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Liuwa Plain National Park

Zambia lion savannah
Zambia tiger fishing cropped
Zambia leopard3
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Welcome to Liuwa Plain National Park

The insider's travel guide to Liuwa Plain National Park

Liuwa Plains National Park is located in the Western Province of Zambia in the upper plains of the Zambezi river.

A remote park with stretching grass plains that host the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa, with an estimated 30,000 animals.

It is one of the oldest conservation areas in the country and was designated protected land by the ruler of the Lozi kingdom around 1880. It is also located in one of the most remote areas of Zambia, making it one of the least visited parks in the country.

However, it should be on every safari lover’s list due to its excellent populations of lion, cheetah and the annual wildebeest migration.

Liuwa Plain National Park is also home to a vast number of bird species including the endangered wattled crane as well as a variety of waterbirds and birds of prey.

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The Liuwa Plain National Park atlas

2 picks Places & Experiences You Won't Find Elsewhere
Where
What

  • Liuwa Plain is home to the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa and, compared to the more famous wildebeest migration in East Africa, this spot is hardly known. Each year in November, with the start of the rainy season, massive herds of blue wildebeest, 45,000 strong, migrate to Liuwa Plains, often mingling with zebras along the way.

  • The birdlife in Liuwa is extraordinary, and it's easy to spend hours watching the various comings and goings of white bellied bustards, crowned cranes, sooty chats, pink pelicans, fish eagles and more. Threatened waterbirds include slaty egrets and whiskered terns – Liuwa is the only breeding ground for these birds in Zambia. This is also a prime destination for migrating species and massive flocks of birds can be seen in the skies above Liuwa between May and July. Keep your eyes open for the Black-winged pratincoles, individually these might not be the most exotic of birds, but trust me: a flock of 100,000 swooping over the plains like a giant swarm of bees is pretty breath-taking! Don’t forget to pack your binoculars for birding at Liuwa.

  • Wildebeest migration without the crowds

    Wildebeest migration without the crowds

  • Birding in Liuwa Plain

    Birding in Liuwa Plain

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Dispatches

Guides & field notes
The best safari in Zambia
Guide

The best safari in Zambia

Sarah Kingdom
Sarah Kingdom

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.
Decolonising African travel—and travel writing
Article

Decolonising African travel—and travel writing

Mazuba Kapambwe
Mazuba Kapambwe

Travel writing in Africa has always been an overwhelmingly white affair. Early accounts from 19th century explorers like Henry Morton Stanley and fiction writers like Joseph Conrad depicted Africa as uncivilised, mysterious and barbaric, reflecting the racist attitudes that underpinned European empire building.
The Best Safaris In Africa
Guide

The Best Safaris In Africa

Stuart Butler
Stuart Butler

There is much more to Africa than safari, but there's no doubt the continent's natural heritage is one of the main draws for international and local tourists alike. For the uninitiated "safari" might mean viewing big land mammals from a 4x4, and while the Big Five game drives remain a cornerstone of the experience, these days there's so much more on offer.
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