Zambia

For many years overlooked by tourists, and forgotten by the rest of the world as disastrous politics in the 1970's and 1980's led to poverty and the virtual breakdown of the country. But in the mid 1990's things changed, as a shift on the political front lead to economic reforms and improvements.

Zambia has an incredible natural heritage with many unique species found only within Zambia and no where else. For the Wildlife and Bird lovers out there, there is no better safari destinatin in Africa.

Zambia boasts world-class wildlife parks and reserves such as South and North Luangwa National Parks, Kafue National Park, Lower Zambezi National Park just to mention but a few. Discover Zambia with a safari, you will feel feel like you have been to the "Real Africa" - Africa like it should be!.

Zambia is acknowledged as one of the safest countries in the world to visit, Zambia's welcoming people live in peace and harmony.

A Zambia Safari guide with safari and tours that able you to explore Zambia. For wildlife fans, the excellent national parks are teeming with birds and animals, and boast some of the finest safari camps and lodges in the whole of African continent. Zambia shares the Zambezi River and Victoria Falls - two of the region's major tourist highlights with her Southern Neighbour Zimbabwe.

Travelling through Zambia is still a challenge - but for many people, the challenge is the main attraction. In Zambia you come close to finding 'REAL AFRICA'

Mosi O Tunya National Park
'Situated along the upper Zambezi stretching from and including the Victoria Falls for about 12kms up the Zambezi River above the Falls.'

Size & Location: 66 square kilometres, upstream of Victoria Falls
When to visit the park: The warm wet months of February to April
Climate: Winter - The cool and dry (April to August) / Summer - hot and wet (November to March)
Rainfall: Unavailable
Altitude: Unavailable
Lodges & accommodation: Victoria Falls Lodges

Only 66 square Km, plans are in the pipeline to extend Mosi-O-Tunya National Park further up the Zambezi River. Because the park is small, it affords a wonderfully relaxing drive alongside the river for much of the circular route and the wide variety of species can be easily seen.

Mosi-O-Tunya National Park provides the opportunity to spot numerous antelope species, zebra, giraffe, warthog, a variety of birds and smaller animals while on game drives or walks.

Elephants cross the Zambezi River freely between Zimbabwe and Zambia (no passports required for them) and walk through the Mosi-O-Tunya and the surrounding area of Livingstone.

There are several white rhinos, who have breed successfully in the park. These are the only rhinos currently to be seen in Zambia as its previously large population has been completely eliminated through poaching.

One can take a pleasant drive around the park in a couple of hours and all the species there should be seen at close range. Since there are no predators, they are very relaxed and afford some excellent photo opportunities.

Visitors can drive their own vehicles through the park or go on organised open vehicle game drives and recently elephant back safaris have been introduced.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS:
» Victoria Falls
» Adventure activities
» Chobe National Park is 80 km away

Kafue National Park
'One of the largest parks in the world and when combined with the adjacent Game Management Areas Kafue expands to 65,000 square kilometres'

Size & Location: 22 400 square kilometres
When to visit the park: Year round, April to October are best for game viewing
Climate: Winter months from July to October
Rainfall: 1200mm
Altitude: +- 1350m above sea level
Lodges & accommodation: Kafue National Park accommodation

Kafue National Park is Zambia's oldest park and by far the largest. Proclaimed in 1950 and is spread over 22 400 square kilometres - the second largest national park in the world and about the size of Wales.

Despite the Kafue proximity to both Lusaka and the Zambian Copperbelt, the National Park has remained underdeveloped until recently. Despite the depravations of poaching and lack of management, Kafue National Park is still a raw and diverse slice of African wilderness with excellent game viewing, birdwatching and fishing opportunities.

