The most beautiful natural sites to discover North

The Chutes falls are located on the river Lufubu 85 km northeast of Kawambwa along the road linking Kawambwa and Luwingu.

Kapishya Hot Springs Lodge, in the same property as Shiwaa N'gandu Manor, is open to non-guests for the day. First for the bathing in the hot springs, but also for the activities proposed: visit of the manor, safaris, horse riding, discovery of rock paintings, hiking, rafting, mountain biking... Charming spa with view on the river. You can get there by car from the Great North Road, or by air charter to the property.

Kundalila Falls is located about 60 km north of Serenje (13°09.260'S, 30°42.119'E) by a 15 km dirt road from the Great North Road. They are among the most beautiful in Zambia. At the edge of the Muchinga escarpment, the Kaombe River plunges 70 m high, spreading out in a veil of mist before reaching a pool of crystal clear water. It is possible to swim at the foot of the falls in a natural pool. The site, classified as a national heritage, has a basic campsite, with a kitchenette and recent sanitary facilities.

This semicircular cave cut into the Nsalu hill (12°43.202'S, 30°40.952'E) features some African rock paintings of the San, ancestors of the Bushmen. Archaeological excavations conducted in the 1940s showed that the site was occupied as early as the Stone Age and for at least 20,000 years. The meaning of the colored drawings and abstract figures is still a mystery, but scholars believe they refer to initiation ceremonies. Although it is a national monument, the site has suffered from numerous degradations.

This pretty little waterfall gushing through the ochre rocks is about a 2 hour drive from Mkushi and about 40 km, by a track that crosses the forest, close to the Congolese border. It is located just off the track and easy to find. It consists of a few small rapids and natural pools where you can swim. Camping is allowed here but there is really nothing, not even running water. So it is only possible if you are totally self-sufficient in drinking water, food, etc.

Twelve kilometers from the main road and 90 kilometers north of Mansa on the Luapula River, this 5-kilometer series of rapids, also known as Johnstone Falls, lies on the border between Zambia and the DRC. From these falls, the lush and densely populated Luapula Valley opens up into a vast area of floodplains and lagoons south of Lake Mweru. Traditionally, fishermen near the falls used weirs and traps to catch as many fish as possible before the flood waters receded.

Certainly, the most spectacular falls in the region; a miniature version of Victoria Falls, with a rainbow that forms on a sunny day. Located 9 km from the road between Kawambwa and Mporokoso, near the Chimpembe ferry, they are worth a visit. They are 100 m wide and 30 m high and feed a small tropical forest on the banks of the Kalungwishi River. The site also shelters some rock paintings, do not hesitate to ask the inhabitants. A basic campsite with sanitary block is available on site.

On the Ng'ona River, between Kazembe and Kawambwa, 18 km away, these waterfalls are composed of pools, rapids and waterfalls that fall 40 m high. They would shelter spirits according to the local beliefs. Before ascending to the throne, the chiefs of the region used to come there to make their ablutions, in order to protect themselves from the evil eye and misfortune. It is an ideal site for camping, which, like Lumangwe Falls, has some rock paintings that can be discovered with the help of local people.

Below Lake Bangweulu, the Luapula is a huge swamp that flows south and then west before descending to Mambatuta Falls and then Mambilima Falls. The former are located 32 km north of Mansa and 8 km to the left. They flow, in 30 m and in series of rapids, in a wide and deep pool where you can swim. The site is really beautiful. There is also a temple dedicated to the protective spirits Makumba and their sister Ngosa, in which a fire burns that is said to never go out.

Kundabwika Falls is the last major waterfall on the Kalungwishi River, 95 km from Mporokoso, before it flows into Lake Mweru. It consists of two separate waterfalls, the larger of which drops 25 m in height and reaches 70 m in width during the rainy season. The falls are accessible from the south between Kawambwa and Mporokoso or from the north via Nchelengue and Mununga. A guardian watches over this sacred sanctuary among local people who believe that ignoring the ancestral rituals and prayers at the falls brings bad luck.

Fibwe Observatory is a good place to observe the migration of bats, as it is located next to the forest where they shelter in season. It is also a popular spot to try to spot the sitatunga. You have to climb a ladder to reach a platform located at 18 m high in a large mahogany tree (red mahogany). It allows to overhang the marshes of Kabapi where the sitatungas come to feed early in the morning and late in the afternoon. We often see more than 20 in one visit and the record is 94!