Zambia

Zambia is home to a wealth of incredible wildlife but the jewel in its crown is the scenic wonder of the Victoria Falls.

The country offers fabulous game viewing opportunities in remote, truly wild, game-rich national parks without the crowds. The beautiful South Luangwa National Park and the more remote North Luangwa National Park are two of the best wildlife-viewing areas, home to elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard. Game congregates along the the banks of the Luangwa River while vast pods of hippo wallow in the water. A number of sensational lodges and secluded rustic safari camps can be found along the river and its tributaries, providing a comfortable home from home, great food and guided wildlife safaris on foot or by 4WD.

The Lower Zambezi National Park bordering the vast and powerful Zambezi River, is another mecca for wildlife. Intimate and stylish camps offer guests a range of guided activities including game drives, walking safaris, river cruises, fishing and canoeing. Canoeing safaris are a particular highlight and offer guests a completely different perspective as you search for wildlife along the banks of the Zambezi River.

It is often said that Zambia is where the walking safari was born.

A Zambian specialty, walking safaris with a highly-trained, armed ranger will take you into the heart of the action. These guides are among some of the most highly qualified specialists in Africa. They will explain everything there is to know about the bush; from discovering different plants and their uses, to how to track animals and distinguish between the different bird calls.

Best places to go in Zambia

Best Zambia Safaris

Explore some of the experiences that we can custom-design for you. All of our safaris and tours are tailor-made to suit your interests, budget and timeframe.

Zambia Highlights

Remote Unspoilt Wilderness

Zambia is home to a wide variety of dramatic landscapes and game-rich national parks. The famous South Luangwa and the less-visited North Luangwa national parks offer differing vegetation zones, from miombo woodland and mopane forests to the rich riverine grasslands that line the Luangwa River attracting a wealth of wildlife. The Lower Zambezi National Park on the banks of the Zambezi River is dominated by the Zambezi Escarpment, providing an astoundingly beautiful backdrop for canoe safaris.

Walking & Canoeing

Few places can rival Zambia for walking safaris and expert guides will lead you on exciting morning and afternoon walks getting you close to the action. Rangers are armed and are among some of the most highly qualified specialists in Africa. Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park, on the Zambezi River is renowned for spectacular canoeing safaris – only rivalled by Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park which is located on the other side of the river!

Luxury accommodation in Zambia

Zambia offers a wide variety of sensational accommodation options, from remote, rustic camps to exclusive, sophisticated lodges. There are a number of ultra-luxurious lodges in the Lower Zambezi National Park along the banks of the Zambezi River that offer complete exclusivity with wide, riverfront views – such as beautiful Sausage Tree Camp. To the north, the South and North Luangwa national parks boast intimate bush camps accommodating as few as 4 guests. There are also a number of breathtaking lodges that have brought a new level of luxury to the parks, none better than Time + Tide Chinzombo.

Chindeni Bushcamp

At the edge of a permanent hippo-filled oxbow lagoon, Chindeni Bushcamp is named for the magnificent hills which provide the campsite with a breathtaking backdrop.

Chinzombo Camp

Award-winning Chinzombo Camp is set on 60 private, pristine acres with prime views over the Luangwa River whose banks teem with all manner of game.

Chongwe Safaris

One of the most reputable operators in Zambia, Chongwe Safaris owns and manages three acclaimed properties in the Lower Zambezi, the most famous being Chongwe River Camp.

Kaingo Camp

Kaingo Camp sits in the heart of prime gameviewing country - on the banks of the Luangwa River deep within the South Luangwa National Park.

Mchenja Camp

Mchenja Camp is a luxurious tented camp set on a very picturesque bend in the Luangwa River. It forms an ideal starting or end point for a walking safari throughout the pristine Zambian bush.

Potato Bush Camp

Set in the game-rich Lower Zambezi National Park, stylish Potato Bush Camp overlooks the mighty Zambezi River which fans out into a spellbinding mosaic of densely forested islands and channels.

Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma Lodge

Named after Dr Livingstone’s two most faithful friends, Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma Lodge is set beneath indigenous trees overlooking a scenic bend in the spectacular Zambezi River.

Sausage Tree Camp

Lavish Sausage Tree Camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park offers some of Zambia’s best gameviewing along with the highest standards in luxury and service.

Toka Leya Camp

Nestled on the banks of the iconic Zambezi River in the heart of Zambia’s scenic Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Toka Leya Camp is just 12km upstream from the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls.

Talk to one of our Africa Experts

Michael Fitzgerald

Senior Destination Specialist

Taleen Gaidzkar

Senior Destination Specialist

When is the best time to visit Zambia?

Like many other countries across Southern Africa, the best time to visit Zambia is from July to October. There is little chance of rain meaning wildlife sightings are at their best when animals congregate at precious remaining water sources. Sightings are particularly good between August and October when temperatures are regularly in the mid-to-high 30’s (Celsius).

Zambia’s quietest time. There are only a handful of camps open for boating and walking safaris during the wet season. January to March is a great time to visit Victoria Falls when the falls are at their fullest. This time is also very popular for birdwatchers.

A few more camps start to open, however April still remains quite wet. The camps that are open are usually very quiet, and the low visitor numbers are a major positive for some travellers.

June is a nice time to visit when visitor numbers are still low, the ground is beginning to dry out and there is little rain. It marks the beginning of walking season in Zambia. From July, all camps are open and peak season is in full swing. September and October are peak dry season when animals are congregating around the remaining water sources.

Shoulder season between the end of the dry and beginning of the rainy season. The first few weeks of November can offer sensational wildlife viewing if the rains hold off.

Zambia FAQ

There is no better place for walking safaris than Zambia and it is often considered the birthplace of walking safaris. Some camps exclusively offer walking safaris, whilst Zambia boasts some of the most experienced, highly-trained walking guides on the continent. There are also opportunities to transfer between camps on foot!

Zambia also boasts one of the best places in Africa to experience a canoe safari on the Zambezi River within the Lower Zambezi National Park. We offer a number of lodges and camps that specialise in canoeing, boating and fishing activities. Please contact us if you would like more details.

Find out more about our tailor made African safaris.
Get in touch with one of our Destination Specialists.

Find out more about our tailor made African safaris

Zambia Overview

Why should I travel to Zambia?
Apart from being the site of the magnificent Victoria Falls, Zambia also offers game-rich wildlife parks that are relatively unspoiled by mass tourism. For the more adventurous, there are walking safaris and canoeing trips along the Zambezi River.

What is the climate like in Zambia?
There are 3 distinct seasons – cool and dry from May-July (23°-25°C) but cold at night, hot and dry from August-October (30°-40°C), and warm and wet from November-April (28°-35°C).

What can I combine Zambia with?
Zambia is best combined with its closest neighbours such as Botswana and Zimbabwe – which both offer amazing scenery and wildlife. South Africa is another option, where you can explore picturesque Cape Town, Table Mountain and the Cape Winelands.

How to get to Zambia?
There are regular flights daily from Johannesburg in South Africa to the Zambian capital of Lusaka, where you can board connecting flights to a range of safari camps. There are also regular flights from Johannesburg into Livingstone, a large town close to the Victoria Falls.

USA – There are no direct flights to Lusaka from the United States. The best connections are via Johannesburg, UAE or Nairobi.

UK/EU – Again there are no direct flights into Lusaka from anywhere in Europe. The best connections are via Johannesburg, UAE or Nairobi.

Want to know more about Zambia?
Visit our FAQ page or call us:

Australia: 1300 363 302
United States: +1 (213) 460 3364
United States: +1 (646) 217 0354
United Kingdom: +44 (20) 4518 8166

JOIN OUR

E-Newsletter

Sign up to receive updates about exciting journeys, special offers and more