My weeklong Zambia adventure was raw, wild, and one of my favorite trips of all time. My Zambia safari covered two different national parks – Lower Zambezi National Park and South Luangwa National Park – and I was lucky to stay at some of the best luxury safari camps in the country. I saw the most spectacular sunrises and sunsets and I caught ten tilapia in the waters of the Zambezi in one morning. I watched elephants tousle together in the water and a full litter of endangered wild dog puppies nap and play under a twin baobab tree. I learned where and how to spot a leopard in a tree and got a proper dose of lovely Zambian culture and hospitality from the friendly Zambian people I met along the way.

If you’re an adventurous animal lover, and you love going far, going deep and off the beaten track when you travel, Zambia should go up high on your list of places to go. And although Zambia is not at all undiscovered, it’s also not on the well-worn tourist track. The experience is raw and authentic. In my job as a travel designer, I have a lot of travel clients looking to book a safari in South Africa, Tanzania, Kenya, even Namibia and Botswana, before they mention Zambia.

Many people may know Zambia only in the context of Victoria Falls, but there is so much more to see and do. Zambia is known for being a pioneer destination for walking safaris, where you can really get up close to the wildlife. It’s also ideal for exploring water-based activities on the Zambezi River like canoeing and fishing in addition to traditional game drives. If you’re thinking about planning a trip to Zambia I would love to hear from you.

Where is Zambia?

Zambia is a landlocked country in southern Africa. It borders eight countries – Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Malawi, the DRC, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, and Angola. It’s bigger than Kenya, smaller than South Africa. The famous Victoria Falls, also known as the Smoke that Thunders, is on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. Many tourists who visit Zambia only visit the falls and not the incredible national parks that are just teeming with wildlife, authentic and luxurious safari lodges, and plenty of opportunities for adventure and elements of surprise.

Getting to Zambia

The capital of Zambia is Lusaka and this is also where the international airport is. The airport is well maintained and not a bad place to spend a layover even if you’re there for a few hours. If you’re coming from the United States you might fly into Lusaka from a connection in the Middle East (I flew through Doha on Qatar airlines) or you might fly into Johannesburg and connect. Once in Lusaka, you’ll have to take a smaller plan on a domestic airline to get to the different safari destinations like Lower Zambezi or Upper Zambezi, South Luangwa or Liuwa Plains. If you’re going to Victoria Falls you will actually fly into Livingstone Airport rather than Lusaka. The domestic flights can be rather complicated and it’s one reason many people use a travel agency to book their trip. 

Why go on safari in Zambia?

One of the more special things about a safari in Zambia is the water based activities that are possible due to the fact that the Zambezi River flows through the country. This means that in addition to typical safari game drives, you can enjoy everything from kayaking, fishing, sunset boat cruises and more.

Zambia is also less developed compared to many other safari destinations. The safari camps are fewer and more spread out in and around the national parks, so you aren’t going to see a ton of other vehicles crowded around the same animal, where you’re unable to get a good photo or even just feel watch on in awe without a dozen cameras clicking away.

Spotting leopards in a trees

One of my favorite memories from my adventure in Zambia was a game drive with an excellent guide named James, where we found a leopard up in a tree waiting for some prey to come and meet their fate. James and I were alone in a clearing as he slowed the vehicle down he turned his head slightly so I could see him put his finger up to his lips in a gesture that told me, time to be quiet. I had a spine-tingling feeling that something was about to happen but I wasn’t sure what. he pointed up and I saw a beautiful female leopard staring down at us from a tree branch. We hadn’t seen another vehicle anywhere in the vicinity.

That element of surprise is one of the main reasons travelers go on safaris (and often after going on one, they can’t wait to go on another!) It’s something you can’t manufacture and you can’t buy, no matter what your budget. This authenticity is one of the reasons people like me love traveling in Zambia so much.

While Zambia is authentic and raw, there is still a certain level of comfort and luxury at the top camps there, if you want it. I had a private butler and chef at my camp in the Lower Zambezi. I had a private plunge pool in my luxury tented suite in South Luangwa. The definition of luxury here is just a bit different. 