From the astounding Busanga Plains in the North-western section of the Kafue to the tree-choked wilderness and the lush dambos of the south, fed by the emerald green Lunga, Lufupa and Kafue Rivers, the park sustains huge herds of a great diversity of wildlife. From the thousands of red lechwe on the Plains, the ubiquitous puku, the stately sable and roan antelopes in the woodland to the diminutive oribi and duiker. The solid-rumped defassa waterbuck, herds of tsessebe, hartebeest, zebra and buffalo make for a full menu of antelope.

Large prides of lion, solitary leopards and cheetahs are the prime predators. There is a host of smaller carnivores from the side-striped jackal, civet, genet and various mongoose.

Birdwatching - especially on the rivers and the dambos is superb. Notables include the wattled crane, purple crested loerie and Pel's fishing owl. Over 400 species of birds have been recorded throughout the park.

The Kafue and Lunga Rivers offer superb fishing opportunities, especially good bream, barbel and fresh water pike.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS:
» Antelopes galore
» 400 species of birds
» Very remote African bush
» Hippos and crocodiles
» Walking, birding, wildlife safaris

South Luangwa National Park
'Experts have dubbed South Luangwa as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, and not without reason. The concentration of game around the Luangwa river and it's ox bow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa.'

Size & Location: 9050 square kilometres
When to visit the park: The dry season April - October
Climate: Summers can be very hot and humid
Rainfall: Unavailable
Altitude: Unavailable
Lodges & accommodation: Luangwa accommodation

The Luangwa River is the most intact major river system in Africa and is the life blood of the park's 9050km2. The South Luangwa National Park hosts a wide variety of wildlife birds and vegetation. The now famous 'walking safari' originated in this park and is still one of the finest ways to experience this pristine wilderness first hand. The changing seasons add to the Park's richness ranging from dry, bare bushveld in the winter to a lush green wonderland in the summer months. There are 60 different animal species and over 400 different bird species. The only notable exception is the rhino, sadly poached to extinction.

If you're staying at one of the Valley's lodges, the guides will ensure you have every opportunity to see all that the valley has to offer of its wildlife, birds and varying vegetation and habitats.On the plains you're bound to see the large elephant herds, reaching up to 70 in number. Buffalo are abundant and spread throughout the valley.

The hippopotamus is one animal you won't miss. As you cross over the bridge into the park there are usually between 30 and 70 hippos lounging in the river below and most of the dambos and lagoons will reveal many. There is estimated to be at least 50 hippos per kilometre of the Luangwa River!

Lions are as plentiful in the Luangwa as anywhere else in Africa, but when a kill is made away from the central tourist area, the pride may stay away for several days and may not be seen by visitors on a short stay. Very often they roam in prides of up to thirty.

Hyenas are fairly common throughout the valley and their plaintive, eerie cry, so characteristic of the African bush can be heard on most nights.

South Luangwa has a good population of leopard but they are not that easy to spot and tend to retreat when they hear vehicles. Many of the Lodge's game trackers are skilled in finding leopards on night drives however, and often visitors are rewarded with a full view of a kill.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS:
» Wildlife
» Birding
» Being in wildest Africa
» Thornicroft's Giraffe
» 14 different antelope species
» 47 migrating bird species from Europe and Russia

North Luangwa National Park
'This remote tract of land covering 4636 square kilometres offers one of the finest wilderness experiences in Zambia, if not Africa itself.'

Size & Location: 4636 square kilometres
When to visit the park: The dry season April - October
Climate: Summers can be very hot and humid
Rainfall: Unavailable
Altitude: Unavailable
Lodges & accommodation: Luangwa accommodation

It is not open to the public and there are no permanent lodges there. Access is with one of the few safari operators granted permission to conduct walking safaris there.

The beauty of visiting this park is the truly remarkable opportunities to experience Africa as it was. It is wild and untouched and you are simply an unobtrusive witness to its natural beauty and drama.

Although declared a wilderness area, the North Park, was not open to anyone other than Game Department rangers for more than thirty years. In 1984, Major John Harvey and his wife Lorna sought permission to conduct walking safaris in the area and for many years were the only operators in this remote wilderness.

