangerous business,” our guide remarks drily.

Walking safaris vs. game drives (danger zones)

On walking safaris, the animals react differently to humans.

As upright, two-legged creatures on foot, we’re perceived as predators by prey animals like antelope. Intrude on their space, even slightly, and they become skittish.

Other walking safaris in Africa

More walking safaris in Zambia

Some of the best walking safaris in Africa are in Zambia.

Of course, there’s Time+Tide (and previously Norman Carr Safaris).

But Norman Carr also helped train Robin Pope, who then branched off to start his own South Luangwa safari company, Robin Pope Safaris.

With Robin Pope Safaris, you can do a five-day mobile walking safari, walking about six miles a day along the Mupamadzi River. Tents are taken down and set up again each day. You shower under a tree and the toilet is a “bush loo.”

Other African walking safaris

Walking safaris are also offered in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda and Zimbabwe.

At many lodges and camps, you have the chance to go out on a guided bush walk as part of your safari experience. Multi-day trips can also be booked.

You’ll probably want to talk with your Africa safari travel agent about this.

Where is South Luangwa National Park?

See this link to Google Maps for the location of Time + Tide’s Mchenja Camp in South Luangwa National Park. You’ll see Mfuwe on the map too.

Time+Tide in brief

Founder

Norman Carr Safaris was founded in 1950 by Norman Carr, pioneer of walking safaris in Africa, and specifically, Zambia walking safaris.

His camps are now part of the Time+Tide collection of exclusive safaris and remote island adventures across Zambia and Madagascar.

Zambia safari camps

There are five Time+Tide camps in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park.

Time+Tide also run another wildly luxurious camp, King Lewanika Lodge, in Liuwa Plain National Park. And they operate Chongwe Safaris in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park too.

You can seamlessly go on safari to all three parks for three completely different Zambia safari experiences.

More information: See the website for Time+Tide.

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Photo credits: 3, 5, 8 to 12, 14 to 21 © Janice and George Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase

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