Valid November 1, 2008 - May 21, 2009
From $2722.00 per person
Why visit the South Luangwa in the Emerald Season?
This is a spectacular time of year, when the Luangwa River rises and floods, causing the already "crowded valley" to turn intensely green and burst with new life. The South Luangwa National Park is home to one of the greatest collections of wildlife in the world - including leopard, lion, elephant, giraffe, buffalo, hippo and more than 400 species of birds. Robin Pope Safaris pioneered walking safaris here, and has been in operation for 22 years. Their guides have an immense knowledge of this incredible area.
November and December are months of rebirth. After a long dry season, the first storms arrive with plenty of drama - thunder and lightning. The bush is bursting with new life - the emerald green grass pushes through and the new leaves are growing. The green is incredibly intense everywhere - with the purples and pinks (and yellows) of the flowers scattered throughout. There is an influx of migratory birds with spirals of migrating storks and also the cuckoos and other "specials" like the Angola pitta.
January, February, March - the river now rises rapidly and can come right to the top of the banks. This gives incredible boating experiences - when you can boat from the river into the lagoon systems. These months are the peak breeding months for the birds and there are colonies of weavers nests hanging over lagoons, trees simply full of heron and stork nests and the more secretive birds like gallinules and Angola pitas can still be found. The game viewing continues to be excellent as much of the game stays on the dry ground - the roads! This is when we start regularly seeing the wild dog in the area.
April, May - As we end March the migrant birds are near the end of their breeding, the bush is lush and the skies incredibly blue. The river is high and we can have a lot of fun boating around. The lagoons are full and the water birds everywhere. This is a wonderful time of the year. And it is peak time for wild dog viewing. Through the months of April and May, the river slowly drops, the bush colours turn from green to golden yellow, the lagoons start to shrink and the migratory birds prepare for their long journeys.
River Journeys - 7 nights
This safari combines Nkwali and Nsefu Camps.
At Nkwali we will drive, walk and boat. Most of the game in this area remains resident all year, so the game viewing is always excellent. We will hopefully see wild dog, as this time of year is peak season for them. After a few nights we will boat slowly up the Luangwa River, to Nsefu, bird watching and game viewing on the way. The transfer is around 3 hours.
At Nsefu the emphasis will be on exploring the flooded ebony groves and lagoon system, flowing channels and tributaries by boat. There will also be excellent walking, including a boating/walking combination to reach one of southern Africa's largest yellow billed stork colonies.
| Itinerary: | A combination of Nkwali and Nsefu for 7 nights |
| Transfer days: | By boat Nkwali/Nsefu - Tues, Thurs and Sat only |
| Included: | All safari costs (activities, national park fees, bar and laundry) |
| Not Included: | Flights, departure taxes and visa |
| Rates: | From US$2750 per person |
| Dates: | Valid 22 Jan - 31 Mar 2009 |
South Luangwa/ Lower Zambezi Combo - 9 nights
This journey combines two of Zambia's destinations in a last minute getaway special: the fantastic Chongwe River House in Lower Zambezi and any Robin Pope Property in South Luangwa (Nkwali, Robin's House or Luangwa Safari House).
| Itinerary: | Any combination of nights between South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi |
| Included: | All safari costs (drinks, national park fees, activities) |
| Not Included: | Flights (domestic and international) |
| Rates: | From US$2880 per person |
| Dates: | Valid 1 Apr 2009 to 30 Jun 2009 |
Dash to the Bush - 7 nights
Spend a week at Nkwali boating, walking, and game viewing during this most wonderful time of year. The wildlife is excellent during these months, in total contrast to the dry season.
| Itinerary: | 7 nights Nkwali or 6 nights Nkwali and 1 night Chaminuka |
| Included: | Internal flights Lusaka/Lusaka and all safari costs |
| Not Included: | Flights (domestic and international) |
| Rates: | From US$2722 per person |
| Dates: | Valid 01 Nov 2008 - 21 May 2009 |
Extended Dash to the Bush - 10 nights
This is the Dash to the Bush with an extension to the Chongwe River Camp in the Lower Zambezi. It is a fabulous time to come and see these great parks at their most lush.
| Itinerary: | Nkwali 6 nights and Chongwe River Camp 4 nights |
| Included: | Internal flights Lusaka/Lusaka and all safari costs |
| Not Included: | Flights (domestic and international) |
| Rates: | From US$4826 per person |
| Dates: | Valid 01 April - 21 May 2009 |
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