South Luangwa National Park

🇿🇲 Zambia

🐆 Leopard Twilight Hunts in Luangwa

🌍 #5 Global · 4.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #4 in Africa #5 in Savanna & Grassland

Southern Africa, Zambia 1295 spp. recorded

South Luangwa National Park sits in eastern Zambia, a ribbon of tropical savanna cut by the winding Luangwa River. Rolling grasslands meet mopane woodlands, and seasonal floodplains create a patchwork of water and dry ground that separates it from the neighboring parks of the region.

-12.743° S 31.735° E

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely

Leopard

Panthera pardus

60–70% · Likely

Lion

Panthera leo

50–60% · Likely

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

East African Giraffe

Giraffa tippelskirchi

70–80% · Very likely

Puku

Kobus vardonii

60–70% · Likely

Meves's Glossy-starling

Lamprotornis mevesii

60–70% · Likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

60–70% · Likely

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

60–70% · Likely

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

60–70% · Likely

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

60–70% · Likely

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

60–70% · Likely

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

60–70% · Likely

Yellow Baboon

Papio cynocephalus

60–70% · Likely

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

50–60% · Likely

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely

Leopard

Panthera pardus

60–70% · Likely

Lion

Panthera leo

50–60% · Likely

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

East African Giraffe

Giraffa tippelskirchi

70–80% · Very likely

Puku

Kobus vardonii

60–70% · Likely

Plains Zebra

Equus quagga

60–70% · Likely

Yellow Baboon

Papio cynocephalus

60–70% · Likely

Waterbuck

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

50–60% · Likely

African Buffalo

Syncerus caffer

50–60% · Likely

Common Warthog

Phacochoerus africanus

50–60% · Likely

Spotted Hyena

Crocuta crocuta

50–60% · Likely

Northern Bushbuck

Tragelaphus scriptus

40–50% · Likely

Impala

Aepyceros melampus

40–50% · Likely

Greater Kudu

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

40–50% · Likely

Painted Hunting Dog

Lycaon pictus

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Meves's Glossy-starling

Lamprotornis mevesii

60–70% · Likely

Cape Turtle Dove

Streptopelia capicola

60–70% · Likely

Egyptian Goose

Alopochen aegyptiaca

60–70% · Likely

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

Turtur chalcospilos

60–70% · Likely

Little Bee-eater

Merops pusillus

60–70% · Likely

White-fronted Bee-eater

Merops bullockoides

60–70% · Likely

African Sacred Ibis

Threskiornis aethiopicus

50–60% · Likely

Hadada

Bostrychia hagedash

50–60% · Likely

White-headed Lapwing

Vanellus albiceps

50–60% · Likely

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Plocepasser mahali

50–60% · Likely

Helmeted Guineafowl

Numida meleagris

50–60% · Likely

Lilac-breasted Roller

Coracias caudatus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Nile Crocodile

Crocodylus niloticus

50–60% · Likely

Nile Monitor

Varanus niloticus

40–50% · Likely

Flap-necked Chameleon

Chamaeleo dilepis

30–40% · Possible

Wahlberg’s Striped Skink

Trachylepis wahlbergii

30–40% · Possible

Tropical House Gecko

Hemidactylus mabouia

30–40% · Possible

Eastern Bark Snake

Hemirhagerrhis nototaenia

20–30% · Possible

Cape Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus capensis

20–30% · Possible

Fischer's Thick-toed Gecko

Chondrodactylus laevigatus

20–30% · Possible

Spotted Bush Snake

Philothamnus semivariegatus

10–20% · Possible

Rainbow Skink

Trachylepis margaritifera

10–20% · Possible

Variable Skink

Trachylepis varia

10–20% · Possible

Chobe Dwarf Gecko

Lygodactylus chobiensis

10–20% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Grey Foam-nest Treefrog

