Zambia is one of the upcoming safari destinations in Southern Africa. It offers travelers a beautiful challenge, something guaranteed to give you the safari stories to tell. Apart from some of the greatest natural scenery on the continent, Zambia also boasts world-class wildlife parks and after traversing the rough terrain, you’ll feel like you¹ve been to the true heart of Africa.
Country information
Climate
Zambia’s elevation on a plateau gives it a moderate to tropical climate. There are three seasons, cool and dry from April-August, hot and dry from September-October and warm and wet from November-March. Averages temperatures range from 23º C in winter to 30º C in summer, when conditions can be humid.
Game reserves
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls is one of the world’s greatest natural spectacles and has been declared a World Heritage Site. Long before the Dr David Livingstone “discovered” them on November 16, 1855, the local Batonga people had named them Mosi-Oa-Tunya, “the smoke that thunders”.
Lake Kariba
Lake Kariba is a vast expanse of water 220km long and 40km wide on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The Zambian side is virtually undeveloped offering the ultimate wilderness. The lake shore is alive with big and small game, and for anglers, some of the world’s best freshwater game fishing for, among others, tiger fish, bream and tilapia, can be found in the lake.
Lower Zambezi National Park
This is Zambia’s newest park and as such is still relatively undeveloped, but its beauty lies in its absolute wilderness state. The park lies opposite the famous Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe, so the whole area on both sides of the river is a massive wildlife sanctuary. The Lower Zambezi National Park covers an area of 4092 km2, but most of the game is found along the valley floor. There is an escarpment along the northern end, which acts as a physical barrier to most of the park’s animal species, including large herds of elephant, hippo, buffalo, zebra, lion, cheetah, leopard and various antelope species
Kafue National park
Kafue is Zambia’s oldest park and by far the largest, covering 22400km2. From the astounding Busanga Plains in the north-western section of the park to the wilderness and the lush dambos (wetlands) of the south, the park is endowed with great diversity of landscape and a rich variety of wild animals and birds. The vast plains of Busanga teem with herds of zebra, blue wildebeest, buffalo, puku, roan, sable, impala and their attendant predators, serval, cheetah, lion and leopard. The southern section of the park is known for large herds of elephant, zebra and buffalo.
South Luangwa National Park
The Luangwa valley is one of Africa’s prime wildlife sanctuaries. As the Luangwa valley forms part of the Great Rift Valley, its scenery is varied and dramatic. The valley floor drops down some 800m below the surrounding plateau, with the Luangwa river carving its tortuous course through the centre. Vegetation ranges from dense woodland to open grassy plains, and oxbow lagoons act as natural water holes. The valley is home to huge herds of elephant, large numbers of antelope, most notably impala, puku, kudu, bushbuck and waterbuck. Lion are common and the park is also famous for leopard.
Language
English is the official language and most Zambians speak it fluently. In the rural areas it is used less, though only in truly remote settlements would there be problems communicating in English. There are over 80 languages spoken across Zambia.
Currency
Zambia’s unit of currency is the Zambian Kwacha, which is divided into 100 Ngwee. Notes are issued in denominations of K10,000; 5,000; 1,000; 500; 200; 100 and 50. Coins are K1, and 20, 10, 5,2 and 1 ngwee.
