Lower Zambezi National Park

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The Lower Zambezi National Park’s wildlife is centred around the floodplain along the northeastern side of the Zambezi River.

Situated in Zambia’s southern region, Lower Zambezi National Park was named the world’s first carbon-neutral national park in 2016 after a joint collaboration with lodge operators under the Lower Zambezi REDD+ Project.

Combined with Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe, this is one of Africa’s best places to see elephants, zebras, leopards, lions and many more.

Named after the Zambezi river which runs through it, the park provides a lifeline for more than 60 mammal species and 378 types of bird. Animals such as elephants, leopards, buffalo, waterbuck ( a type of antelope) and wild dogs can be spotted in the park.

Hidden gems in Lower Zambezi National Park

Lower Zambezi National Park

Canoe safaris in Lower Zambezi & Bangweulu

Sarah Kingdom

Seasoned safari-goers who are tired of the conventional game drive should ditch the 4X4 and get into a canoe for a watery safari in either Lower Zambezi National Park or the Bangweulu Wetlands. For me there is something timeless about travelling through these swamps. I find it a world away from racing around in a safari jeep. Your guide at the front of the canoe, long pole in hand, propelling you through narrow channels, between the thick reeds and papyrus. Silence, except for slight burbles and gurgles as you glide through the water. It’s one of my all-time highlights.

Lower Zambezi National Park

Fishing on the Lower Zambezi

Sarah Kingdom

I’m definitely no fisherman, but every now and again it’s nice to take a break from the safari jeep and get out on the water. Serious sport anglers come from all over the world to try their hand at the Zambezi’s famous tigerfish, so maybe skip one of the morning or afternoon game drives and try your hand at fishing. Tigerfish are too bony to eat and fishing in the Lower Zambezi National Park is strictly catch and release, but it’s still pretty exhilarating to reel one in, and they put up a heck of a fight! Even if you don’t catch anything, spending a few hours on the water is fantastic, and you’re bound to spot some wildlife on the river banks.

Canoe safaris in Lower Zambezi & Bangweulu

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Fishing on the Lower Zambezi

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Lower Zambezi 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.