Safaris in Zambia were pioneered with walking safaris in South Luangwa – and Zambia has several advantages over its neighbours.

Firstly, here (like Zimbabwe) there is a clear structure of exams which regulate the quality of safari guides. These include stringent practical tests for walking safari guides. Such high standards of 'bushcraft' guarantee that you will be guided by a great guide on Zambia safari, and this will add enormously to your safari experience.

Secondly, the national parks, where most of best Zambia safaris are conducted, all allow night drives. This adds a new dimension to game-viewing, with the opportunity to see different animals, from the elusive leopard to the amusing porcupine.

Now read on for more specifics about Zambia's top safari areas – and then call us to chat about the options, and our unrivalled range of Zambia safaris and holidays.

Zambia safari areas

Here is a précis of Zambia safari areas – split into main national parks, safari areas and places of interest in Zambia:

South Luangwa National Park

Zambia's top wildlife park offers superb big-game safaris by 4WD, plus some of Africa's best walking safaris. Most people spend at least five to seven days of their Zambia safari here, in at least two camps, and think about enjoying at least one stay in one of the Luangwa's tiny bushcamps. (Read more about South Luangwa…)

Kafue National Park

Zambia's largest national park is higher, cooler and less developed than either the Lower Zambezi or the Luangwa – and has species like cheetah that are rare elsewhere. Kafue's Busanga Plains are the gem of the park, so do include that in any trip here. (Read more about Kafue…)

Lower Zambezi National Park

Adjacent to the great, languid Zambezi River, the Lower Zambezi has big game beside a big river, often with a beautiful mountain backdrop. As well as night and day drives, come for boat trips, canoeing, great fishing and walking safaris – and it's the closest serious safari park to Zambia's capital, Lusaka. (Read more about the Lower Zambezi…)

Livingstone & the Victoria Falls

Along with one of the wonders of the world, the magnificent Victoria Falls, you'll find good value hotels close by, a handful of lovely lodges on Zambia's banks of the Zambezi and a host of adrenaline activities. (Read more about the Falls area…)

North Luangwa National Park

For a very adventurous element of a Zambia safari, consider North Luangwa National Park, the more remote sibling of South Luangwa. North Luangwa has just a couple of tiny bushcamps which focus exclusively on walking safaris; It's one of Zambia's great destinations for experienced safari addicts. (Read more about North Luangwa…)

Northern Zambia

This selection of our website covers some Zambian gems outside the main safari areas. It includes a variety of more offbeat, places like Shiwa Ng'andu, Nchila Wildlife Reserve and Mutinondo Wilderness Area - as well as Kasanka National Park and the Bangweulu Wetlands. All suit experienced safari travellers in Zambia better than most first-time visitors. (Read more about Northern Zambia…)

Lusaka area

Although Lusaka, Zambia's capital, has few major attractions, you may need to overnight here before catching an early morning flight to London – and if you have a little longer, then consider visiting the delightful Lechwe Lodge, which is also included here. (Read more about Lusaka…)

Liuwa Plain National Park

One of the most remote and fascinating of Zambia's safari areas, Liuwa protects is a vast grass-covered plain in the extreme west of Zambia. Very few people ever reach here, or see the wildebeest 'migration', as huge herds of wildebeest gather on the plains every year. The bird-watching is amazing here, notable for huge flocks of crowned cranes and pink pelicans. The only problem is just how remote and difficult Liuwa Plains is to reach! (Read more about Liuwa Plain… )

Zambia safari information

Questions often posed in the early stages of organising a Zambia safari with us often include the following:

How do we get around on a Zambia safari?

The distances between Zambia's safari areas and national parks are huge and its roads are often poor, so virtually all of our trips fly between the parks in light aircraft. Most flights run to fixed schedules, although if you travel away from the main parks, then we'll often charter small planes.

Once there, one of the joys of a Zambia safari is that you'll stay in small safari camps that will tailor their activities around your interests. Most safari camps in Zambia organise two activities per day; one in the morning, the other in the evening. Each lasts about three or four hours and you'll usually choose what you want to do the night before. Your days will be fairly full, but there's always a few hours after lunch for a light siesta - after all, it is a holiday!

Most safaris to Zambia are tailor-made: choose from a selection of safari camps and put an itinerary together visiting areas that interest you for a length of time that suits you. See a typical tailor-made safari, or a full list of ideas for safaris to Zambia.

If you prefer to travel in the company of a small group of like-minded travellers on a safari led by a professional guide, our Wild about Africa programme has the widest range of these trips that you'll find anywhere. (See examples of small-group camping safaris to Zambia… )

Do we have to choose a driving or a walking safari in Zambia?

No, not usually. Most safari camps offer a range of activities, which vary from walking to 4x4 safaris, both day and night, to walking safari. Camps near navigable rivers, for example in the Lower Zambezi, will usually also offer boat safaris, canoeing and fishing. For almost all of these, you can decide at the camp what you'd like to do for your next activity – so there's no need to decide before you get there.

The exceptions to this rule are a couple of tiny bushcamps, mostly in the Luangwa, which only offer walking. These are usually tiny camps in Zambia's more remote areas, where there are few roads. If you like walking, then you can't beat spending a few days at least one of these – their focus gives them a great atmosphere. Walking safaris that walk from camp-to-camp often use these camps, sometimes starting and ending at bigger camps which offer driving as well as walking activities.

Walking safaris can also be done in the company of a small group. See our Robin Pope Walking Safaris for departure dates and prices.

What are Zambia's walking safaris like?

If you have only seen animals from a vehicle and longed to get out, then walking with big game is an amazing experience; it's exhilarating to the point of addiction. Zambia's safari camps differ, but usually you'll set off on a walk with a guide, an armed game scout, and often a tea-bearer carrying refreshments. Walks have a maximum of seven guests, but two to five is more usual.

You don't need to be especially fit to walk on a Zambia safari. Walking safaris aren't route marches or endurance tests. Instead they're about taking time to spot the signs of the wildlife and learn how the ecosystems work. The distance covered depends on the wildlife that you find and the interests of the walkers, but two to five miles (3-8km) would be typical. You'll stop frequently for your guide to educate, enlighten and often entertain you with tales of the bush around you.

On safari in Zambia, the ground underfoot is always uneven, so sensible shoes or light boots are ideal. You need to carry your camera and binoculars, and ideally you should wear natural, muted colours and a hat.


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