Lower Zambezi National Park

Lower Zambezi National Park covers an area of 4,092 square kilometers (1,580 square miles) in southeastern Zambia's Lusaka Province. Situated along the northern bank of the Zambezi River with 120 kilometers of river frontage, it sits directly across from Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park. Declared a national park in 1983, the land was previously the private game reserve of Zambia's president, keeping it protected from early mass tourism. The park's terrain slopes from the rugged Zambezi Escarpment in the north down to the valley floodplains. Vegetation varies from broadleaf woodland on the escarpment to mopane forests and stands of winterthorn trees across the valley floor, bordered by ebony and fig trees along the water's edge.Wildlife within the park is heavily concentrated along the valley floor and the Zambezi River. The area is home to large populations of African elephants, Cape buffalo, hippopotamuses, Nile crocodiles, lions, and leopards, alongside spotted hyenas, zebra, waterbuck, and occasional sightings of African wild dogs. Due to the physical barrier created by the northern escarpment and the rough terrain, giraffes and wildebeest are not present in the park. Birdlife is abundant with nearly 400 recorded species, including the African fish eagle, carmine bee-eaters nesting in riverbank cliffs, Lilian's lovebirds, and trumpeter hornbills.Safari experiences in the national park combine traditional 4x4 game drives and night drives with on-foot guided walking safaris and extensive river activities. Visitors can participate in motorboat cruises, guided canoeing excursions along the river channels, and catch-and-release tiger fishing. Because there are no paved roads in the park and overland travel requires 4x4 vehicles, access into the park is commonly done by air, landing at internal airfields such as Jeki Airstrip or Royal Airstrip via flights from Lusaka.