Liuwa Plain National Park Travel Guide

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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.

Hidden gems in Liuwa Plain National Park

Liuwa Plain National Park

Wildebeest migration without the crowds

Sarah Kingdom

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.

Liuwa Plain National Park

Birding in Liuwa Plain

Sarah Kingdom

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.

Birding in Liuwa Plain

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Liuwa Plain National Park travel guides

Guide

The best safari in Zambia

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.

Guide

Safari in Lower Zambezi National Park

Mazuba Kapambwe

Lower Zambezi National Park is just over 4,000 square kilometres of unspoilt nature. A relatively undeveloped park, with no paved roads, it’s rare to encounter another safari vehicle.

Guide

Safari In Kafue National Park

Sarah Kingdom

The colossal Kafue National Park is Zambia’s oldest and largest national park, and one of the wildest in all of Africa. At 22,400 square kilometres, Kafue itself represents 36% of Zambia’s national park land.

Guide

Safari in Kasanka National Park

Sarah Kingdom

Kasanka National Park is one of Zambia’s smallest national parks but, with an incredible 480 bird species and 114 mammals there’s a lot to see.

Guide

Safari in Liuwa Plains National Park

Sarah Kingdom

The 3,369 km² Liuwa Plains National Park in remote far west Zambia was once the traditional hunting ground of the Litunga (King) of the Lozi people. Liuwa Plain is home to the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa and, compared to the more famous

Article

Decolonising African travel—and travel writing

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.

Guide

The Best Safaris In Africa

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.