Kafue National Park is Zambia's largest national park and one of the great remaining wilderness areas in Africa. Spanning riverine woodland in the south and vast seasonal floodplain in the north, it offers wildlife that is both remarkably diverse and rarely shared with other vehicles.
50+
Known lion individuals using the main Busanga game-viewing area
12+
Plains game
500+
Species of birds
The Busanga Plains, in the far north of Kafue, form the floodplain of the Lufupa River. Vast open grasslands stretch to the horizon, herds of red lechwe scatter across them by the thousand, and predators move through an ecosystem that feels almost perfectly balanced. Further south, the Kafue River’s riverine woodlands offer a completely different character – intimate, wooded and ideally suited to walking.
Home of Lions
Busanga is widely regarded as one of Africa’s best predator ecosystems. The lion population alone is extraordinary, with over 50 known individuals regularly using the main game-viewing areas. Cheetah hunt across the plains to the south, while wild dog and leopard also move through the area. Resident to the area is the Ntemwa Pride, along with occasional visits from the Moshi and Lufupa prides pushing north – and the famous “Ntemwa Boys,” a coalition of three large black-maned males who currently dominate much of the southern Busanga region.
Mammal Species
The Busanga Plains
Your Kafue adventure begins tonight.
Your journey begins in Lusaka, Zambia's capital and your gateway to one of Africa's greatest wilderness areas. On arrival at Lusaka Airport, you are transferred to Wild Dog Lodge for your first night. Comfortable and welcoming, it is the perfect place to settle in, rest and let the anticipation build for what lies ahead.
Tomorrow, Kafue begins.
Overnight: Wild Dog Lodge, Lusaka | Bed & Breakfast
The moment the plane touches down at Lufupa, the bush takes over.
An early transfer back to Lusaka Airport, where you board your light aircraft for the flight into the heart of Kafue National Park. The moment the plane touches down at Lufupa Airstrip, the bush takes over. A safari vehicle meets you for the transfer to Lwenge River Camp, your home for the next four nights on the banks of the Kafue River.
Lwenge is a place of extraordinary character. The river runs broad and unhurried past the camp, Hippos surface in the shallows below the deck, and the surrounding woodland holds an extraordinary density of wildlife. This afternoon your first game drive heads out into the riverine forest as Kafue begins to reveal itself.
Overnight: Lwenge River Camp | Fully Inclusive
Three full days in one of Zambia's most rewarding safari areas.
Three full days in one of Zambia's most rewarding safari areas. The Kafue River ecosystem is rich and varied — a mosaic of riverine woodland, open floodplain and dense forest that supports an extraordinary range of wildlife. Morning and evening game drives take you deep into the surrounding park, with your guide reading the landscape and positioning you where the animals are.
Lwenge is particularly known for large predator encounters. Lion, Leopard and Wild Dog all move through the area, and the river itself is alive with Hippos, Crocodiles and a remarkable diversity of water birds. Each drive is different. Each morning delivers something new. This is Kafue as it should be experienced — unhurried, private and deeply rewarding.
Overnight: Lwenge River Camp | Fully Inclusive
The landscape opens up and the scale of it takes your breath away.
This morning you say farewell to the Kafue River and take a short flight north into a completely different world. As the plane descends over Busanga Plains Airstrip, the landscape opens up and the scale of it takes your breath away. Vast golden grasslands stretch to the horizon, dotted with fig-tree-crowned termite mounds, crossed by seasonal channels and alive with movement in every direction.
A 30-to-45-minute safari drive brings you to Ntemwa-Busanga Camp, your base for the final four nights of the expedition. The camp sits at the crossroads of several distinct Busanga habitats, and from the moment you arrive the wildlife encounter begins. The Ntemwa Pride of Lions is resident to the area, along with the famous Ntemwa Boys — a coalition of three large black-maned males who currently dominate much of the southern Busanga region.
Overnight: Ntemwa-Busanga Camp | Fully Inclusive
These three days are among the finest wildlife days Africa can offer.
