Zambia Two Rivers Safari

Highlights

• Four nights on the Zambezi and four on the Luangwa – two of Africa's great safari rivers in one nine-day safari
• Canoe, cruise and cast for tigerfish (catch and release) along the Zambezi, with Zimbabwe's Mana Pools on the far bank
• The Zambia Two Rivers Safari pairs two outstanding camps: Anabezi in the Lower Zambezi and Tena Tena, Robin Pope Safaris' original camp
• Walk the Luangwa Valley, the home of the African walking safari, with an expert guide and an armed national park scout
• Night drives in South Luangwa, one of the best places in Africa to watch leopard by spotlight
• Private plunge pools at Anabezi; open-air showers and river-facing verandas at Tena Tena
• Track down the Luangwa's own subspecies – Thornicroft's giraffe, Crawshay's zebra and Cookson's wildebeest
• Visit Kawaza Village and Tribal Textiles for a glimpse of life in the Luangwa Valley beyond the park boundary

Safari Information

• Departure: Scheduled and tailor-made departures, late May to October
• Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights
• Lodging: Luxury tented camps – 4 nights Anabezi (tailor-made), 4 nights Tena Tena
• Group Size: Minimum 2
• Minimum age: Children aged 12 and over (Tena Tena policy, except exclusive-use bookings)
• Malaria risk: Yes – the Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa are both malaria areas, so take prophylaxis
• Note: Travel insurance is compulsory for all safaris

Zambia Two Rivers Safari: Nine Days on the Zambezi and Luangwa Rivers

The Zambia Two Rivers Safari is a nine-day, eight-night journey that pairs four nights on the Zambezi River in the Lower Zambezi National Park with four nights on the Luangwa River in South Luangwa's Nsefu Sector. Light-aircraft flights through Lusaka link the two parks. This version is a tailor-made variation using Anabezi for the Lower Zambezi nights. Robin Pope Safaris' own Two Rivers package now uses its new Kujana Camp instead, and we can arrange either. The pairing works because the parks are so different. The Lower Zambezi is a river safari of canoes, boats and tigerfish, while the Luangwa Valley is walking and night-drive country.

In the Lower Zambezi, the river flows for around 120 km along the park, with Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park protecting the opposite bank, and elephant and buffalo move freely between the two. Anabezi sits at the park's remote eastern end, near the confluence of the Zambezi and Mushika rivers. It is far from the busier western camps and surrounded by a grove of Winterthorn trees that pulls in game all through the dry season.

Tena Tena, the South Luangwa half of the trip, was the first camp Robin Pope Safaris ever built, and the company has now operated in Zambia for 40 years. The camp lies in the Nsefu Sector, the quieter northern part of the park, which has very few camps and keeps visitor numbers low. The season runs from late May to the end of October, when the bush dries out, the lagoons shrink and game concentrates along the river.

Day 1: Lower Zambezi National Park

• Your Zambia Two Rivers Safari begins at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka. A Robin Pope Safaris representative meets you there and connects you to a light-aircraft flight of about 35 minutes to Jeki Airstrip in the Lower Zambezi National Park.
• The road transfer from Jeki takes 45 minutes to an hour and doubles as your first game drive. Guests on charter flights can land at Kulefu Airstrip, much closer to camp.
• Anabezi takes its name from the Ana, or Winterthorn, trees that surround it and the Zambezi beside it. In the dry season the trees drop curling yellow pods that elephants find irresistible, so it is common to see herds walking straight through camp.
• Eleven tented suites and a family suite stand on a raised boardwalk along a ridge. Each has a private deck and plunge pool looking over the Zambezi and the Mushika floodplain, and two main areas each have their own swimming pool.
• The camp, now part of the Dulini collection, is one of the most luxurious in the park and among the most remote.
• Accommodation: Anabezi Luxury Tented Camp

Days 2-4: Lower Zambezi National Park

• Three full days at Anabezi are yours to fill with the Lower Zambezi's complete range of activities, so you can mix and match to suit your interests.
• Canoeing is the stand-out experience. You drift silently down quiet side channels past wallowing hippos and elephants feeding on the islands, at eye level with the river.
• Boat cruises reach the wider stretches of the Zambezi, which offer superb photography at sunset with the escarpment glowing behind.
• Keen anglers should not miss the tigerfishing. All fishing is catch and release, and the fight from a Zambezi tiger is unforgettable.
• Game drives by day and after dark, along with guided walks, explore the floodplain and woodland. Lion, leopard, buffalo, eland, kudu and waterbuck are all present, and more than 370 bird species have been recorded in the park.
• Accommodation: Anabezi Luxury Tented Camp

