Lower Zambezi

The light is epic, it's almost a subject on its own. But the leopards, elephants and birds are not to be missed either!

What to expect…

More than anywhere else in Africa, the Lower Zambezi has a magic quality to it. Every childhood game imagining elves and secret places seems to come alive in the winter-thorn forests where shafts of golden light paint giant elephants on real-life canvases.

Leopards move through the undergrowth from termite mound to termite mound in search of prey whilst skittish waterbuck prance in pantomime fear and the Zambezi River meanders lazily past. Hippos snort and laugh and crocodiles move between the warmth of the sand banks and the hidden depths of the river as carmine bee-eaters frolic. Wild dogs and prides of lions ensure the impalas and buffaloes are always on their toes.

The Lower Zambezi is a truly magical place that didn’t even exist until recently - an inadvertent man-made wilderness where it feels like stepping into another world.

Male leopard sits on fallen branch as the last orange sun rays filter through the background in Lower Zambezi.

Shafts of golden light filter through the Lower Zambezi forest onto a leopard sitting down.

When to Visit

Most of the camps are closed during the rainy season as flooding and wet ground make much of the park impassable from December through March. From April through June after the rains have stopped and the ground dries, the camps open but wildlife viewing remains challenging due to the tall grasses and abundant water. In July and August wildlife viewing really picks up and the pleasant, sunny days with moderate temperatures ensure you will be happy. The temperatures really begin to climb rapidly through September and by October the temperatures regularly hover around 40ºC during the day and dont drop to much lower than mid twenties at night which can be challenging. The wildlife viewing is, however, off the charts. Animals congregate around the last remaining water source and the underbrush and grass has died right back making viewing and spotting wildlife easy. Elephant bulls stand on the hind legs during this time to reach the almost unreachable Winterthron branches and herds of females and youngsters gather around to try and share. Carmine bee-eaters flock to the valley to make their nests in this time in a sight that is extraordinary to behold. The rains typically return some time in November and most camps begin to close towards the end of the month in preparation for the rains.