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Embark on the ultimate Kafue adventure and experience Zambia's largest national park - a wildlife haven - in its full glory. This safari visits central and northern Kafue, and you'll explore the Kafue River, verdant river valleys, and the swampy floodplains of Busanga Plains, which are brimful of predators, antelope, and prolific bird life.
Zambia's best-kept safari secret is an untrammelled park boasting astonishing safaris in the wildest settings. Leopards, lions, elephants, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, and wild dogs are often seen. Vast herds of buffalos, impalas, red lechwes, wildebeests, waterbucks, pukus and zebras arrive to graze and slake their thirst in the dry season. This visual feast is almost Serengeti-like in its decadent variety. Enjoy daily guided activities, including game drives (with vehicles equipped with mounts for photographers), walking safaris, and boating, allowing excellent wildlife viewing. All this while calling two superb lodges, both with a critical focus on conservation, home.
Zambia's largest national park teems with predators & vast herds of lechwe, buffalo & elephants. Explore Kafue River by boat & roam Busanga Plains on this ultimate Kafue safari
Overview
Length: 7 days / 6 nights
Group Size: Flexible – you tell us how many in your party
Location: Central and northern Kafue, Zambia
Departure Dates: 01 June - 15 November
Lodges visited: Musekese Camp + Ntemwa Busanga Camp
Highlights
Incredible wildlife viewing - including lions, leopards, cheetahs, wild dogs, hyenas, elephants, and vast herds of buffalos, red lechwes, wildebeest, puku and more
Wonderfully scenic landscapes including riverine forest, miombo woodlands, open plains, granite outcrops and marshy wetlands
A range of activities, including guided game drives, walking safaris, boating on the Kafue River with excellent wildlife viewing
Conservation-focused lodge accommodation overlooking the Kafue floodplains and the Busanga Plains
A scenic flight over the Busanga floodplains
Prices and dates
2026 Rates - 7 days / 6 nights | |
Low season: June | |
Per person sharing | US$ 4,950 |
High season: July-15 November | |
Per person sharing | US$ 6,150 |
Includes:
Return flights from Lusaka International airport to Kafue
3 nights accommodation at Musekese Camp
3 nights accommodation at Ntemwa Busanga
All meals
All local drinks
Laundry
Intercamp transfers
Daily guided activities
Game drives
Night drives
Walking safaris
Boating
Fishing
All relevant park fees, conservancy fees, camping/concession fees
24/7 Office support
Excludes:
International flights, unless otherwise stated.
Airport departure tax, if applicable.
Excess weight charges for luggage.
Visa or entry permits.
Telephone calls.
Travel, cancellation, and medical insurance (recommended for safaris).
Optional safari extensions and unspecified activities.
Personal expenses and any charges not specified in the itinerary.
Tips and gratuities.
Areas visited
This safari will show you the best of Kafue National Park, Zambia's largest national park and the second-largest in Africa. The park's diverse habitats support a remarkable variety of wildlife, with opportunities to encounter rare species such as roan and sable antelope, hartebeest, wildebeest, puku, oribi, and red lechwe. Bird enthusiasts will find the area appealing, boasting many avian species across different habitats.
Central Kafue
Central Kafue offers a diverse landscape with riverine forest, miombo and savannah woodlands, expansive open plains, and striking granite outcrops. Visitors can immerse themselves in the untouched beauty of the park's varied scenery. Driving along the Spinal Road provides access to some of the park's most remote areas. Expect puku, impala, bushbuck, and numerous bird species native to the region.
While in Central Kafue, you will stay at Musekese Camp, just 25 minutes by boat from Lufupa Airstrip. The camp sits atop a low ridge overlooking a seasonally inundated grassy floodplain, or dambo, which extends to the Kafue River. Musekese Camp offers accommodation in four comfortable units, each with open-air en suite bathrooms screened by panels of thatch and gauze. The rooms have flushing toilets, basins, and bucket showers with water heated on a wood fire. Guests can relax under the enormous thatched roof and deck at the heart of the camp during the day's heat, while dinners are typically enjoyed outside under the stars on the deck overlooking the floodplain. Musekese has conservation at its heart, focusing on preserving wildlife and habitat in Kafue.