Chiromantis xerampelina

40–50% · Likely

Common Squeaker

Arthroleptis stenodactylus

20–30% · Possible

Eastern Flat-backed Toad

Sclerophrys pusilla

10–20% · Possible

Mutinondo Grass Frog

Ptychadena mutinondoensis

10–20% · Possible

Margined Reed Frog

Hyperolius marginatus

Insufficient data

Darling's white-lipped frog

Amnirana darlingi

Insufficient data

Dwarf Squeaker

Arthroleptis xenodactyloides

Insufficient data

African Common Toad

Sclerophrys gutturalis

Insufficient data

Sharp-nosed ridged frog

Ptychadena oxyrhynchus

Insufficient data

Pointed Long Reed Frog

Hyperolius nasicus

Insufficient data

Moyer's River Frog

Amietia moyerorum

Insufficient data

Rungwe puddle frog

Phrynobatrachus rungwensis

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Hippo breeding season

SepOct

Hippos intensify breeding activities, with increased vocalizations and territorial displays, making river crossings especially dramatic.

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

60–70% · Likely

🦌

Elephant river congregation

JunJul

During the early wet season, massive elephant herds gather along the Luangwa River to drink and socialize, creating one of Africa's most impressive wildlife spectacles.

African Bush Elephant

Loxodonta africana

60–70% · Likely

🦌

Leopard twilight hunts

MayJun

Leopards become highly active at dusk, hunting across the savanna and woodlands, offering prime opportunities for night‑time sightings.

Leopard

Panthera pardus

60–70% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

African Bush Elephant

30–40

20–30

40–50

60–70

40–50

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

40–50

30–40

60–70

60–70

40–50

70–80

70–80

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

40–50

30–40

20–30

40–50

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

30–40

Common Hippopotamus

30–40

20–30

40–50

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

40–50

East African Giraffe

50–60

30–40

50–60

60–70

40–50

80–90

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

30–40

40–50

20–30

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

40–50

Meves's Glossy-starling

50–60

40–50

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

80–90

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

Cape Turtle Dove

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

80–90

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

40–50

60–70

60–70

40–50

40–50

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

60–70

40–50

60–70

50–60

Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove

50–60

60–70

50–60

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

30–40

20–30

40–50

60–70

50–60

60–70

70–80

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

40–50

Little Bee-eater

50–60

50–60

40–50

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

70–80

40–50

50–60

60–70

50–60

White-fronted Bee-eater

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

30–40

20–30

20–30

60–70

40–50

70–80

70–80

40–50

60–70

50–60

70–80

40–50

African Sacred Ibis

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

20–30

30–40

60–70

10–20

70–80

70–80

50–60

40–50

60–70

70–80

30–40

Animal Events

🦌 Hippo breeding season

🦌 Elephant river congregation

🦌 Leopard twilight hunts

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ World-class

🐆 Leopard Twilight Hunts in Luangwa

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.7 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

908

🐒 Mammals

210

🦎 Reptiles

116

🐸 Amphibians

61

1295 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

42 Threatened 5 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Excellent

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

64%

📊

Coverage (301 species at ≥5% of 1295 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

23%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (6 mammal, 6 bird)

47% Global avg

67%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

189

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

37

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

45

Explore Other Parks

Lower Zambezi National Park

📍 358 km 🐊 Nile Crocodiles Patrol Lower Zambezi

Lower Zambezi National Park

🇿🇲 Zambia 🌍 #17 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #13 in Africa #13 in Savanna & Grassland

Mana Pools National Park

📍 424 km 🐘 Elephants Stand Tall for Acacia Pods

Mana Pools National Park

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe 🌍 #18 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #14 in Africa #14 in Savanna & Grassland

Kafue National Park

📍 649 km 🦁 Lion Roars Across Kafue's Plains

Kafue National Park

🇿🇲 Zambia 🌍 #24 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #17 in Africa #18 in Savanna & Grassland

Ruaha National Park

📍 686 km 🦁 Roaring Lions Roam Ruaha's Wilderness

Ruaha National Park

🇹🇿 Tanzania 🌍 #10 Global · 4.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #7 in Africa #8 in Savanna & Grassland