Kafue National Park is Zambia’s largest national park and one of the biggest on the continent at an impressive 22,400 square metres. Situated approximately three hours from Livingstone and the mighty Victoria Falls it is within relative ease to reach. Yet despite this the Kafue National Park remains quiet and unadulterated by comparison to many of Africa’s parks. The park is vast and affords a level of privacy not commonly found on safari, this does however mean that experienced guides are a truly important asset to any experience of the Kafue National Park as wildlife can be harder to find, patience is needed to find the more elusive animals such as leopards, making spotting these animals all the more exciting.
The sheer variety of wildlife on offer through the Kafue National Park is impressive to say the least with a wide range of unusual species such as the pangolin, monitor lizards, honey badgers and bush babies as well as big cats including lions, leopards and cheetahs. The cheetah are prevalent in the Kafue National Park especially given their rarity in Zambia as they cannot be found in areas including the Luangwa Valley but can be found in the Busanga Plains area of Kafue National Park.
The climate of the park is temperate as a result of the relatively low average altitude of 1,100m, with the dry season running from July through to October. The Green Season and wetter months of November to April are a delight but render much of the park inaccessible, there are only a few specific lodges which are open during this period but it is a dream for birders who can enjoy spotting some of the Kafue’s 500 bird species.
The Kafue River serves as a real hub for animal species especially during the dry seasons with hippopotamuses and crocodiles best seen from a lodge which sits on the bank of the river, like the KaingU Safari Lodge where if you are lucky you can view leopards whilst enjoying a drink along the banks of the river or see elephants wallowing in the shallows.
With a range of ecosystems from wetlands and woodlands to swamps and the Kafue River as well as a choice of safari options including day and night time game drives, boat trips and walking safaris, the Kafue National Park often surprises and delights, especially to the more experienced safari goer.
