Kafue National Park covers an extensive 22,400 km2 area in western Zambia. The park was proclaimed in 1950, making it Zambia’s oldest national park and one of the world’s most important natural heritage sites.
As an essential water source for the region, Kafue is also one of the last vast expanses of the iconic Zambezian ecoregion – and home to elephant, large predators, the highest diversity of antelope species in Africa, and over 500 bird species.
Lack of funding and capacity over the years had hampered park operations and allowed unsustainable resource harvesting, human encroachment and charcoal production to take their toll on both landscape and wildlife.
Yet large tracts of wilderness containing a diversity of wildlife species still remain intact. In 2021, Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) invited African Parks to implement a Priority Support Plan.
Over 18 months, significant infrastructure investments were made, protection measures improved, jobs created, and education enhanced through a literacy programme.
This paved the way for a 20-year management partnership agreement between African Parks and the Zambian government in July 2022, for effective management of Kafue’s valuable landscape.
Kafue’s enormous landscape, its variety of lodges and the recovering wildlife is an opportunity to boost Zambia’s tourism industry, deliver critically needed revenue for the park, and provide employment and benefits to local communities.
In this way, Kafue can fulfil its promise to become one of Africa’s most exceptional tourist destinations.
Kafue Highlights
- At 22,400 km2, Kafue National Park is Zambia’s largest national park, with incredibly diverse wildlife: of 158 mammal species, 21 are antelope.
- Aerial surveys and collaring of a range of species over the past two years have shown a growing elephant population along with encouraging numbers of species such as buffalo, puku, sable and hartebeest.
- Forming part of Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA), which hosts over half of Africa’s savannah elephant population, Kafue has the potential to be one of the most important sanctuaries for this species.
- Formalising the relationship with communities around Kafue led to the signing of MOUs with 15 Community Resource Boards.
- Since 2022, Kafue has experienced a 196% increase in tourism revenue
How to Get to Kafue National Park
Only four hours’ drive or a one-hour flight from Lusaka or Livingstone, Kafue National Park is easily accessible to both local and international visitors.
Proflight Zambia offer a scheduled domestic flight from Lusaka to Chunga Airstrip in Kafue National Park three times a week from 1 June to 31 October.
For those who seek greater flexibility, air charters are available from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) in Lusaka or Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) in Livingstone.
Alternatively, overland travellers can either drive or utilise public transportation from multiple locations. The road trip from Lusaka and Livingstone typically takes 3-4 hours.
There are multiple car rental options, however, it is essential to ensure you have a reliable map or GPS navigation due to potential variations in road conditions.
Kafue Main Gate is 298km from Lusaka, along the M9 through Mumbwa. From Livingstone, follow the T1 to Lusaka, before turning off at Kalomo and onto Zimba before reaching Dundumwezi Gate, a total distance of 204km.
When to Visit Kafue National Park
The best time to visit Kafue National Park when on Zambia safari tour depends on your preferences and what you want to experience. Here are some general guidelines:
Dry Season (May to October)
– This is the peak tourist season as wildlife is more concentrated around water sources.
– The weather is dry with daytime temperatures ranging from 20°C to 30°C (68°F to 86°F), and vegetation is less dense, improving visibility.
– October can be extremely hot with daytime temperatures occasionally exceeding 35°C (95°F), so be prepared for high temperatures.
Wet Season (November to April)
– This period is characterised by lush greenery and is the birthing season for many animals.
– Birdwatching is excellent during this time as migratory birds are present.
– The landscape is vibrant, and there are fewer tourists.
– Daytime temperatures during the wet season typically range from 25°C to 35°C (77°F to 95°F).
– Nights are generally milder, with temperatures ranging from 10°C to 20°C (50°F to 68°F).
Rainy Season (December to March):
– This period sees the highest rainfall, and temperatures are warm, ranging from 20°C to 30°C (68°F to 86°F)
– Some lodges may close during this time due to impassable roads and heavy rainfall.
