The Luangwa Valley stretches some 700km at an average width of about 100km, part of the Great Rift Valley system, and the river carves a tortuous course along its floor. Fed by dozens of sand rivers that come down during the rainy season, the Luangwa is described as the most intact major river system in Africa.

When the river floods it erodes the outer bends and deposits silt within the loops. Eventually it cuts a new course, leaving the old one to silt up and form the ox-bow lagoons that are so important to the ecology of the riverine zone. The river supports a healthy population of hippos, and the North and South Luangwa National Parks flank its western banks, separated by the 30km Munyamadzi corridor.