The 4636km2 NLNP is located in the northern region of the Luangwa Valley which was formed by the Great Rift Valley System. The western boundary of the park runs along the Muchinga Escarpment, whilst the Luangwa river forms the park boundary to the east. The park is characterized by extensive areas of open grassland, scrub mopane woodland, miombo woodland towards the escarpment and riverine vegetation along the meandering Luangwa river.

NLNP is one of 4 national parks in the Luangwa Valley and is the only park to incorporate a substantial part of the Muchinga escarpment within its boundaries (24%). The miombo woodland here is the best example of undisturbed escarpment miombo in national parks in Africa.

The steep road down the Muchinga escarpment is exceptionally beautiful with breathtaking views of blue, atmospheric hills, mature forest and the Luangwa Valley below. However, most people access the park via light aircraft getting a birds-eye view of the vastness of Africa.

One of the highlights of an extended stay in the park is a trip to the Mwaleshi falls on the escarpment, an ideal spot for a picnic and a refreshing swim in the cool waters after the long walk. The river is also shallow enough in front of the camps for guests to take a paddle during the heat of the day.

Wildlife:
NLNP is particularly known for its large herds of buffalo closely shadowed by a very healthy and at times impressively vocal, lion population. Cookson’s wildebeest, an endemic species to the Luangwa valley are common together with zebra, impala, kudu and warthog. Larger carnivores in the park also include leopard and hyaena. Elephant are starting to recover from the heavy poaching but are still quite wary of people.

In the escarpment area Lichtenstein’s hartebeest may be seen. Black Rhino have also recently been reintroduced to the park under tight security and in the next few years may be released from theirfenced enclosures once again offering the classic Big 5 for tourists. The great excitement in 2005 was the birth of the first rhino calf in the region for many years.

The NLNP is an Important Bird Area and is thus a critical site of international importance for the conservation and biodiversity of birds. The avifauna is very similar to that of South Luangwa. The Zambezian biome endemics include Babbling Starling and several species typical of escarpment woodland such as Shelley’s sunbird and Chestnut-backed sparrow-weaver.

June/July:
The start of the season – the bushcamps are open. This is “mid winter” and can be cold in the early morning and evening. During the day the temperatures are cool/warm. The bush is drying out. Most days are clear with fabulous colours. Game viewing is good/excellent.

August:
Cool to hot with the bush now dry. Game viewing excellent.

September:
Hot, dry and hazy. Trees flower and lose their leaves. There may be fires in the area attracting yellow billed kites (migrants) and other birds. Game viewing is now excellent. Carmine bee-eaters arrive and begin to build their nests. Buffalo form large herds and come to the river daily to drink, with lion not far behind. Everything is waiting for the onset of the rains.

October:
Very hot and dry with excellent game viewing, animals concentrating around the Mwaleshi river which is now very shallow. Storm clouds start building up and there may be occasional rain which cools the temperatures down and clears the air. Can be very hot (over 40 degrees in the shade). New growth starts in the mopane woodland and elsewhere – newborn warthog finally emerge from their burrows and may also be seen. The camps all close at the end of the month.