National Parks

Kafue National Park in Zambia

Kafue National Park is Zambia’s oldest park and is one of the largest national parks in the whole of Africa.

Ker & Downey® Africa > Destinations > Zambia > Parks > Kafue National Park in Zambia

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Everything you need to know about Kafue National Park

Kafue National Park is one of the largest national parks in the whole of Africa and the oldest park in Zambia. A huge variety of wild and unpredictable animals, mammals and birdlife call the national park home and boasts a large number of different terrains. The sheer size of Kafue means that there are countless untouched wild forests, endless plains and lakes that have been untouched for hundreds of years. This is what a real game safari should be like. Rich wildlife roaming the land in search of food, spectacular landscapes for as far as the eye can see, and experiences unlike anywhere else. Kafue National Park is Zambia’s wild and rugged hidden gem protected from mass tourism. Come here for an authentic Zambian safari experience amongst some of the wildest animals in Africa. Kafue is a rare escape for adventurers looking to experience all that the continent has to offer.

Where is the reserve located?

Kafue National Park is a huge mass of land located in western Zambia, with the Kafue River running north to south through the park. Kafue covers a huge area of approximately 22,400 square kilometres at 14.5000° S, 26.1667° E. Where you visit in the park will depend on your chosen safari lodge, with paved runways and air strips scattered throughout Kafue. The park is vast. Almost every type of terrain imaginable can be found in the park, with endless floodplains and fast-flowing rivers creating fertile grounds for woodlands and thick forests that are home to large herds of African wildlife. The Busanga swamps and plains are the perfect hiding place for some of the most ferocious mammals and reptiles in this part of the country, and the savannah plains house large prides of lions and elephants amongst towering trees and shrubs. The terrain of Kafue is as vast and varied as the wildlife.

About the reserve

What type of wildlife will we see?

The huge size of Kafue National Park means that there is an abundance of wild and rare wildlife waiting to be discovered. The north of the park is home to the fertile Busanga Plains, where large prides of lions, herds of zebras, birdlife and countless fish live in the Busanga swamps. In the remote south section of the park, herds of African elephants and various antelope species roam the Nanzhila Plains, and hippos and crocodiles lay in wait in the waters of Lake Itezhi-Tezhi.

Top experiences to enjoy at Kafue National Park

If you wanted to visit a truly African national park without the mass crowds, then Kafue is the perfect choice. Ker & Downey® Africa can arrange walking safaris from your lodge, bringing you up close and personal with some of the world’s biggest beasts and dangerous animals. You could choose to embark on a boat trip along the Kafue River dodging basking hippos and crocodiles waiting to pounce, canoe along the countless rivers and lakes scattered across Kafue or rise above it all in a hot air balloon, offering spectacular views across the endless plains.

When to visit

Game viewing in Kafue National Park is great throughout the year, but there are particular times when the wildlife is at its most visible. During the dry season, between July and October, the bush grasses are dry, and the animals are easier to find. During the hot and wet season between October and March, the rivers and lakes flood, bringing hippos and crocodiles closer to the river banks.