The buzzing and chirping of innumerable cicadas and birds fills the still-cool morning air. As you proceed in single file down a dusty hippo track, your guide softly signals for you to stop. Ahead, a lioness appears, fixes you with her amber-colored eyes, and then, with a flick of her tail, stealthily disappears into the surrounding bush. Even if the interaction is brief, you realize you’ve been holding your breath and feel your pulse pounding joyfully when she leaves. You sharpen your focus and notice your surroundings more acutely; the colors are more vivid, the sounds are more distinct, and the scents are somewhat more intense. You’ve never felt more alive than you do here in wild and untamed Zambia!
Although walking safaris are thought to have originated in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park, the country’s other stunning parks and reserves should also not be disregarded. Experienced safari travelers, particularly those seeking a more genuine wildlife encounter with fewer visitors, have traditionally favored these parks because of their hidden gem quality.
However, you might be surprised to learn that Zambia is also a great option for those who are new to safari. Why? The parks of the Luangwa and Zambezi Valleys offer a wide variety of activities, including game drives, night drives, walking and canoeing safaris, and the roaring water and swirling mist of the majestic Victoria Falls. The big game viewing is consistently excellent, and the local guides are among the best in Africa.
Game Drives Along the Luangwa River
With one of Africa’s densest concentrations of game around the Luangwa River, the South Luangwa is Zambia’s most well-known park for good reason. Sadly, rhinos are not likely to be seen here, but aside from that one noteworthy exception, there is more than enough big game to fill a camera memory card.
Although you may cover more ground and see more wildlife in a car, walking allows you to experience this remote wilderness. What do we advise? In this region, which is well-known for its high concentration of lions and leopards, thundering herds of elephants congregated around oxbow lakes, and endemic species like Thornicroft’s giraffe and Crawshay’s zebra, mix your walking safaris with game drives.
The fact that the South Luangwa guides do not automatically radio each other whenever they have a nice sighting is one of the guiding practices that we most respect. This implies that you will have the room and liberty to silently witness a sighting when you do spot a big cat or maybe a kill, which is just fantastic.
Set Off on Foot in South Luangwa
An opportunity to fully immerse yourself in this beautiful countryside is a guided walking safari. Your comprehension of how all of nature works together in this remarkable ecosystem will grow as your senses do. Soon, you will be able to recognize various animal footprints in the sandy riverbeds, learn which plants are edible, and be astounded by the amount of knowledge that can be extracted from the common animal dung mounds.
Indeed, you have a decent possibility of experiencing the excitement of a lion sighting as well, particularly in South Luangwa, one of the best locations in Africa for on-foot big game seeing. However, there are no assurances: walking is not a task for tourists looking to cross things off a list! You spend the nights in cozy tents that have been prepared for you by the knowledgeable crew, complete with all the necessities.
The ideal places to stay are in the center of South Luangwa, away from other people, cars, and other indications of civilization. You’ll be more than comfortable with fine linen, hot showers, delectable, practical meals, and refreshing drinks served around the campfire beneath a starry sky, so don’t be put off by the moniker “bush camp.”
Get up Close and Personal With Victoria Falls
Mosi-oa-Tunya, which translates to “The Smoke That Thunders,” is a fitting local name for Victoria Falls. When you first see the Zambezi River roaring over the drop in full flood, nothing can prepare you. 500 million liters of water per minute smashing down a deep rocky valley sends a cloud of mist and rainbow-lit spray skyward.
Although the Main Falls are located in Zimbabwe (see our comprehensive guide to Victoria Falls), the Zambian side is just as striking from February to May, when flow is at its highest. The Knife-Edge Bridge, one of our favorite Zambian vantage points, brings you up close to this roaring waterfall; be ready to get wet!
A Zambian safari would be incomplete without a visit to Victoria Falls. To experience the variety of activities available, I suggest spending at least three days if you have the time. You can go white-water rafting on high-grade rapids or take a spectacular helicopter flip or microlight flight.
Drift Along the Lower Zambezi River
Along the glistening waters of the broad, blue Zambezi River, the Lower Zambezi is a breathtakingly magnificent reserve. Big game abounds here as well, and the lodges are usually more accommodating with their timetables, tailoring a day’s activities to your preferences, whether it is game drives, nature walks, or—most importantly—canoe safaris.
Don’t consider a canoe safari to be labor-intensive; you will float by the snorts and twitching ears of submerged hippos and knobbly Nile crocodiles lounging on the riverbanks, drifting more than paddling. It’s unquestionably exciting and serene! The guides are totally in tune with the habits and behavior of the animals and are quite comfortable guessing what they will do next.
You’ll discover that a canoe allows you to get a closer and more personal look at animals like buffalo and elephants, who drink their fill at the water’s edge and don’t seem to mind your silent voyage past them.
The Biggest Mammal Migration on Earth
Approximately 10 million straw-colored fruit bats fill the skies of Kasanka National Park every year between October and December. Indeed, the Great Wildebeest Migration in East Africa is not the world’s largest mammal migration!
The most exciting aspect of this phenomena is the atmosphere surrounding it, even though the sheer number of bats is astounding: enormous birds of prey fly over the spectacular skies and kill bats for breakfast. The typical Kasanka specialties, like as the rare, swamp-dwelling sitatunga antelope grazing in the morning misty dambos (wetlands), are also visible. This is a must-do experience if you’re a serious safari aficionado.
The Remote Busanga Plains of Kafue
Of Zambia’s three main parks, Kafue National Park is the least frequented despite being one of the continent’s largest. With only a few opulent tented sites, Kafue is nonetheless incredibly wild despite being far from the usual path.
The Busanga Plains, one of Zambia’s most important wetland resources and the park’s best area for wildlife watching, are located in the far north of Kafue. These grassy floodplains are grazed by massive herds of red lechwe, puku, and majestic roan antelope. Because of their size, these areas are frequented by lion prides, packs of wild dogs, and lone cheetahs.
You may spend your days in Kafue going on game drives, boat excursions, and walking safaris. You can also go fishing on the Kafue or Lunga River, and twitchers will be able to cross off more than 490 species of birds off their lists.