Zambezi Grande, Chikunto & Chundukwa

Day 1: Lusaka – Lower Zambezi

Arrive into Lusaka and meet and assist at the airport, then board your scheduled flight to Royal Airstrip in the Lower Zambezi region. On arrival, transfer to Zambezi Grande on the riverbank, with wide views across to Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. Settle into your suite and take in the river frontage, where wildlife often moves along the waterline. Overnight at Zambezi Grande.

Day 2: Lower Zambezi

Begin safari activities in the Lower Zambezi, mixing classic game drives with time on the river, where the day’s light and water conditions shape what makes sense. The river edge can be as productive as the park tracks, and it is common to spend time watching wildlife movement between the floodplain and the water. Overnight at Zambezi Grande.

Day 3: Lower Zambezi

Continue with a flexible activity programme, with options for guided walking safaris, boat cruises, canoeing when water levels allow, and seasonal tiger fishing. The variety here is the point: the same landscape can be read from a vehicle track, a walking line, or from the river itself, often producing very different encounters. Overnight at Zambezi Grande.

Day 4: Lower Zambezi

Further time to combine land and water activities, working whichever areas are producing the best viewing. Sunrise and sunset are particularly strong for photography on the river, and the rhythm of the day tends to follow those peaks, with quieter time in between to enjoy the lodge’s setting. Overnight at Zambezi Grande.

Day 5: Lower Zambezi – South Luangwa

Scheduled flight to Mfuwe, gateway to South Luangwa National Park. On arrival, transfer to Chikunto Safari Lodge, set on a private stretch of the Luangwa River with elevated decks designed for watching whatever drifts past the riverbank. Settle in and begin your first Luangwa activities, shaped around the light and wildlife movement. Overnight at Chikunto Safari Lodge.

Day 6: South Luangwa

Full day on safari activities, typically built around morning and afternoon game drives, with wildlife viewing focused along riverbanks, lagoons and open plains. South Luangwa is known for its leopard density, strong elephant numbers and high-quality guiding, with sightings often building steadily as you learn the area. Overnight at Chikunto Safari Lodge.

Day 7: South Luangwa

Continue safari activities, adding night drives to look for nocturnal species and shifting the emphasis depending on season and conditions. If walking safaris are operating, this is the landscape that made them famous, giving a slower, more immersive way to read tracks, behaviour and habitat detail. Overnight at Chikunto Safari Lodge.

Day 8: South Luangwa

Another full day to work the most productive areas, with time to focus on whatever is showing well, whether that is riverine wildlife, predators on the move, or concentrations around lagoons. Evenings are typically relaxed back at camp, with the day’s sightings and the river setting shaping the atmosphere. Overnight at Chikunto Safari Lodge.

Day 9: South Luangwa – Livingstone

Scheduled flight to Lusaka, connecting onward to Livingstone, then road transfer to Chundukwa River Lodge. Arrive to a calmer Zambezi setting upstream from Victoria Falls, with river chalets shaded by trees and a more unhurried final pace after the parks. Overnight at Chundukwa River Lodge.

Day 10: Livingstone

Day at leisure in the Livingstone area. Optional activities at additional cost include a guided Victoria Falls tour with park fees extra, sunset river cruises, canoeing on the Zambezi, Livingstone Island visits, helicopter flights over the falls, and cultural or village visits. Alternatively, keep it simple at the lodge and enjoy the river setting. Overnight at Chundukwa River Lodge.

Day 11: Departure

Road transfer to Livingstone Airport for your onward flight.