Zambia | Liuwa Plains Migration and Kafue National Park

Making an early start after a hearty breakfast, and after you have all been issued with two-way hand held radios, we take to the road and leave for Katima Mulilo in Namibia. After refuelling our vehicles in Katima we cross the border into Zambia. As the border post procedures here can take a while, we will only be travelling a further 115 kilometres to our next overnight stop at Kabula Lodge campsite.

Situated on the banks of the Zambezi, the lodge boasts good clean facilities and, once again, the crew will have set up camp and the pots will be on the fire when we arrive. We do a sundowner boat cruise on the mighty Zambezi

Today we see the last of civilization for a while as we head into Mongu to shop and refuel - believe it or not the town has a very well stocked Shoprite. With all refills done we move west onto the 50 kilometre wide flood plain of the Zambezi. In the late summer months this area is completely under water. En route we pass the winter residence of the Lodzi King and see his Royal Canoes that are part of the colourful Kambuka Ceremony when the king paddles from his winter home to drier land for summer. We cross the mighty river again via ferry and then make our way to the town of Kulabo.

Whilst in Kulabo there will be a few formalities to sort out at the Migration Office regarding passport checks and permits to enter the Liuwa Plains National Park.

Heading north we make a ferry crossing of the Luwangina River into the southern plains of the Liuwa National Park where, as we head deeper into the park, we will encounter our first herds of wildebeest.

Our accommodation for the next three days is, once again, a rustic bush camp in the great outdoors. Our camp has cold water showers and flush toilets.

After a good night’s rest and a hearty breakfast, we make our way into the endless expanse of the park. We break our convoy into smaller groups to facilitate better game viewing.   We spend our two-and-a-half days in Liuwa Plains enjoying all that the park has to offer, panoramic landscapes, wildebeest in their thousands and, with luck, the predators that prey on them. 

In recent years the lion, hyena and wild dog populations have increased, the result of a wonderful conservation success story.  For the birders there are large groups of Crowned and Wattle cranes and numerous secretary birds and a host of new lifers.

After a lavish breakfast, we must sadly say goodbye to our new friends and travel companions as we pack up and head for home.

We leave Hippo Bay and travel south in the National Park making our way to the town of Livingstone where everyone will get their Covid PCR test before heading onto Camp Nkwazi.