A National Park with vast wilderness, if not the best in Africa, though the best in Zambia, provides a wide range of wildlife sightings. North Luangwa National Park is not open to the public and only open to a few Safari Operators who do walking safaris. Sitting on 4636 km2 of land, North Luangwa National Park does not have lodges or camps to accommodate the public.
Although declared a wilderness area, the North Park, was not open to anyone other than Game Department rangers for more than thirty years.
There are very few roads and you are unlikely to see anyone else for the duration of your trip. Like the South Park, it lies on the western bank of the Luangwa River bordered on the other side by the dramatic Muchinga Escarpment which rises over 1000 meters from the valley floor. Its hazy outline can be seen from the Luangwa River.
Several tributary rivers are running through the Park and into the Luangwa which play an important ecological role in the area. The crystal-clear Mwaleshi River trickles down the escarpment in a series of small waterfalls. It recedes in the dry season, leaving many pools along the way, drawing the animals from the bush to its banks in search of water. No game drives are permitted in the Mwaleshi area, and access is by organized walking safaris only.
The vegetation ranges from mopane woodland to riverine forest, open grasslands, and acacia thicket. Trees include the beautiful sausage tree, vegetable ivory palms, red mahogany, and leadwood.