Lower Zambezi National Park

The Lower Zambezi National Park (LZNP) is a relatively new National Park, officially gazetted a National Park in 1983.

The four thousand (4092) square kilometres extent of the LZNP is bordered by the Chiawa Game Management Area (GMA) in the West, Rufunsa GMA in the East, the Zambezi River in the South, marking the international border with Zimbabwe, and the Great East Rd. in the North.

The Zambezi Escarpment along the northern boundary towers above the Zambezi Valley, which also forms part of the Southern limit of the Great East African Rift Valley.

With a river frontage of about 120km, the valley floor and the Escarpment combined with the plateau gives The Lower Zambezi National Park magnificent picturesque scenery, providing a memorable experience for any visitor. Though, it is the Zambezi Valley and the river that captures all of the game. The park is opposite to Mana Pools National Park, a World Heritage Site across the frontier in Zimbabwe, but has the added advantage of the Rift Valley wall and the Escarpment.

The park receives few visitors today, yet it won't be long before the great potential is realised and the solitude experience that makes "Lower Zambezi National Park, the real Africa", slowly becomes more and more like the other crowded parks of South Africa.

Zambia's Safari Season

Sausage Tree Camp is open in the best game viewing months - April to November. The season begins at the end of the rainy season. The vegetation is lush at this time but as the season progresses the bush dries out, the game gathers and sightings improve.

Early Season - April to May

Visiting the Lower Zambezi after the rains is stunning as the skies are clear and the mountains seem so near. The migratory birds remain in plumage and are preparing to move on. The dense vegetation forces the lions to use the roads and the wild dog are readily seen in the open plains.

Mid Season - June to August (Old Mondoro opens 1st of June.)

The season has kicked into gear, the vegetation starts to die off and thin out, the elephant and buffalo herds start to gather, and the guides are predicting the predators' next move. Definitely the coldest time of the year, please bring cold weather gear for night drives and early morning activities. The days are a perfect temperature. The Sausage Tree (Africana Kigelia) starts to flower, as does the flame creeper/burning bush (Chifungulu) which transforms the green vegetation to a bright red. African Wild Dog den in this period for mating, so sightings at this time are extremely rare.

Late Season - September to November

Things are really starting to heat up both in terms of weather and game viewing and fishing. Most waterholes have dried up by now, so game is more often seen on the river banks and islands. Bird watching is also spectacular with summer migrating birds returning - the carmine bee eaters really put on a show along the riverbanks. October is the hottest month with a feeling of build up to the rains. When the first rains come the impala give birth, as do the warthogs and many other species. Also the ideal time to view the elusive African Wild Dog.