Zambia is untamed Africa at its best and is a prized destination for intrepid safari enthusiasts. Zambia’s roads are consistently challenging. The sand is incredibly deep, the gravel roads are not maintained, the tarmac has totally disintegrated in some parts of the country and negotiating enormous potholes is to be expected. So you travel everywhere slowly, in convoy with another vehicle and a 4×4 is essential. The country outside of Lusaka and Livingstone is undeveloped and you need to be totally self-sufficient. Campsites are normally situated on the border of national parks and the facilities are excellent. But in some areas, such as Liuwa Plain, there are no facilities at all and you must create your own bush camp with portable shower or bucket and dig a long-drop lavatory.
None of the national parks and game reserves in Zambia are fenced and the wildlife moves freely through the camps.
In line with many of Africa’s national parks, off-road and night driving is not permitted except when staying in private lodges or unless otherwise specified.
KAFUE NATIONAL PARK
This is Zambia’s oldest park and by far the largest. In fact, it is the third largest national park in Africa. It is unspoilt Africa offering excellent game viewing, birding and fishing opportunities.
SEASONS
Zambia has three main seasons:
Very Hot Rainy Season: December to April is hot, humid and rainy with an abundance of insects. Many lodges close from November to April, as roads become impassable. Expect midday temperatures of 82°F (28°C).
Cool Dry Winter: May to September is cool and dry with pleasant term temperature around 75°F (24°C). Night temperatures go down to 46°F (8°C).
Hot Dry Season: October and November becomes hotter reaching approximately 95°F (35°C), but lacks humidity.
The best time to visit is during the dry months from June to November.
KAFUE SPECIALITIES
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Antelopes galore
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400 species of birds
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Remote African bush
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Hippos and crocs
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Walking and birding safaris
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The lions of Busanga Plains
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Night drives with good sightings of leopard
FACTS
Kafue is accessible by road so long as you avoid the rainy season.
This is a malarial area.
LOCHINVAR NATIONAL PARK
This park of exceptional beauty is situated on the Kafue River floodplain, easily accessible midway between Livingstone and Lusaka. It is a tranquil hideaway far from the main safari circuits, offering peace and beauty together with ever-changing waterscapes. Local villagers are also part of the eco system and support themselves by fishing from mokoro dug-out canoes.
SEASONS
Zambia has three main seasons:
Hot Rainy Season: December to March is hot, humid and rainy with an abundance of insects. Lodges often close from December to March, as roads become impassable. Expect midday temperatures of at least 82°F (28°C)
Cool Dry Winter: May to September is cool and dry with pleasant mid-term temperatures around 75°F (24°C). Night temperatures go down to 46°F (8°C). Warm clothing is advisable for winter evenings.
Hot Dry Season: October and November becomes hotter reaching approximately 95°F (35°C).
The best time to visit Lochinvar is during the dry months from June to November.
LOCHINVAR SPECIALITIES
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Mokoro (dug-out canoe) excursions
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Guided walks
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Thousands of Kafue lechwe
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Sport fishing
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Night drives
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Cultural visits to nearby fishing villages
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Hot springs
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Iron-age archaeological sites
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Exquisite ‘Out of Africa’ lodges
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Outstanding birding opportunities
FACTS
This is a malarial area.
The park is 428 square kilometres.
LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK
This park lies in the river valley between the rolling hills of the Zambezi escarpment and the Zambezi River itself. It is home to vast numbers of animals and birds, and has three main habitats: riverbanks, inland floodplains and reed islands.
SEASONS
Zambia has three main seasons:
Hot Rainy Season: December to March is hot, humid and rainy with an abundance of insects. Lodges often close from December to March, as roads become impassable. Expect midday temperatures of at least 82°F (28°C)
Cool Dry Winter: May to September is cool and dry with pleasant mid-term temperatures around 75°F (24°C). Night temperatures go down to 46°F (8°C). Warm clothing is advisable for winter evenings.
Hot Dry Season: October and November becomes hotter reaching approximately 95°F (35°C).
The best time to visit the Lower Zambezi National Park is during the dry months from June to November.
LOWER ZAMBEZI SPECIALITIES
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Close encounters with big animals from a canoe or boat
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Bush walks and animal tracking
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Wading waterbuck and buffalo
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Beautiful scenery
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Tiger fishing
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Night game drives
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Elephants swimming
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Superb safari lodges located along the river
FACTS
Night game drives are an option in licensed vehicles.
This is a malarial area.
SOUTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK
This huge park is so wild and remote and full of animals that it would be hard to exceed the safari experience found here. It is one of Africa’s most unspoiled places with enormous spaces, a wide diversity of habitats, and a high game density and rarity of wildlife rarely seen in other game reserves.
SEASONS
Rainy Season: The rainy season starts in December and ends in about April. During this time, conditions can deteriorate and it may be difficult to access some areas of the park.
Dry Season: May to August are the colder winter months with warm days and cold nights. After that it gets hotter and dryer and by September and October it is very hot. By this time the bushes have wilted and the earth is bone dry, so animals assemble along the river and at remaining waterholes. These hot dry months are the best for game viewing.
SOUTH LUANGWA SPECIALITIES
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Walking safaris with expert guides
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Night drives with good sightings of leopard
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Truly wild and remote setting
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An abundance of animals
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Encountering a lion or herd of elephants on a walk
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Huge pods of hippos
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Exciting bird watching
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Mobile camps with all the luxuries
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Unusual animals sightings including wild dog, honey badger, civet
FACTS
Off-road and night drives are permitted in licensed vehicles.
This is a malarial area.
The park covers an area of 3,494 ²miles (9,050 ²km).
NORTH LUANGWA NATIONAL PARK
This park is one of the most spectacular surviving wilderness areas in Africa and has been called “one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world today.” It is so remote that self-drive safaris are not allowed and you may only enter if accompanied by a licensed guide. There is really only one main road leading there, but fly-in safaris make it accessible.
SEASONS
Rainy Season: November to March is the wet season with most rain falling during December to February and humidity reaching a peak in January, February and March. The park is inaccessible during heavy rains.
Dry Season: It barely rains from April to October and the coolest months are May, June and July. As the months progress it gets hotter and peaks in October at around 86°F (30°C).
Best time to visit North Luangwa is July to October
NORTH LAUNGWA SPECIALITIES
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Close encounters with big animals from a canoe or boat
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Adventure in one of the wildest places on earth
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Buffalo herds 2,000 strong
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Walking amongst game
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Incredible diversity of habitats
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Animals unused to humans
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Few other visitors
FACTS
Avoid the rainy season.
This is a malarial area.
LIUWA PLAIN NATIONAL PARK
This remote park in the far west of the country is a forgotten and pristine wilderness. It is famous for its thousands of wildebeest – the largest population of blue wildebeest in southern Africa – who annually migrate between Zambia and Angola.
SEASONS
The Park is accessible by vehicle from June to December. For the adventurous it is possible to access the Park by canoe and foot from February to May. People wishing to do this should contact the Park beforehand to arrange boats and local guides.
LIUWA PARK SPECIALITIES
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The wildebeest migration
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Adventure in one of the wildest places on earth
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Animals unused to humans
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Few other visitors
FACTS
Entry prices into the park are higher than most other national parks due to the involvement of the international organisation, African Parks, as they try to protect and restore the biodiversity of this area.
This is a malarial area.
VICTORIA FALLS
The Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and Zambia are one of the wonders of the natural world. They are known as the ‘Smoke that Thunders’ (Mosi-oa-Tunya) by the local people because the spray and noise can be seen and heard from miles away. Around the falls is a riverine jungle that provides the perfect setting to view the five cascades. Antelopes can be seen in these areas and troops of baboons patrol the walkways. The Victoria Falls are shared by both Zambia and Zimbabwe and the area is deservedly known as the adrenalin and adventure capital of Africa.
SEASONS
Rain Season: Peak flood season is in March and April and the falls are at full power. This also means that the full width of the gorge is hard to see and photography is difficult due to immense amounts of spray. The aerial view at this time is spectacular.
Dry Season: The falls are at their lowest around November and December. This season’s gift is the opportunity to appreciate a clear view of the sheer cliffs and the abyss into which the water falls.
LIVINGSTONE – VIC FALLS SPECIALITIES
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Flight of angels over Victoria Falls
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Full moon lunar rainbow
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Baboons and warthogs in the Victoria Falls rainforest
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Sundowner drinks on a boat on the Zambezi
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Attractive birdlife
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High adrenaline sports like white water rafting and bungee jumping
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White rhino in the wildlife reserve
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Superbly positioned riverside lodges
FACTS
This is a malarial area.
It is possible to go from Zambia into Zimbabwe and vice versa quite easily.
There is a charge to enter either section of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.
If you would like to download a PDF File with more detailed information, please click the link below.
Information courtesy of the Game Reserve and Africa Parks
