Reviews of Zambezi NP (From 9 Acclaimed Safari Experts)

Expert

Kim Wildman –

AU

Visited: June/July

Kim is a travel writer who authored and updated over 15 guidebooks, including Lonely Planet's South Africa and Bradt's Tanzania guides.

1 person found this review helpful.

The Park Upriver

Overall rating

3/5

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Located a few kilometres up the Zambezi River from the thunderous Victoria Falls, this small national park may be close to the action but, in my opinion, lacks the pizzazz of Zimbabwe’s other national parks. It hasn’t the abundance of wildlife of Hwange, it isn’t as wild or remote as Chizarira, and it’s not as jaw-droppingly beautiful as Mana Pools. That said, there is still plenty of game to be spied, with elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard as well as herds of sable antelope, eland, zebra, giraffe, kudu, waterbuck and impala all found here. While half-day and full-day canoeing trips are also available, if you’re a nature enthusiast or adrenaline junkie, I’d recommend you opt for a longer canoeing safari at Mana Pools National Park or Lower Zambezi National Park on the Zambian side of the river.

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Expert

Stephen Cunliffe –

ZA

Visited: Multiple times

Stephen is a travel writer and avid conservationist whose work appears in prestigious magazines such as Africa Geographic and Travel Africa.

1 person found this review helpful.

Well Worth a Visit From Vic Falls

Overall rating

3/5

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Although this park can be a bit hit-and-miss, I would still unreservedly encourage tourists to visit. Traditionally, most people have accessed the park on day-trip game drives from the neighboring town of Vic Falls, and this is still a good way to do it, despite a recent surge in accommodation options within the park. On good days here I’ve seen lions padding down the road, along with large herds of elephant, buffalo and general game. But, on the flipside, I’ve also seen little more than impala and waterbuck on my quietest days in the park! It’s worth noting that this park tends to be at its best in the late dry season months of August to October, when most of the animals are drawn to the life-giving waters of the Zambezi. The animals then disperse when the rains arrive in November and sightings tend to become fewer and further between.

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Expert

Philip Briggs –

ZA

Visited: Multiple times

Philip is an acclaimed travel writer and author of many guidebooks, including the Bradt guides to Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and South Africa.

3 people found this review helpful.

The Southern Side of Victoria Falls:

Overall rating

3/5

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Extending westwards from Victoria Falls towards the border with Botswana, this relatively small park functions largely as an annexe to the nearby waterfall, and is difficult to discuss outside that context. Almost all safari itineraries to Zimbabwe incorporate the mile-wide waterfall, which lies on the border with Zambia, and is justifiably included on a recent National Geographic list of the seven natural wonders of the modern world. It is an utterly spectacular and an unmissable sight, one whose stature grows with every visit.

As for Zambezi National Park, while it doesn’t rank as highly as the likes of Hwange or Mana Pools when it comes to safaris, it is well worth visiting as an extension of a trip to Victoria Falls. It can easily be accessed as a day trip, either on a game drive or (arguably more enjoyable) a canoe excursion along the wild stretch of the Zambezi River that forms its northern boundary. Alternatively, visitors who want to get away from the crowds might actually prefer to base themselves at a lodge in Zambezi National Park and visit Victoria Falls as a day outing there.

In terms of wildlife viewing, Zambezi National Park is a bit of a mixed bag. Four of the Big Five are present, the odd animal out being rhino, but sightings are far from guaranteed. The network of roads that follows the south bank of the Zambezi is a good place to see elephant, buffalo, hippo, crocodile and a host of interesting water and forest birds. A more remote road circuit runs through the southerly Chamabonda Vlei, which is serviced by a couple of stilted viewing platforms overlooking waterholes, and probably the best place to look for lion, sable antelope and eland.

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Expert

Paul Murray –

UK

Visited: Multiple times

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

4 people found this review helpful.

A Park of Two Halves

Overall rating

3/5

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Zambezi National Park, one of the most beautiful parks you’ll find, is on the doorstep of Victoria Falls. There are two distinctly different sections of this park. The most popular section has a lengthy (50km/31mi) river frontage with photogenic reed islands and bubbling rapids, making it excellent for birding. Birds seen include rock pratincole, African skimmer, African finfoot, Schalow’s turaco and I’ve even seen slaty egret by Chundu 2 camping site. Away from the river, there’s a network of tracks that takes you deep into the bush. Game is becoming much more abundant as the local anti-poaching unit grows from strength to strength, and I’ve seldom driven around the park without seeing giraffe, hyena, kudu, impala, and invariably elephant and buffalo too. A group of wildebeest has recently been reintroduced and is thriving. Hippos and crocs are always at the river and the lion population has been doing very well in recent years, as evidenced by very regular sightings.

The other significant, though relatively undeveloped and seldom visited section of this park, south of the Kazungula road, generally known as Chamabonda, has been undergoing very welcome conservation activity and is home to large herds of sable and eland. It’s basically a long, open vlei (dried riverbed) and the best way to see wildlife here is to book a night staying at one of the two viewing platforms that overlook pumped pans. As well as the typical plains game associated with this terrain, you’re almost certain to see elephant, zebra and hyena with a very good possibility of lion and big herds of buffalo. This area is best suited to self-drivers with camping equipment.

As well as several upmarket accommodations within the river section of the park, National Parks accommodation has been upgraded and is very pleasant, although it’s situated near the entrance gate rather than deep in the park.

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