Kafue National Park

Kafue is Zambia’s largest and oldest national park, covering roughly the size of Wales. Despite its incredible size, it sees far fewer visitors than South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi, so you can often feel as though you have the wilderness almost entirely to yourself.

The park is hugely varied, with vast open grasslands, miombo woodland, rivers, dambos and seasonal wetlands. The Busanga Plains in the north are the real highlight, particularly during the dry season when the floodwaters recede and the plains become a magnet for wildlife. Large herds of red lechwe gather here, along with puku, zebra, wildebeest and buffalo, while the open landscape makes it an excellent area for spotting predators.

Kafue has a particularly impressive selection of big cats and other predators. Lion are common in the Busanga Plains and can sometimes be seen lounging in the branches of trees, while cheetah are one of the park’s big attractions. Wild dogs are also found here, and the huge size of the park means there is always a real sense of adventure when heading out on safari.

It’s not just about the big animals either. Kafue is home to an incredible variety of antelope, including the sitatunga, a shy semi-aquatic antelope that is specially adapted to living in swampy areas. You may also spot the unusual Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, sable and roan antelope. With more than 500 bird species recorded, the park is equally rewarding for bird lovers, particularly during the green season when migrant species arrive.

Kafue’s sheer scale is what makes it so special. There are no big crowds or lines of safari vehicles here, just huge open landscapes and a real feeling of getting off the beaten track. For travellers looking for a wild, remote and authentic Zambia, Kafue is hard to beat.