Philip has traveled through Zambia several times and is the author of more than 20 guidebooks to various African destinations.
Visit any combination of the country’s trio of premier parks (South Luangwa, Kafue and Lower Zambezi National Parks) and you’re almost certain to see four of the Big Five. Buffalo, elephants and lions are very common throughout. Zambia is also famed for offering high-quality sightings of Africa’s most notoriously secretive cat, the leopard. Your best bet of seeing rhino is in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, where you can track these heavyweights on foot.
Wildlife Highlights
Although highly endangered, wild dogs are thriving in Zambia; seeing these highly skilled hunters in action is a real treat. One of their preferred prey is lechwe and Zambia is home to three different subspecies of this swamp-loving antelope: the endemic Kafue and black lechwe as well as the more widespread red lechwe. Also of interest are the endemic subspecies Thornicroft's giraffe and Cookson's wildebeest.
Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
The best wildlife-viewing time coincides with the Dry season (May to October) when water is scarce and animals gather at waterholes and rivers. The bush is less lush at this time, and animals are easier to spot. From October until the rains, it can be unbearably hot. Some roads become impassable during the Wet season (November to April), and many camps close at this time.
