Kafue National Park

Kafue National Park is Zambia’s oldest park, proclaimed in 1950. The park, at 22 400 square kilometres, is the size of Wales and twice the size of Yellowstone National Park in the USA. The park affords an excellent opportunity to view wildlife without the crowds that can spoil viewing in the more famous parks.

Leopard Lodge is situated in a game management area surrounded by the Kafue National Park.

In the extreme north of the Kafue lie the Busanga Plains - one of Zambia's most significant wetland resources and one of the few areas in the world that remain untouched by development and human activity.

The Kafue River and its tributaries help the great diversity of this landscape of rolling grass plains and forests. Much of the park is wooded but opens up at intervals to wide grassy clearings known as 'dambos'.

Vast herds of antelope roam the plains and woodlands - red lechwe, the ubiquitous puku, the stately sable and roan antelopes, waterbuck, tsessebe, hartebeest, as oribi and duiker.

Large prides of lion, solitary leopards and cheetah are the prime predators. Smaller predator groups include jackal, civet, genet and various mongoose. Other species found in the Park include yellow-backed duiker, common duiker, kudu, grysbok, warthog, bushpig, serval, hyena, jackal, baboon, vervet monkey, porcupine, wild dog, pangolin zebra and buffalo.

Birdwatching is superb, especially on the rivers and the dambos. Notable species include the wattled crane, purple crested loerie and Pel’s fishing owl. Over 400 species of birds have been recorded throughout the park. The birdlife is certainly an attraction for many people visiting the Busanga Plains, including five species of rollers, six bee-eaters, nine kingfishers and fourteen egrets and herons. There are also specials, such as Wattled and Crowned Cranes, Fulleborn's and Rosy-throated Longclaws, Lanner Falcon and large flocks of Open-billed and Yellow-billed Storks.

The Kafue and Lunga Rivers offer superb fishing opportunities, especially good bream, barbel and fresh water pike. Most lodges have fishing tackle, rods, boats and bait available.

The waters of the Kafue River are home to large numbers of hippopotamus, crocodiles and water monitors.

Game is best sighted in the dry season from April to October, but the beauty of the park is at its best after the rains in the first half of the year. Many of the parks internal roads are inaccessible between November and April.

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