Kafue National Park: Introduction
Kafue National Park is the oldest and largest National Park in Zambia and the second largest National Park in the world. Kafue covers an area of approximately 22 400 sq km of unspoiled wilderness teeming with wildlife.
This park is renowned for offering fantastic wildlife viewing, while there over 400 species of bird to keep the birders enthralled. Despite the Park's proximity to both Lusaka and the Copper belt, it has remained underdeveloped. The Kafue National Park is still untouched, wild and diverse and offers visitors one of the best safari experiences in Zambia.
Guests can enjoy a variety of activities accompanied by expert guides including game drives, bird watching and fishing. The Kafue River that runs through the park is what gives it its name, and ensures that guests enjoy a well-rounded land and water-based experience.
Locate the Kafue National Park
How to get there & Best time to visit
How to get there
Kafue National Park is located 360km/223mi from the capital, Lusaka. The drive, on a good tar road, takes about 4 hours*. There are many safari packages to Kafue and self-drive to the park is relatively easy too. However, to venture any distance into the park itself, a good 4x4 is essential.
Most people staying at the high-end lodges fly by chartered plane to Kafue. There are several airstrips in the park. Zambia’s main airport, Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), is 14km/9mi from Lusaka – this is where you will most likely enter the country. Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) in Livingstone is also handy for the park.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit Kafue National Park is from July to October – the middle and end of the Dry season. The bush has dried out and thirsty animals head to rivers and waterholes, which makes these the best months for wildlife viewing. The Busanga Plains are off-limits in the Wet season when they are flooded.
Kafue National Park has a hot climate, with a Wet season and Dry season. The average temperature is quite uniform throughout the year, as the park is in the tropics. However, there is an increase in temperature in October, before the rains begin. The nights tend to be cooler from May to August.