Kafue National Park National Park

Address: Kafue National Park, Kafue District, Zambia

Kafue National Park is a vast protected area in central Zambia and is one of the country’s largest national parks. It encompasses a wide range of habitats including woodlands, savanna, floodplains and seasonal wetlands.

The park is known for large mammals such as buffalo, lions and elephant, and for concentrated wildlife on seasonal plains where predators and herbivores congregate. Birding is notable in the floodplain areas and the Busanga and Kafue Flats sections produce high densities of waterbirds and raptors. Game drives, boat trips on the Kafue River, and seasonal drives across the plains are the main visitor activities.

Kafue originated as a hunting and conservation area under colonial administration and was later expanded and managed as a national park to conserve wildlife and habitats. Management has varied over time with development of tourism infrastructure and ongoing conservation efforts focused on habitat protection and anti-poaching.

The park straddles the middle reaches of the Kafue River in central Zambia and covers a large area of varied terrain. Access is by road from Lusaka and by light aircraft to several airstrips within the park.

• Seasonal variation: The park contains large seasonal floodplains that make some areas best visited in the dry season when wildlife concentrates and roads are passable.
• Scale and habitats: Kafue is one of Zambia’s largest national parks and is valued for its diversity of habitats, from miombo woodland to floodplain and grassland.

What to See#

• Kafue Flats: A seasonal wetland and floodplain area in the park that fills in the rainy season and attracts large concentrations of antelope, waterbirds and predators in the dry season.
• Busanga Plains: A northerly grassland complex that floods seasonally and is internationally known for its birdlife and for supporting dense populations of herbivores and their predators.

Kafue is accessed by road from Lusaka (roughly 3-5 hours depending on the gate and road conditions) and by small aircraft to a handful of airstrips near lodges. Most tourists arrange travel through registered safari operators who handle park permits and transfers.

• If possible, allocate several days: Kafue is vast and rewards slow exploration across different sectors (Itezhi-Tezhi, Busanga Plains).
• Visit during the dry season (June-October) for the highest concentration of wildlife near waterholes.
• Hire experienced, park-registered guides - the park's scale and seasonal variation mean local expertise greatly improves sightings.