Zambia
Zambia is a place close to our hearts, a place we call home. Home to the extraordinary, the rare, the magnificent and the unimaginably beautiful. From the eery Bangwelu swamps and its prehistoric shoe-billed storks, to the majestic and thunderous Victoria Falls, from the lions of the Busanga Plains to the leopards of the Luangwa, one will find magic, magnificence and awe. Follow the great rivers that are the Kafue, Luangwa and Zambezi, revel in the diversity of landscapes, wildlife and cultures, be welcomed by the famous Zambian hospitality, and let this incredible country take you on an inspiring, extraordinary and intellectual journey.
Seasonality :
October - November
April - May
Shoulder Season
Highlights :
A few of our favourite places in Zambia...
Kafue National Park
Zambia's Hidden Gem
Little is known about this extraordinary park – surprisingly so, for it is one of the largest in Africa. Wild and raw, the Kafue is explored by those who long for adventures off the beaten track, perhaps sprinkled with the comfort of fine luxury lodging. The park exhibits diversity in fauna and flora matched only by a few other places on the continent. We think of the endemic Black-cheeked lovebirds flittering along the Nanzhila Plains, the teeming animal life all along the magnificent Kafue river, the healthy wild dog population thriving around Musekese, the black-maned roaring lions of Busanga plains… and so much more. Home to an exciting array of accommodation and safari options, many of which are unique to the Kafue, visitors can enjoy some of the best canoeing safaris in Africa, walking safaris and vehicle-bound expeditions led by highly trained and professional guides. We love the Kafue, and it happens to be the place where Andrew started his guiding career, too!
Lower Zambezi
The Heartbeat of Africa
There is a feeling, undeniable even to the most mundane of men, that one gets whilst sitting along the banks of the Zambezi river. One can almost feel Africa’s heartbeat, the river its veins as the continent’s magic pulses through you. There is not enough poetry in the world to properly describe the Zambezi Valley, the river, the ancient forest, and the wildlife. No, the only way is to be immersed in this special place, to feel it, to see it, to hear it, to taste it. Gazetted in 1983, the Lower Zambezi is renowned for some of Africa’s finest walking, canoeing, and vehicle-bound safaris. As the lifeblood of the area, the Zambezi River and its floodplains attracts vast numbers of elephant, buffalo and gazelle; and with these, naturally, come the predators. Leopard, lions, hyena and wild dogs are as synonymous with the park as the mighty river itself.
The South Luangwa National Park
The Kingdom of the Leopard
The South Luangwa National Park is one of Zambia’s crown jewels, the birthplace of walking safaris, and a place where leopards seem to fall from the trees. Home to some of the densest population of leopard, wild dog, lion, elephant and diverse antelope species, traversing the famous oxbows of one of the most intact and exciting rivers of Africa will be sure to exceed your wildest imaginations. Let some of Zambia’s finest guides drive or walk you through the Ebony grove and Mahogany forest, sit atop the steep banks of the Luangwa river as elephants cross, carmines swarm, leopards hunt and lions congregate on the sandy dry riverbed. We largely owe the Luangwa’s thriving biodiversity to renown conservationist Norman Carr’s pioneering work back in the 1950s. Though famous for initiating walking and photographic safaris in the valley, the Carr legacy is very much rooted within conservation dynamics promoting healthy coexistence between people and wildlife. A legacy that will certainly shine far into the future of Africa’s national parks and conservation efforts.
Liuwa
Zambia's Great Plains
In a remote and jaw-dropping part of western Zambia, pristine wilderness persists. Home to the Lozi people, the mystical Liuwa floodplains are little known to tourists but well worth the detour. Green grasses, sparkling river channels and pools brimming with lilies make the Liuwa Plains a true wonderland for travellers looking to explore something different…almost exclusively. An otherworldly landscape that harbours the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa (Nov-Dec) as well as healthy lion, hyena and cheetah populations. In the late 19th century, the King of the Barotseland declared his people custodians of the area and its wildlife. At the time, this contrasted with other fortress conservation practices that dominated the conservation world, focusing solely on wildlife preservation and forsaking local communities, often evicted from their ancestral lands in the name of conservation. Now managed by African Parks, the area’s legacy lives on: a healthy, biodiverse ecosystem, with vast grazing herds, predator numbers and thriving birdlife.
Victoria Falls
Tremble in Wonder Before the ‘Smoke that Thunders’
Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight, wrote Dr. Livingstone as he described the mighty Victoria Falls. Referred to by some locals as the Mosi-Oa-Tunya, the Smoke that Thunders, or in Chongwe, The Place of the Rainbow, the Falls are amongst one of the seven natural wonders of the world. A natural border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Falls are considered as some of the world’s largest waterfalls, pumping up to 3000m3 of water per second in the wet season. Gigantic sheets of water plummet into the depths of a 1078m wide chasm, crossed by a bridge from which it is possible to bungee jump for an adrenaline pumping thrill. A myriad of other activities are also on offer, for those wanting something a little more relaxed. The Victoria Falls town is deliciously vibrant and full of local artisans and creatives, making it a great place to unwind after a safari!
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