Day 5: South Luangwa National Park

• Today you swap the Zambezi for the Luangwa. You take a short flight back to Lusaka and then fly about 70 minutes to Mfuwe Airport, gateway to the acclaimed South Luangwa National Park.
• For the second half of the Zambia Two Rivers Safari, a Robin Pope Safaris guide meets you at Mfuwe for a drive of around 1.5 hours north to Tena Tena, game viewing all the way.
• The camp sits on a sweeping bend of the Luangwa River, under a magnificent mahogany grove, with the river on one side and a lagoon system on the other. That position draws wildlife straight to the front of camp.
• Eight spacious tents are spread well apart, each with its own view of the river, a shaded veranda and an en-suite bathroom with an outdoor shower open to the sky. The camp accommodates a maximum of 16 guests.
• Accommodation: Tena Tena Camp

Day 6: South Luangwa National Park

• Days at Tena Tena start early. Breakfast is served by the campfire, with porridge warmed over the flames and toast crisped on the coals.
• Next comes a morning walk with your guide and an armed national park scout, or a game drive if you prefer. The Nsefu Sector is famous for big elephant family herds and for Thornicroft's giraffe, found only in the Luangwa Valley.
• A mid-morning break at a lagoon or on the riverbank brings tea, coffee and freshly baked cake.
• Lunch is back in camp around noon. The heat of the day is ideal for an hour in the viewing hide, which gives a ground-level angle on everything coming down to drink.
• After tea, the afternoon drive rolls on into darkness. The spotlight picks out leopard, hyena, genet and other night prowlers, and you return around 20:00 for dinner at 20:30.
• Accommodation: Tena Tena Camp

Days 7-8: South Luangwa National Park

• Two more full days in the Luangwa let you shape the final chapter of the Zambia Two Rivers Safari around what excites you most: walking, driving, or a blend of both.
• Spend a slow morning at Buca Buca Lagoon, close to camp, watching game file down to feed and drink.
• Buffalo herds build from July, bull elephants cross the river south of camp in September, and from late August a hippo hide goes up on the riverbank. Carmine bee-eaters nest in the river cliffs from around September.
• For something different, Kawaza Village, the local schools and Tribal Textiles can be added at extra cost, and they are often remembered as a highlight of the trip.
• Accommodation: Tena Tena Camp

Day 9: Zambia Two Rivers Safari Ends

• After an early breakfast, you drive back to Mfuwe Airport and fly to Lusaka to connect with your onward or international flights.

Zambia Two Rivers Safari FAQs

How long is the Zambia Two Rivers Safari and which parks does it visit?

The Two Rivers itinerary runs for nine days and eight nights across two of Zambia's finest national parks. The first four nights are at Anabezi in the Lower Zambezi National Park, on the Zambezi River. The last four are at Tena Tena Camp in the Nsefu Sector of South Luangwa National Park, on the Luangwa River. Light-aircraft flights through Lusaka connect the two parks.

When is the best time to go on the Zambia Two Rivers Safari?

Robin Pope Safaris runs the Two Rivers itinerary from May to October, and Tena Tena Camp is open from 22 May to 31 October. June to August brings cool nights and pleasant days. July to October is peak game viewing, because seasonal waterholes shrink and wildlife concentrates around the remaining water sources along the Zambezi and Luangwa rivers. October is hot, but wildlife viewing can be particularly rewarding.

Is the Zambia Two Rivers Safari in a malaria area?

Yes. The Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa National Parks both lie in malaria areas, and the risk applies throughout the safari season. Travellers should take antimalarial prophylaxis prescribed by a doctor or travel clinic before leaving home. Pack a good insect repellent, and cover your arms and legs at dusk and after dark, when mosquitoes are most active.

How do you travel between parks on the Zambia Two Rivers Safari?

All internal travel is by light aircraft and road transfer. From Lusaka, a flight of about 35 minutes reaches Jeki Airstrip, followed by a drive of 45 minutes to an hour to Anabezi. On day five you fly back to Lusaka and on to Mfuwe Airport, a flight of around 70 minutes. From there, a drive of roughly 90 minutes reaches Tena Tena Camp, with game viewing along the way.

What activities are included on the Zambia Two Rivers Safari?

Activities change with each river. At Anabezi in the Lower Zambezi, guests choose between canoeing, boat cruises, catch-and-release tigerfishing, game drives, night drives and guided walks. At Tena Tena in South Luangwa, the focus is walking safaris with a guide and an armed national park scout. Day and night drives and time in the viewing hide complete the programme. Village visits are an optional extra.

In Conclusion

The Zambia Two Rivers Safari gives you two of Zambia's great safari rivers in a single, unhurried trip. The four nights at Anabezi are spent on the water: canoeing past hippos, cruising at sunset and fishing for tigerfish, with a plunge pool on your deck between activities. The four nights at Tena Tena, the camp where Robin Pope Safaris began, switch the focus to walking safaris and night drives in the Nsefu Sector.

Timing matters. The safari runs from late May to October, and July to October is the peak of the dry season, when game crowds the riverbanks. Tena Tena has only eight tents, so those months fill early and it pays to plan well ahead.

Uyaphi.com has been arranging African safaris since 1999. That is 27 years of matching travellers to the right camps, the right seasons and the right flight connections, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Tell us your dates, and we will tailor the Two Rivers route around you, from your arrival in Lusaka to your final flight home.