Introduction
The South Luangwa National Park is Zambia's finest and most accessible wildlife park. It was here that walking safaris were pioneered and they remain one of the best ways of experiencing the African wilderness. The Luangwa River and its oxbow lakes are good places to see some of the highest concentrations of game on the continent.
South Luangwa is known for its roaming herds of elephants, some with 70 or more individuals. One particular community, whose matriarch is known locally as Wonky Tusk, is known to walk through the lobby of Mfuwe Lodge - a luxurious thatched bush camp considered one of Zambia's best - during the green season, in search of fresh mangoes that grow in the grounds.
Buffalos, leopards, zebras, antelopes and Thornicroft's giraffes are also prevalent, while the river and lakes are home to plentiful crocodiles and hippos. Birds are another South Luangwa attraction, with around 400 different species, including Steppe eagles and Steppe buzzards, which migrate from Russia. Ground hornbills, bee-eaters and yellow-billed storks are some of the local species that can be seen year-round.
