ZAMBIA Home of the walking safari

The Victoria Falls are one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a ‘must see’ on any visit to Zambia, but the country has so much more to offer. With over 40% of the land protected wildlife areas, and some of Africa’s most significant rivers, lakes and wetlands, Zambia offers some of the finest wildlife viewing on the continent. The legendary walking safari was pioneered in the Luangwa Valley and this is still one of the best places to explore Africa’s natural world on foot.

Most famous of Zambia’s great national parks is South Luangwa – and with good reason. A haven of just over 9000sqkm, it is teeming with wildlife which concentrates on the Luangwa River as the water levels drop in the dry season, and offers some of the best leopard sightings in Africa. The remote North Luangwa is so underdeveloped that you can only explore on foot and there are only ever a handful of visitors in this pristine wilderness at any one time. Kafue is one of the largest national parks in Africa and remains largely unexplored.

The Kafue holds possibly the greatest diversity of wildlife of any national park in Africa, and in recent years has seen a small growth in the number of safari camps. The Busanga Plains found in the north are regarded as the jewel in the crown of this beautiful park. A vast flood plain which for much of the year is submerged below seasonal flood waters generates vast areas of grazing, attracting abundant wildlife.

The Lower Zambezi National Park is still relatively undeveloped, and its beauty lies in its absolute wilderness. The legendary Zambezi River is in itself a spectacle and is the namesake of this pristine wilderness, where canoe and boating safaris are a highlight. The Bangweulu Swamps is one of the best places to see the elusive Shoebill Stork, along with myriad other species of wildlife including black lechwe and nearly 400 species of bird.

When To Go

♦ The rainy season is from November – April. Many of the remoter bush camps close during this period but this is a great time, especially for birdwatchers, and some excellent camps remain open.

♦ June – October is the dry season and the best time for game viewing. The Falls are at their most spectacular after summer rains between March – June when the river starts to drop again.

♦ From November up to 10 million straw coloured fruit bats converge on Kasanka National Park as the fruits of a local tree ripen.