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Zambia's safari destinations:
The Zambezi

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The Zambezi River is one of the most important safari features in southern Africa.

Whilst most of the attention to safaris along its course have traditionally centred on the Zimbabwean destinations, Zambia offers access to some remote and uncrowded wilderness areas on the Zambezi.

Logistically it's sensible to divide the main areas of interest in Zambia into the Upper and Lower Zambezi - the middle Zambesi, dominated by Lake Kariba is best tackled via Zimbabwe.

The Upper Zambezi

The Upper Zambezi rises on the Benguela Plateau in Angola (its source at Kuleni Hill in Zambia is undramatic) and extends through Zambia's remote western region down to Victoria Falls. This western sector is extremely difficult to explore but includes the Barotse floodplain, Sioma National Park and Liuwa National Park - the region should only be tackled by experienced safari hands.

• The ancient kingdom of Barotseland, whilst having a particularly interesting history and being an area where old Lozi customs have been retained by the inhabitants, there is no game to speak of other that herds of Nguni cattle - it remains an excellent area for fishing safaris.
• Sioma National Park is a rough wilderness without any roads - the park protects a large population of elephant and it's the only place in Zambia outside of the South Luangwa in which you'll find giraffe - poaching is rife with incursions from Angola matching local pursuits.
• Liuwa Plain National Park is a large grassy plain and woodland area - Liuwa plains witnesses Africa's second largest wildebeest migration - this is really worthwhile!

Livingstone and Victoria Falls

Zambia's Kalolo people call Victoria Falls "Mosi-oa-Tunya". The Zambian view on the falls is as spectacular as it is from Zimbabwe with excellent views on the Eastern Cataract and fine viewpoints from the Knife Edge Bridge and an ancient Baobab tree near the railway line appropriately called "The Look Out Tree".

As yet, Livingstone hasn't been as extensively developed as the town of Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean bank but offers some excellent lodge accommodation and activities during the almost obligatory stay at Victoria Falls. Livingstone itself is also an important air charter hub from which connections to the Kafue, Luangwa and lower Zambesi regions are made.

The Lower Zambezi  [see map]

The lower Zambezi River is essentially the stretch that runs downstream from Kariba Gorge to the Mozambican border. This section is particularly well known for Mana Pools National Park, the World Heritage Site on the Zimbabwean bank.  The area is best tackled via a canoe safari.

The Zambian shoreline has a selection of excellent safari lodges en route down towards the Lower Zambezi National Park. This park is still wild and relatively undeveloped. Elephant poaching in recent years has declined in the presence of safari operators in the area and game has improved dramatically as a result.

This part of the valley with its riverine forests, broad flood plain and woodlands in the hills towards and beyond the escarpment provides excellent habitats and the birding is spectacular year round. Access into the Lower Zambesi National Park during the green season is available but in our opinion not a good idea - an option is to canoe on the Zimbabwean shoreline during the rainy season. There is one particularly good canoe safari on the Zambian bank that ends at Mwambashi.

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Last update 16 September 2004

UK Head Office
Lakemans, 4 Broad Street, Modbury, Devon, PL21 0PS
Tel: +44 1548 830059 Fax: +44 1548 831351
Mobile: +44 7812 145573 
e-mail:info@zambezi.co.uk

African Head Office
The Heights, Kariba, Zimbabwe
Tel: +263 61 2532  Fax: +263 61 2291
Cell: +263 91 343616 
e-mail: info@zambezi.com

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