Here is why you should safari in Kafue National Park
- Pristine wilderness
The Kafue National Park is underrated by so many, but now, tourists are starting to see what the fuss is all about and justifiably so. Kafue is vast, covering 22,400 km² making it one of the largest parks in Africa; but unlike many tourist destinations, Kafue is still largely untouched, it is a pristine wilderness with stunning landscapes, game viewing, and a diversity of bird species.
For all of those who work in Kafue National Park, there is a true passion about where they are and what they are trying to achieve. They truly believe in what Kafue has to offer and slowly more and more people are experiencing this, so their hard work is paying off.
2. Diversity
The flora and fauna of Kafue is incredibly diverse. There is such a wide variety of game, plants, birds, trees and fish all to be found in one national park. Boasting 500 different species of bird including bee eaters, rollers, kingfishers, wattled cranes, saddle billed stalks, Pel’s fishing owl, African fin-foot, goliath heron, hornbills, vultures and eagles, with such diversity your bird list becomes quite extensive and it will be difficult to put your binoculars down!
There are also 20 different species of antelope in the park ranging from puku, bushbuck and impala to sable, roan, sitatunga, blue duiker, reedbuck and oribi. With all these antelope on offer, of course there is also game such as lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog.
The list of more elusive mammals includes genets, servals and honey badgers. The list goes on, and to top off these sightings is the fact that the landscapes are equally stunning with huge open plains at Nanzhila combined with dambos, teak and Miombo forests, and Lake Itehi Tezhi.
3. The Kafue River
The Kafue River follows a course of approximately 960 kilometres and plays a large role in Zambia’s ecosystems, supporting the wildlife of the national park, as well as being a source of water for farmers, irrigation and hydroelectric power. The river’s source is in the Congo and it is the largest and longest river lying entirely within Zambia, the Kafue is a major tributary to the Zambezi River which it joins in Chirundu at the Zambia Zimbabwe border.
Just like the national park, the Kafue River is also very diverse with areas that are fast flowing, both mighty and gentle rapids and slower, more mild sections with sandy banks where you can find nesting bee eaters, pods of hippos, basking crocodiles as well as monitors and otters. Fish eagles call and soar overhead, whilst kingfishers and herons make the most of the abundance of fish in the water.
You can take stunning sunset cruises along the river whist relaxing and enjoying the scenery; you can canoe gently taking in the sights and sounds at your own pace whether you are a beginner or a keen angler you can go fishing for Kafue’s five species of bream, fresh water pike and barbell to name just a few.
- Exclusivity
Wherever you go in Kafue National Park, you feel as though you are the only people there. The remote nature of the lodges combined with the vastness of the park allow you to feel completely at one with nature and privileged to be enjoying such wilderness.
Lochinvar Safaris offer trips across Zambia, and one of our favourite places, for all of the reasons above, is Kafue. We have a great relationship with management of the park and genuine passion for what it has to offer.