Interior Zambia
Zambia boasts Victoria Falls and the Luangwa Valley where several newly opened rustic camps are recommended, as well as the more established ones. Access is via Lusaka, Lilongwe or Jo’burg. Some camps are not open in April and May.
Zambia now offers scores of safari camps and
for King and King bespoke holidays. Before the
Zimbabwe chaos there were only a dozen or so.
As with any holiday destination local knowledge is
essential in picking accommodation that does
not disappoint. Not every camp lives up to website
promises. Good managers move on.
Zambia's game lodges are around Victoria Falls; in
the central Kafue National Park; along the
Luangwa River in the west and along the Zambezi.
Most holidays in Zambia start at Victoria Falls [see
our Destination notes] but, if time is limited bear in
mind game opportunities near the Falls do not offer
the same variety and remoteness of the interior.
Kafue National Park is big: 22 500km2, one of the
largest of its kind in the world, the oldest in Zambia
with, thankfully, only a few camps. It is one of
Africa's best kept secrets. Its wildlife is abundant. It
has more than 500 species of birds and 160
mammal species to supply an unending food chain
for all the main predators of the region - and a few
visitors.
Much of it floods seasonally. That extends grazing
potential but can and does close roads. Most of
Zambia's lodges and camps are closed between
November and April when it is hot, humid and
rainy. As with much of southern Africa game
viewing is considered best in the dry season which
is March/April to October/November, depending
where you are.
King & King recommends clients ask us about
'green season' bespoke safaris which are often
cheaper and can be more rewarding than expected.
Even though it is close to the capital, Lusaka,
practicable access to Kafue is by air charter to
six airstrips. Roads are often more scenic than
passable.
Another little known gem is North Luangwa Park
which attracts far fewer visitors than its better
known neighbour, South Luangwa Park, to which it
is connected for access. Two bush camps are open
to visitors from June to October, inclusive. One
camp on the Mwaleshi River offers walking safaris
tracking elephant, facing thousands of buffalo,
following elephant - and you won't see another
human being for days. Both camps are deliberately
low key.
South Luangwa has 20 camps and lodges, at the
latest count. Development here filled the gap
created by the collapse of Zimbabwe's tourist
industry. It was a good choice. The Luangwa
River flows down the fertile Luangwa Valley which
is itself a small rift valley at the southern extremity
of the continent-long main Rift Valley. Luangwa
means "fishing basket" for the large number of fish
in the river's pools and lagoons, which attract
thousands of water birds - crowned cranes, egrets,
two species of heron, pelicans and storks are some -
which are joined by migrating birds from the
northern hemisphere in Spring [around November]
which include more storks, swallows, swifts,
bee-eaters, eagles, cuckoos, and buzzards.
The park boasts large elephant herds which provide
a major attraction for visitors. Recent conservation
measures have been introduced to stop the
appalling poaching of elephant which was a feature
of this part of the world. |
