This south-central African country is without a doubt a hidden gem and has numerous large and incredibly diverse and productive national parks. The most well known of these are South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi, where massive river systems and their adjacent floodplains and woodlands create a unique habitat in which animals thrive. Zambian lodges are intimate and all about experiencing the bush so one should be prepared to get as close to wildlife as possible. Both South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi are wildlife photographer’s choice destinations for capturing predators interacting with one another, especially the endangered wild dog and the elusive leopard. Additionally, Zambia has some of the best bush camps in Africa (more remote lodges where meals are cooked on an open flame and animals freely-and often-walk through the camp).

 

Zambia is the home of the walking safari, yet travelers can also enjoy the wildlife and scenery from a boat or vehicle. For the more adventurous, there are many other parks to explore, the most well-known of which are Kafue and Liuwa Plains, where extremely vast and open plains combine elements of the savannas of east Africa and the waterways of the Okavango Delta. Peak season is the dry season (June-October) with most lodges closing for the wet season of January-March.

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Key Points:

-Main attraction: Victoria Falls, back-to-the-wilderness bush camps, excellent leopard viewing, abundance and diversity of savanna species

-Best visited: June-October

-Suggested stay length: 8-10 days

-Suggested traveler: Return visitors to Africa, naturalists