Posted by Many travelers ponder over how to plan a cheap Zambia vacation with or without the family that gives maximum thrills. This article is about the Zambia vacation. South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi National Parks – two wildlife sanctuaries on an 8-day tour – Venture has the opportunity to visit Zambia safari in a most natural form.
If you want to go on a safari along the Zambezi river plains, Zambia is a beautiful nation and a great option. Even though Zambia is the only nation where you may practically stand on top of the spectacular Victoria Falls, neighboring Zimbabwe boasts the finest view of them. There is no better location to go if you want an action-packed safari that includes bungee jumping or helicopter excursions.
Zambia Safari Vacation Guide
1. Can you go on a safari in Zambia?
Both experienced and inexperienced safari travelers like Zambia. A Zambia safari has plenty to offer every kind of traveler thanks to wonders like South Luangwa National Park, which is famed for walking safaris over its wildlife-rich plains and the legendary Victoria Falls.
2. Which month is ideal for travel to Zambia?
Zambia is best visited between June and November when it’s dry out. The nights are cold, the days are scorching, and the skies are crystal blue. Across the nation, temperatures might range from 73°F to 97°F.
The ’emerald’ season, after the rains, may be fantastic for birders and photographers. The majority of tourists to Zambia arrive between June and October when the ground is drying out after the rains and animals are looking for water.
3. What to see in Zambia?
Before Dr. David Livingstone, the first European to witness Victoria Falls gave them the name Victoria Falls in honor of the most stunning person he knew, Queen Victoria, the spectacular waterfalls were known as Mosi-oa-Tunya. The Victoria Falls World Heritage National Monument Site and the Mosi-oa-Tunya Game Park are the two components of this national park.
The first lies at the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and provides up-close views of the waterfalls through a well-known footbridge. The second is a few kilometers upstream and is home to zebras, antelopes, elephants, and buffaloes. Livingstone, named after the well-known physician, is the finest city from which to access the national park, although there is also excellent lodging within the park.
4. What to do in Zambia?
Zambia contains some of the wildest and most isolated game regions in Africa, and its wildlife is outstanding in both diversity and quantity. You may participate in several adrenaline-pumping sports on the Zambezi River, including river rafting, bungee jumping, abseiling, and canoeing. The “walking safari” was invented in Zambia.
5. How To Get Around Zambia When Traveling
Flying between the parks in a small aircraft is preferable due to the vast distances and sometimes subpar roads in Zambia’s safari areas and national parks. Almost all planes follow set timetables.
You’ll frequently be transported by 4WD while changing camps inside the same national park, which essentially doubles as an additional game drive. In certain specialist walking camps in South Luangwa, you may even be allowed to walk between the camps.
6. What are the top safari locations in Zambia?
The majority of safaris in Zambia are customized. South Luangwa National Park, which provides excellent big-game safaris by 4WD and some of Africa’s greatest walking safaris, is the top choice for a safari in Zambia. Most visitors to Zambia go on safari for at least 5 to 7 days.
Come for boat cruises, canoe adventures, fantastic fishing, and walking safaris in addition to night and day drives. These activities are all centered in cozy safari lodges nestled along the riverside.
Kafue National Park features animals like cheetahs that are uncommon elsewhere in Zambia because it is higher, colder, and less developed than either the Lower Zambezi or the Luangwa. The crown jewel of the park is Kafue’s Busanga Plains, therefore be sure to visit there on any journey to this national park.
Without seeing the magnificence of one of the seven wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls, in Zambia, no safari vacation would be complete. There are several affordable hotels close by, a few gorgeous resorts on the banks of the Zambezi, and a variety of adrenaline-pumping sports. The Falls sits in the deep south of Zambia, close to the town of Livingstone, but are easily added on to any journey to the nation (or indeed to nearby Botswana).
7. What are some of the popular safari activities in Zambia?
One of the benefits of a safari in Zambia is that you’ll stay in intimate safari camps where the guides will plan your activities according to your preferences. The majority of safari lodges in Zambia schedule two daily activities, one in the morning and one in the evening, each lasting around three to four hours. Although your days will be pretty busy, there will always be time after lunch for a brief nap because it is a holiday.
In Zambia, most safari camps provide a variety of activities. In most cases, you’ll spend your days (and evenings, which are not permitted in national parks in many nations) either on foot or from open-topped 4WD game vehicles that provide an all-around view. Your safari experience will be greatly enhanced by the extremely high levels of training and testing that Zambian safari guides receive.
In addition to canoeing, fishing, and boat safaris, camps on navigable rivers, like those in the Lower Zambezi, frequently offer these activities as well. There is no need to make a decision before you arrive at the camp because you will be given the alternatives for nearly all of these. The sole exceptions are a few modest bush lodges in South Luangwa National Park’s most isolated locales, which exclusively provide walking safaris. Spending a few days at one of them is the best option if you enjoy walking because of the fantastic environment they provide.
