Albatros Travel - Zambia In Style - Puku Ridge & Chiawa Safari Experience

On arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, you will be met by a representative that will assist you to your connecting scheduled air charter flight to Mfuwe with Pro-Flight. 

Upon arrival at Mfuwe, you will be met and transferred to Puku Ridge Camp , located in South Luangwa. Dubbed one of the greatest sanctuaries in the world, South Luangwa remains largely unspoilt and provides guests with an exhilarating safari experience.  The concentration of animals is some of the most dense in all of Africa. Boasting a multitude of game that will satisfy any safari bucket list from predators like the famed African wild dogs, majestic lions, and lean leopards to big game favorites like elephants, buffalo, and hippo. Unique animal sightings such as Zambia’s beloved Crawshay’s zebra herds as well as 14 different species of antelope, including the elusive bushbuck and the attractive kudu with its spiral horns and delicate face can be spotted here. 

After the completion of the check-in procedures, enjoy an afternoon of game viewing with all meals served at the lodge. 

Awake to the tranquility of the African bush as a day of exploring the rich biodiversity of South Luangwa awaits you. he below activities are on offer at the lodge. 

• Game Drives - Morning and afternoon game drives are conducted in customized 4×4 safari vehicles with professional guides. View the wildlife at close proximity in their natural habitat and enjoy superb photographic opportunities.
• Night Drives - A night drive in the South Luangwa National Park is one of the activities that make Zambia particularly unique. Red filtered spotlights are used to find and watch the nocturnal action, and a diffuse filtered spotlight is used to help with the photography, ensuring that night drives are low impact on the wildlife which rewards guests with more natural behavior and better wildlife sightings.
• Walking Safaris - Walking is the best way to see the bush around Puku Ridge Camp. The South Luangwa is home of the walking safari and it remains the best way to experience the sights and sounds of the bush. Puku Ridge's experienced guides love showing guests the indicators of the wild, 'rewinding' the action of the last few hours from just a few small give away signs. See where an elephant stopped to browse, where a leopard scratched a tree or a pangolin rolled into a ball. Accompanied by an armed game scout and taking careful note of the wind to mask any scent. There's nothing like seeing lion tracks or the giant footprint of an elephant to make guests relish the comforts of camp. The area is home to 60 mammals and over 400 bird species, making it one of the top birding destinations in the world.

Time to enjoy another day of game viewing spotting wildlife which may not have been spotted on the previous drives.

Alternatively, enjoy some relaxation time around the pool with a good book or soak up the magnificent views of the wilderness from the private balcony of your tent or the lodge's open-air lounge. 

All meals will be served at the lodge. 

After a leisurely breakfast, check out and transfer to Mfuwe airport for your scheduled air charter transfer to the Lower Zambezi. 

Situated adjacent to Zimbabwe's Mana Pools, the Lower Zambezi is renowned for its large herds of buffalo and elephant, which congregate along the Zambezi River during the dry winter months as well as an impressive population of Nile crocodiles and predators such as lions, leopards and the African wild dog.

Upon landing at Jeki airstrip, you will be met and transferred to Chiawa Camp. Spend the next couple of days enjoying both water and land based safari activities on offer at this camp.

Spend the day enjoying a plethora of activities on offer with all meals served the camp.  

• Game Drives - Morning and afternoon game drives are conducted in safari vehicles with professional guides. This is the most effective way to see Zambian wildlife, as these cover much ground and can get close sightings without endangering guests or disturbing the wildlife. 
• Night Drives - A night drive in the Lower Zambezi National Park  is one of the activities that make Zambia particularly unique. Red filtered spotlights are used to find and watch the nocturnal action, and a diffuse filtered spotlight is used to help with the photography, ensuring that night drives are low impact on the wildlife which rewards guests with more natural behavior and better wildlife sightings.
• Bush Walks - Pioneered in Zambia, bush walks are essentially a "micro-safari". An armed ranger and qualified and experienced pro guide will guide you through the wilderness on foot, interpreting spoor, identifying the various flora and fauna, and highlighting conservation issues. However elephants and buffalo are seen on most walks and sometimes the big cats, so expect anything at anytime. The pace is leisurely and the duration is determined by guests' requirements – and what is seen on the walk. Typically, a few hours are sufficient.

Enjoy another day exploring the rich biodiversity of the Lower Zambezi with all meals served at the camp. Partake in the below water-based game activities on offer at the lodge which are a unique way of experiencing this wilderness.

• Canoeing - Although the Zambezi offers many activities, perhaps it is best known for canoeing. Nowhere else is there such a combination of breathtaking scenery, varied wildlife and such interesting channels to paddle through. Six meter long Canadian canoes are used and these trips may last anywhere from 1 hour to 1 day. The most popular canoe safari is 90 minutes long where guests paddle (always downstream!) from the lodge to "Sunset Strip" for sundowners and then a night drive back to Chiawa Camp. Tranquil yet exciting, these trips can be longer and may drift through the likes of the Waterbuck Island and Chifungulu Channels, an excellent way to enjoy another aspect of the Zambezi River.

• River Safaris - Enjoy morning or afternoon cruises exploring numerous channels, viewing hippo, buffalo, elephant and prolific bird life. Also on offer are sunset and sundowner cruises, often completed with a night drive back to camp.

• Fishing /Catch & Release Angling - Chiawa Camp is internationally acclaimed as one of the world’s leading fishing destinations. Recommended by authoritative anglers and in publications such as The Best Fly Fishing Trips Money Can Buy and Forbes Traveler, expert guides are on hand to assist you in finding the notorious Tigerfish (camp record 10.1 kg, average 2 kg) which are caught on fly or conventional tackle.

As the end is in sight, take time out to enjoy spotting  some more  game or alternatively, relax and unwind next to the pool with a good read.

Take a moment to enjoy the hides close to the camp providing guests with an eye-level, completely unobstructed view of the animals as they at the close water source during all times of the day or night.

All meals will be enjoyed at the camp. 

After a leisurely breakfast checkout and transfer to Jeki airstrip for your scheduled air charter flight to Livingstone.

Upon arrival at Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport, continue to the check in counter for your onward flight (flights costs not included).