Kafue national park

Kafue national park

The incredible Kafue national park is the biggest in size of all the national parks found in Zambia. The park covers an area of approximately 22,400 km².  Kafue national parks also holds a record of being the second biggest national park in Africa close to Kruger national park in South Africa.  Kafue derives its name from the Kafue River that spans three provinces namely the north-western province, Southern province and Central Province.

The park is accessible from the Lusaka the capital city of Zambia   through the road that runs from Lusaka to Mongu on the western part of the park, there is also an optional seasonal dirt road that runs from Kalomo and Namwala running in the south and south East as well as the Kasempa Area in the North.

Kafue was gazated in the year 1994 by the British colonial governments that pushed the local people the Nkoya people who used the park as their traditional hunting ground, the locals were relocated to Mumbwa district where they live to date.

Kafue national park is blessed with various with variety of wildlife, birds and plant species.  Regarding wildlife, the parks inhabitants thrive with the commons wildlife species in park being the pukus, zebras, blue wildebeest, bush bucks, kudus, elands, reebucks, grysboks, duikers, defassa antelopes,crocodiles, lions,  leopards,  elephants, hippos, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, cape wild dog among others.

Kafue national park also thrives as a birding destination filled with a number of birds ranging from water birds to savannah birds, forest birds and migratory birds.  Some of the common bird species that can be found in the park include: turacos, green pigeons, African darter, and malachite, wattle cranes, elusive Chaplin’sbarbet, Brown-headed a palis, endemic black-cheeked lovebird and many more. The entire bird species in Kafue national park  total to approximately 480 species.

Kafue national park as a travel destination offers a wide assortment of activities that keeps its visitors occupied and thrilled.   Some of the major activities include, game drive in the park to see wildlife, walking safaris, nature walks, boat cruises, canoeing   on the lake to view wildlife.