Zambia

Best time to visit Zambia

Zambia’s weather is defined by wet and dry seasons and it has a sub-tropical climate.

The rain/ wet season is basically called the Green Season (December to April) as the bush is beautifully green. However makes game viewing less easy as the vegetation is so dense and many animals move away from the dry season water sources. The dry season runs from May to October and this is the best time to go for a Zambian Safari, the best game viewing along with pleasantly mild daytime temperature but September and October gets extremely hot.

Remember that some Lodges during the rainy season close due to flooding so you should consider this when planning your Zambia safari.

The best time to visit Victoria Falls on the Zambia side is at the end of the rainy season (march-may) when River Zambezi is in full flood and the falls are at their most spectacular.

Zambia Safari Parks & Reserves

Zambia has over 13 national Parks and reserves which are all very unique with lots to offer during a safari. The most popular Parks in Zambia are the South Luangwa national Park, Kafue national Park, Lower Zambezi national Park as well as the North Luangwa National Park.

Most of the Zambia Safari Parks have is remote, which gives you the touch of the traditional African Safari but most importantly they have high concentrations of wildlife.

Wildlife and Birds in Zambia

Zambia is one of the best destinations for a Safari in Africagiven the high concentration of wildlife in its major Safari Parks. The African Big five (leopard, Elephant, Buffaloe, Lions, can be spotted when you visit at least two parks in Zambia. Other wildlife you will see in Zambia include the Hippos, Giraffes, Hyenas, the rare wildogs, wildebeest, Zebras and several antelope sub species.

Zambia has some fascinating endemic sub-species of wildlife like the Thornicroft’s giraffe, Cookson’s wildebeest and Crawshay’s zebra. Other interesting Antelopes are kafue lechwe and the black lechwe which are found in Swampy areas.

Zambia is also one of the best destinations in Africa for the night safari, where you can spot the leopards and nocturnal animals such as porcupine, genet and bushbaby.

Best Time for wildlife viewing in Zambia

In the Dry season months, game viewing safaris in Zambia are popular since it’s easy to spot the wildlife as they converge along rivers and waterholes as water becomes scare in other areas.  The best months are May, June, July, August, September, and early October.

Birds of Zambia

With over 750 recorded bid species, Zambia is arguably one of the best destinations for a birding safari Africa. A Zambia Birding safari offers you an opportunity to search for some of the African Specials for example the African Pitta and the shoebill stork. Zambia has several endemic bird species like the Chaplin’s barbet and Black-cheeked lovebird though also host several migratory species during the wet season.

Where to go for Birding in Zambia

The North Luangwa and South Luangwa national parks are the best places to go for a Zambia Birding Safari. These parks offer you an opportunity to see water birds and raptors. The other park consider for your Zambia Birding Safari is the Kafue National Park which is home to a variety of bird species. If you are interested in the shoe bill, then the Bangweulu Wetlands is another area to consider visiting.

Zambia Safari Lodges

Zambia has several safari lodges and camps available per National park. Whether you are interested in exclusive camps, luxury camp, Modest / Mid-range camp or even the Budget camp, we have a wide selection of lodges which we can book you in for your Zambia Safari.  Here is a selection of some of the best Zambia Safari Lodges and camps.

Zambia Weather & Climate

The Dry season in Zambia is the best time to visit – it’s divided into a cooler period (May to August) and a hotter one (September and October). Zambia is right in the tropics and gets lots of rain in the Wet season (November to April). If you arrive then, you’ll find that many areas are cut off, and that most camps in Kafue, Lower Zambezi and the more remote parks have shut down. Not the Mfuwe section of South Luangwa, however, you can visit at any time of year. The further north you go, the earlier the rains come and the later they leave, while the eastern and higher areas get more drenched than the western and lowland areas.

Dry Season

In winter, there’s hardly any rain and low humidity. Thirsty animals crowd around the waterholes and rivers to drink.

• May – The end of summer, when temperatures are pretty cool: typically 12°C/52°F in the morning and 25°C/77°F in the afternoon. Nighttime temperatures also start to drop and the rains are almost gone.
• June, July & August – The average morning temperature is a chilly 10°C/50°F, so bring warm winter clothing for those early game drives in open vehicles. Afternoons are more pleasant, with temperatures around 23°C/73°F, although lower-altitude parks like South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi will be hotter.
• September & October – The heat slowly builds and the first rains bring relief from very dry conditions. Daytime temperatures are around 29°C/84°F in September and 31°C/88°F in October, which is the hottest month. In the lower-lying parks, temperatures often peak at over 40°C/104°F, and the rising humidity can make you uncomfortably hot.

Wet Season

November – An unpredictable month, but usually with some afternoon rain. Temperatures average between 18°C/64°F in the morning and 29°C/84°F in the afternoon.

• December, January, February & March – The wettest months, with heavy downpours in the afternoon. Afternoon temperatures are around 26°C/78°F and the humidity is high.

Is Zambia safe for tourists?

Zambia is generally a safe country to visit, in our opinion. This is even more so if your visit is primarily an organized safari. Around 800,000 tourists visit Zambia every year, and most visits are trouble-free.

As with many third-world countries, theft and muggings are relatively common, but most incidents are in cities – Lusaka and Livingstone in particular. Expatriates have been the victim of armed robberies in Livingstone, the Copperbelt, and elsewhere, but tourists on an organized safari tend to be shielded from these kinds of risks. Walking unaccompanied through most large urban areas is not recommended, especially at night. An overnight stay at a reputable hotel or an organized visit to one of the many attractions in or around the city is fine. Traveling or driving at night is not recommended.

Zambia Safaris and tours

Zambia manages to fly under the radar as a safari country. Unfathomable, given the staggeringly wonderful wildlife experiences it offers safari-goers. If there’s a word to sum up this large, land-locked, off-the-beaten-track place, it is ‘wild’. Nowhere else in southern Africa do you get such an entirely unaffected palette of wild Africa? There’s a sense of the bush that has been lost in more highly urbanized countries – here, the cyclical forces of nature still dominate the animal kingdom. And Zambia is a lovely destination to visit on an African safari.