Blue Lagoon National Park, one of Zambia’s lesser-known parks, is a true bird-watcher’s paradise. Together with Lochinvar National Park, it protects part of the Kafue Flats, a seasonal floodplain that transforms into a watery wonderland in the Wet season. You can drive through the wetlands on a 5km/3mi causeway that terminates at a stilted viewing platform which offers incredible views across marshy plains brimming with birdlife.
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Best Time To Go
- November to April (Best birding and Kafue lechwe viewing)
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High Season
- Never (The park is never busy)
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Size
- 500km² / 193mi²
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Altitude
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977-1,009m /3,205-3,310ft
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Pros & Cons
- Great birding destination
- Close to Lusaka
- Home to big herds of the endemic Kafue lechwe
- Off-the-beaten-track destination
- Unguided walking permitted
- Very seasonal and only worth visiting in the Wet season
- Undeveloped park: visitors must be self-sufficient
- Only a 5km/3mi road in and out of the floodplains
Wildlife
Blue Lagoon isn’t a conventional wildlife destination, but the birdlife is sensational in the Wet season. This is also when the endemic Kafue lechwe gathers on the marshy floodplains. At dawn or dusk, the viewing platform offers a bird’s eye view of these marsh-loving antelopes splashing in the wetlands. Also keep an eye out for sitatunga; less flamboyant than the lechwe, this shy, water-loving antelope can sometimes be seen creeping through the reeds.
Scenery
When the Kafue River leaves Kafue National Park, it meanders through a magnificent 6,000km²/2,317mi² seasonal floodplain known as the Kafue Flats before eventually merging with the Zambezi River. Blue Lagoon protects an intricate network of channels and lagoons in the northern section of the Kafue Flats. The floodplains are fringed with acacia woodland.
Weather & Climate
The weather and climate of Blue Lagoon is comparable to that of Zambia in general. More info:
Best Time To Visit
Blue Lagoon is best visited in the Wet season, from November to April. At this time, the 5km/3mi causeway will reach well onto the water, and the sight of the lechwe is spectacular from this vantage point. Blue Lagoon is mainly a birding destination. November to April is the best time for birding, as migrants are present, and many birds are in breeding plumage.
Getting There
Visitors to the park should come with their own 4x4. The park is located 120km/74mi from Lusaka on a reasonable road. The drive takes approximately 2 hours*.
*Driving times are only a rough indication. You should always consider the possibility of significant delays.
Health & Safety
Please read our malaria and vaccinations page for Zambia and our general ‘Wildlife Viewing Safety Precautions’ below for more info: