The Lower Zambezi National Park, is 4,000 sqkm and one of the few pristine wildernesses left in Africa. Its backdrop is dominated by the steep Zambezi Escarpment, but the Zambezi River is the main attraction, where tranquil yet exciting excursions to the Chifungulu Channel are an excellent way to appreciate the river.
Where: Lusaka Province
Ideal for viewing: Cape buffalo, cheetah, elephant, leopard, lion
Excellent for: Walking safaris, Vehicle safaris, River safaris, Birdwatching
Kafue is one of the world’s largest National Parks. It’s has a rich variety of wildlife and a profusion of game who are attracted by the diverse habitats, which range from woodland opening onto wide, grassy dambos and the vast, rolling Busanga Plain, fed which is fed by the Lufupa River system.
Where: North Western Province
Ideal for viewing: Cape buffalo, defassa waterbuck, lion, red lechwe, sable
Excellent for: Walking safaris, Vehicle safaris, River safaris, Birdwatching
South Luangwa National Park is the jewel of Zambia. Its eastern boundary is the Luangwa River and set amongst beautiful riverine vegetation of evergreen mahogany and ebony trees, the surrounding lagoons and lawns are a magnet to wildlife including probably the world’s highest naturally occurring leopard population.
Combining perfectly with a safari in Zambia, Botswana, Namibia or Zimbabwe, the Victoria Falls are not only a wonderful place from which to begin or end a safari, but now offer enough interest to be a safari destination in their own right.
Where: Matabeleland North, Zimbabwe
Ideal for viewing: common waterbuck, elephant, hippo, black eagle, Taita falcon
Excellent for: Vehicle safaris, River safaris, Birdwatching
Combining perfectly with a safari in Botswana, Zimbabwe or Namibia as well as Zambia, the Zambian side was once considered to be the ‘poor cousin’, by comparison with the views of the river and the falls that can be experienced from its immediate neighbour, Zimbabwe.
Where: Southern Province, Zambia
Ideal for viewing: Cape buffalo, elephant, hippo, trumpeter hornbill, common waterbuck
North Luangwa National Park is a tranquil and unexplored wilderness with a substantial wildlife population. Bordered by Luangwa and Mwaleshi rivers and the Muchinga Escarpment, Its diversity of habitats is bewildering, with areas of pure mopane woodlands and lush riverine forests of red mahogany and sausage trees.
Where: Northern Province
Ideal for viewing: elephant, leopard, lion, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, Cookson’s wildebeest
Kasanka is one of the smallest parks in Zambia. The habitat consists of miombo woodland, riverine forest, evergreen swamp forest, lakes, lagoons, plains, dambos and marshes. The wildlife concentrations aren’t as high as in other parks, but it has good specialist species and exception birdlife, with over 400 species.
Where: Central Province
Ideal for viewing: blue monkey, sitatunga, straw-coloured fruit bat, wattled crane, yellow-backed duiker
Excellent for: Walking safaris, Vehicle safaris, River safaris, Birdwatching
This wetland is worth a visit if you want to experience a different aspect of Zambia. It is one of the few places to see Chaplin’s barbet – over 400 species have been recorded here. You can explore the wetland on foot, by vehicle and, at certain times of year, boat.
Where: Southern Province
Ideal for viewing: blue wildebeest, Chaplin’s barbet, common waterbuck, Kafue lechwe, oribi
The Bangweulu Wetlands is one of the worlds great wetland systems. Renowned for the endemic black lechwe which congregate in herds of tens of thousands, the birdlife is also prolific with the possibility of sighting the increasingly rare shoebill. Chitambo village is well worth a visit; the burial place of David Livingstones heart.
Where: Luapula Province
Ideal for viewing: black lechwe, reedbuck, shoebill, sitatunga, tsessebe
Excellent for: Vehicle safaris, River safaris, Birdwatching
Liuwa Plains National Park is a pristine wilderness. Though its wooded areas offer excellent birding, especially during the October rains when the remote grasslands are a carpet of wild flowers, the rains bring wildebeest who, mingled with zebra, arrive from across the border for Africa’s second largest migration
Where: Western Province
Ideal for viewing: African wildcat, serval, steenbok, tsessebe, wild dog
Excellent for: Walking safaris, Vehicle safaris, River safaris, Birdwatching
Wildlife
Zambia has a wealth of wildlife to discover but here are the most popular animal species and wildlife events. Let us know the ones you would particularly like to see…
Wildlife trips
3 related group tours.5 related trip ideas.Bear in mind that our trip ideas give you a sense of what’s possible but our strength is in tailoring your itinerary.
