Zambia Travel - A Safari at the Heart of Africa

South Luangwa is always brilliant- whether on 4X4 vehicle, horse or elephant back, river canoe, or simply on foot. Said to be the home of ‘walking safaris’, the park offers very good up-close game viewing- but remember the animals are wild, and it is not a good idea to walk without an armed game ranger. On these jaunts, the songs of birds, rambling of buffaloes, trumpeting of elephants, roaring of lions, buzzing of insects and chirping of crickets fill the air.

The park is at its best at the start and end of the summer rains in November through to December, and April through to May. At this time, the park is lush with vegetation and rampant with new life. The best time to view wildlife is during the winter season- particularly between August and September, when the water levels are at their lowest and animals congregate in huge numbers around the waters edge.

The South Luangwa has come a long way, having survived a dark period in 1980s and early 1990's. At that time unbridled poaching saw its black rhinos wiped out, and its tuskers seriously depopulated. All this is now in the past and it today offers Zambia’s best safari experience. It is also the country's most accessible game sanctuary and has well regarded accommodation and amenities.

The Luangwa for all its accomplishments is hardly crowded, and it receives few visitors than equivalent parks in more popular safari destinations. The park is easily accessible by road from Mfuwe, but those with less time to spare prefer to fly in.

Kafue National Park is the oldest and largest of Zambia’s game parks. At 22,400 square km, it is the size of a small country, and is Africa’s second largest national park. It was established in 1924 and named after the river of the same name. Stretching over the country’s North Western, Central and Southern Provinces, the park lies in close proximity to Lusaka and the Copperbelt and is accessible from all sides of the country’s 4 main highways.

Kafue’s landscape varies greatly but most prominent are miombo woodlands, riverine forests and marshy grasslands known as ‘dambos’. The north of the park is dominated by floodplains and rich wetlands, where the stunning unspoilt plains of Busanga harbour an abundance of game and bird-life. The area lies between the Lunga, Lufupa and Kafue Rivers, and enjoys luxuriant vegetation.

The south of the park is characterised by miombo and mopane woodlands, open grasslands, rocky outcrops and Kalahari sandveld. Nanzhila Plains, Lake Itezhi-Tezhi and Ngoma Forest are the main attractions.

Kafue has 55 species of animals, but it is largely antelope country. The red lechwe, sitatunga and Defassa waterbuck are the stars. Others of their species that roam the vast wetlands include: impala, eland, duiker, roan, blue wildebeest, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, grysbok, oribi, sable, kudu, puku, oribi, and reedbuck.

Other common residents include elephant, zebra and buffalo, and a good count of predators such as lion, cheetah and the occasional leopard. You will also find wild dog, hyena, jackal, serval, civet, genet, bushpig, warthog, porcupine, vervet monkey, and baboon. At the Kafue River, numerous hippos, water monitors and crocodiles have found a welcome.

Birding at Kafue, especially at the river and the swamps is excellent, and over bird 400 species have been sighted. Here you will find numerous water birds, and others such as spoonbills, Fulleborn’s longclaw, fish eagles, African finfoot, Pel’s fishing owl, goliath Heron, Bohms bee-eater, purple crested loerie, great cormorants, half collared kingfisher and the wattled crane.

In addition to game viewing and bird watching, a bonus at Kafue is the excellent game fishing. At the end of the line a good day may reel in bream, fresh water pike, catfish and barbell. An annual fishing competition is held every September at Lake Itezhi Tezhi.

The Lower Zambezi National Park is third ranked among Zambia’s wildlife habitats. It is situated just east of Lusaka, and is on the northern banks of the Zambezi River. Game viewing and birdwatching here are excellent. You can also take canoe safaris, and your fishing day out will be made by the tiger fish, bottle-nose fish and bream.

Nsumbu National Park near the country’s border with Tanzania spreads over 2,000 square km. It touches the shores of Lake Tanganyika, enjoying an 80 km stretch of beach. Nsumbu’s landscapes are picture perfect, with its lakeside cliffs and sandy shorelines. Wildlife is in good measure, and there are good opportunities for a walking safari, boating and sport fishing. Fish to catch here include Tigerfish, Lake Salmon, Nile Perch, Yellow Belly, Golden Perch and Vundu Catfish.

Be on the look out for beautifully plumaged birds, including the flamingo. The beach looks made for a memorable sun and sand holiday. But only the intrepid would dare, owing to the presence of weighty hippos and giant Nile crocodiles. There are a few good accommodation spots at Nsumbu.

Kasanka National Park in the central region is Zambia's first privately-funded and managed national park. Though a national park since 1942, Kasanka was nearly de-listed in the 1980's having greatly devalued as a wildlife sanctuary due to poaching and poor management. It was saved by collaboration between wildlife experts and the local community. You can watch game at the park including such delights as the slender snouted crocodile, and the rare sitatunga antelope.

The Lochinvar National Park -part of which is a World Heritage Wetland site, is renowned for its wonderful birding opportunities. Together with the Blue Lagoon – a 500 sq. km wildlife haven 100 km west of Lusaka –the two parks are favourites with birders. Lochinvar is found to the south west of Lusaka.

