Kafue National Park | Zambia Luxury Safari Lodges & Camps
Kafue National Park | Zambia Luxury Safari Lodges & Camps. Kafue is the biggest and oldest national park in Zambia, located in the heart of the country’s western region. It stretches over an enormous 22,400 km², or 8,650 mi².
With its origins in the 1920s and its formal establishment as a national park in the 1950s by the illustrious Norman Carr, Kafue stands as one of the biggest Africa reserves. Large swaths of its virgin bush have remained unspoiled, and the area is mostly unknown and unexplored, despite its size and prominent location just two hours’ drive from Livingstone. The vastness and complexity of Kafue’s environments allow it to be home to an incredible array of species.
There has been a controlled increase in the number of lodges and safari camps operating within and near the park in the past few years. Because of this, the region has seen an influx of tourists and investors, who have improved the infrastructure, particularly the roads and airstrips.
The wildlife is starting to enjoy a higher level of protection from the Zambian Wildlife Authority (ZAWA), which is always helped and supported by the operators in and around the park, as a result of the growing interest and investment that this brings.
Kafue National Park Facts
Area: 22 400km² / 13 900mi²
Founded in: 1924
Provinces: North-Western, Central and Southern Zambia
Co-ordinates: -14.386797,26.152954
Best Time to Visit Kafue National Park
At an average of 1,100 meters (3,600 feet) above sea level, Kafue enjoys temperate temperatures. During the months of October and November, it is often cooler than the Luangwa or Zambezi valleys. In fact, in certain parts of Kafue, it gets as cold as 0°C / 32°F during winter (June to August).
Chunga, Ngoma, and Lufupa are just a few of the all-year airstrips that serve the park, so visitors may enjoy it throughout the year, no matter the weather.
From June through October, the park enjoys its dry season, while the months of November through April see heavy rainfall, rendering most of the area inaccessible. Those who wish to visit Kafue during the “green” season should not let the inaccessibility of the area dissuade them; the foliage is truly breathtaking at this time of year. The key is to go to the northern and central camps that are open all year round, or at least as close as they are.
The Itezhi-Tezhi Dam is accessible at any time of year. On the plus side, driving conditions improve during the dry season, and wildlife is typically more visible during this time.
Access to the Busanga Plains area is still limited to the months of July (or later, depending on water levels) through November (or earlier). Unless you’re okay swimming with crocodiles and hippos, you’ll have to avoid visiting this location during the rainy season because it’s a floodplain. The camps can be reached via the airstrip at Busanga; however, during the green season, not all of the camps are operational.
Even though water levels fluctuate greatly throughout the year, boat tours can be booked at most river-based campgrounds and resorts at any time. You may only fish at certain locations, and there are limits on how many you can keep for the pot. In order to ensure that spawning and breeding may take place undisturbed, there is a specific off-season that runs from November to March.
Additionally, canoeing excursions are offered, most notably at Kaingu.
Getting There” Directions For Self-Drivers
The main M9, also known as Mongu Road, splits Kafue in half. Even with only two-wheel drive, this is tarred and easy to navigate. The distance to the Hook Bridge can be three or four hours by car. It is highly recommended that you do not try to navigate the rather large internal road and game drive network in a car without four-wheel drive. During the rainy season, the park’s black-cotton dirt is both plentiful and infamous, therefore you should really not try self-driving there. The likelihood of being stranded is particularly high because to its thick and “sticky” texture.
From the months of November through June, stay away from the road leading north to Moshi, Kabanga, and Busanga as well as the one leading from Hook Bridge to Lufupa. It is not recommended to travel south from Ngoma and Itezhi-Tezhi towards Dundumwezi and Nanzhila in the park while it is raining, and local knowledge is required for this. The road leading to Chunga from the M9 is in good condition and can usually be accessed at any time of year.
The park can also be reached from Livingstone, a popular tourist destination in the south, via a well-graded road. It would take approximately three hours to reach Dundumwezi Gate. There are a number of airstrips in Kafue, including Ngoma, Chunga, and Lufupa, some of which are all-weather.
From Lusaka: Head west on the major M9 tar road until you reach Mumbwa. Upon entering Mumbwa town, which is 124km (77 mi) from Lusaka, make a left turn at the roundabout by the petrol station if you intend to visit the camps in the northeast. After you leave Mumbwa, keep going straight ahead on the D181 gravel/graded road until you reach your final destination.
To reach the central and southern sectors using the Spinal Road: To reach the Nalusanga Entrance Gate, continue west on the main M9 road after crossing the Mumbwa turnoff. The distance is 38km / 24mi. After 80 km (50 mi) on the M9, pass over Hook Bridge and continue for another 7 km ( 4 mi) before turning left onto the 21K road (do not turn off at the 17km road). At 14 kilometres (9 miles) south of the 21k route, you’ll find the Spinal route. It continues for another 130 kilometres (81 miles) to Lake Itezhi-Tezhi. You can drive on this route all year round. When it rains, seasonal river crossings could become inundated.
To reach the southern section of Kafue: For the next 66 kilometres (41 miles) west of Mumbwa, after you’ve passed the turnoff for the town, continue on the main M9 route. To reach the park, you must first cross the Nalusanga Entrance Gate. Turn left for Itezhi-Tezhi town and the dam around 20km/12 mi later. To reach Puku Pan and the other lodges on the lake, take the Itezhi-Tezhi D769 route. This road is long and uneven, so you’ll need a sturdy vehicle.