Northern Kafue
Kafue's northern region is rich in wildlife. This area is home to elephants, lions, leopards, cheetahs, hyenas, buffalos, and various antelope species. Hippos, red lechwes and waterbirds thrive in the wetlands of the Busanga Plains. Spanning approximately 750 km2, this marshy expanse transforms into a lush, grassy haven for antelope and other grazers after the rainy season subsides.
While exploring Busanga Plains, Ntemwa-Busanga Camp will serve as your home base. Ntemwa-Busanga, a camp with a strong wildlife conservation ethos, is based in the remote northern Busanga Plains. The camp, known for extraordinary lion-viewing opportunities, is a seasonal retreat open from July to November.
Ntemwa-Busanga offers unrivalled access to all areas of Busanga Plains, including bird hides and pools dotted around the camp.
This intimate camp offers a rustic charm and modern comforts in its four spacious Meru-style tents, equipped with en-suite bathrooms featuring bucket showers and flush toilets. Guests can look forward to dining under the starlit African sky and enjoying classic bucket-style showers that enhance the authentic bush experience. Meals are served al-fresco amidst the camp's surroundings or in the shaded boma, strategically positioned on a deck with breathtaking panoramic views of the expansive Busanga Plains.
Visiting Kafue in November? The Ultimate Kafue Safari can easily be combined with a safari to see the Kasanka bat migration - the largest mammal migration of Planet Earth.
Itinerary
Welcome to Zambia!
Today, you'll take a flight from Lusaka International Airport to Lufupa Airstrip, where the Musekese Camp team will greet you upon arrival.
On arriving at Lufupa Airstrip, you'll be driven 250 meters to the Kafue River. From there, you'll embark on a boat trip south, crossing the river to reach the remote eastern sector of the national park.
After the boat ferries you to the river's eastern bank, you'll continue your journey to Musekese Camp. A safari game-viewing vehicle will be waiting to take you on a short drive into the camp.
Activities: Walking safaris are the main focus at Musekese Camp, but the camp also provides a boat for relaxing cruises along the Kafue River and the nearby Lufupa tributary. These boat trips allow for high-quality game viewing, including sightings of swimming elephants and leopards along the river in the hotter months. Take advantage of this boat for unique photography opportunities and excellent birding, with the chance of spotting African finfoot and Pel's fishing owl. A game-drive vehicle, equipped with seats and mounts for photographers, offers another way to explore the pristine bushveld. Fit guests might have the option to walk to Chibembe saltpan, and if conditions allow, it may be possible to drive to the southern edge of the Busanga Plains for a full day with a picnic lunch. Guests can also visit the Musekese conservation base.
Wildlife: Wildlife viewing in and around Musekese Camp is exceptional. Leopards and lions are often seen, and elephant herds frequent the area during the dry season. Sable antelope, hartebeests, zebras, and thousands of pukus are also present. Birdwatching is top-class, with hundreds of species recorded in the area.
Spend three nights at Musekese Camp.
After a final morning activity, it will be time for breakfast, packing up your belongings, and bidding farewell to the fantastic Musekese Camp.
A brief drive from camp will take you to the boat and ferry you across the Kafue River. From there, you'll meet the vehicle that will transport you to Ntemwa-Busanga Camp in Busanga Plains. Enjoy a leisurely and tranquil river crossing, where you'll meet your game-drive vehicle for the transfer to Busanga.
The journey to Ntemwa-Busanga is a captivating experience. Travelling 50km northwest through the heart of the park, you'll encounter a variety of sights, from impressive granite outcrops to picturesque riverine scenery.
Nestled amidst vast open plains, Ntemwa-Busanga Camp offers a unique and intimate safari experience and a diversity of wildlife and birdlife.
Activities: Included activities range from morning and evening game drives to bush walks, with options for full-day game drives and specialised birding safaris available upon request. Game-drive vehicles are equipped with seats and mounts for photographers. Night drives, permitted in Zambia, offer opportunities to spot nocturnal animals with spotlights and red filters on all vehicles.
Wildlife: Wildlife sightings are abundant, including regional specialities like roan and sable antelope, along with large herds of red lechwe and buffalo. Predators such as lions and leopards also roam the plains, providing thrilling encounters for wildlife enthusiasts.
Spend three nights at Ntemwa-Busanga Camp.
Safari planning
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Ultimate Kafue safari
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