Lavushi Manda National Park

The Lavushi Manda National Park is in Muchinga Province in northern Zambia. It extends over 1,600 square kilometres and comprises large, picturesque dambos (including the Chimfutumba Plain in the north-west), miombo woodland, riverine forest and waterfalls. Its central feature, however, is an iconic and scenic range of quartzite hills and raffia palm bogs running north-east to south-west through the park with the highest peak (Lavushi) rising to just over 1,800 metres. The park protects the headwaters of the Lulimala, Lukulu and Lumbatwa Rivers, thereby providing a critically important environmental buffer to the Bangweulu Wetlands, which is an important fishery. These wetlands also provide a breeding site for the rare shoebill and a range area for endemic Black Lechwe and Tssessebe populations on the Chikuni Plains. The park was created in 1941 and gazetted as a national park in 1972. From the 1980s, declining resources available to the park led to widespread poaching and encroachment. In 2010, the Kasanka Trust took on the management responsibility for Lavushi Manda under an extension of their long-standing public-private partnership with the then Zambia Wildlife Authority (now the Department of National Parks and Wildlife [DNPW]). That work continues but staffing is still small and poaching and encroachment constitute major challenges to management and conservation.

The Lavushi Manda Range

The park lies west of the Great North Road (GNR) 187 km from Serenje. About 40 km north of Serenje is the turn off to the Kasanka National Park, Samfya and Mansa, but continue straight for a further 150 km and shortly after Kalonje Railway siding you turn left to Lavushi Manda, Chiundaponde and the Bangweulu Wetlands. The Fibishi Park entrance gate is approximately 13 km down the road where Fred Mbulwe, the park manager, and his staff will gladly help you with further details.

Lavushi Manda has a diverse assemblage of underlying geological units that is reflected in the landscape through varied soil and vegetation units. Animal populations have a corresponding richness

with records to date of more than 50 mammal species, over 350 bird species, 35 reptile and around 15 amphibian species. This level of biological diversity, coupled with its headwater function, scenic attractions, and connectivity to the Kasanka National Park and the Kafinda and Bangweulu game management areas gives the park an important place within Zambia’s national park system.

This is not a national park for those wanting the traditional safari menu of massive herds of herbivores and carnivores in all directions. Here you work hard to be rewarded with sightings and it helps to know something about animal habits

and ecology to be successful. The park also offers amazing hiking and scenery around the Lavushi Manda Range and spectacular dambos, rivers and waterfalls. A well-kept secret is the exceptional yellow fish and bream fly-fishing on the Lukulu River. Although no major cave paintings have been found yet, the area has an interesting cultural history with several important burial grounds and ancient iron working sites.

The Kasanka Trust has developed four campsites in the park, at the Kapanda Lupili and Mumbatuta Falls, below Lavushi Peak and on the edge of the Chibembe Plain. A tented camp will be available from the second half of 2016, and an interpretive centre at Fibishi Camp can accommodate small school groups. The Kasanka Trust also runs an overland truck with camping facilities that can

One of the Mumbatuta Falls Cascades

Hiking in the Lavushi Range

transport groups of approximately 15 in comfort. Lavushi Manda bookings can be made through res@kasankanationalpark.com. Further details are available on the web site www.kasankanationalpark.com. Direct arrivals can also be accommodated.

Interesting features and places to explore along the way to Lavushi Manda (apart from the Kasanka National Park) include the Kundalila Falls, Lake Lusiwasi, the spectacular Nsalu Caves and Mutinondo Wilderness. You can also add on the wonderful Bangweulu Wetlands, Shiwa Ng’andu, the North Luangwa National Park and other features of the northern circuit. Lavushi Manda looks forward to welcoming you! TL Z