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It isn’t possible to claim that the game viewing is anywhere near as good at this time, although, in Zambia, it can still be remarkable, but prices are lower at this time, and the experience is a quite different one. However the activity is largely one of game viewing alone, on a restricted series of all-weather roads, rather than walking, since the bush camps aren’t generally open or reachable at this time of year. There is no minimum number of participants on an emerald season safari, and prices are typically 10-20% cheaper than in high season.

However we feel that we do have to warn intending travellers at this time of year that excessive rainfall can sometimes make even the ‘all-weather’ roads and camps inaccessible. This occurred during early 2007, and necessitated the repatriation of existing guests, and the cancellation of many planned holidays.

Nevertheless, the rainy season is an excellent time to visit Victoria Falls, and we would encourage any visitors at this time of year to include a visit to Livingstone in their itinerary. See the module entitled Victoria Falls and Livingstone in our ‘Create Your Own Safari’ section for further details.

So far as game viewing is concerned, South Luangwa is the only feasible destination at this time of year, although of course all of the (seasonal) bush camps are, by definition, closed, and hence the places that it is possible to stay in become limited to the main game lodges and permanent base camps. To a large extent these all offer a very similar safari experience, from a fairly tightly located central area, being restricted to game drives on the region’s all-weather roads. Hence, to a first approximation, there is little to choose between them in terms of a safari itinerary, in contrast to the main season when walking safaris between various remote bush camps set in varying habitats dictate that much more time is spent on selecting specific itineraries.

The camps and lodges that are available at this time of year include (in ascending order of price):

• Wildlife Camp
• Flatdogs Camp
• Kafunta River Lodge
• Mfuwe Lodge
• Nkwali Camp
• Kapani Lodge
• Chichele Presidential Lodge
• Puku Ridge - the one permanent bush camp located in the Park
• Mchenja Bushcamp - in a ground-breaking development, Mchenja, recently relaunched as a luxury bush camp, will now be open for the first time ever during part of the rainy season - from 21st January to 31st March - being only reachable by boat, but offering game drives, walking and boat safaris.

Details of all of these locations may be found by following the links above.

Stays at a combination of the above camps can be arranged in much the same way as described in our main Game Viewing module, detailed in the ‘Create Your Own Safari’ section. In this way we can offer a wide range of prices for what is essentially the same itinerary, dependent on the cost of the accommodation selected, although with this being the low season this consideration is not quite as acute as it is in high season.

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