In Zambia, you’ll be looked after on safari by some of the best guides in Africa. They’ll happily share everything they know about the local wildlife and landscape, while safely leading you on game drives, walking safaris, even canoeing safaris along the Zambezi River.

Pros & Cons

• Excellent guiding
• One of Africa’s best walking safari destinations
• Good wildlife viewing
• True wilderness experience
• Eco-friendly bush camps
• Not crowded with tourists
• A chance to see Victoria Falls
• Not much to do apart from safaris
• Relatively expensive safari destination

Wildlife

Across Zambia, you’ll find lots of safari favourites such as elephant, zebra, hippo and buffalo. Lions and leopards also keep a fairly high profile here. That said, it’ll be a challenge to find any rhino, either white or black, which are confined to a handful of parks. Similarly, cheetah and wild dogs aren’t easy to find. In marsh-dominated regions, keep your eyes peeled for the lechwe, a wetland antelope.

Weather & Climate

During the country’s Wet season (November to April), the rain can pelt down, bringing most outdoor activities to a standstill. Stifling humidity is also an issue at this time of year. In the Dry season (May to October), temperatures remain warm, building to hot just before the season changes. From June, mornings can get quite chilly and you’ll need to wrap yourself up in plenty of thick clothing to ward off the cold.

Best Time to Visit

The rainfall that can pour down during the Wet season (November to April) has a habit of cutting off road access, which makes getting around difficult. For this reason, and because of the generally soaked conditions, many of the country’s parks close – though a notable exception is South Luangwa. Wildlife watching is more pleasant in the Dry season (May to October), when there’s hardly any rain to be seen, and animals are easily found at local rivers and waterholes.

Getting There

Zambia’s main airport is Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), located 14km/9mi from the capital, Lusaka. From Lusaka, you can fly or drive between reserves. If your safari is combined with a visit to Victoria Falls, you will most likely fly in or out of Livingstone Airport (LVI), just outside of Livingstone and close to the falls. In most cases, your local tour operator will arrange pick-up from the airport and organize further transportation as part of your safari package.