Kafue National Park

One of the Africa’s oldest and largest parks, Kafue National Park is a patchwork of different habitats thronging with wildlife. The Kafue River dissects the park’s undulating terrain from where it enters the park in the North East, to where it culminates at Lake Itezhi-Tezhi to the South.

 The unspoilt grasslands, riverine forests and floodplains of Kafue stretch across a massive 22,400 km² of western Zambia. The park has several airstrips and is imminently accessible by chartered flight. However, a 350 km self-drive from Lusaka is an easy scenic option on relatively well-graded roads. Within the park itself a 4 x 4 vehicle is recommended.

Despite its accessibility, the area is largely unfrequented by the tourist hordes and therefore offers a truly remote safari experience for the nature purist. Combine your Kafue safari with a tour of other Zambian highlights or a visit to the breathtaking Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.

Kafue River alternatively meanders or thunders across the plateau, hosting hordes of hippo, crocodile and fish. Take a boat safari or canoe trip to hippo-spot and enjoy the sunset spectacle of lions drinking at the water’s edge, carefully monitored by the ever-alert impala, puku, bushbuck, and waterbuck nearby. The park has a rich mammal population including elephant, buffalo, sable, roan, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, spotted hyena, and endangered wild dog.

Take the opportunity to explore on foot like the pioneers of old, view the vast herds of wildebeest, zebra and antelope grazing on the Busanga Plains from the lofty perspective of a hot air balloon or enjoy the adrenaline rush of a night drive in search of the elusive leopard. An African safari at Kafue is a quiet, but intense bushveld experience.

Best Time to Visit Kafue National Park

While some of the camps stay open and boating activities are available throughout the year, the flooded plains in the wet season can affect accessibility in large parts of the park. Wildlife viewing peaks during the drier months from June to October.