Kafue National Park, Zambia

Zambia’s oldest park is also the country’s largest. Proclaimed in 1950 and covering 22,400 km², Kafue National Park’s game viewing, birdwatching and fishing are simply superb. Huge herds of a variety of wildlife are sustained by the life giving habitats of grassland plains, woodland forests and lush wetland systems. The Park boasts an astonishing diversity of antelope, more than anywhere else in Africa.

It is a bird lover’s paradise. Home to over 400 different species, the rivers and wetlands of the reserve are especially good areas for twitchers. Notable species include the Wattled Crane, Purple-crested Lourie and Pel’s Fishing Owl. Keen anglers will also be rewarded with excellent fishing. Recommended lodges include Busanga Bush Camp, Kapinga Camp, Lunga River Lodge and Shumba Camp.

Lodges in the Kafue National Park

Reminiscent of the Masai Mara, Kafue's endless wide open plains are home to lion and plains game (many species of antelope and gazelle that feed off grasses in savanna and plains habitats).
Our recommended lodges:
Busanga Bush Camp - authentic safari setting
Kapinga Camp - small and intimate lodge
Lunga River Lodge - on the banks of a pristine river
Shumba Camp - luxurious tented camp

A birder’s paradise

Considered an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International, the Kafue National Park is important for the conservation and biodiversity of birds. Wattled Cranes and Fulleborn's Longclaw are some of the notable species. 491 species occur in the park. Along the Kafue River and its tributaries, African Finfoot, Pels Fishing Owl, Bohms Bee-eater and Half-collared Kingfisher are seen. In the woodlands, Black-collared Barbet and Spotted Creeper occur.

Best time to visit

Game viewing is excellent during the dry season from April to October. The park is at its best after the rains. There are three seasons: December to April is hot, humid and rainy with an abundance of insects. Many lodges close from November to April as roads become impassable. The cool dry winter is from May to September with pleasant temps around 24'C. Night temps go down to 8'C. The hot, dry season from October to November becomes much hotter, but lacks humidity.

Getting to the Kafue

Accessible by road from all sides of the country, the Kafue is still best reached by private air charter. In most cases the roads are not well graded and require a 4X4 vehicle. There are light aircraft airstrips at Ngoma, Puku Pan, Chunga, Hippo, Moshi and Lunga Camps. The northern section of the park, where the majority of lodges are located, can be reached by road from Lusaka via Mumbwa. To get to the southern section, you need to go past the Itezhi Tezhi Dam on a decent dirt road.