What wildlife do you see on safari in Zambia

It’s possible to see almost every species known to be found on the African continent during a safari in Zambia. Many people place an emphasis on seeing the “Big Five” when they travel to Africa – elephant, buffalo, rhino, lion and leopard. In Zambia you aren’t very likely to see rhino. Rhino are endangered and the few that are left in Zambia are protected 24/7 by armed guards. But while you may not be able to tick all the big five off your list, you’ll see 4 out of the 5 and so many more species. Just some of them are warthog, puku, kudu, impala, hyena, wildebeest, zebra, wild dog, crocodile, hippo, and tons of fish and bird species. One of the bird species that birders seem to come to Zambia for are carmine bee eaters which are beautiful and rare, and I saw a ton of them on my trip. 

The best time to go to Zambia

The dry season in Zambia is from June to November, so this is the best time to go and also the most popular time to go, and peak season in Zambia. That also means peak prices. Zambia gets VERY hot during the day during these months, especially September and October, and midday can be brutal. Most of the camps in Zambia, even the 5-star luxury lodges and camps, do not have air conditioning but some do have pools for cooling off. December to March is the true wet season or green season, and many of the camps close and areas get flooded. On the other hand, during green season it’s a good time to go to Victoria Falls because the falls are at their peak when the water is flowing hard. 

Where to go in Zambia 

There are a number of national parks where you can do a luxury safari in Zambia. My experience was focused on two of them – Lower Zambezi National Park and South Luangwa National Park.

Lower  Zambezi National Park

Lower Zambezi National Park is the place to go if you are interested in doing water-based adventures AND game drives in the park. The Zambezi River flows in this part of Zambia, on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The river isn’t that wide. When I sat in my private outdoor lounge area at my suite in the morning I could see the sun rise from a landmass across the river, and that was Zimbabwe.

I chose fishing for one of my morning activities during my two night stay in the Lower Zambezi. We were hoping to catch some tiger fish, which are huge! My guide, Sam, was awesome and really did his best to help me catch one but no dice. After a peaceful hour or so sitting in the fishing boat, just me and quiet Sam, no sounds except those of the river, we moved to some shallow water to try for tilapia. Here we were much more successful… with Sam’s help I caught ten of them and we brought them back to the camp to be cooked up for anyone at the lodge who might want one for dinner.

I also did a sunset boat cruise – on a tiny little boat – and got up close with hippos and crocs (as close as anyone would want to get!) and watched elephants dance gracefully in the water.

Where to stay in Lower Zambezi

I stayed at Chongwe River Camp’s Cassia Suite, which is really well suited for honeymooners or other couples wanting some privacy. The camp also has a family suite. Each of these have a private pool, an outdoor lounge area with a full bar, and a dedicated butler and chef. You would generally take all your meals in your own private dining area. Both have bathrooms that are completely outdoors (with walls and enough protection from wildlife and also privacy). The difference is that the family suite has two separated tented bedrooms. Then there are about 8 tents in the main area of camp, a larger lounge area and fire pit, and a shared pool. The staff was warm and welcoming.

Old Mondoro, Chiawa, Royal Zambezi are others that are worth looking into if you’re a luxury traveler. But I would warn anyone who has been on a luxury safari in South Africa or Botswana to be aware that luxury in Zambia is a bit more raw and authentic. There is generally no air conditioning. I still ran into a few tiny toads in my suite. Using the toilet and shower can only be done al fresco at some of these camps. Hopefully, like me, you see this as part of the experience!

South Luangwa National Park

There are many reasons why a safari in South Luangwa is so special. This national park is known as the Valley of the Leopard for its dense concentration of this normally elusive, beautiful big cat. In South Luangwa the rainy season brings about floods that wash away some of what they consider roads, which aren’t really roads at all just indentations in certain areas where vehicles often roam around. In South Luangwa you get up earlier than the sun and stay out longer for game drives, because looking for wildlife takes a bit more effort. It’s a contrast from South Africa, for example, where the guides will communicate with one another through walkie talkies. In a place like Kruger, in South Africa, there is more control over what you’re going to see (while still never guaranteed).

