Lower Zambezi National Park

Lower Zambezi National Park Map

The Lower Zambezi National Park, downstream from Lake Kariba, is Zambia's newest park. It is at this point along the mighty Zambezi River that the river forms little reed islands, which are home and feeding grounds for a myriad of wildlife.

The beauty of this park is in its state of absolute wildness. Despite the fact that the variety and amount of game is not as wide as the other parks, there are some spectacular opportunities to get close to the game wandering in and out of the Zambezi channels. The park lies opposite the famous Mana Pools Reserve in Zimbabwe, so the whole area on both sides of the river is a massive wildlife sanctuary.

You can drive into the park on your own but it is very underdeveloped and not yet structured for self-drive visitors. The existing lodges and canoeing operators provide the best access to the park. They all offer pick-ups from either Lusaka or Chirundu, or Kariba in Zimbabwe.

Canoeing safaris offer the visitor a unique opportunity for game viewing. When you are at water level on a boat, the animals seem to accept you and are less likely to run off in a hurry. Hippos and crocodiles inhabit the river in abundance so a quick dip would be ill advised. That does not matter too much, as the game lodges that nestle along the banks will undoubtedly have a swimming pool where you can cool off from the high summer temperatures.

The park covers three different habitats, the river is overhung with a thick riverine fringe, while further inland is a floodplain fringed with mopane forest and interspersed with winterthorn trees. The hills that form the backdrop to the park are covered in broadleaf woodland.

The park covers a wide area, over 4092 sq km, but the game is mostly found at the bottom of the valley. The escarpment along the northern end of the park acts as a barrier to most of the animals, keeping them in the park.

Enormous herds of elephant, some up to 100 strong, are often seen at the river's edge. 'Island hopping' buffalo and waterbuck are common. The park also hosts good populations of lion and leopard, and you should listen out for the cry of the fish eagle.

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