LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK

• Area: 4 092km² / 2 542mi²
• Founded in: 1983
• Province: Lusaka
• Co-ordinates: -15.082732,29.608154

The best time is mid-season from July to October but virtually all lodges and canoeing operators are open from about April to November. Fishing is at its best in September and October. From April to June, the bush is still dense and the grass long so it may be harder to spot game. Animals may also be skittish as they will not have seen many vehicles during the summer rainy season.

The quickest and easiest (but likely most expensive way) is to fly into the Royal or Jeki Airstrips from Lusaka. This is short flight and gives you a magnificent view of the unspoilt landscape as well as showcasing the sheer size of the Zambezi. The lodge you’re staying will collect you and provide game drives.

The existing lodges and canoeing operators also provide access to the park. They generally all offer pick-ups from either Lusaka and Chirundu in Zambia or Kariba in Zimbabwe.

The Chongwe River demarcates the western boundary of the park and can be accessed from Chirundu along a rough road (4×4 recommended), crossing the Kafue River by pontoon just beyond Gwabi Lodge. From April is a pontoon that crosses the Zambezi from Luangwa Town to Kanyemba in Zimbabwe and to Zumbo in Mozambique, all at the Zambezi/Luangwa confluence.

You can also self-drive from Lusaka on the T4.

The ecological unit of LZNP and the adjacent Chiawa Game Management Area support a relatively large population of mammals. The escarpment and plateau regions are largely inaccessible especially to species like giraffe and elephant. A small area on the valley floor is host to many of the bigger mammals like elephant, buffalo, hippo, waterbuck, kudu, zebra, lion and wild dog. Occasionally, roan, eland and the Samango monkey are seen. Nocturnal animals here are hyena, porcupine, civet, genet and honey badgers with hippo and crocodiles found near the water.

The birdlife along the riverbanks is exceptional. Many an African fish eagle can be seen and heard for miles around. Nesting along the cliffs are white-fronted and carmine bee-eaters. Other unusual species are the red-winged pratincole, the elegant crested guinea fowl, black eagle, and vast swarms of quelea. In summer the stunning narina trogon makes its home here. Other specialities are the trumpeter hornbill, Meyers parrot and Lilian’s lovebird.

The vegetation in the area is predominated by Acacia albida trees (called the winterthorn) that grow 10m to 30m / 32ft to 98ft high, with the classic shady umbrella canopy. It is able to tolerate sandier soils than other woodland species and serves to stabilise infertile sandbanks and reduce erosion. Winterthorn pods are also remarkably nutritious to elephants who digest it leaving about 40 percent intact, thereby ensuring its dispersal.