Where to stay in South Luangwa

Time + Tide Africa has five camps in South Luangwa National Park. Each has its own unique vibe. The experience of the game drives is also different in different areas of the park – it’s so big! – so it adds to a diverse experience in terms of the wildlife you see. So it’s really ideal to spend a couple of nights at each of a few of them. All of them are small and intimate with excellent food and service. The guides sometimes move between camps with guests so that if you stay at three different camps your guide should likely move with you.

Luwi

I spent one nigh at Luwi, one at Kakuli, and two at Chinzombo. One night is very short to stay at any camp, but it works if you’re pressed for time.

Luwi is the most remote camp in South Luangwa National Park, set miles away from any other safari camps. I arrived just after dark and was escorted by an armed guard to my tented suite, just one of four tents for guests. Mine was situated the furthest from the main part of camp, surrounded by nothing but nothingness – mysterious, quiet, inky blackness. Mostly quiet. As I settled in and unpacked for a few minutes before dinner I peeked outside through the mesh windows, into what I thought might be fairly dense vegetation. Then I heard the noise of an animal, something between a grunt and a growl in a low register. It sounded about 10 feet outside the canvas wall. And then I was escorted to dinner.

Meals at Luwi are served al fresco, completely out in the open. When I sat down at a table with Lawrence, the camp’s general manager, he was shining a beam of light out into the bush, back and forth, back and forth, and told me I’d just missed a leopard strolling by.

Oh, I said, I don’t think I missed it. I’m pretty sure I heard that leopard walking past my tent first.

When I woke up at 5AM the next morning the sun had arrived to reveal how completely wrong I was about what was out there. It was actually a dried out riverbed and open plain.

With no other camps around, the wildlife in the vicinity – animals you only see if you’re staying at Luwi – are much less accustomed to seeing vehicles. Luwi runs on solar power and during the wet season the entire camp is put away to protect it from flooding, leaving no footprint. There is no wifi and no cell signal. There’s no air conditioning, no pool, no spa. It’s the most rustic of the Time + Tide camps in Zambia, but if you ask around – as I did – to both staff and guests who’ve moved seamlessly between the different properties, it’s most everyone’s favorite place.

Kakuli

My night at Kakuli was excellent too. Kakuli had just two other guests staying there, aside from me. The food was incredible, and I have no idea how they’re able to get so much fresh produce to such a remote place. Kakuli’s boho chic design was very much my speed, and I loved my little room that looked out onto a river full of hippos. In fact, during the night I woke up to hear something and I sat up in bed just in time to see the silhouette of a hippo lumbering past my tent!

Chinzombo

Chinzombo is perfect place to start and end a day on safari in South Luangwa. Arguably the most luxurious camp in this part of Zambia, Chinzombo draws Honeymooners and even A-list celebrities (rumor was that Tom Cruise had recently done a buyout there). Each suite at Chinzombo is huge and spaced from each other to provide a ton of privacy, and each has a private plunge pool and deck. Sunrises from Chinzombo are absolutely bananas.

How to plan your Zambia adventure

There are many destinations around the world where it’s pretty easy to plan and book a trip on your own. Zambia is not one of them. Trying to sort out the domestic flights alone could cause a real headache. Not to mention choosing between the different national parks while trying to have a well-rounded experience, and then picking lodges that suit your budget and travel style. I highly recommend working with a professional to book your Zambia safari. Something that most people don’t realize is that it doesn’t cost you more to work with a travel advisor like me who has relationships with hotels and local partners that allow me to offer the same rates to my customers that they would pay if they booked on their own. If you want to chat about planning a luxury safari in Zambia please get in touch!

How much does a luxury Zambia safari cost

When I plan a trip for someone in Africa I typically speak to them in terms of a per person per day budget, because that’s how safari lodges are priced. The price includes everything – food, drinks including alcohol, activities like guided game drives and anything else offered like fishing or kayaking, in a place like Zambia. The only extras are generally elective things like massages and then of course gratuities. In Zambia, a luxury safari can range in cost from around $800 USD per person per day up to $1800 USD per person per day. Zambia is a bit more affordable than other luxury safaris in Africa like Botswana and South Africa, Kenya or Tanzania.