Kasanka National Park

The abundance of wildlife is minimal when compared to heavyweights like the neighboring (relatively speaking, it took me 2 days to get from one to the other) South Luangwa National Park. However this much smaller park has an ace up its sleeve. Every year around the end of October, through to early December about 10,000,000 fruit bats gather from across central Africa and watching them take off at dusk and return at dawn is an unforgettable sight. Along with that the birding opportunities are great.

enjoyable area to safari in

Kasanka is a small but mighty park, hosting millions of migrating straw-colored fruit bats each year

The annual migration of five million straw-coloured fruit bats is an amazing sight and Kasanka National Park is an amazing place to view the spectacle. The fruit bats migrate from mid-October to mid-December, and every night the sky is filled with millions of bats heading out for their evening meals. Although the bats are an once-in-a-lifetime experience, Kasanka is definitely worth visiting year-round. The park hosts a large population of puku and many other antelope, including the world’s most visible population of sitatunga. The park is also home to a small herd of elephants, including a brand new baby. Kasanka is also a great place for birders, hosting over 400 species of birds, including several that are rare – namely the shoebill. The scenery is beautiful, mostly mimobo woodlands, but also wetlands and drier areas. This allows for a wide variety of wildlife, birdlife, and plant life throughout the park.

Kasanka hosts two lodges (Wasa & Luwombwa) that are both within the park limits. There are also campsites located throughout the park that allow you to get a closer experience with the wildlife. Another great feature of the park are the tree hides, which are a unique way to view wildlife any time of the year. The staff members are all very helpful and can assist you with pretty much everything during your visit. The guides are extremely knowledgeable, not just about the big animals, but also about the birds, trees, and the people of the area.

While you won’t get to see the “Big 5,” Kasanka is a great stop for anyone visiting Zambia! The birdlife, the annual migration of millions of straw-colored fruit bats, and the scenery are worth a visit to this small park in central Zambia.