– Wildlife can be more dispersed, and some areas of the park may be inaccessible.
Ultimately, the choice of when to visit depends on your interests. For those interested in game viewing, the dry season is recommended, while those who prefer birdwatching and photography may find the green season more appealing.
Always check current conditions and park accessibility before planning your trip. Keep in mind that wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, but visiting during the appropriate season increases your chances of a rewarding experience.
Wildlife in Kafue National Park
The Kafue isn’t about the sheer quantities of untamed life you see, it is about the decent variety of natural life you see.
This isn’t to state the Kafue does not have solid populaces of a large number of the more alluring types of creatures, since it does, however on the off chance that you are searching for the ‘Enormous 5 out of 24 hours’ understanding, you will overlook the main issue of this uncommon place.
The Kafue is home to a larger number of types of ungulate than any national stop south of the Congo Basin.
Uncommon and subtle gazelle, for example, the blue and yellow-upheld duiker happen in the bushes, sitatunga and lechwe in the marshes, roan, sable and hartebeest in the miombo forests, the rundown goes on.
The recreation center is respected by the individuals who know it as extraordinary compared to other places in Africa to discover panther.
In specific regions and at specific occasions of year these cryptic and tricky predators are much of the time seen, particularly on night-drives (permitted in the Kafue) and even from evening watercraft travels along the Kafue waterway in the more sultry months when panther come down to drink.
An irregularity for Zambia is the cheetah. Cheetah can not be found in the Luangwa or Zambezi national parks and just happen in the west of Zambia, with Liuwa Plains and the Kafue holding the last practical populaces of this uncommon and alluring predator.
In the Kafue cheetah are not exclusively limited to the fields, in reality they do in blended forest and riverine territories, where they can be found going after puku and impala, among others.
Cheetah are found all through the Kafue, from Nanzhila in the south to Busanga in the north.
The African wild pooch is a very looked for after species for untamed life travelers; these incredibly uncommon and subtle predators are difficult to discover, anyway the Kafue has what some may state the biggest populace of this species contrasted with some other national stop in Africa.
Packs can be found on the two sides of the Kafue River and in all living space types, from thick forest to riverine and dambo territories.
This species has begun to get truly necessary and justified enthusiasm for the Kafue from different protection associations, in that capacity in 2011 the Zambian Carnivore Program started pattern investigations of wild puppy in the Kafue and looks set to proceed with its great work for a long time to come.
The Kafue River and its tributaries themselves are a hive of action and home to cases of hippo and probably the biggest crocodiles in southern Africa.
As the hedge dries out towards August and September it isn’t extraordinary to watch elephant skipping in the water and swimming from bank to bank, with their trunks clutching the tails of the people in front.
The Kafue has a notoriety for a background marked by poaching. Basically, amid the 80’s the last Black Rhino was poached, the Kafue had one of the biggest populaces of rhino in Africa, and today not one exists.
Elephant in the late 60’s numbered roughly 60,000 in the Kafue, today gauges are at 4,000. It is significant anyway this isn’t exclusively a Kafue issue and that in reality rhino were pulverized from each and every Zambian save.
Elephant numbers have been and keep on being diminished in all parks all through the greater part of Africa.
Today we see an alternate pattern; and the most recent decade has seen genuine coordinated endeavors from the Wildlife Authorities and stop administrators taking care of the recreation center’s normal assets, and this has seen an expansion in amusement numbers and sightings to levels not seen for a long time.
The Kafue is headed up again and will keep on turning into a main untamed life goal for Zambia and southern Africa in general.
There are few stops in Africa in which sightings of these increasingly abnormal species are so conceivable: pangolin, bushpig, spring rabbit, screen reptiles, aardvark, various mongoose spp. (selous, white-followed, swamp, and so forth.).
