Kafue National Park
Kafue National Park
At 22 500 square kilometres, Kafue National Park is Zambia's biggest, and large tracts of this remain relatively unexplored.
The park is easily accessible, with daily flights carrying tourists in to various airstrips. However, for the size of the park, the visitor numbers are still low enough to consider the area truly wild.
Kafue has a phenomenal diversity of wildlife, and any visit here will amaze even the experienced safari-goer.
Along with exploring the wilderness during the day, a wonderfully thrilling activity is heading out into the African night with a spotlight. Surrounded by the darkness, nerves tingle as you feel the tension of the night, and spot the wary eyes of both predators and prey as the battle for survival enters its most dangerous phase.
Leopards in particular are often found hunting at night, and these drives offer a good chance of seeing nocturnal animals scurrying through the moonlight.
One of the most rewarding areas of Kafue, the Busanga Plains, are vast floodplains which transform into a wetland during the rains. At these times the birdlife is plentiful, and enormous herds of buffalo graze across the area.
Once the water has drained, the extensive plains are home to famous lion prides and a plethora of other wildlife, making this section of Kafue one of Africa's crowning jewels.
As with the other national parks in Zambia, Kafue allows for excellently guided walking safaris.
These walks provide an exciting occasion to connect with the African bush. Encountering large game and predators this way is exhilirating, while also allowing you the opportunity to learn more about the smaller creatures of the bush and the various and interesting flora.
The list of possible sightings in Kafue seems endless, and with 470 species of birds being counted, it is not only the mammals which will provide excitement.
Rarer sightings such as red lechwe, roan, sable and sitatunga antelope, as well as cheetahs and wild dogs will delight you, while it is also one of the best places to find elusive leopards.