Then in 1989, Two scientists, Mark and Delia Owens, famed for their book 'Cry of the Kalahari', were granted permission to set up a research station in the park. Through their influence and as a means of helping to curb poaching in the area, the authorities allowed entry to the park to a few more safari operators who bring limited numbers into the park for guided walking safaris and game drives. Their efforts in the North Luangwa are documented in their book 'Survivors Song / The Eye of the Elephant'.

There are very few roads and you're unlikely to see anyone else for the duration of your trip.

Like the South Park, it lies on the western bank of the Luangwa River bordered on the other side by the dramatic Muchinga escarpment which rises over 1000 meters from the valley floor. Its hazy outline can clearly be seen from the Luangwa river.

There are a number of tributary rivers running through the park and into the Luangwa which play an important ecological role in the Area. The crystal clear Mwaleshi River trickles down the escarpment in a series of small waterfalls. It recedes in the dry season, leaving many pools along the way, drawing the animals from the bush to its banks in search of water. No game drives are permitted in the Mwaleshi area, access is by organised walking safaris only.

Vegetation ranges from mopane woodland to riverine forest, open grasslands and acacia thicket, the beautiful sausage trees, vegetable ivory palms, red mahogany and leadwood.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS:

» buffalo
» Lion
» Leopard

Lower Zambezi National Park
'The Park lies opposite the famous Mana Pools Reserve in Zimbabwe, so the whole area on both sides of the river is a massive wildlife sanctuary'

Size & Location: 4092 square kilometers
When to visit the park: June to September
Climate: Summers are extremely hot (35 degree celcius +)
Rainfall: Unavailable
Altitude: Unavailable
Lodges & accommodation: Lower Zambezi accommodation

The Lower Zambezi is Zambia's newest Park and is still relatively undeveloped, a absolute state of wilderness. The opportunity to get close to the game wandering in and out of the Zambezi channels is one of the main attractions of this National park. The Park lies opposite the famous Mana Pools Reserve of Zimbabwe, so the whole area on both sides of the river is a massive wildlife sanctuary.

The Zambezi river edge is overhung with a thick riverine fringe, mostly diasporus, ficus and other riverine species. Further inland a floodplain fringed with mopane forest and interspersed with winterthorn trees Acacia albida. The escarpment hills which form the backdrop to the park are covered in broadleaf woodland.

The Lower Zambezi National Park covers an area of 4092 square kilometers, most of the wildlife is concentrated along the escarpment valley floor. The escarpment acts as a natural barrier to most of the parks animals.

Enormous herds of elephant, some up to 100 strong, are often seen at the rivers edge, buffalo and waterbuck are also common. The park also hosts good populations of lion and leopard. Many of the bigger mammals, elephant, buffalo, hippo, waterbuck, kudu, zebra, and crocodiles, impala and warthog are to be found below the escarpment. Occasionally, roan, eland and the Samango monkey can be seen but sighting are rare. Nocturnal animals here are hyaena, porcupine, civet, genet and honeybadger are waiting when you are on a night drive.

The birdlife along the riverbanks is exceptional, Fish Eagles, white fronted and carmine bee eaters, red winged pratincole, the elegant crested guinea fowl, black eagle, and vast swarms of quelea. In summer the stunning narina trogon makes its home here. Other specialities are the trumpeter hornbill, Meyers parrot and Lilian's lovebird. A birding photographers and spotters paradise

The vegetation in the area is predominated by Acacia albida trees, a thorn species 10 - 30m high with the classical shady umbrella canopy. Acacia Winterthorn are also in abundance whose pods are loved by elephants.

MAIN ATTRACTIONS:
» Close encounters wildlife from a canoe's or boat's
» Game walks
» Beautiful scenery
» Tiger fishing
» Night game drives
» Elephants swimming
» Sunsets
» Remoteness
» Birdlife

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