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, is home to Zambia’s share of the awe inspiring Victoria Falls. Mosi-oa-Tunya is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and lives off the Zambezi River which draws the boundary between the two countries. Covering just 66 sq. km- it is pretty small as far as national parks go. It divides into two sections: a wildlife sanctuary on one side, and the mighty falls on the other –each of which has a separate entry.

Nature in the area is varied and rich. Numerous antelope species, zebras, giraffes, and hippos are found here. More importantly, Mosi-oa-Tunya is home to Zambia’s only surviving rhino. There are also several herds of elephant, buffalo, wildebeest, klipspringer, vervet monkey, baboon and the occasional lion and leopard. The upstream and downstream sides of the falls each hosts distinct fish fauna. Below the falls, the fish species count is 39, while upstream it is 84. Some of the fish species are endemic to the Zambezi.

Victoria Falls is listed among the Seven Wonders of the Natural World, in the exalted company of the Grand Canyon (US), Great Barrier Reef (Australia) and Mount Everest (Nepal).

The western world first heard of the falls in 1855 from David Livingstone - the Scottish missionary and explorer. The spellbound explorer reported: "No one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England. It had never been seen before by European eyes; but scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight". He named the falls after Queen Victoria, then England's monarch.

Victoria Falls is the world's largest curtain of falling water. The magnificent, awe-inspiring spectacle arises as the mighty Zambezi River spreading over nearly 2 km plunges into a narrow chasm 120 metres below. It gives rise to a ferocious torrent of mist and thunder. The mist can rise to a height above 1.5 km, and can be seen from up to 40 km away. When the Zambezi is in full flood- around February and March, the flow over the falls exceeds 8 million litres of water per second.

The Kololo people of Zambia called the falls Mosi-oa-Tunya - 'The Smoke that Thunders'. Victoria Falls is Zambia's most popular destination for international visitors. The country has somewhat benefited from the decline of Zimbabwe, previously the more popular base for viewing the falls. The city of Livingstone in particular has done well from the recent growth of the tourist trade, and it has many new luxury hotels, lodges, and shops. You can get into Livingstone by flying from Lusaka or Johannesburg.

Victoria Falls has in recent years developed into a centre for extreme sports and adventure travel. At the Batoka Gorge, you can experience 23 white water rapids, within the high and hard basalt walls. For this incomparable thrill, you go over the rapids in large rubber rafts. Most visitors take the half-day, full day or two-day option. But hardened adventurers go for a week-long ride to the mouth of Lake Kariba. To go over all the rapids, you need to go between June and February. The rest of the year water levels are high and you can only do the last thirteen.

For a rush of adrenaline, take a helicopter flip over the falls or down the Batoka Gorge. But no extreme sports lover will leave without taking the world- renowned bungee jump at the Victoria Falls Bridge. The jump is taken in the no-man's land between Zambia and Zimbabwe.

You can undertake river boarding to experience some of the best fresh water surfing you will ever encounter. There are also opportunities for kayaking and jet boating. At the high walls of the Batoka Gorge, more thrills can be experienced by way of abseiling, cable swinging, gorge swinging and rap jumping.

The most stunning views of the falls are from air. There are micro flights featuring open cockpits that enable game viewing upstream of the falls over Mosi- oa- Tunya Park or an aerial perspective of the rapids through the Batoka Gorge. Another aerial option commonly referred to as the “Flight of the Angels” is conducted using light aircraft. With the angels, you will experience splendid views of Zambezi, the tremendous spray, and the winding gorges curved by the awesome power of the falls. In addition, you can take a flight in a tethered balloon.

In spite of its promise, Zambia has over the years lost a substantial lot of its wildlife heritage to poaching. The country received 6500,000 foreign visitors in 2005. With on-going reforms, and improved infrastructure, Zambia stands a good chance of becoming a significant safari destination. To see the highlights of the country, it is generally recommended you take an escorted Zambia safari package that includes transport, guide, park fees and accommodation.

Zambia enjoys a pleasant year-round sub-tropical climate. The country lies below the equator, giving it distinct winter and summer seasons. Summers last from November through April, and come with warm wet days, and a good 700 mm of rainfall. This period occasionally experiences tropical storms and floods, and access roads are then muddy and impassable. This is when you find most parks closed, and viewing animals is in any case difficult as the vegetation is high.

The month of May witnesses a transition from summer to winter. As the rains subside, the first part of winter sets in starting June through to August. Conditions remain cool but dry, and you have temperatures at an average of 12 degrees Celsius. September to October is the second part of winter- when it gets hot and dry -with temperatures averaging 32 degrees Celsius. This is usually the best time to visit if your interest is game viewing. Water levels are at their lowest and animals in their numbers congregate at the waters edge.

Zambia's climate calls for easy cotton wear. Brimmed caps or safari hats are a must to protect you from the unrelenting African sun. Comfortable waterproof boots are advised, as parts of the country are quite swampy. The humidity in the region makes it prone to malaria, and every traveller is advised to take some anti-malarial prophylactics. Insect repellents are quite handy, but you should still sleep under a mosquito net.

Help and More Information for Zambia Travel!

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