​Overview – Zambezi NP

The small, but very scenic, Zambezi National Park is a great destination for a day trip from Victoria Falls. For a real bush experience you can stay in one of the lodges overlooking the Zambezi River inside the park. Elephant and buffalo are regularly seen, as well as giraffe and zebra. There is a good variety of antelope including waterbuck, impala and sable.

 
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Best Time to Go June to October (Dry season)
High Season June to October (The park gets busy at weekends)
Size 560km² / 216mi²
Altitude 891-1,056m / 2,923-3,465ft
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Pros & Cons

  • Beautiful scenery along the Zambezi River
  • Picnic spots available
  • Great half-day or day trip from Victoria Falls
  • Excellent birding destination
  • Only three of the Big Five are regularly seen
  • Limited road network
  • Travel by 4WD essential

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Wildlife

Four of the Big Five are present, but only elephant and buffalo are likely to be seen. Rhino is absent. Leopard is rarely spotted, while sightings of lion are becoming more common. African wild dog also occur in the park, and the best chance to spot them is during the denning season, from May to August. The river teems with crocodile and hippo.

Scenery

The park has the very scenic Zambezi River as its northern border. The Zambezi River Game Drive runs the length of the park, along the river for about 50km. The vegetation is mainly mopane woodland and riverine forest with some amazing trees, including apple-ring, fig and ebony.

Weather & Climate

The Dry season (April to October) is characterized by temperatures that bounce from morning cold to afternoon warmth and back again. The Wet season (November to March) has a predictable daily pattern of afternoon showers, though mornings are usually clear.

Best Time to Visit

The broad Zambezi River draws many thirsty animals in the Dry season (April to October). This is also when Victoria Falls is at its most thunderous, thanks to the Zambezi’s peak water flows. The Wet season months see less visitors and low-season rates might be available.

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Zambezi NP Safari Reviews

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Most Helpful Expert Review
Expert
Paul Murray  –  
United Kingdom UK

Paul is a travel writer, author of the Bradt guidebook to Zimbabwe and is closely involved in promoting tourism to Zimbabwe.

A Park of Two Halves
3/5

Zambezi National Park, one of the most beautiful parks you’ll find, is on the doorstep of Victoria Falls. In fact there are two distinctly different sections of this park. The most popular section has a lengthy (50km) river frontage with...

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Latest User Review
www.wlasnadroga.pl  –  
Poland PL
Reviewed: Aug 26, 2015
3/5

We had boat trip on Zambezi. Nice sunset and see some crocodiles and elephants.

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