Safaris in Zambia

Where to go on safari in Zambia

Most vacations to Zambia include South Luangwa National Park – with good reason. It’s often referred to as the finest wildlife sanctuary in Africa, and is home to a huge density and variety of wildlife, much of it rarely seen in other reserves. You’ll find all creatures great and small, from the Big Five, to bee eaters and bugs, easily appreciated on the walking safaris that were pioneered here in the 1950s. Despite its popularity and fame, the park is never crowded – you can’t say that about the Ngorongoro Crater. Typical itineraries fly from Lusaka to Mfuwe and from here it’s a short drive into the park – ideal for time-pressed travelers.

If you have more time, it’s definitely worth exploring Zambia’s other parks, many of which have a distinctly best-kept-secret feel. It’s not as easy to fly between lodges and parks here as it is in somewhere like Kenya, so expect some journeys on bumpy roads. North Luangwa is a rare gem, where you’ll encounter a vast array of wildlife but hardly any visitors. There are few vehicle tracks here, so walking safaris are the norm. Lower Zambezi National Park has an abundance of game and paddling the river in a canoe gives a whole new perspective on it. Glide past hippo pods and basking crocs, watched by elephants drinking on the banks.

Kasanka, Zambia’s smallest national park, and the Bangweulu Wetlands are within striking distance of South Luangwa, with the latter home to extraordinary birdlife but rarely included on standard safari itineraries. Over in the west of the country, Liuwa Plain National Park awaits, a wonderfully undeveloped landscape that plays host to one of Africa’s other Great Migrations, when massive herds of blue wildebeest arrive from Angola in November. Kafue is Zambia’s largest national park and one of the biggest in the world, containing a huge variety of landscapes, from grassland to forest, where everything from cheetahs to zebra roam. It’s also one of the few parks accessible by public bus!

How to go on safari in Zambia

Walking safaris are an immersive way to discover the country’s pristine wildernesses, barely changed since Dr Livingstone explored here in the mid 19th century. They help you to zero-in on the tiny details of the bush, as well as bringing you thrillingly close to large animals without the relative security of a 4x4! Nowhere does them better, or offers them more widely, than Zambia. Every guide is highly qualified, with a depth of knowledge and experience that brings the bush into sharp focus. As well as following tracks to spy on the big beasties, a great guide will draw your attention to insects and birdlife, for a rounded insight into Zambia’s wildlife. He or she can also give you the heads up on all the latest conservation initiatives and issues.