Kafues River and Plains

On arrival at Lusaka airport you are met by your pilot who will transfer you by light aircraft to Kafue National Park. Your guide will meet you at the airstrip in Kafue and transfer you to Lufupa Camp, approx 1 hour away. En route we may encounter eland, roan and sable to name a few. Accommodation is in 6 large Meru-style tents with en-suite facilities. The dining and bar areas are under huge jackalberry trees overlooking the Kafue River. Dinners are served in a traditional boma under the stars, next to a lively campfire or in the tented dining room overlooking this impressive river.

Lufupa Camp is situated in the northern part of the vast Kafue National Park, at the confluence of the Lufupa and Kafue rivers. The beauty of the park is evident in its diverse habitats with floodplains, miombo woodland, thick riverine vegetation and open grassy areas called dambos. There are resident prides of lion and leopard is frequently seen. Wild dog are occasionally sighted. There is also a wide variety of plains game ranging from zebra, buffalo, roan, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, sable, kudu and impala to the diminutive oribi. Elephant are also often seen roaming through the private concession.

This moring you leave Lufupa Camp on an early morning game / scenic transfer drive to Musanza Tented Camp, located deep inside the wildlife haven of the Busanga Plains of Kafue National Park. Accommodation at Musanza Tented Camp consists of four well-appointed tents with wall-to-wall views of the spectacular wildlife enjoying the grassy plains. The main dining and bar area are tented and situated under a majestic canopy of trees. The simple bush style of this camp creates the perfect atmosphere to enjoy dinner around a campfire under a canopy of stars.

The Busanga Plains, in the far north of the Kafue, is one of Zambia's most significant wetland areas and one of the few areas in the world untouched by human activity. This is Kafue’s best area for game. As the dry season begins the waters recede leaving lush vegetation. The Busanga Plains' most dominant antelope species include red lechwe and puku, while buffalo, bushbuck, kudu, oribi, reedbuck, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, sable and roan are also often viewed on these enormous open plains. This wealth of game on the plains is also a big attraction for predators, including leopards, cheetah, spotted hyena and prides of lion up to 20 strong. Wild dogs are occasionally seen, and leopard can also be spotted along the wooded tree lines fringing the plains, as well as elephant.

Bird life is fantastic, with large flocks of pelicans, crowned cranes and wattled crane in the Busanga plains at certain times of the year.

After a short early morning game drive and  breakfast, you transfer by road to Lunga River Lodge, and re-enter the Miombo woodland. Located on a raised bank of the Lunga River and within lush bush, each of the six thatched-roof chalets share a beautiful vantage point over the river's meandering channel. Each room is comfortably furnished (with minimalist touches) with en suite facilities.

Activities include game drives, walking safaris, guided canoe and boating trips as well as fishing. Night drives provide the added excitement of the nocturnal wonders of the area. Viewing of buffalo herds and elephant bulls is good while lion and leopard are regularly encountered. Species like puku and impala are abundant while roan and Lichtenstein's hartebeest occur in lower densities.  Interesting species in the form of yellow baboons and tree hyrax can be found in the vicinity of Lunga River Lodge while a high-density hippo population occurs in the Lunga River.

This morning you take an early morning light aircraft transfer from Lunga River Lodge to Lusaka Airport