Zambia & Lake Malawi Honeymoon

Quick Facts

• Special Status: N/A
• Location: Central Zambia
• Land mass: 22,400 km²
• Mammal species: 158
• Bird species: 497
• Big 5 reserve: No (Rhino are absent)

Activities

• Game drives
• Night drives
• Motorboat safaris
• Walking safaris
• Canoeing
• Premium walking safaris
• Fishing
• Cultural interactions
• Boat cruises
• Birding
• Hot air balloon safaris

Highlights

• Immense game viewing opportunities on the Busanga Plains
• Amongst the most biologically diverse locations in Africa
• High-quality and authentic camps
• Premium-quality walking safaris
• Night drives
• Canoeing safaris
• Exceptional predator sightings
• Cheetah hotspot

The Kafue National Park occupies a huge mass of land in central Zambia. Commanding 22,400 km² of pristine wilderness Kafue is the largest and oldest national park in Zambia. It is indeed the largest national park in Africa.

The park is divided into distinct sectors with the quiet and remote Nanzhilla sector and the wildlife-haven of the Busanga Plain sector in the north of the park being notable areas. The Kafue River dissects the park and provides a perennial water source for many animals. The habitats within the park are very typical for Southern Africa and consist of miombo woodland, teak forests and mopane woodland. Dambos, which are seasonally flooded areas, provide a reliable water source for animals to congregate well into the dry season. The signature habitat of the park is the Busanga Plain area in the far northern reaches of the park. With wide open plains spanning a huge 740 km², this area supports an unbelievable variety of wild animals.

Kafue National Park is amongst the most diverse of any in Africa, providing a safe environment for an astonishing 158 mammal species, as well as a remarkable recorded 497 species of birds. Visitors to Kafue will be awed by the variety and abundance of wildlife on offer. If you ever thought of an animal you would like to see in Africa there’s a good chance it will call the Kafue National Park home.

Predators are well represented in the park and it has the full array of predators in good numbers. Lions are numerous in the park and sightings are exceptionally reliable. Wild dogs, a rare sighting in many African parks and reserves, are also relatively conspicuous throughout the park. Although not as populous as in the South Luangwa National Park leopards are also often encountered. The Busanga Plain is recognised as one of the few strongholds in the park for the cheetah. This elegant feline is becoming more and more difficult to view on safari due to its dwindling population and low densities. However, there are a few hotspots throughout the continent where it continues to thrive, Kafue being one of the best. Smaller carnivores include serval, caracal, honey badger, African civet and common genet.

As expected the park is home to an abundance of herbivore species to support the predator population. Incredibly no less than 20 antelope species alone have been reported including rare and special species such as roan, sable, red lechwe and the semi-aquatic sitatunga.

Although a national park, it benefits from relaxed regulations as is the case with most parks in Zambia, unlike the more regulated East African offerings. Game drives are permitted both by day and night, walking safaris are conducted by some of the best guides in the business and motorboat excursions are regularly available on the rivers of the Kafue. For those interested in enjoying a more serene experience on the river canoeing is an excellent activity to get up close to large game. Hot air ballooning is also available, as is catch and release fishing. The park is home to a phenomenal array of birds ensuring birders have excellent opportunities to spot new species.

Best Time To Visit

The climate of Kafue National Park can be simplified by dividing it into the dry season and wet season, with two transitional shoulder seasons at the end of each (November & May). Each season, and indeed the months within each season, offers you a different experience. There is no time of year that offers you the best of everything so we provide you with a balanced account throughout the year so you are able to make an informed decision on the best time to visit based on your preferences.

The dry season runs from June to October. It is at this time of year wildlife viewing is at its best. The season, as its name suggests, is characterised by blue skies and no rain. A perfect time to be on safari. As Zambia is in the southern hemisphere this time of year is winter. The coolest months are June to August when night temperatures drop enough to necessitate warm clothing for early morning game activities (5-6 degrees Celsius). However, the sun quickly raises the mercury so expect to be basking in 25 degrees Celsius by lunch. Temperatures increase as the season draws on with October being extremely hot and dry, and uncomfortable for those who do not enjoy such high temperatures.

Wildlife viewing is at its best in the dry season as the animals migrate towards permanent sources of life-giving water. This behaviour ensures game viewing is much more reliable and predictable. Huge volumes of wildlife can be seen in one place which makes for great photographic opportunities. The famous Busanga Plain in the far northern reaches of the park is packed with huge densities of wildlife. The negative aspects of the dry season are the premium price tags the camps carry at this time of year and also the dry vegetation isn’t as beautiful as it is in the wet season.

