Covering a vast area of approximately 22500 square kilometres, the Kafue National Park is the largest in Zambia and one of the largest protected areas in the World. Gazetted in the 1950's during colonial rule, it is also the oldest park in Zambia. View large map

The park derives its name from the stunning Kafue River that flows through the Park in the north, down its eastern boundary before exiting the park at Lake Itezhi-Tezhi and continuing through the Kafue Flats towards the Zambezi River, of which it is a tributary.

The north of the Park is dominated by the Busanga Plains and surrounding Miombo woodland. The Busanga Plains are typified, in the summer months, by a vast, flat, watery wilderness interspersed with Palm and Fig-Tree clad termite mounds. During winter the water recedes revealing a vast lush grassland, providing grazing for the plains game that call Busanga home.

The seldom visited and largely inaccessible central belt of the park is typified by Miombo woodland and broad grassy dambos with riverine forest along the banks of the Kafue River.

In the south the major attractions are Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, the Ngoma Forest and the Nanzhila Plain. Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, fed by the Kafue River, is a large man-made lake of some 390 square kilometres surrounded by rocky outcrops, submerged trees and grassy banks. The Nanzhila Plains in the far south is predominantly Miombo and Kalahari woodland interspersed with dambos and grassy plains. The seasonal Nanzhila River that flows through the plains overflows its banks during the rainy season covering the entire area with the exception of the numerous Palm and Baobab clad termite mounds.

Despite the Parks proximity to Lusaka and the Copperbelt it remains wild and undeveloped. Recovering from neglect and the ravages of poaching, particularly in the 1990's, the Park now enjoys the support of numerous agencies including the World Bank, NORAD and DANIDA and is well on its way to recovering its rightful position of one of Africa's premier wildlife retreats.

The habitat diversity of the region accounts for the greatest wildlife diversity of any park in Zambia and probably Africa. In all, the park is home to 158 mammal species. Predators are well represented, including Lion, Leopard, Hyena, Serval and healthy populations of Cheetah and Wild Dog, particularly in the south. The greatest variety of antelope in Africa can be found, including Roan and Sable Antelope, Blue Wildebeest, Defassa Waterbuck, Litchenstein's Hartebeest, Eland, Oribi, Reedbuck, Impala, Kudu and Zebra. In the north you can also find Sitatunga and Red Lechwe and in the regions of Lake Itezhi-Tezhi Hippo and Crocodile are encountered as well as large populations of Elephant and Buffalo.

The Park is a birder's paradise with close to 500 bird species being recorded, notably the Black-Cheeked Lovebird, the Wattled Crane, Saddle-Bill Stork, Goliath Heron, Purple-Crested Lourie, Pel's Fishing Owl and Chaplins Barbet.