To reach the Busanga Plains: The road is only passable when it is dry, thus it will take about five or six hours to drive from the Hook Bridge Gate. You should know that getting to the Busanga Plain is easily said than done.
From the west: Go on the asphalt road (M9) from Mongu to Lusaka. The Tateyoyo Gate is the entrance.
From the north (Copperbelt area): Proceed from Solwezi down the route to Kasempa; keep in mind that Kasempa is home to a reputable medical facility. Leaving Kasempa, head in the direction of the Kabanga Entrance Gate on the graded gravel D181 Kaoma Road. From the Kaoma route, take the left branch onto the D301 towards Mumbwa; continue on this route for about 98km / 61mi to the Lunga River pontoon, which is the Kabulushi Gate. Proceeds to drive until reaching the pontoon on the Lubungu River. You will arrive at Kabalushi Gate after you cross it and continue for another 86km / 53mi. Travellers should always listen to locals while planning their trips.
From Livingstone: Take the T1 towards Lusaka and continue for 124km (77 miles) to Kalomo. After passing the open-air market on your left at Kalomo, continue on the D714 graded road for 74 km / 46 mi until you reach the southern entrance gate of Dundumwezi. The northern regions of Ngoma and Lake Itezhi-Tezhi can be accessed via this gate.
Wildlife in Kafue National Park
In Kafue, what matters most is not the abundance of animals but rather their variety. While it’s true that Kafue is home to numerous charismatic animal species, it would be a shame to visit this unique location in search of the “Big 5 in 24 hours” experience.
More kinds of ungulates call Kafue National Park home than any other park south of the Congo Basin. Antelopes like blue and yellow-backed duikers inhabit the thickets, swamp dwellers include sitatunga and lechwe, and miombo woodlands are home to roan, sable, and hartebeest, among many others.
Many consider the park to be among the top spots in Africa to spot a leopard. Night drives (permitted in the Kafue) and afternoon boat excursions down the Kafue River during the hotter months (when they come down to drink) are perfect opportunities to spot these elusive and secretive predators, but you can see them more often in specific places and at certain times of year.
Cheetahs are quite rare in Zambia. The only places in Zambia where you can see cheetahs in their natural habitat are in the western part of the country, specifically in the Liuwa Plains and the Kafue. These areas are home to the only remaining populations of these fascinating and endangered predators. Although cheetahs are most commonly seen on the plains, they also thrive in woodlands and riverine regions of Kafue, where they hunt antelope like as puku and impala.
From the southernmost Nanzhila to the northernmost Busanga, cheetahs can be found all over the Kafue.
Spotting an African wild dog is an incredibly desirable goal because these predators are so scarce and difficult to track down. On the other hand, compared to other African national parks, Kafue may boast the highest concentration of this species. Almost every kind of habitat, from thick forests to riverine and dambo regions, is home to packs, and they’re present on either side of the Kafue River. Several conservation groups in Kafue are showing much-needed and justified interest in this species. The baseline investigations of wild dogs in Kafue were initiated in 2011 by the Zambian Carnivore Programme.
Hippos in pods and some of southern Africa’s largest crocodiles call the Kafue River and its tributaries home. Elephants often splash about in the water and swim from bank to bank while grabbing onto each other’s tails as the vegetation dries up in August and September.
Along with huge herds of buffalo and some of Africa’s most laid-back roan antelope, the Busanga Plains are home to thousands upon thousands of red lechwe. Pelican flocks, egrets of various types, and the most numerous gatherings of open-billed storks that spiral upwards in the late afternoon are all results of this abundant environment’s positive effects on birds.
Large aggregations of endangered wattled cranes, often in mixed flocks with the iconic crowned cranes that forage the plains for food, are commonplace in Busanga, one of the few known breeding sites for these species. The lion is one of the most prominent predators seen in Busanga. There is no one better than the safari camp guides who are familiar with the Busanga prides to shed light on the inner workings of this intriguing population.
If you’re looking for rare and exotic animals in an African park, you might be lucky to see a pangolin, a spring hare, a monitor lizard, aardvark, civet, serval, caracal, wild cat, bush baby, grysbok, oribi, roan, honey badger, otters, sitatunga, etc. With only 158 species of mammals documented, the list is far from exhaustive!
Birds in Kafue National Park
Visit Kafue if you’re a birdwatcher. With over 500 species of birds—almost as many as Europe—this abundance is a direct result of the extraordinary variety of habitats found here. Ticks include far too many species to list them all here, but a few that stand out include the following: wattled and grey crowned cranes, African finfoot, Bohm’s bee-eaters, Chaplin’s or Zambian barbet (the sole endemic bird to Zambia), black-cheeked lovebird, and Pel’s fishing owl.
Stunning kingfishers and paradise fly-catchers, as well as the small, brilliantly coloured sunbirds, provide excellent birding opportunities even in the campgrounds. Birds such as racket-tailed rollers, helmet shrikes, sooty and Arnot’s chats, and flocks of them flit through the forests. Raptors of all sizes soar across the forest canopy, from tiny black-chested snake eagles to massive African hawk-eagles.
Before the rains approach, termite hatchlings are being devoured by European Hobby, lesser kestrels, pallid and Montagu’s harriers, and across the grass plains.