By Alan Murphy
Alan is a renowned Africa expert and has authored many Lonely Planet guidebooks, including the guide to Zambia.
In Zambia, you’ll be looked after on safari by some of the best guides in Africa. They’ll happily share everything they know about the local wildlife and landscape, while safely leading you on game drives, walking safaris, even canoeing safaris along the Zambezi River.
Pros & Cons
Wildlife
You can see lots of safari favorites in Zambia, like the elephant, zebra, hippo and buffalo. You also have a good chance of seeing lions and leopards, and the wetland antelope known as the lechwe. The white rhino and black rhino only live in a couple of Zambian parks and are very hard to find. You’d also be lucky to see a magnificent cheetah, or a wild dog. But imagine how you’d feel if you did see one of these rare animals.
Weather & Climate
The rain can pelt down in Zambia’s Wet season (November to April), which can affect outdoor activities. The humidity is bad at this time of year making it unpleasant to spend long periods outdoors. In the Dry season (May to October) it stays warm, building up to hot just before the season changes. But from June, mornings can get quite chilly. You’ll need to wrap yourself up in thick clothes for early-morning game drives.
Best Time to Visit
The downpours in the Wet season (November to April) have a habit of cutting off road access, which makes getting around really hard. Also, no-one likes to get soaked on safari. Which means that many of the parks close at this time – though not South Luangwa. Wildlife watching is much more pleasant in the Dry season (May to October), when there’s hardly any rain and the animals are easily found at rivers and waterholes.