These three days are among the finest wildlife days Africa can offer. The Busanga Plains are unlike anywhere else on the continent. The Lion population alone is extraordinary, with over 50 known individuals regularly using the main game-viewing areas. Cheetah hunt across the open plains, Wild Dog move through the woodland edges, and Leopard are sighted with a frequency that surprises even experienced safari travellers.
Red Lechwe scatter across the floodplains in their thousands. Roan and Sable Antelope graze in the open with a calm confidence they show nowhere else. Puku, Zebra and Blue Wildebeest move in mixed herds across the golden grass. In the early morning, mist hangs over the grasslands at sunrise, creating one of Africa's most iconic safari scenes and one of the most extraordinary photographic environments on the continent.
Your guide knows this landscape intimately. Each morning and evening drive is shaped by what is happening in the ecosystem around you — fresh tracks, alarm calls, the movement of prey herds that signals a predator somewhere nearby. There is no checklist here. There is only the plains, the wildlife, and the extraordinary privilege of being in one of Africa's last truly uncrowded wilderness areas.
Overnight: Ntemwa-Busanga Camp | Fully Inclusive
Kafue has a way of staying with people long after the flight home.
The final morning. One last game drive before breakfast, because in Kafue even the last hour delivers something worth remembering. Then a transfer back to Busanga Plains Airstrip for the light aircraft flight south to Lusaka Airport.
Kafue has a way of staying with people long after the flight home. The Lions on the open plains, the mist at sunrise, the sound of Red Lechwe moving through the channels in the early light. You will find yourself back here, one way or another.
Inclusions
- Wilddog Lodge | 1 nights | Bed & Breakfast
- Lwenge River Camp | 4 nights in a tented accommodation on a fully inclusive basis i.e: Fully inclusive of accommodation, scheduled wildlife activities, meals, return airstrip road transfers, laundry services, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages including premium beverages.
- Ntemwa-Busanga Camp | 4 nights in a tented Accommodation on a fully inclusive basis ie: Fully inclusive of accommodation, scheduled wildlife activities, meals, daily laundry, return airstrip road transfers, non- alcoholic and alcoholic beverages including premium brand spirits and champagne.
- All Activities as mentioned
- All road transfers
- Internal Safari flights
- Baggage allowance as 20 kgs per person.
- All airport and airstrip transfers as per itinerary.
- Park-fees & conservation levy for all nights as per itinerary
Exclusions
- Tipping and Gratuities
- All expenses personal in nature
- Beverages not specified
- Laundry
- International flights and visas
- Comprehensive travel & trip cancellation insurance.
- Items not mentioned in inclusions.
Payment Terms
- 25% Non Refundable deposit to secure the trip.
- 75% Balance to be paid 120 days prior to date of arrival.
- 100% payment due if the start date of the tour is within or less than 120 days of booking
A photo odyssey with Julie Chandelier
Emotion is at the heart of Julie’s images: “I’ve always captured what I see, and if my photos move others, then I’ve achieved my goal. My passion for photography is fuelled by my love for the outdoors, wildlife, and people.”
Whether in the polar regions, atop mountains, or beneath the ocean’s surface, Julie has dedicated recent years to raising awareness through her imagery. Her passion drives her to collaborate on meaningful projects with individuals and organisations committed to improving the environment and community well-being. She feels a profound responsibility to inspire conservation efforts through her work, engaging viewers to take action.
Julie’s love for the natural world, especially marine life, began at a young age and only deepened when she picked up a camera a decade ago. She spends countless hours offshore—on boats, but most often in her sea kayak—in search of whales and dolphins, using her voice to advocate for the oceans.
She’s been fortunate to work on expeditions in some of the most remote corners of the planet, where extreme conditions make capturing images both challenging and unforgettable—from documenting whale research in the Subantarctic Islands to guiding in the high Arctic and Antarctica, her current job. In 2024, Julie also began leading photography safaris in Africa, adding another chapter to her passion for teaching photography.
Trip Leader
Tour Price
$ 12,000 USD
Per Person
$ 2,000 USD – Single Supplement applicable.
To join this safari with a group of like-minded travellers, secure your place on the departure date below.
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