Africa : Central Africa : Zambia : Lower Zambezi National Park
Lower Zambezi National Park
Lower Zambezi National Park is in Zambia.
Understand
Lower Zambezi National Park lies across from Mana Pools Reserve in Zimbabwe and 100 km downstream of the Victoria Falls. The park covers an area of 4092 square kilometers, and it contains a wide variety of wildlife including elephant, hippo, buffalo, zebra, lion, and leopard, together with a great variety of birds. Game drives and walks will often reveal big cats and on occasion, the cheetah.
History
Landscape
Flora and fauna
Climate
Get in
Visitors can drive into the park on one’s own but it is not recommended because it is very underdeveloped and not really structured for vehicle visitors. The existing lodges and canoeing operators provide the best access to the park. They all offer pick-ups from either Lusaka or Chirundu in Zambia or Kariba in Zimbabwe.
Fees/Permits
As of September 2005, the basic park fee is US$20 per day for non-Zambians. The fee allows for up to 24 hours of access to the park.
Get around
See
The best months to see game is July through September.
Do
Fishing is good along the river. Various private lodges offer day-long canoeing and fishing trips. Lodges offer safari tours, which are typically arranged at the crack of dawn (wake-up call before 6 AM), in the late afternoon (past 4 PM), and at night after sunset when high-powered spotlights are used to locate nocturnal animals.
Buy
Eat
Drink
Sleep
There are various lodges along the river.
The Zambia Safari Company, The Zambia Safari Company is easily the best value for money and possibly one of the best for the the "real african experience", they have their own place in Lower Zambezi and offer packages to all Zambian Parks
- Ana Tree Lodge, $435-600 per night.
- Kasaka River Lodge, $350-375 per night. Very friendly tour guides coupled with home-cooked meals every night.
- Kulefu Tented Camp, $130-475 per night.
- Royal Zambezi Lodge, $450-500 per night
Lodging
Camping
Your only option for camping is through the Zambia Safari company. If your feeling adventorous you can drive in your own vehicle ( 4x4 only) then they will organise you a space on a site run by the local community. Or they have various options where you can stay in one of their fixed tents and go on an organised safari with local guides.
Backcountry
Stay safe
Get out
This page was last edited at 21:02, on 4 January 2009 by Wikitravel user Zamsaf. Based on work by Felicity T and Nick Roux and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.