The wet season runs from December to April and are difficult months to travel. The black cotton soil and roads being washed away by heavy rains renders travel almost impossible. The Busanaga Plain in the far north of the park is entirely off limits. Rainfall is a feature of most days in the form of heavy showers and thunderstorms, yet it rarely rains all day. The majority of camps are closed with only a few staying open and reopening outside the dry season months. We personally don’t see much advantage to travelling at this time of year.

The transitional shoulder months are November and May. At these times of year they represent a transition from the dry to wet season and wet to dry season respectively. These months are considered to offer a compromise between the two main seasons and offer many benefits to travel. Tourist numbers are significantly less, prices are extremely favourable and although wildlife is more dispersed and difficult to observe you will have sightings to yourself. Some of the smaller and more remote camps will be closed at this time of year.

Quick Facts

• Special Status: UNESCO World Heritage Site (Lake Malawi N.P portion)
• Location: Eastern Malawi/ Southern Tanzania/ Western Mozambique
• Area: 29,600 km²
• Length: 580 km
• Width: 75 km
• Max. depth: 706 metres
• Did you know?: Lake Malawi is home to more species of fish than any other lake in the world.

Activities

• Scuba diving
• Snorkelling
• Sailing
• Kayaking
• Paddle boarding
• Waterskiing
• Mountain biking
• Quad biking
• Fishing
• Cultural visits

Highlights

• Exceptional scuba diving and snorkelling opportunities
• 1500 kilometres of pristine and deserted shoreline
• Outstanding water sports available
• Perfect safari combination destination

Lake Malawi is a huge expanse of fresh water stretching across 3 African countries, Eastern Malawi, Western Mozambique and Southern Tanzania. It covers an impressive 29,600 km², almost 3 times the size of the island of Jamaica and larger than the African country of Rwanda. It is the southernmost lake in the East Africa Rift system and a member of the African Great Lakes. It is the 4th largest fresh water lake in the world by volume and the 9th largest by surface area. It is the 2nd deepest lake in Africa and 3rd largest by surface area, a colossal lake.

The lake and its surrounds offer a real Out of Africa experience. The environment is dominated by the lake’s clear water and the islands punctuating the water’s surface against the backdrop of the Great African Rift Valley escarpment. Habitat types vary from rocky shorelines to sandy beaches. Further inland you will find wooded hillsides to swamps and lagoons.

The lake’s 1500 kilometres of pristine and deserted shoreline are the main attraction for visitors. Lake Malawi is a sought after destination for safari goers as an ideal alternative to the hectic pace of life on safari. Naturally it is combined with the emerging safari locations in Malawi. However, it’s relative ease of access to and from some of the established safari heavyweights in Zambia and Zimbabwe ensure it is often used in combination with these.

Although time spent at the lake is seen as an alternative to safari there are still wildlife opportunities available in and around the lake. Large species of wildlife include Nile crocodiles, hippopotamus, antelopes, hyrax and baboons and monkeys. Visitors are also likely to see one of the iconic raptors of Africa, the African fish eagle. This impressive bird occurs in impressive numbers around the lake. Other impressive bird species include herons, kingfishers and cormorants. The lake particularly comes into its own with its impressive aquatic life. The lake is home to more fish than any other lake in the world. There are a recorded 700 (but an estimated 1000) cichlids inhabiting the lake, more than any other body of water. Of the 350 mbuna cichlids, an astonishing 345 are endemic to the lake. Other species of fish are the now critically endangered kampango, tigerfish and redbreast tilapia.

Most visitors to Lake Malawi visit for the opportunity to escape the pace of the real world or to partake in the exceptional diving and snorkelling or watersports on offer on the lake. It offers the perfect alternative to life on safari. Stays at the lake are easily combined with reserves in Malawi

Best Time To Visit

When considering the best time to visit Lake Malawi there is thankfully less to consider than when planning a visit to the more complex safari areas. The climate around the lake roughly falls in line with the rest of the country and indeed most of the wider region. Malawi has two distinct seasons, the hot and wet summer season and the cooler but dry winter season. The summer season runs from November to April and is characterised by hot and humid weather and significant rainfall. The wettest months are December to January. Winter runs from May to October and enjoys blue skies with very little rainfall. June to August are the coldest months on the calendar but the low altitude ensures days are still warm and enjoyable by the beach. September and October really start to warm up whilst still remaining dry.

The dry winter months are undoubtedly the best months for those wanting to relax by the beach and soak up the delightful weather. December to February are best avoided. Snorkelling and diving are productive all year round but are best from September to December. June is the windiest month so is enjoyed best by windsurfers and kitesurfers. Other than these factors we always recommend travelling in the dry season.