When a dear friend and long term client enquired as to a safari in Zambia, I was over the moon!!! The country has so many unique areas to visit, each with its own characteristics and magical landscapes. The essence of wilderness and space is what Zambia can bring to a safari, and with this we decided to include the three best areas and reserves to the itinerary. 

South Luangwa National Park

Here, the seasonality of the region and the harshness of the Luangwa valley is what makes it special. The wet season makes the park impenetrable, with flood waters from the Luangwa River covering most of the region. However, in the dry season the water recedes, dry temperatures rise, and this reveals lagoons, open floodplains and woodlands, all of which provide beautiful habitats to explore. The wildlife thrives and game viewing is incredible. the Luangwa River is still the lifeline, and the now dry and harsh environment makes it a spectacle that one has to see to believe. We based ourselves out  of Shenton Safaris Kaingo Camp, and we were rewarded with wildlife experiences that were just magical. Predators galore, along with all the unique mammal species for the area. 

Lower Zambezi National Park

An old favourite for some, but a newly found gem for many, this park is on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River. Large flood plains hosting Ana trees, with mixed Bushveld extending to the mountain escarpment, providing a a perfect combination of habitats. This leads to world class wildlife viewing and birding, and being along the river at Chiawa Camp, we were ideally located to see all. Daily camp visits by elephants had us doing and weaving through camp to get to meals, and the safari drives we saw all we wanted (plus the addition of the magical purple/blue light for photography). This all just makes the place so special. On top of this, the Zambezi river, with fishing experiences and boat cruises just sets the tone for a spiritual and deep encounter. The drought of the last few years has made it an intense place to be in (luckily the recent rains have broken this), but while we were there it just compounded all the magical ingredients of the area so we could appreciate to that much more! 

Kafue National Park

Busanga Plains in the Kafue National Park has to be one of my favourite experiences in Africa. A bold statement, but once anyone has been, the slow and steady love for the place grows and grows… From having lions enjoying the shade under our rooms for a day, to a vast vistas of plentiful wildlife for sunrises and sunsets, this truly is a spiritual and purely African experience. Space and time seem to merge, and the experience becomes more one of enjoying just being present, rather than just the plethora of animals that call it home. Although, having a honey badger forage under your feet for twenty minutes around the lodge decking was pretty awesome! 

This safari was a lovely mix of all that the best areas of Zambia has to offer, and we will most definitely return. On our last morning, one of the lion prides decided to settle around the lodge, and they serenaded us while the sun rose. A coffee in bed, with golden light streaming through, and lions calling all around – a memory not likely to be forgotten, rather embedded in memory for a lifetime. 

Thank you Zambia!