Zambia is the home of the walking safari, and it is still one of the best places in Africa to leave the vehicle behind. Its parks are big, wild and quiet, its camps are small and its guides are among the best on the continent, so you can spend a morning with a leopard and not see another vehicle.
South Luangwa is the heart of it, with leopards, night drives and walks. The Lower Zambezi adds canoeing beside the hippos, Kafue and the Busanga Plains add vast space and lions, and Livingstone gives you Victoria Falls from the Zambian side, just a short step from the river.
We link the parks by light aircraft and choose a handful of exceptional camps, so your days go on the walking, the water and the animals.
Zambia has some of the best leopard viewing in Africa in South Luangwa, along with large herds of elephants and buffalo and species found nowhere else, including the Thornicroft giraffe and Crawshay’s zebra. The Lower Zambezi has elephants, hippos and crocodiles on the river, Kafue and Busanga have lions, red lechwe and roan antelope, and North Luangwa has very large buffalo herds and black rhinos.
Chance of seeing
Our estimate for a stay of two or three nights with a good guide. Wildlife is wild, so nothing is promised.
Popular activities
Zambia is high and mild for its latitude. The dry season from May to October has warm days, cool nights and almost no rain, and the hot season from September to November is very hot in the valleys. The rains fall from November to April.
| Month | Day °C | Night °C | Rain mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 26 | 17 | 215 |
| Feb | 26 | 17 | 180 |
| Mar | 27 | 16 | 110 |
| Apr | 27 | 14 | 25 |
| May | 26 | 11 | 3 |
| Jun | 24 | 8 | 0 |
| Jul | 24 | 8 | 0 |
| Aug | 27 | 10 | 0 |
| Sep | 30 | 14 | 2 |
| Oct | 32 | 17 | 20 |
| Nov | 29 | 17 | 100 |
| Dec | 27 | 17 | 190 |
Approximate long-term averages. Higher ground is cooler, and forests can rain in any month.
The dry season runs from May to October, with clear skies, warm days and cool nights, and animals gathered at the rivers and waterholes.
The rains fall from November to April, mostly as afternoon storms, with the most rain from December to March. The landscape turns green, the rivers rise, and many camps and roads close.
June to October is the best time, with dry weather, cool nights and the animals gathered at the water. July to September is the best for game viewing, and the Busanga Plains are open only then. November is the best for the Liuwa migration. The rains from November to April turn the country green, with births and migrant birds, but many camps close.
Best time to visit Jun to Oct
National ParkSouth Luangwa National ParkLeopards and walking safaris
National ParkKafue National ParkVast, wild and rarely visited
City & TownLivingstone and Victoria FallsVictoria Falls from the Zambian side
National ParkLower Zambezi National ParkCanoeing past elephants
City & TownLusakaCapital and gatewayMost travellers arrive at Lusaka, with flights from Johannesburg, Nairobi and Addis Ababa, or at Livingstone for Victoria Falls. Mfuwe is the airport for South Luangwa. Light aircraft link the parks, and we combine Zambia with Zimbabwe, Botswana and South Africa.
Most visitors need a visa, which many can buy on arrival or apply for online, and there is a joint visa for Zambia and Zimbabwe for some nationalities, but the rules and fees change, so please check the current requirements for your nationality. Park fees are charged per person per day and are included in our safaris. A yellow fever certificate may be needed if you arrive from a country with a risk of yellow fever.
As a guide, a single-entry tourist visa costs about US$50, and a double or multiple-entry visa about US$80. The KAZA UniVisa, which covers Zambia and Zimbabwe and short day trips to Chobe, costs about US$50 and is valid for 30 days. Many nationalities are exempt from a visa for stays of up to 90 days, and an e-visa is available. Fees and exemptions change often, so please check the rules for your passport before you book.
Please talk to your doctor about vaccinations. Most of Zambia is a malaria area, so take advice on prophylaxis, and use repellent and long sleeves in the evenings. Carry travel insurance that covers medical evacuation, and bring plenty of water and sun protection.
Our take
“Walk, paddle and drive”
We always suggest mixing three ways of seeing Zambia: walking in South Luangwa, paddling on the Lower Zambezi, and driving in Kafue or on the Busanga Plains. Each gives you a different kind of wildlife and a different pace. Allow at least three nights in each place, and tell us your travel month early, because many camps close in the rains and some, such as Busanga, are open for only five months.
Safaris from
US$1,692 per person
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