The Luangwa Valley has one of the highest concentrations of game In Africa. Due to the lush riverine vegetation and lots of water, large animal populations and a variety of bird life can comfortably be supported. The Luangwa is best known for herds of Elephants, large pods of Hippos and Buffalo herds numbering in the hundreds but this is just a part of the fantastic diversity of animals and birds which make the Luangwa Valley one of Africa's best wildlife destinations. Mammals range from the very small Elephant shrew to impressively large Eland . Night drives are excellent for finding small carnivores, Civet cat , Genet , Serval and Mongoose , shinning eyes give away Porcupine, thick tailed Bushbaby and sometimes veracious Honey badgers.

Leopard are here in very good numbers although naturally shy during the day Leopard can, with skill, be found more often at night when moving through the bush. Frequently they are seen hunting Buck or terrorizing roosting Baboons. Our clients have managed to get some outstanding photos and Zambia has to be the best place in the world to see them. Wilddog which are elusive due to their far ranging are here in the valley and can be encountered at anytime, these inquisitive and very effcient hunters now suffer less from persecution and numbers are on the increase. Lions are very often seen at night, also on walks and day time drives . The Luangwa has some very big prides often numbering more than twenty and theyare very active hunters who very often target Buffalo preferring the lonely old single male "Kakuli" bulls but willing to take what ever they can ,it is possible for them to kill deep off in the bush and this can mean they are absent for days at a time but it is unusual not to have good sightings in both the north and the south. The soft whooping calls of Hyena echo around the bush most nights , calling clans together at a kill or to intimidate other predators from theirs especially in the North Hyenas and Lions are constantly at odds. The Valley ecosystem has a varied habitat providing good feeding for many herbivores , Antelope abound with lots of Impala and always near to water their shaggy cousins Puku , Graceful Kudu prefer the denser bush but are a frequent sighting. Bushbuck and Roan , right down to the diminutive Grysbok and common Duiker and if we are lucky Klipspringer who favor rocky hill country on the Muchinga escarpment . The valley has several endemic species of note , Cooksons Hartebeest , Crawshaws Zebra and the quite beautiful Thornicrofts Giraffe all are very often seen on walks and drives. But for sheer mass and intimidation the large herds of Buffalo are hard to beat, grazing their way over dry grass to a hiss of buzzing flies as they kick up dust that at a distance can look like a bush fire .

Hippos are so numerous that it is estimated there are 50 per KM of river,expect spectacular sights of hundreds crammed together especially in the dryer months. Elephants are recovering from heavy poaching in the 70s/&80s and are often seen in and around the camps and lodges and for us still represent a must see species on any safari .There are many animals and bird not mentioned which we hope you will see, it is hard (impossible ) to guarantee, but you will find that our guides will do their very best to show you as much as possible that the bush has to hold and to provide you with information & knowledge on the flora of the valley whilst on game drives in open 4x4s during the day and at night . You will encounter game on foot in the company of very experienced and trained armed guides and being at ground level during these walks you will see the trail of porcupine quills in the dust and lines of foraging ants .

With over 400 species of birds recorded bird watching in the Luangwa is quite superb. In September /October as the skies begin to fill with towering cumulus clouds and the drying streams expose open dambos, great flocks of large water birds arrive to forage in the muddy shallows. Storks including Open billed , Yellow and Saddle billed, kick the drying mud to expose fish. Pelicans operate in lines abreast, driving fish before them into shallows before scooping them up into their beak pouches. Also seen are Marabou storks prepared to eat anything from fish to carrion and at the other end of the scale are Crowned Cranes, Black headed Herons and great white Egrets. At sunrise the bush resonates to the hooting honking sound of Giant ground hornbills and during the heat of the day a constant background of cooing Doves (Turtle & Namaqua) , bush Shrike , Louries , and entertaining gray Hornbills. It is worth noting that October/November & Feb /May sees the arrival of migrant species from Europe , and across Africa to enjoy the rich feeding which comes with the rains . These include swallows also Swifts, Cuckoo, white Storks and Bee eaters . European hobbies, Steppe eagles and Buzzards . Local raptors include Batleur eagles, Marshal eagles, black shoulder Kites and Vultures (Lappet faced & White-backed) and the list goes on to over 400 species .