Travel Guide Kafue National Park

At 22,400 square kilometers, Kafue National Park is the second largest reserve in Africa and the oldest park in Zambia. Neglected and subject to poaching in the 1980s and early 1990s, the park has been revived in recent years. Many camps have reopened and Kafue is on the road to rebirth. Numerous streams branching off the Kafue River, which flows from north to south, irrigate the park and give it its lush vegetation. Most of the park is covered by miombo forests, which open onto large grasslands (dambos) with numerous termite mounds. The landscape is also dotted with teak forests and large black rocks that are often mistaken for elephants. With the exception of the black rhinoceros, whose species, victim of intensive hunting, is no longer represented, and the giraffe, historically absent, one can see most of the mammals of the African savannah. As for the avifauna, the diversity of habitats makes it the richest in Zambia with 495 species listed, including the endemic Chaplin's barbican(Lybius chaplini). Animals can also be seen in the reserves located at the edge of the park.The north of the park, Busanga Plains. Difficult to access (from June only), but spectacular, the Busanga Plains are the major attraction in the north of the park. This vast area of swamps, flooded by rivers during the rainy season, extends as far as the eye can see over 750 km² and constitutes a formidable reserve of animal life, totally untouched by the traces of human passage. It is dotted with small islands covered with papyrus, palm and sycamore trees. In addition to the hippos and crocodiles that thrive in its shallow waters, this area is home to thousands of antelopes, including some unusual species such as the red lechwe, puku, sitatunga, roan antelope and hippotrague. Zebras and buffaloes are also very present and, in September, the second largest African migration of blue wildebeest takes place. All this attracts predators, especially lions, but above all, the Busanga grasslands are known as the best place in Zambia to observe wild dogs and cheetahs, which can give free rein to their passion for speed in this immense territory.Apart from the Busanga plains, the northern part of the park consists of a mosaic of wooded and treed savannahs that are home to different species of antelopes (greater kudu, cape eland, puku, impala, crescent cob, etc.) and their host of predators. The fauna is, without doubt, less easy to observe, but navigating the Kafue River, populated by hippos and a rich aquatic birdlife, will delight naturalists.The south of the park, along the "Spinal road". This part is the most accessible. It can be reached by the main road coming from Lusaka (Nalusanga Eastern Gate) which crosses the park from east to west and continues to Liuwa Plains Park (Tatayoyo Western Gate). But also by a track coming from the south from the Livingstone road and which branches off at Kalomo (Dumwenzi Southern Gate). Between the two ends, the "Spinal road" a track that has been redone in 2016 and is now passable longer in the year and more easily. It is possible to buy food in Itezhi-Tezhi. There is no gas station, but fuel is available from Zesco (the company that generates electricity from the dam).Less watered than the north, with soil consisting of Kalahari sand, the southern sector of the park is distinguished by beautiful teak forests on the Ngoma side and, further south, by groves of cathedral mopane. With the exception of elephants, animals, especially predators, are more scattered here than in the north, but game drives along the Kafue River and around Lake Itezhi-Tezhi remain exciting. The dam, which seems to be built in earth, has favored the formation of this small inland sea whose submerged trees are excellent perches for water birds: fish eagles, cormorants, herons, ibises... This area also hosts the highest population density of the park. These places also make the happiness of the fishermen. Further south, as in Busanga, there are vast grassy savannahs (Nanzhila plain) that are home to herds of red lechwe, as well as buffalo, wildebeest and hartebeest.