LUAMBE NATIONAL PARK
Luambe National Park is located in the Eastern Province of Zambia. The park is situated north-east of the famous South Luangwa National Park, and south of the North Luangwa National Park. Like its neighbors, it is located in the Luangwa River rift valley.
The small park of 300 square Kilometers lies on the flat valley bottom, next to the river. The ecoregion at the site is Zambezian and Mopane woodlands, a woodland savanna type more tolerant of the hotter drier conditions at the bottom of the valley than the Miombo woodland savanna which covers most of the country. The elevation is 500–700 metres above sea level. In some places the trees are quite dense, in others they give way to grassland.
The life force of the Luangwa Valley is the Luangwa River. In the rainy season it floods and as it recedes, lagoons remain at the side of the main channel. The river does not dry up completely at Luambe but by the end of the dry season flows are reduced to a trickle. The river scene changes through the year according to the water level, which changes the topography of its banks and floodplain. This combination of water and land has created a very special ecosystem. In Luambe, there are numerous lagoons, which are visited by animals and birds in the dry season and which promote biodiversity.
Luambe National Park was unfunded until 1999. As a consequence, excessive poaching led to a drastic decline in wildlife. Only a few shy animals remained. Luangwa-Wilderness. a non-profit association, aims to help with the preservation and rebuilding of the park. This is done in close cooperation with the Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) and with the involvement of local communities.
Lessons learnt from the neighboring North Luangwa National Park, through work undertaken by the Frankfurt Zoological Society, illustrated how animal populations can be boosted with appropriate management and planning. In the last three years, the building of a lodge in Luambe National Park has already aided a good recovery and improvement in wildlife numbers.
The overall aim is that the Luambe National Park will be managed by Zambians in the future and will be open to tourism with the sole aim to preserve a unique part of Africa. Longer term, plans exist to establish corridors between the northern and southern parks, as happens in the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, consisting of the Limpopo National Park (Mozambique), Kruger National Park (South Africa) and Gonarezhou National Park (Zimbabwe)
WILDLIFE
The most common larger game species found in Luambe are puku, impala, warthog, bushbuck, waterbuck, kudu, hippo, zebra and buffalo. However, sightings of Cookson’s wildebeest, roan antelope, Lichtenstein´s hartebeest, eland, common duiker and Oribi are also possible. Thorneycroft’s giraffe has been seen regularly over the last two years. Elephant are common in Luambe and said to be on the increase.
Larger carnivores such as lion, leopard, spotted hyena, and wild dog are regularly seen. Smaller carnivores such as the serval, African wild cat, African civet, blotched genet and various mongoose species can also be found, especially during night drives.
BIRDS
Luambe National Park supports more than 200 species of bird. For the avid birdwatcher, birding in Luambe National Park can be spectacular with rarities such as the African skimmer, racket-tailed roller, Pel´s fishing owl, white-backed night-heron, Angola pitta and Lilian´s lovebirds.
Large colonies of southern carmine bee-eaters can be found along the banks of Luangwa River in September and October. Other regularly seen species include spectacular raptors such as the Martial, Tawny and African Fish Eagles as well as a variety of water birds including heron, ducks and geese
When to visit Luambe National park
Luambe National Park can only be accessed in the dry season between May and October; during the rainy season it becomes impassable.
DIRECTIONS TO THI S NATIONAL PARK
The access roads to Luambe National park are suitable only for high clearance 4×4 vehicles. From the south it’s a 70 kilometer approximately 3–4 hours, drive from Mfuwe on dirt road through the Nsefu sector of South Luangwa National Park to Luambe’s southern ‘Chakolwa Gate’ entrance. From Lundazi it’s a 120 kilometers approximately a 3-hour drive on dusty road to Luambe’s northern ‘Chipuka Gate’ entrance.
ACCOMMODATION
Guests will be accommodated in 4 spacious en-suite safari tents, each offering a spectacular view of the Luangwa River and its abundant wildlife.
With Luambe National Park being located in a core area of Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, it forms a crucial part of its entire ecosystem. The main objective of Luambe Camps and its operating company Luambe Conservation Ltd. is to primarily conserve the habitat and biodiversity of the National Park.
Luambe Camp is 1 of only 2 camps in the entire National Park, so it gives guests a very elite and authentic stay and offers the Luangwa of old – remote and wild.