It was in South Luangwa that Norman Carr first pioneered the walking safari, forever changing the way people experienced the African bush. Rather than viewing the wilderness from a vehicle, he believed that one of the most meaningful way to explore it was on foot, moving at nature’s pace and allowing the landscape to reveal itself one step at a time.
Transfers rarely become the highlight of a holiday, but in South Luangwa, they often do.
While most guests travel between our South Luangwa camps by vehicle, those looking to experience the valley from a different perspective can choose to walk instead. Whether linking two camps or embarking on our seven-night Walking Safari itinerary, these walks transform what would ordinarily be a transfer into an unforgettable part of the safari.
Accompanied by an experienced guide and armed scout from the South Luangwa National Park, you’ll follow well-worn game trails, read fresh tracks pressed into the sand, pause beneath towering trees and discover the countless details that are so easily missed from a vehicle. The pace is gentle, leaving time to ask questions, linger over discoveries and gain a deeper understanding of the intricate relationships that shape this remarkable ecosystem.
Our Walking Safari itinerary links all five of our South Luangwa camps, from Time + Tide Luwi to Time + Tide Chinzombo, inviting guests to experience the valley as Norman Carr had imagined it.
The journey begins at Time + Tide Luwi, set deep within the park on the ephemeral Lubi River, with no other camps for miles around. Sheltered beneath a grove of ancient mahogany trees, its four safari tents overlook a floodplain that draws hippos, elephants and the ever-changing life of the bush. Evenings are spent around the fire while lions roar in the distance, vervet monkeys rustle overhead and the sounds of the bush slowly replace those of everyday life.
The following morning, you set off for Time + Tide Nsolo, a 9.5-kilometre walk that takes around three hours. It doesn’t take long to realise that the walk is about far more than reaching the next camp. The bush begins to reveal itself in quieter ways: the delicate tracks of a genet pressed into the sand, the scent of wild sage released beneath your boots, or your guide pausing mid-conversation as the alarm call of a Smith’s bush squirrel signals that something has shifted just out of sight. With every step, the landscape becomes less a backdrop and more a story waiting to be read.
Perched above a broad, sandy riverbed, Time + Tide Nsolo feels like a natural extension of everything you’ve just walked through. The days settle into an easy pattern of early morning walks while the air is still cool, sunlit days enjoying the comfort of camp, afternoons spent watching wildlife while on game drives, and evenings around the fire, swapping stories with the people who know this landscape intimately.
One night, however, the fire burns somewhere else entirely. Leaving camp behind, you walk a little further into the bush where a sleepout camp has been prepared beneath the stars, just for you for tonight. There are no walls between you and the night sky, only the gentle glow of the fire, the soft touch of dry river sand below your feet, and the chorus of the African night carrying long after you drift off to sleep.
After a hearty breakfast, freshly-brewed coffee, and a hot outdoor shower, the trail continues to Time + Tide Kakuli, the longest walk of the itinerary at around 14 kilometres. As you walk, the dry riverbeds begin to give way to the Luangwa River, opening up sweeping views where elephants browse along the banks, hippos wallow in quiet pools, and crocodiles bask in the afternoon sun. Elevated above the river, Kakuli is perfectly placed to watch this ever-changing landscape unfold, with a lively watering hole that draws a variety of wildlife.
From Time + Tide Kakuli, the final walk leads to Time + Tide Mchenja, a gentle seven-kilometre stretch ending beneath ebony trees. Through the trees, the camp emerges on one of the most beautiful bends of the Luangwa River. By now, something has shifted: distances seem shorter, conversations quieter, and your attention is naturally drawn to the smaller moments that once might have passed unnoticed. Days on foot have a way of making life’s simple comforts feel all the more rewarding. A hot outdoor shower, a hearty meal shared around the fire and a wonderfully comfortable bed beneath the thatch are the perfect ending to the day.
After breakfast, a final game drive and short boat crossing across the Luangwa River bring you to Time + Tide Chinzombo for your last night on safari. Contemporary comfort feels like a fitting reward after days spent on foot. Enjoy a relaxing massage and as you soak away in your bathtub and close your eyes, your mind returns to the guide who stopped to admire a brilliantly coloured grasshopper, the silence before sunrise and the countless stories written into the sand each morning before disappearing with the day’s first footsteps.
Norman Carr believed that one of the best ways to understand the bush was to walk through it, and decades later, that philosophy still rings true. Walking between our camps is an invitation to experience South Luangwa in the same thoughtful, unhurried way that first inspired the walking safari, discovering that some of the richest stories are found not at the destination, but along the wild paths that lead there.
Frequently Asked Questions:
+ This suggested itinerary is based on a 7 night stay. A custom itinerary can be tailor-made to your preferences around choice of camps and length of stay.
+ You dictate the pace on a walking safari, walk as much or as little as you please, with vehicle transfers available between camps as an alternative.
+ You will always be accompanied by a guide and scout when walking, and your luggage will be transferred ahead of you.
+ In addition to your morning walking safari, game drives are also available in the evening.
+ Recommended minimum age is 12 years old and at the discretion of the guide.
+ Available from mid-May until mid-November when our bushcamps are open in the South Luangwa.
FOLLOW THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
Discover the road less travelled
Our expertise in African travel and conservation dates back for many decades, you can expect equally pioneering travel guidance from our award-winning team. Time + Tide are custodians of some of the most remote corners of our planet and it is our privilege to guide you along the road less travelled.