Kafue National Park is the largest national park in Zambia established in 1950, and covers an area of about 22,400 km² (similar in size to Wales or Massachusetts). It is the second largest park in Africa and a habitat of over 55 different species of mammals. The park’s wildlife includes lion, elephant, hippopotamus, buffalo, zebra, black rhinoceros, sable, oribi, kudu, impala, roan antelope, eland, lechwe, gnu, sitatunga, duiker, and crocodile. There are numerous bird species, including openbill, jucana, saddlebill, wattled crane, crested crane, fish eagle, cormorant, Ross’s lourie, Boehm’s bee eater, black barbed barbet, marabou stork, and vulture.
Kafue National Park covers a very large area in western Zambia. It’s well known for its abundant wildlife and the Kafue River, running north to south through the park. In the north, the fertile Busanga Plains is a home to lions, zebras, abundant birdlife and the sycamore fig trees of Busanga Swamps while in the more remote south, antelopes and elephants roam the Nanzhila Plains, and hippos swim in the waters of Lake Itezhi-Tezhi.
The park is tagged for the Kafue River. It reach to over three provinces: North Western, Central and Southern. The main access is through the Great West Road from Lusaka to Mongu which crosses the park north of its centre. Seasonal dirt roads also join from Kalomo and Namwala in the south and south-east, and Kasempa in the north. Activities that are done in the park includes, game drives, guided walking safaris and night drives in search of leopards.
Recently, the Park has seen a well-managed growth in the number of Safari Camps and Lodges that operate in and around the Park. There are camps at Ngoma, Kalala, Chunga, Nanzhila, Kafwala, Lufupa, Moshi, and Ntemwa. This new interest has welcomed and encouraged more visitors and investment to the area, notably in infrastructure with a number of well-graded roads and airstrips.
As a result of the increasing interest and benefits in terms of investment this brings, the wildlife is beginning to benefit from the Zambian Wildlife Authority (ZAWA) an increased level of protection, always aided and supported by the operators in and adjoining the park.