CONSERVATION SAFARI LUAMBE NATIONAL PARK
Experience a park that’s being restored. Safari with Purpose - Luambe Conservation Project
The happiest guests are the guests who got to join us in our conservation activities and projects.
Guests who safari with a purpose, combine safari time with activities that help track the wildlife and benefit local communities.
Some activities you may get involved in subject to time of year and wildlife monitoring programmes.
Monitor sightings on the game drives & walks
The traditional game drive and guided walk with a difference by recording your sightings . These records form the backbone of our data to confirm the populations are continuing to recover. Sightings can be recorded manually or virtually through our game monitoring app.
Participate in ZCP’s large carnivore monitoring project by observing Luambe’s lion prides and wild dog packs. Guests are encouraged to take facial close-ups of lions for the data base of ZCP. Each individual lion is identifiable from the unique lion whisker spots found on each side of the face. Other characteristics such as ear tears, facial shapes and scars are also useful.
The African wild dogs’ coat patterns are similarly unique to each individual and can be used to identify individuals. Side view pictures of wild dogs are most welcome for our data base on Luambe’s wild dog pack
Sunsets and Hippo communication
In front of camp, on the banks of the Luangwa a large pool is home to hundreds of hippo whose numbers increase throughout the dry season. The underwater monitoring equipment and floating hippo deck give you the chance to listen through earphones to the amazing underwater language of hippos! Best time is in the afternoon with a sundowner! Expect to fall asleep to the hippos grunts, groans, growls, wheezing and chuffing noises as they leave the river to graze.
Observing the leopards of Luambe
Regular sightings of Leopards drinking at the camp´s waterhole help with this research. Sightings and camera trap images build up the ‘Luambe leopard family tree’. Help the team by photographing leopard faces or installing and setting up camera traps in the park.
Gentle giants on the increase
Luambe’s giraffes. Giraffes are increasingly becoming a species of conservation concern. A small population has established in Luambe area and began to breed. In 2020 , a pair of twins arrived! Apart from South Luangwa National Park, Luambe is the only protected area with a reproducing population of Thornicroft’s giraffe. Their coat pattern shows a high degree of individual variation and can be used as a cost‐effective, non‐invasive way to study populations. Help the team with your pictures of giraffes to increase the giraffe data base.
Bird tagging and identification
Luambe is home to four vulture species which are all decreasing dramatically! Join the Luambe Conservation Project researchers with their vital work in understanding and protecting the Luangwa Valley’s vulture and crested crane populations. When possible join the LCP team and attend tagging exercises and other scientific research activities. For the avid birdwatcher there are abundant species of birds: these include the martial eagle, tawny eagle and African fish eagles. Guided birding walks can be spectacular with specials like the African skimmer, racket-tailed roller, Pel’s fishing owl, white-backed night-heron and Lilian’s lovebirds. Birds are subject to seasonal movements.
Recording Luambe bat data and species
Bats represent more than 20% of all mammal species, but rarely noticed on traditional safaris. More than 60 species of bats and about 10 species of fruit bats are known to occur in Zambia. After dinner, we bring out some pretty specialist technology which allows us to walk around camp to listen and record the various bat sounds around Luambe.
Understand the community dynamics
Carmine conservation and coffee
For a few weeks a year, from late September to the end of October the area is splashed with colour by Luangwa’s favourite visitors – the carmine bee eaters. Large flocks of these migratory birds dig their burrows and lay their eggs in the vertical Luangwa riverbanks, offering guests the rare opportunity to savour a cup of ‘Carmine Coffee’ during their breeding season. Truly a sight to behold even if you are not an avid bird watcher. These birds are often the target of feather poachers. Regular monitoring of Luambe´s breeding colonies, keeping accurate nest and population counts is vital to know that they are being protected. Luambe Conservation Project records nest sites and numbers annually to ensure the populations are thriving.
See law-enforcement at work
In 2019, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife of Zambia increased the number of scouts in Luambe National Park. Scout training programme of the International Fund for Animal Welfare has also taken place in and around Luambe National Park in 2019 and 2020. Join the scouts on an educational anti-snaring patrol and learn about the signs of incursions, tracks and poachers.
Luambe has various communities that border the park and work closely with Chitungulu. Guests are welcome to join us in understanding the challenges these communities face when living next to wildlife areas. Do visit elephant proof maize storage, assist with bee hive fencing and chilli planting which help reduce human – wildlife conflict. Luambe supports a lot of work in the education sector focusing on protecting wildlife for the next generation. Basketry and wood carvings through the Chitungulu Foundation.
.Luambe Camp - Comfortable accommodation in 5 tents with home style meals and an awesome location. Plans are afoot to open Kasikizi Bushcamp in 2022.
5 NIGHT LUAMBE CONSERVATION PROJECT
1 June - 31st October 2021 : STAY 5/PAY 4 –USD2075 per person sharing
Included: All accommodation, meals, local drinks, safari & conservation activities, park fees & bed levies, laundry
Excluded: Premium drinks, transfers, flights, travel insurance & gratuities
8 NIGHT LUANGWA DISCOVERY SAFARI
4 nights Flatdogs Camp + 4 nights Luambe Conservation Project. SHOULDER SEASON: 1st June - 30 JUNE 2021. USD3270 ppspn HIGH SEASON: 1st July - 31st October 2021 USD3638 ppspn
Included: All accommodation, meals, local drinks at Luambe, safari & conservation activities , park fees & bed levies, laundry, road transfers Mfuwe - Flatdogs - Luambe - Mfuwe.
Excluded: Drinks at Flatdogs, premium drinks at Luambe, external transfers, flights, items of a personal nature & gratuities
LUAMBE LONG STAY - Stay 5/Pay 4 (JUNE-OCTOBER 2022)
USD2227 per person sharing
Included: All accommodation, meals, local drinks, safari & conservation activities, park fees & bed levies, laundry.
Excluded: Premium drinks, transfers, flights, travel insurance & gratuities
LUANGWA DISCOVERY SAFARI
4 nights Flatdogs Camp + 4 nights Luambe Camp
SHOULDER SEASON: 1st June - 1st July – USD3421 per person sharing
HIGH SEASON: 1st July - 31st October –USD3790 per person sharing
Included: All accommodation, meals, local drinks at Luambe, 2 safari activities a day, park fees & bed levies, laundry, road transfers Mfuwe -
Flatdogs - Luambe - Mfuwe.
Excluded: Drinks at Flatdogs, premium drinks at Luambe, external transfers, flights, items of a personal nature & gratuities