Journey distances and patchy infrastructure can pose a challenge, and it’s easier to fly between parks than drive, which pressures your budget and the environment. The country’s focus is skewed more to high cost/low volume tourism, so accommodation tends to be more on the expensive side, with less options for backpackers and those on a tight budget.
Think beyond the classic 'Big Five' safari
First-time safari goers are often fixated on seeing the so-called Big Five (lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard). This might seem like strange advice coming from a safari operator, but to be honest I think there are better places to see the Big Five elsewhere in Africa. Zambia is home to all five, but they're hard to find all together in any one park, and poaching has made the rhino populations especially threatened.
In my personal opinion, the real gems of a Zambia safari are the species and experiences that you can't easily find elsewhere on the continent. Zambia is especially fascinating for its wetlands which provide a precious ecosystem for numerous bird species, most notably the rare and bizarre-looking shoebill storks of the Bangweulu Wetlands.
Another unique aspect of a Zambia safari is the different range of safari types. In East Africa you can spend all day in a jeep chasing the Big Five, while in Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park you can see lions, elephants, buffalo and leopards, hippos and crocodiles on a canoe safari. Zambia is also famous for its walking safaris, most notably South Luangwa, the birthplace of the walking safari. I can't think of any better way to explore the bush than on foot walking through big game country.
Getting around
You’ll almost certainly arrive at Lusaka, Zambia’s capital city. Lusaka International Airport is 22 kilometres from the city centre, where there are plenty of hotels and guest houses to choose from. Adjacent to the international terminal is the domestic terminal, where you can connect with flights to the main national parks.
Lusaka is the central point of Zambia and all major roads heading north, south, east and west pass through the city. Livingstone and Victoria Falls are 470 km away, so I highly recommend flying. Kafue National Park is located 591 km from Lusaka, if you wish to fly here a charter flight will be needed. South Luangwa National Park is 527 km from Lusaka but best accessed by plane, and there are both scheduled and charter flights on this route.
How to avoid (too much) flying
If you want to avoid too much domestic flying, I’d highly recommend South Luangwa National Park which pretty much has everything you’d want to see. Alternatively Kafue National Park has lots of diverse landscapes such as the Busanga swamps and floodplains, you can stay here for at least a week, travelling from lodge to lodge by road.
Driving in Zambia is a challenge. The distances between the various safari areas and national parks are huge and the roads are often poor. While many of the roads are getting an upgrade, in most cases the easiest is still to fly between parks in light aircraft. Many routes offer fixed schedules, but if you intend to travel away from the main parks, you’ll need to fly on a charter plane. When transferring from one camp to another, within the same national park, you’ll usually be transferred by 4WD (effectively like a bonus game drive). In some specialist walking camps in South Luangwa, you may be able to walk between the camps.
If you are intending to drive, avoid travelling after dark and be aware that potholes, pedestrians and animals occur at random and other drivers can be erratic. If you’re not driving a 4x4 vehicle, don’t drive.
If you book your trip as an organised tour, either private or group, all your transport logistics will be arranged for you.
Zambia safari pro tip
If you’re booking a safari tour that’s longer than six or seven days, your itinerary will likely include multiple national parks with domestic flights between them. A good question to ask your operator is whether these are scheduled flights via Lusaka, or if they’re direct flights between the national parks. Going via Lusaka each time significantly adds to the stress, time and environmental cost of your trip, try to book an itinerary with direct flights where possible.
A lion in South Luangwa National Park
In my experience, the overall best time to go on safari in Zambia is between May and June.
This is the tail-end of the rainy season and the ground can still be muddy, but there will be few other tourists around and the seasonal camps and lodges will be beginning to open again. You may be able to secure low season prices.
July to October is dry season and is peak safari season in Zambia, with visitor numbers at their highest. The vegetation has dried out, making it easier to spot animals and, as water sources dry up, wildlife tends to concentrate along rivers and permanent waterholes, making them easier to find.
As an added bonus, the temperatures are milder, and bugs are few, making your trip a little more pleasant. This is also the best time for walking safaris, with the bush being drier and easier to navigate on foot.
The weather heats up in October, restricting game drives and walking safaris to the early morning and evening to avoid the soaring temperatures.
Rainy, green, or ‘emerald’ season begins in November and extends until April. This is low season: many of the parks and lodges are shut and washed-out roads can make travel difficult. But you can get some great deals on accommodation, there are fewer tourists, and the animals never disappear, they’re just more challenging to find. If you’re an avid birder then January, February and March are the time to visit, as the bird-watching is superb.
The best time to go on safari in Zambia AND see Victoria Falls
The two most popular activities in Zambia are safaris and seeing Victoria Falls. Unfortunately the best times to do each differ, but there is a small window when you can see them both at their best. Generally, for the best wildlife viewing in the main parks visit in the dry winter months (July to October). The best time to get great photos of Victoria Falls at their fullest is June to August. So, if you want to do both, July and August are the best months to visit Zambia!
