Kafue National Park

Kafue National Park is the largest park in Zambia, covering an area roughly the size of Wales (in the UK).

Wide Open Plains

Zambia is Africa's fastest growing safari destination, yet its parks and reserves are still untouched by mass tourism. Kafue National Park in particular is a remote wilderness area, even though it has now become far more accessible with daily charter flights.

The Busanga Plains are a real highlight of going on safari in Kafue. Picture wide open floodplains stretching out to meet the African sky, with huge herds of red lechwe, puku and roan antelope, as well as the rare sitatunga antelope and plenty of big cats.

Kafue is one of the last pristine wilderness areas in Africa. I loved the fact that you hardly ever bump into another vehicle; we watched a pride of lion for over an hour without a disturbance from anyone else - Africa safari expert Janine Krook

Big Cats and Wild Dogs

These game-rich plains are a prime hunting ground for predators. Kafue is the only park in Zambia where you can see cheetah, what's more the plains provide some of the best lion sightings in Africa.

Packs of endangered African wild dog are also present, and night drives give you the chance of spotting leopard. In fact all of Africa's big game can be seen here, with the only real absentee being the giraffe.

Kafue also has an impressive 490 species of birds, including endemics such as Chaplin's Barbet.

When The Rains Come

The Busanga Plains in the north of the park flood during the rainy season (from November to April), and many lodges close at this time.

Game viewing in the south is more difficult, as much of this area is wooded, although the mopane forest opens up at intervals to grassy clearings known as 'dambos', where antelopes are attracted to the good grazing.