Our Guide to the Best Safaris in Zambia

The most fabulous thing about Zambia is that it has everything that virtually all of the other safari countries have, and it has them in bucket loads! Beautiful lodges, wonderful guides, warm friendly people, vast open plains, gigantic rivers, world-class wetlands, and of course premier division wildlife.

At Wildlife Worldwide we have been offering holidays to Zambia since day 1, and we are confident that we know the country better than any other operator. As such we have the most fantastic range of tours - to all parts of the country - for you to choose from. The problem is always going to be which trip to join and why, so firstly, here is a ‘one-sentence’ guide to Zambia’s hotspots:

The Luangwa Valley is Zambia’s wildlife ‘honeypot’, it is the best known of its safari locations and most tours to the country visit 'the Valley' as it is known.

Wildlife highlights: Outstanding leopard, large number of lions and more wild dogs than any other park in Zambia. Fantastic predator-prey interaction!

Ideal for: day drives, night drives and the home of the African walking safari.

Image by Bret Charman

Kafue National Park is so huge you get two parks for the price of one. It is remote and one of Africa’s truly up-and-coming destinations.

Wildlife highlights: Lions to die for, good cheetah and thousands of red lechwe and wildebeest on the Busanga Plains in the north, riverine habitat in the south excellent for numerous antelope species and leopard.

Ideal for: day drives, night drives and river safaris.

Image by Chris Breen

Lower Zambezi is ‘Zambia’s Mana Pools’ and blessed with the vast Zambezi River.

Wildlife highlights: Gigantic elephants and good cats!

Ideal for: day and night drives, canoeing and river safaris.

Kasanka and Bangweulu in the remote north-east are specialist destinations for safari connoisseurs, and all the more wonderful for it!

Wildlife highlights of Kasanka: The spectacle of millions of straw-coloured fruit bats on migration

Wildlife highlights of Bangweulu – Magnificent shoebills and endemic black lechwe

Ideal for: boating, walking and driving.

Victoria Falls is one of the wonders of the world and great year-round.

Wildlife highlights: Elephant, buffalo and waterbuck

Ideal for: chilling, walking, birding and ‘watching’.

Armed with a little more information it may be difficult to know which holiday to choose from, especially as the wildlife and guiding are excellent throughout the country and the accommodation and food are amongst the best in the safari world, but here’s a mini guide to some of our best safaris in Zambia:

Our South Luangwa Photo Safari is an entry level photography group tour designed for enthusiasts – people with some knowledge, but who are keen to learn more in one of the best locations possible. With photographers Bret Charman based at Flatdogs Camp and Emma Healey and Sean Weekly based at Mfuwe Lodge you couldn’t be in better hands. The tours are timed to be there for the nesting carmine bee-eaters too – and that’s a photographer’s dream!

Image by Bret Charman

The Classic South Luangwa Safari is our best-priced Luangwa safari option and probably the most popular safari we offer. Flexible daily safari options and top guides will immerse you in the very best that the Valley has to offer.

Image by Dani Free

Our South Luangwa Wildlife Art Safari offers an opportunity to enjoy an art workshop in the company of one of the UK's leading wildlife artists and sculptors - Nick Mackman. With a relaxed and informative style, Nick will guide you through every step of the way.

For something a little different ‘go west’ and head out to the Kafue where, in the company of Kafue’s best guides, you will see big cats galore and stay in some excellent camps in western Zambia on our Classic Kafue Safari.

If you’ve been everywhere on safari (or perhaps you’ve never been on safari before!) and would like to join me and Simon Barnes in Zambia, then come with us on our annual Sacred Combe sojourn. This is a true walking safari that combines both South Luangwa and North Luangwa staying in the finest camps with the very best guides in the Valley. We have private use of each of the camps and will regale you with after dinner safari tales. We travel at the prime time for carmine bee-eaters, large herds of buffalo and other mammals, migrating birds, and of course photography.

Image by Nick Garbutt

You are welcome to chat to any of our consultants who will be able to discuss the best options for you – whether that’s a group safari or a tailor-made itinerary combining some of the above ideas – but if you would like to chat to me then I would be delighted to personally design your Zambia safari for you … I’ve been visiting the country since my early teens, and I’m not planning to stop just yet!

Explore our whole range of Zambia safaris, or to find out more contact the team.