National Parks
Each category has its attractions. For a comprehensive overview of Zambia’s wildlife, you must visit more than one park. Certain species prefer certain environments and altitudes, so that antelope such as sable and roan, prevalent in the high-veld parks such as Kafue, are not found in low-veld areas like the Luangwa Valley. Similarly, sitatunga and lechwe tend to inhabit wetland areas like Bangweulu. Zambia’s most popular parks – South Luangwa, for example – are largely self-financing, but others in more remote parts of Zambia are rarely visited and have no visitor facilities and employ just one or two Zambia Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) rangers. For this reason, ZAWA and the Zambia Tourism Board are keen to encourage visitors to seek out lesserknown parks. Lukusuzi in the east and West Lunga are two examples. Both have great potential. But Blue Lagoon, Lavushi Manda, Lusenga Plains, Mweru Wantipa and Nyika
On the vast floodplains of Blue Lagoon there are herds
can also be characterised as little visited.
of kafue lechwe, sitatunga, zebra and a few buffalo. In addition, Blue Lagoon, like nearby Lochinvar National Park,
Here are details of some of Zambia’s lesser-known parks not
is home to an amazing variety of birdlife.
mentioned in other sections of ‘Destination Zambia’:
Blue Lagoon National Park
Lavushi Manda National Park Set amid rolling hills and pristine miombo woodland, the
Previously controlled by the Ministry of Defence and closed
1,500 sq km Lavushi Manda National Park is yet another
to the public, Blue Lagoon National Park is now open to
victim of poaching. Game is much depleted, but there are
visitors, but remains mostly undiscovered. The 500 sq km
still roan, hartebeest and sable which migrate here in the
park is now administered by the ZAWA. Blue Lagoon is only
rainy season. Even lion and leopard are to be found here.
120 km from Lusaka, making it an ideal day visit or easy
There are no visitor facilities.
weekend getaway from the nation’s capital. The area was originally a colonial farm and the farmhouse is now used as
Help is at hand since the arrival of the Kasanka Trust, which
the park’s reception. Nearby are four cottages which serve
is working hard on anti-poaching measures while improving
as the Blue Lagoon’s only permanent accommodation.
access. So prospects look good for Lavushi Manda.
There is also a campsite.
Liuwa Plains National Park This is a remote park in the west of Zambia. Blue hartebeest are its biggest attraction, but wild dog and lion are also present in this little visited area. Liuwa is administered by African Parks (Zambia) in a partnership between African Parks, ZAWA and the Barotse Royal Establishment, the traditional government of the local Lozi people. Since taking over in 2003, African Parks has overseen a huge increase in animal numbers; a trebling of wildebeest and growing numbers of zebra, Destination
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