Visitors to North Luangwa National Park are all but assured of an exceptional wildlife and wilderness experience, thanks to the lack of infrastructure and pristine nature over a vast area. The park is renowned for its walking safaris, boasting some of the best trail guides on the continent and vast tracts of land closed to vehicles. Visitors can also join game drives by day and night, and with the plentiful wildlife, there is seldom a dull moment. Safaris by bicycle are also offered. Within North Luangwa National Park is a selection of full board and self-catering camps. All professional safari operators cease operations in the wilderness area during the Emerald Season (November-April).
Overseas visitors visiting the North Luangwa National Park can enter Zambia via Kenneth Kaunda International Airport near Lusaka. There are domestic flights to Mfuwe International Airport (near the main entrance of South Luangwa National Park). Air charters to North Luangwa can be arranged. Alternatively, arrange to be collected by your safari operator for a road transfer north. Due to the extreme remoteness and lack of services in North Luangwa, visitors wishing to drive themselves will need a well-equipped 4×4 vehicle, considerable experience in remote expeditions and a high degree of self-sufficiency.
Furthermore, special permission must be granted by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. All safari operators close down for the Emerald Season, exclusively operating from June to October. Most visitors retain professional safari operators’ services for all transport arrangements.
North Luangwa is often said to be Zambia’s best-kept safari secret, thanks to the low visitor numbers. Due to the severe inaccessibility of the park during the Emerald Season, safari operators only offer safari activities from the middle to the end of the Dry Season (June-October).
By late July, the vegetation has thinned considerably, making game viewing more accessible, and the majority of roads are passable. As sources of standing water evaporate, the wildlife concentrates wherever water is available, particularly along the Luangwa and other perennial rivers. Mosquitoes are scarce during the Dry Season. The temperatures within the park become prohibitively hot from October, with the seasonal rains imminent.
