At 22,400km2, the Kafue National
Park is one of the largest parks in the world. When combined with the
adjacent Game Management Areas it expands to 65,000km2. That is a lot of
Africa!
The Kafue is the oldest park in Zambia, having
been proclaimed in 1950, but still remains a raw slice of African
wilderness. The beautiful, clear tree-lined Kafue River forms the eastern
boundary of the park with several other, smaller versions of this
picturesque river traversing the area. The predominant vegetation is miombo
woodland interspersed with dambos and large grassy plains. Although miombo
is not able to support vast numbers of game due to it’s poor nutritional
value, it makes up for this in diversity of both game and bird life. In
fact, with over 20 species, the Kafue is considered to have the largest
diversity of antelope of any national park in the world.
In
the north of the park the astounding Busanga Plains form the pièce de
résistance. The palm tree islands and lush, green swamps teeming with red
lechwe makes the area at times feel like a garden of eden. Lion, partial to
climbing the enormous fig trees, leopard, wild dog and Zambia’s only known
population of cheetah compete with each other for dominance. The more common
antelope on the plains are roan and blue wildebeest, with sitatunga in the
dense papyrus swamps right in the far north of the plains.
Mammals:
Black rhino (which are now
locally extinct) and elephants were especially hard hit by poaching over the
last 20 years. The elephants are thankfully replenishing their numbers
although can still be very nervous. The miombo woodland is home to all of
the miombo antelope including roan, sable, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest,
defassa waterbuck, blue wildebeest and eland. In the swampy grasslands are sitatunga and red lechwe. Blue and yellow-backed duiker also occur in the
park.
Birds:
The
Kafue National Park is an Important Bird Area and is thus a crucial site of
international importance for the conservation and biodiversity of birds.
The bird life is, of course, superb with wattled crane and Fulleborn’s
longclaw being some of the notable specials in addition to a whole host of
other grassland and water birds. Of the 491 species of birds that occur in
the park, 390 of these are seen in the northern sector. Along
the Kafue river and its tributaries African finfoot, Pels fishing owl, Bohms bee-eater
and half collared kingfisher may be seen. In the miombo, black backed
barbet, spotted creeper and lady ross’ loerie occur to name but a few. If
you are keen on birding, you wont be disappointed!
BEST TIME OF THE YEAR
TO VISIT
January – March. The river levels rise dramatically, dambos fill and the Busanga
Plains flood leaving tree islands dotted amongst the vast floodplains. The
lechwe and sitatunga spread out, lots of water fowl.
April/May: Potential rain storms around. Warm/hot. The bush is very green,
grass long. Birding is excellent with migrants still around. Roan and sable
antelope calve. Remote roads are still closed. Fantastic light for
photography.
June/July: The start of the peak season – the bushcamps within the park are
open. Air crisp and clear. Cold nights and early mornings. This is “mid
winter” and can be freezing cold on early morning and evening game drives in
the open vehicles. During the day the temperatures are cool/warm. The bush
is drying out. Most days are clear with fabulous colours. Sable like the
short green grass on the dambos. Hartebeest in the miombo woodland drop
their calves. Wild dog move off to den.
August: Cool to hot with the bush now dry. This is a windy month.
Bushfires may be lit in the park. Hartebeeste particularly like the burnt
areas of grass. Water sources are shrinking and gameviewing excellent.
September:
Hot, dry and hazy. Gameviewing is now excellent. Wildebeest calves drop.
Lechwe and puku concentrations peak around the subsiding water. Hippo fights
become common. In the miombo woodland the trees put on a spectacular display
of new “spring” growth with russets and gold autumnal colours. Everything is
waiting for the onset of the rains.
October:
Very dry with excellent game viewing, animals concentrating around the last
remaining water. Impala drop after first showers. Wild dogs roaming. Storm
clouds start building up and there may be occasional rain which cools the
temperatures down and clears the air.
November:
Hot and slightly humid. Daily afternoon storms start to become the norm.
These can be very dramatic with wind, dark clouds and sheet lightning – very
beautiful and exciting. The bush is now green and fresh. Excellent
birdwatching. Side striped jackal pups emerge from their dens. The bushcamps
are now all closed and access to the more remote roads is reduced as the
rains increase.
December – March:
Lush, green and very beautiful. Only some of the lodges remain open, road
access is restricted, tourist numbers are much reduced. Thunderstorms are a
daily event. Birding is Excellent.
