Liuwa Plain National Park: Introduction
Liuwa Plain National Park is situated in the remote and far west of Zambia on the Angolan Border. Liuwa Plain offers visitors an area of pristine wilderness. It is very difficult to access and self-drives are not recommended. It is one of the smaller parks in Zambia; isolated and rarely visited offering visitors a private and exclusive safari experience.
Liuwa Plain is home to approximately 30 000 blue wildebeest, herds of zebra, red lechwe, oribi, and more. The main predator is the hyena then the wild dog and, occasionally seen, is cheetah.
The birding in the Liuwa Plain National Park is fantastic and the variety of water species inhabit the many water-filled pans. November, December, and early May are the best times of the year to visit the park.
Locate the Liuwa Plain National Park
How to get there & Best time to visit
How to get there
Liuwa Plain National Park is located 750km/466mi from the capital, Lusaka. Self-drive to the park is usually only possible from June to mid-December (check the condition on the ground before heading out). Even then, you’ll need a strong 4x4 with high clearance to navigate the sandy tracks. You will need to cross the Zambezi River by pontoon.
International visitors arriving in Zambia usually fly into Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), located 14km/9mi from Lusaka. If you are also visiting Victoria Falls, you could fly into Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI).
Best time to visit
Liuwa Plain National Park offers very seasonal wildlife viewing. The pattern here is different to most other Zambian parks and reserves. Animals migrate to the plains to stay during the Wet season (from November to April) and into May. The best time to visit is after the first rain in November. December is also good, but as the Wet season progresses, game-drive tracks deteriorate. Another good time to visit is in May/June, just before the animals retreat. Time + Tide King Lewanika, the only luxury lodge in the park, operates from mid-October to mid-July.