Exotic Zambia Holidays with Africa Travel

Zambia is also widely regarded as the best country in Africa for walking safaris. Exploring the bush on a walking safari gives a completely different perspective to game viewing from a vehicle, and approaching the big game on foot is truly exhilarating.

Zambia holidays are achieving growing popularity amongst discerning travellers, with its lodges and camps concentrating on catering for this market on a small, highly-personalised scale; making Zambia holidays truly luxurious, with some of the best accommodation stays on the continent.

Interesting things to do in Zambia

On a Zambia holiday, travellers are able to explore some truly spectacular sights, including the world-famous Victoria Falls, which sit on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe. David Livingstone was the first European to see the great Falls, claiming that “scenes so lovely they must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”, and naming them Victoria after the English Queen. This precious waterfall is referred to as the most extraordinary spectacle in Zambia and continues to be one of the main tourist attractions.

Guided tours of The Falls are a highlight of any Zambia holiday, but there is plenty more to keep the traveller busy, with most visitors choosing a 2 or 3-night stay to ensure they see and do plenty. For the adventurous, canoeing trips, fishing adventures and flights over The Falls are all available, as are more tranquil lunch or sunset cruises on the mighty Zambezi. If water levels allow real daredevils can even bathe in “The Devil’s Pool” which is right on the edge of The Falls and provides stunning views out over the drop to the gorge below. However visitors choose to spend their time they will be assured of some quality accommodation, either right by the Falls (the Royal Livingstone by Anantara or Avani Victoria Falls Resort both offer direct access), or further up the river at somewhere such as Tongabezi Lodge. There are also some unique options such as Sindabezi Island Camp, which is set on a tiny island in the middle of the river.

South Luangwa National Park

Any Zambia holiday should also try to include the South Luangwa National Park. Whether an experienced safari-goer or first-time visitor, guests will be blown away by the majesty of this National Park, fast becoming the place to go for the best game viewing in Southern Africa. The park takes its name from the Luangwa River, which flows along the eastern boundary of the park and provides year-round water to the game which resides here, as well as a spectacular riverfront location for many of the lodges.

A former playground of big game hunters, today it offers consistent sightings of the iconic lion, elusive leopard and the beautiful but endangered African wild dog. A South Luangwa safari will also provide the chance to see herds of elephants, zebra and giraffe. As well as the 60 different species of mammal, South Luangwa National Park is also thriving with birdlife, being home to over 400 species of bird, including colonies of colourful southern carmine bee-eaters.

It was the original region for walking safaris when former hunter Norman Carr wanted to take visitors to see the animals in as natural a way as possible, and today the area boasts Africa's best-trained guides for guided walks, where the visitor is always accompanied by both a guide and an armed scout. Game drives are naturally a big part of any stay here and in season boat trips along the Luangwa River are also on offer.

Another great draw of the South Luangwa is the variety of accommodation which is available - the area offers options to suit all visitors, but without being overcrowded with lodges. For those looking for true luxury, Chinzombo is an excellent choice and is complemented by some wonderful rustic bushcamps such as Luwi and Kakuli. Families looking for privacy will be charmed by Robin's House and Luangwa Safari House, while Flatdogs is a great alternative for those looking to meet other families to share their safari adventures with.

Lower Zambezi National Park

Zambia holidays almost always also include the Lower Zambezi National Park. Bordering Zimbabwe and Mozambique and running along the lower reaches of the Zambezi River, the permanent water flow from the Zambezi makes this lush park one of the most game-rich in Africa, where visitors are able to view the animals from specialised game viewing vehicles on walks with local guides, by motorboat or while canoeing down the placid waters. The accommodation here is varied in terms of its style, featuring one of Africa Travel’s all-time favourite camps in Zambia, Sausage Tree, as well as its sister camp, Potato Bush. That’s not forgetting the ultra-stylish Anabezi Camp, and for travellers looking for something a little more family-orientated, Chongwe River House is wonderful; think The Flintstones but with a luxury twist. Meanwhile Old Mondoro is perfect for those looking for something more rustic and intimate.

Kafue National Park

Holidays to Zambia are also increasingly featuring the Kafue National Park. At 5.5 million acres, Kafue is one of the largest National Parks in Africa, with the remote location meaning low visitor numbers, making it one of the best places for a truly wild, unspoilt safari, enjoyed from one of its superb luxury lodges. Accessibility to Kafue National Park in the rainy season is limited, so many of the lodges only open to visitors in the dry season between June and October. The park is fed by three rivers: the Lunga, Lufupa and Kafue, providing seasonal flooding on the Northern Busanga Plains, making for some extraordinary game viewing, or travellers can spot wildlife in the riverine forest that surrounds them. Avid twitchers will also enjoy the Busanga Swamps in the north-west of the park, where they will find a huge wetland area that’s home to an extraordinary variety of birdlife.

There is a very high density of lion in the park, but guests will get the chance to see both the endangered wild dog and majestic cheetah in the beautiful forested areas where lions are not present. Visitors will also be able to see a wide variety of huge herds on the plains such as puku, lechwe and buffalo, as well as the rare but beautiful roan antelope, oribi and Lichtenstein's hartebeest. Kafue is a paradise for birders, with the wetlands sustaining a huge variety of species, including rare ones such as Ross's turaco and the locust finch.

For safari purists, Kafue is a dream come true, with very few lodges in a huge area of outstanding game viewing with some very rare sightings not seen in many other parts of Africa. Some camps also offer the chance to go ballooning over the reserve, a truly unique experience that gives a totally new perspective on the areas only normally traversed by vehicle.

The real beauty of a holiday to Zambia is how well connected with the rest of the region it is. Daily flights from Johannesburg mean it can be combined with South Africa, and easy road and boat transfers link it to Botswana. Zambia holidays can encompass all of the most magical areas due to the excellent flight connections.

The Lower Zambezi works really well as the middle stop in a trip through Zambia, often sandwiched between some time at Victoria Falls and the South Luangwa National Park, giving visitors three very varied, but equally fascinating experiences of this magnificent country. Kafue also combines perfectly with the rest of Zambia, with flights coming in from both Livingstone and Lusaka to create a wonderful safari circuit.

Whichever areas you wish to visit, for a once in a lifetime experience, book your Zambia holidays escape today to indulge in a combined trip of nature and adventure. Contact Africa Travel for your dream holiday to Zambia and let our experts help create your perfect trip.