8. What are the animals in Zambia?
The animals must be the main draw for anybody considering an African safari. This continent is teeming with extraordinary and fascinating creatures, albeit sadly not as many as it once was. There are so many incredible animals here that you just can’t see in the wild anywhere else, from the (usually) gentle giants of the elephants and giraffes to the waddling masses of the hippo to the fierce might of the big cats – when they’re not dozing like a baby.
Additionally, the diversity and quantity of wildlife in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park are well-known worldwide. We spotted 21 different animal species on our five game drives, and we were made aware of over 16 different bird species.
9. How is the natural setting of Zambia?
One of the planet’s most diversified regions is the African continent. Gorillas may be found in the misty rainforests, the world’s largest sand dunes can be found in the deserts, and tropical beaches are ideal for newlyweds in love. But the bush and savannah are to me what defines Africa.
The Luangwa Valley contains a variety of habitats, including the predominate woodland savannah, pockets of grassland for grazers, and floodplains teeming with hippos and crocodiles that hug the magnificent Luangwa River, which forms the park’s southern border. It’s just another great day in Zambia when you add in foggy mornings and golden sunshine.
10. Are the sunsets and sunrises amazing in Zambia?
Something is happening in Zambia. Even though it’s probably simply dust, the effect it creates is, in my opinion, magnificent. Golden yellow turns to deep pink as the sun sinks lower in the sky. I’ve never seen a sunset like that, and it will always make me think of my favorite continent. There is no better way to cap off a memorable day of animal observation than with the sun setting in a deep crimson and then a golden orb in a cloudy sky.
11. What would be the safari experience in Zambia?
There is no better place to watch animals than in the wild. This is as it should be: hunting, eating, drinking, swimming, and being free. When they detect a leopard close, they hear a herd of impalas erupt into a chorus of alarm cries. watching two male elephants square off in the Luangwa River, knee-deep. seeing a plain populated with zebra, baboons, antelope, and vultures coexisting harmoniously. These are encounters you won’t find in a zoo.
12. What surprises you are likely to experience in Zambia?
Naturally, I had hopes for our Zambian safari. Rather, they are anticipations of what we could observe on our gaming drives. But what we discovered completely dashed those expectations. The sight of a whole elephant family crossing the Luangwa River in a neatly arranged line was something I had never imagined.
Or perhaps a couple of honey badgers running out in the darkness.
Or a pack of lionesses chowing down on a juvenile giraffe they grabbed barely 100 meters from your tent while they digest.
Or a leopard methodically suffocating a cub hyena (tragic, but wonderful). Even our tour guide threw up after that one). You won’t believe how much life there is in the wilderness.
13. What can you expect on this 8-day Zambia safari Vacation?
A Zambia Safari Vacation Package Highlights
Accommodation: Luxury Room, En-suite Bush Randall, Tented Suite
Activities: Game Drive, Walking Safari, River Cruise, Canoeing, Fishing, Village Travel
Destinations: Lusaka, South Luangwa National Park, Lower Zambezi National Park, Lusaka
What can you expect on this 8-day Zambia safari Vacation
This eight-day Zambia vacation takes you to two premier parks in Zambia – South Luangwa National Park and Lower Zambezi National Park.
Luangwa Valley is a wildlife sanctuary located at the end of the Great Rift Valley, providing great land and water-based game-viewing activities.
Conveniently located in 1 Zambia safari lodge, your accommodation in the wild will be the perfect combination of rustic surroundings and deluxe amenities as a part of a Zambia vacation.
Surrounding a bushy campfire with a bush that shines as your soundtrack – as a choice between an indoor dining area or true African style dining, balance the culinary delights with local ingredients.
Day 1: Lusaka – South Luangwa National Park
At Lusaka Airport, you will board a flight to Mfuwe Airport and from there you will be transported to Nankawali Camp, a 40-minute road between the vast grassland and the ebony forest.
After settling into your suite, you will enjoy some time at your leisure. Enjoy a drink on the deck or relax in the crystal-clear water of the swimming pool in the Zambia vacation.
Game viewing activities In the afternoon tea can be taken in the form of a forwarding safari, birding, game drive, and river safari.
During a game-viewing tour, predators are often spotted on various species of carnivores, nests, birds, and insects, as well as proxies.
Alternatively, take a tour around the local villages to get acquainted with their unique culture.
See schools, homes, shops, and markets occupied by local people and learn more about their daily living. Not sure how to explain this unique culture to your friends and family at home?
Tribal Textile is a popular part of Zambia that can be easily taken home with you.
After an afternoon of collecting new memories, return to the lodge for pre-dinner drinks in the campfire neighborhood. Soon, you’ll be served a freshly prepared meal.
As you sit in the dining room or at the alfresco table enjoying the taste of your bushes, your friendly staff will be waiting for you.
Enjoy a drink under the stars before returning to rest in peace in your comfortable suite.