Join our 21st birthday celebrations on a luxury safari to Zambia's Liuwa Plains and Kafue National Park in the company of Robin Pope and Wildlife Worldwide founder, Chris Breen.
When to go
May to August is the driest and coolest season. Bird watching is best done at the start of this period and the later months are better for other wildlife, when the bush has dried.
Seasons
Dry season
May to Aug: The rains abate, migrant birds depart, and walking safaris begin.
Dry season
Sep to Oct: Temperatures rise, game moves to the rivers, and buffalo form big herds.
Green season
Nov to Apr: The rains bring a time of rebirth and a profusion of birdlife.
Wildlife events
Feb to Apr: Wild dog packs emerge from the hills into the Luangwa Valley
May to Jun: Best time for shoebills in the Bangweulu swamps
Sep to Oct: Carmine bee-eaters nest along the banks of the Luangwa River
Nov to Dec: Millions of straw-coloured fruitbats congregate in Kasanka
Nov: Blue wildebeest gather on Liuwa Plain
Dec to Mar: Green season, best time for birding and animals giving birth
Places to stay
23 related places to stay.But there are more options we can offer, just ask us for more details.
Kakuli is a small luxurious tented camp located on an elevated section of the Luangwa’s west bank, at its confluence with a small tributary called the Luwi River.
Located deep in the bush, near the area of North Luangwa National Park which is allocated to walking safaris, this tiny seasonal camp stands on a beautiful stretch of the perennially flowing Mwaleshi River.
On a sweeping bend of the river, 12kms north of Tena Tena and in the heart of the South Luangwa National Park, lies what was the first photographic safari camp in Zambia, dating back to the early fifties.
Luwi is a superb camp in a wild and remote part of the Luangwa Valley. It is as close to the perfect bush camp as it is possible to get – remote but comfortable.
Located on private land just outside South Luangwa National Park, this lodge lies in an area of ebony woodland and open grassland that is superb for game viewing.
Tafika, owned by John and Carol Coppinger, is superbly situated just to the north of the Nsefu sector of the South Luangwa National Park on a magnificent stretch of the Luangwa River.
Nestled under an ancient ebony grove, overlooking Wafwa Oxbow Lagoon, the intimate and exclusive Luangwa River Camp accommodates a maximum of five couples at any one time.
Flatdogs Camp offers a range of accommodation from safari tents with en suite facilities to luxurious chalet rooms. On the banks of the Luangwa River, the safari tents (arguably) have the best views.
If you want total seclusion, try this stylish and intimate bush lodge that consists of just five individual, open fronted, thatched cottages on a private island in the middle of the Zambezi.
The only camp in the remote and rarely visited Bangweulu Swamp, which starts some 50kms north of Kasanka, sleeps 12 people in twin-bedded tents under thatch roofs with en suite toilet and shower.
This stunning, new, four-bedroom private house is situated on the edge of a seasonal lagoon where game, including herds of elephant and giraffe, feed and drink throughout the day.
Nestling in an island of fig trees in the middle of an extensive plain, this classic camp consists of four comfortable tented rooms that accommodate eight people.
Chongwe sleeps up to eight people in four spacious bedrooms with luxury open-air en suite bathrooms, and makes an ideal safari base for a family wanting a private safari.
Twice a year Robin Pope Safaris takes over the rudimentary fixed campsite at Matamenene for a period of a few weeks, and an efficient and well-trained team from the Luangwa Valley transforms it into a spick and span, high-quality camp.
Taking its name from the local Kaonde name for the area’s most ubiquitous tree, the monkey-bread tree (Bauhinia thonningii), Musekese lies just 25 minutes by boat from Lufupa all-weather airstrip in the centre of Kafue National Park.
Wildlife+
1 place to go en route to or from a wildlife location…
Purchased by a young British officer in 1914, this reserve covers an area of 22,000 acres. Nearby is Kapishya, an exquisite hot spring, and the summit of Nachipala Bareback Hill offers you magnificent views of the lake. A two night stay here makes a perfect combination with Kasanka or Bangweulu.
