The landlocked Southern African country of Zambia may not get as much press as its more famous neighbours of Botswana, South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania, but it has natural attractions that will knock your socks off. Take game-filled vast wilderness areas, the mighty Zambezi, Africa’s biggest waterfall and a spectacular but little known animal migration combined with friendly, welcoming people and you have the recipe for Zambia’s allure. Here are our six reasons to go on safari in Zambia.
1. The spray of Victoria Falls
Zambia’s unmissable sight – Africa’s largest waterfall and one of the most spectacular natural treasures of the entire continent – is shared with Zimbabwe. One million litres of water plunges down with a roar into the Zambezi gorge every second, sending up a plume of mist that can be seen miles away. Standing under the spray of Victoria Falls watching the power of water and being immersed in the thundering sound of that power is incredible. A top African bucket list experience for sure!
2. The adventure activities of Livingstone
The Zambian side of Victoria Falls is definitely where you want to be if you’re after heart pumping adrenaline adventure. The town of Livingstone, located right by the falls, is full of adventure activities. Take your pick from bungee jumping off a bridge over the falls, a microlight flight over the roaring water, abseiling down a cliff, white water rafting on the Zambezi, walking with elephants, swinging across a gorge and doing a safari on horseback.
3. The wildlife of South Luangwa National Park
One of Africa’s best parks for wildlife viewing, South Luangwa has animals in abundance in a beautiful landscape of wide floodplains and groves of trees. Expect to see vast herds of buffalo, elephant, zebra, giraffe, lions, wild dogs and leopards (which are normally hard to see in other parks but are frequently spotted here at night) and amazing birdlife.
4. The vastness of Kafue National Park
At over 22 000 square kilometres – nearly the same size as Belgium – Kafue National Park is the largest park in Zambia and the second largest in the world. It’s often overlooked by visitors, which means that the wilderness here is for the most part untouched: raw, wild and totally breathtaking. If you go on safari in Kafue, you won’t come across many other safari goers, so you’ll have sightings of 20 different species of antelope, as well as lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog to yourself.
5. The thrill of walking safaris
Zambia is a pioneer when it comes to walking safaris, and several operations were established in the country decades ago. Walking safaris allow you to really immerse yourself in the magical world of the bush, absorbing sights, sounds and smells. You learn to track animals with your guide, and once you find them, there’s nothing that beats the thrill of being close to lions, elephant or giraffe on foot.
6. The spectacular bat migration
You probably know all about the famous wildebeest migration, which takes place annually in Kenya and Tanzania, but you probably don’t know about Zambia’s bat migration – the largest mammal migration in Africa. At the end of every year, 10 million fruit bats migrate to Kasanka National Park from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and proceed to eat their way through the fruits of the forest they nest in – an amazing sight to see.
Inspired to go on safari to Zambia? Check out our range of budget overlanding Zambia safaris here.
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