Day 2: South Luangwa National Park
Before you prepare for your daily activities, wake up to the sound of the flowing Luangwa River as you enjoy a warm cup of coffee on the Zambia vacation.
A morning game drive takes you to the South Luangwa National Park where you can see zebras, hippos, elephants, and a variety of deer species.
The giraffes of Endemic Soniccraft are unique to the valley and their heads can be seen in mopane, leadwood, and winter trees.
Drives are taken on open-top safari vehicles, allowing unobstructed panoramic views. Instead, you may prefer to go on a walking safari run by a National Park scout.
Follow the seeds of the wild in an endless variety of plant, insect, and bird life.
Come back to the lodge for breakfast and for a siesta before the afternoon tea in the Zambia vacation.
Take a two-seat canoe or a sunset river cruise along the South Luangwa River, as you watch the crocodile swarming slowly on the sidewalk and the hippo exiting the water.
Stop in the middle of the river during your cruise or take a break from your canoe on one of the islands to admire the spectacular sunset with refreshing sundowns.
When you return to the lodge, you will notice the changing colors of the African sky and enjoy an early night at the campfire.
Entertained by local stories of animals and plants, you will enjoy indoor or outdoor dining during the Zambia vacation.
The menus are influenced by a combination of local and international flavors and promise to be a culinary delight.
Once your taste buds are satisfied, return to your suite for a relaxing bath in your open bathroom.
Get up in bed and fall asleep listening to the sound of active bushes.
Days 3 – 5: South Luangwa National Park
After waking up early, indulge in a delicious breakfast before heading to your next destination through the park in the Zambia vacation.
Upon arriving at the Ensufe camp, you will unpack and place on your comfortable rondavel (thrashed chalet).
Walk into the camp’s waterhole to see a congregation of wildlife, such as mammals, mammals, insects, and birds.
After lunch, head to South Luangwa National Park to explore the depths of the desert on a game drive, or follow the mountain during a guided walking safari.
Tailored boat bikes are available from December to the end of April.
Discover the channels of water and the life of the birds that adorn the laddons that surround you.
Your guide will provide a more in-depth description of animals and plants as well as explain how different organisms interact with each other.
Educational and interactive activities include visits to the South Luangwa Valley and its wildlife, as well as village tours and a visit to the Wildlife Education Center to learn more about how to preserve it.
A trip to nearby Kawaza Village will bring you back with new cultural insights and souvenirs from the tribal textile.
Night drive comes out at the end of tea time and returns before dinner.
Spotlights and safari car headlights guided by your guide provide the only light on this trip, it is sure to be a breathtaking experience.
Give your eyes a glimpse of the shrubbery baby, to see the prick behind the victim, separated from a lion in the Zambia vacation.
Welcome back to the dinner table with freshly prepared food to welcome you. Dine indoors or in an Alfresco before enjoying a night of drinks around the campfire in the Zambia vacation.
Days 6 – 7: Lower Zambezi National Park
A road transfer will take you to Mfuwe Airport where you board a flight to Lower Zambezi.
In the skyline, a guide will meet you and give you a short road transfer to a boat crossing point. A 20-minute motorboat ride on the Zambezi River will take you to your residence.
You will be staying at the Chihuahua camp in an en-suite safari tent.
Tea will be made in the afternoon before you begin your afternoon play-viewing activity.
You will have a choice between a canoe or a sunset boat cruise or the Jambegzi River safari on a fishing trip.
A walking safari is a perfect time to explore the intricate aspects of the bushes and enjoy great wildlife photographic opportunities.
After returning to the lodge, you will have the option of joining a night drive guide, where you will be led face-to-face with nocturnal wildlife.
Spotlights used to foster through the bush are carefully crafted to minimize the animals, and to maintain an unobtrusive game-viewing experience.
Come back to the lodge for dinner, drink around the fire while stargazing and get a rest for dinner.
Day 8: Lusaka
If you wake up early, you will enjoy the end-of-day game-viewing activities and delicious breakfast during the Zambia vacation.
Your departure from the camp will be to transfer the boat to the boat crossing point.
From there, a road transfer will take you to an airstrip where you will board a flight to Lusaka Airport.
Your next scheduled travel arrangement will be met at this airport.
Final thought
An African safari in Zambia should not be viewed as merely an add-on or, for that matter, an afterthought. For many tourists, Zambia is best known for the magnificence of Victoria Falls. Zambia is home to an alluring network of national parks and is frequently less frequented than the more well-known safari locations like Botswana, Tanzania, or Kenya. Zambia is threaded by perennial rivers that serve as a magnet for wildlife.
While top-notch walking safaris are an option, conventional wildlife safaris with excellent guiding remain the backbone of safari vacations in Zambia. Another attraction is night drives, which are permitted in all of Zambia’s national parks and offer the chance to observe a wider variety of animals, from the entertaining porcupine to the typically elusive leopard. And many little safari lodges, many of which are still owned and operated by their original owners, provide creature amenities.
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