Overview–zambia

Lower Zambezi National Park

Lower Zambezi National Park hugs the northern bank of the mighty Zambezi River. Wildlife is plentiful, with four of the Big Five easily spotted (rhino is absent). Whether you enjoy the tranquillity of a sunset cruise or the adrenaline rush of a canoe safari, you shouldn’t leave here without spending time on the river. Nowhere else can you see so much wildlife from this exciting vantage point?

Best Time to Visit

July to October is the ideal time to visit Lower Zambezi National Park, although October can be extremely hot. These months represent the middle and end of the Dry season, and they are the best time for wildlife viewing. This is due to water sources in the bush drying out, leaving animals with no choice but to gather around the river, making them relatively easy to spot.

May to October –Dry Season

Best time for wildlife viewing
It rarely rains and it is usually sunny
Fewer mosquitoes buzzing around makes malaria less of a risk
The entrance area of the park gets quite busy
High-season rates apply from July to September
Haze in the sky interrupts views and the bush looks parched
October is very hot

November to April –Wet Season

The scenery is green and fresh – this is called the ‘Emerald Season’
There are very few tourists and rates are lower
The presence of migrants makes it the best time for birding
There are many newborn animals
Wildlife viewing is superior in the Dry season
It is very hot and humid
Many lodges are closed
Malaria is more of a concern than in the Dry season
The roads become bad and sometimes impassable

Scenery

The park’s main feature is one of Africa’s most famous rivers – the Zambezi. The northern boundary of the park is the forested Muchinga escarpment, which forms an impressive backdrop to the river in the valley. Sandy flats, mopane woodland, and acacia shrubs fringe the waterways. Beautiful winter thorn groves offer shade for an abundance of animals in a park-like setting

Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

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Aug

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April

May

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Nov

Rates

From: $204 to $1,223 pp/day

Best Time to Go

From: July to October (Animals are easy to find)

High Season

From: July to September (Busy and high-season rates apply)

Size

From: 4,092km² / 1,580mi²

Wildlife & Animals

There is plenty of wildlife in Lower Zambezi National Park. Elephants and buffalo are abundant in the Dry season. Predators are usually very relaxed, which allows for special sightings; perhaps a leopard interacting with her cubs, or a pride of lions on a hunt. Spotted hyenas are always looking for an opportunity to scavenge off these big cats.

Wildlife Highlights

Large packs of wild dogs roam the Zambezi Valley, and if they are in the area, there is no better place to witness these endangered predators in action. As Africa’s most successful hunters, they are incredibly energetic and fast, which makes following them on a mission very exciting. Here they prey on anything from impala, waterbuck, greater kudu, and even buffalo.

Best Time for Wildlife Viewing

The Dry season runs from May to October, and it’s the best time for wildlife viewing in Lower Zambezi. Animals gather at the river, and the bush is thinner which makes spotting wildlife easier. Prime viewing time is between July and October. Animals disperse in the Wet season (November to April), and elephants retreat to higher ground away from the main game-drive circuits.

General Wheather

Lower Zambezi National Park has a hot climate with a Wet and Dry season and fairly uniform temperatures year-round. However, it gets quite cold at night from May to August. December to February are the wettest months and rain can be expected most days.

Dry Season –May to October

The lack of rainfall means the bush gets drier and drier as the season progresses. Animals gather around the river, making it the best time for wildlife viewing. The days are hot but the nights are cool and refreshing.

May – The beginning of the Dry season is marked by the Wet season rains coming to a halt. The vegetation is still thick, and there is still a lot of water around.
June & July – With the end of the rains, the bush dries out. Temperatures fall to a moderate daytime average of around 25°C/77°F. Warm clothing for early morning drives is essential, as the nights cool down to around 11°C/52°F.
August & September – Dry conditions prevail. The bush is starting to look parched. It is warming up too, and September’s average daytime temperature is about 31°C/88°F. Mornings are getting milder.
October – Temperatures rise to an average of 34°C/93°F. They can peak much higher with the heat intolerable during the day. Mornings are lovely with temperatures around 21°C/70°F. The first rain often falls late October, leading to a drop in the temperature.

Wet Season –November to April

This is the warm Wet season. Some remote areas are difficult to reach as roads deteriorate and many camps are closed. Afternoon showers and thunderstorms are common. Clear skies and lush landscapes are the norm.

November – The rain (when it starts in October or November) brings respite from the dry conditions. It is extremely hot with daytime temperatures about 33°C/91°F. It doesn’t rain every day and rain mostly arrives as afternoon thunderstorms.
December, January, February & March – These are the wettest months with rain most days. Temperatures hover around 32°C/90°F during the day, while at night, and in the early morning, 16°C/61°F is usual.
April – This is a favorite month with less rainfall, and the bush is lush and green.

Prons

Excellent wildlife viewing with four of the Big Five present
Beautiful setting at one of Africa’s most magnificent rivers
Great night drives, walking, and boat safaris
Short canoe excursions as well as multiday canoe trips
Tiger fishing available

Cons

All budget accommodation is outside the park
The best wildlife viewing is deep in the park, accessible to a few lodges only

How To Get There

Lower Zambezi National Park is located 216km/134mi southeast of the capital, Lusaka. Most people fly by charter or scheduled flight to one of several airstrips in the park, but more budget-friendly road safaris are available too. The drive takes at least 5 hours*.

Some of the lodges can arrange a transfer from Lusaka (usually by road to Chirundu and by boat to the lodge). With a good high-clearance 4x4, a self-drive trip is also an option. The 120km/75mi drive to Chirundu takes about 2½ hours*. From there, the driving time is highly variable and depends on the season and where you are staying.

Most visitors arrive at Zambia's main airport, Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), located 14km/9mi from Lusaka. You could fly into Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) if you are also visiting Victoria Falls.

*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.

Airlines & Ticket Prices

Please check Skyscanner to see which airlines can take you to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), and what tickets would cost.

www.skyscanner.com

Domestic Flights

All domestic flights (charter or regular) are usually booked by your tour operator and incorporated into your safari package.

Proflight offers scheduled flights to Jeki and Royal Airstrips in Lower Zambezi and thereby gives access to all lodges in and outside the park. You can fly from/to Lusaka or Livingstone or directly from/to Mfuwe (South Luangwa National Park).

Passport, Visa & Other Entry Requirements

Please check our Getting There – Zambia page to learn more about passports, visas, COVID-19, and other entry requirements.