Others includecivet, serval, caracal, wild feline, shrubbery infant, grysbok, oribi, roan, nectar badger, otters, sitatunga… the rundown goes on and in certainty stops just at 158 recorded types of warm blooded creature
Things to do in Kafue National Park
Walking safaris at Kafue National Park
Encounter a whole new experience of Kafue national park, doing walking safaris. The walking safaris at kafue national park grants one an escape from the regular mode of viewing wildlife (game drives) and usher s them into a different arena (walking to view game), conducted by skilled and professional guides.
There is nothing as rewarding and experiencing than accessing the African wilderness on foot viewing wildlife in their natural habitats.
There is distinction between undergoing the African wilderness on walking safaris and through game drives.
While conducting the walking safari, you are binded with nature and immersed into the wild, you will follow the same tracks as the wildlife, listens to the whispers, smells, roars and generally the sound of the wilderness in a more pronounced way without any interference.
As you hike into the wild most of the familiar sounds that usher you will be for the birds. Upon advancing into the wild, you will be thrilled beat coupled by a heart after the sights of the wild game such as the elephants, herds of buffaloes grazing on the grassland, antelopes scampering in the bushes.
Walking safaris is at Kafue is also ideal to birding for most of the birding enthusiasts, you will encounter birds from all dimensions such as in the woods, savanna birds, birds in wetlands, rivers etc.
Still in walking safari, you can purpose to tracking specific wildlife i.e. tracking an elephant bull of foot can be an amazing experience while on a walking safari as compared to game drive.
Walking safaris also grants you opportunity to see small things that you may not have seen while on a game drive.
Fishing at Kafue National Park
Fishing at kafue national park : Kafue national park just like any other charming wildlife safari destinations offers unique activities such as fishing. Fishing as an activity develops from the river Kafue where the park derives its name.
Fishing is conducted in the Kafue river in selected spots. Some of the notable fish species one can be on the lookout for while on the fishing safari at Kafue national park are Kafue Killifish, bream, barbel and fresh water pike.Cyprinid.
For any visitor interested in conducting fishing as a safari activity will have to book with the lodge they will be living in. some lodge such as leopard lodge but you can also make arrangements with the tour operators that you will be traveling with to get the equipment’s such as fishing rods and boats handy so as you can have a amazing fishing experience at Kafue national park.
Birding in kafue national park
Birding at kafue national park.
Birding at kafue national park .Kafue national park had over time transformed into a bird watchers paradise. It Is the top of Zambias birding destination for most of the birding enthusiast.
Every fresh day you are being surprised by wide array of birds that flock theparks. Some of the notable bird species are likely to swing by your site include the Shallows Turaco usually sighted on the sycamore figs.
There are a few green pigeons often seen flying in numbers, Malachite kingfisher, African darter, wattle crane , elusive Chaplin’sbarbet, endemic black-cheeked lovebird, Brown-headed apalis among many others.
Kafue national parks bird species have been recorded amounting to up to 480 species. And all sighted I various places to include forests, rivers, wetlands, woodlands, flood plains.
Best Time for Bird Watching.
Kafue national park is aby no means a bird watchers destination, through the entire year many visitors flock the park to have a portion of the birding safari. However the finest time to birding is during the wet, summer months.
These months run from November to April this is due to the fact that migrants are available. And that particular time a huge fraction of bird species are breeding . and for the rest of wildlife viewing is subsequent from July to October
Canoeing
Canoeing is yet another amazing activity at Kafue national park. It’s the quest way of exploring the parks water, sharing environment with crocodiles and hippos.
During the canoeing, you will also be to slither through the elephants and buffaloes at the shoreline of he the river undetected.
Kafue river acts as a water point for multiple wildlife to cools off from the along days movements in the park, they head to the river to drink water and take a bath.
Some of the notable wildlife commonly sighted at the banks are elephants, buffaloes, crocodiles, hippos and many more.
The canoe ride los offers opportunities for birders to watch certain species of the birds ie the wetland species and the river species usually busk in the in open to capture the sun and as well enjoy drink at river.