Kafue National Park – Bespoke Zambia Safari Itineraries

Kafue is the largest national park in Zambia and second-largest in all of Africa. It is a pristine wilderness with a wide variety of game and an astonishing 495+ species of birds on record.

A seasonal floodplain, Busanga is underwater from December-June and best explored by boat and mokoro. From July-October, game drives are on offer and hot air balloon flights are available in August and September. Direct daily flights from Lusaka connect the area with other components of a Zambia safari but a flight from Livingstone is also an option on certain days of the week.

A safari camp deck with chairs and lanterns overlooks open bushveld at dusk in Zambia.

A wild dog with large rounded ears stands alert in dry tawny grass in Kafue National Park.

Two hippos wade through a river in Kafue National Park.

Why visit Kafue National Park?

Though the entirety of the park is roughly the size of Massachusetts, the jewel of Kafue is undoubtedly the Busanga Plains up in the north. Spanning various lion pride territories, the Plains are said to provide some of the best lion viewing in Africa. The area also boasts large numbers of plains game like puku, red lechwe, hartebeest, oribi, buffalo, elephant and wildebeest. Cheetah and wild dog may also be seen, while a special treat is the ‘resident’ herd of rare roan antelope.

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Though the entirety of the park is roughly the size of Massachusetts, the jewel of Kafue is undoubtedly the Busanga Plains up in the north. Spanning various lion pride territories, the Plains are said to provide some of the best lion viewing in Africa. The area also boasts large numbers of plains game like puku, red lechwe, hartebeest, oribi, buffalo, elephant and wildebeest. Cheetah and wild dog may also be seen, while a special treat is the ‘resident’ herd of rare roan antelope.
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In the Central Kafue, boating and fishing on the Lufupa River can be enjoyed throughout the year as well as game drives and bush walks. Wildlife is varied and in high quantities here but more widely dispersed, meaning that game drives might feel disappointing for first time safari-goers. Ila Safari Lodge is reached by a 4-hour drive from Lusaka and is a luxurious entry to Central Kafue.
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A 3-hour drive further north takes you to Musekese, a true gem for anyone looking for pure wilderness and charismatic guiding by the camp’s owners.

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Other areas to explore

A visit to Kafue puts you within easy reach of many other beautiful and fascinating parts of Zambia.

Victoria Falls thunders into a deep gorge beneath a vivid rainbow arching through the mist.

Livingstone

A compact, energetic town on the Zambian bank of the Zambezi, Livingstone is the gateway to Victoria Falls.

Victoria Falls

Victoria Falls, the seventh wonder of the world, is located across the Falls from Livingstone, its sister town in Zambia. Activities abound and range from super active – bungee jumping, canoeing, whitewater rafting, to the more serene – river safaris, fishing and sunset cruises on the Zambezi River.

Three African wild dogs stand alert in tall dry grass in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park.

Liuwa Plain National Park

Set in Zambia’s far western region, Liuwa Plain is a remote landscape characterized by seasonal flooding and abundant wildlife.

A campfire burns beside a simple wooden chair at a remote wilderness camp in North Luangwa.

North Luangwa National Park

North Luangwa National Park is Zambia's great secret—a vast, pristine wilderness that sees a fraction of the visitors that its more famous southern neighbor attracts.

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There will undoubtedly be extraordinary unscripted moments: hippos emerging at sunset, the impossible blue of Arctic ice. We know that meaningful memories often live in personalized details.