Travelling through Kafue National Park

[Bobins]

Hi all,

I am self driving/camping from Livingstone to Lusaka via Kafue National Park with my family (me, wife and 2 children of 8 and 12).

We are leaving Livingstone on a Sunday morning in late October and flying out of Lusaka on Friday lunchtime.

Given that we will stay in or around Lusaka Thursday night, can anyone suggest an itinery for 4 nights 5ish days in KNP?

Is it best to move from one camp to another or to stay 2 nights in 2 camps?

Which camps would you suggest?

Is it worth paying for activites (night safaris, boat rides etc..)?

Any help/advise would be greatfully received.

Andi

[Sangeeta]

Andi, based on all that I have read about Kafue (I have not been yet, so you can def take my advice with a grain of salt), this park only reveals its best to people who know it well.

 

It's fine to drive there on your own, but self-driving for game viewing is not a good idea. Get a ZAWA ranger to accompany you if self-driving, but better still, allow the camps to take you on game drives even if it is at an additional cost.

 

If you're big into game viewing, then Mukambi has a very nice itinerary -a combo of the main lodge with their bush camp on the Busanga Plains. They have special rates for self drivers.

 

If you want a more relaxed time with downtime for the kids and a combination of game drives, boat cruises etc then there are a bunch of small lodges/camps easily accessible from the main tar road that are often visited by self drivers. Kaingo is one, Hippo another that I have read good things about.

 

Hope that helps

[Safaridude]

The easiest would be to stay south. Hit Nanzhila Plains Camp, Konkamoya (on the lake shores) and Kaingu.

Edited September 22, 2013 by Safaridude

[Bobins]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the advice,

 

Livingstone to nanzhila,

One night there

One night kaingu,

two nights mayu,

Then on to Lusaka

 

Any suggestions on where to camp in or around Lusaka?

 

I'm looking at pioneer camp or eureka camp.

 

Any other tips greatfully received.

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Andi

[Safaridude]

Hi Andi,

 

When traveling up from Nanzhila to Kaingu, I would try to do the lake drive (Lake Itezhi-tezhi) excursion, as that is a unique environment.

[KafueTyrone]

Sorry as I have been rather MIA recently, with a busy first season in full swing...

If I can add my 10 cents then I would suggest at least 1 night at Nanzhila (despite what some people say about the relative lack of game here it is fantastic with recent and regular sightings of all the glamorous species, wild dog, cheetah, serval, even caracal last week...) Kaingu is a lovely lodge too and well worth at least a night, although game vieiwing is not its speciality it is an amazing spot on the river with rocky scenery and great birding, plus lovely management in Gil and Julia. If you were to come up from Konkamoya on the Lake or even Nanzhila then I would actually suggest using the 'new' spinal road which goes west around the lake, over the Musa River and then north, this road is new, good and with a chance for wildlife if you hit it early in the day (Nanzhila to Kaingu park harbour is apprx. 5 hrs). Kaingu have a harbour in the park which if you plan a little in advance they can pick you up from (as it is the other side of the river to the lodge, a 20min boat journey away). Mayukuyuku or Mukambi are also worth staying it too, these are 2 hours from Kaingu harbour if you use the spinal road heading north to reach the main tar road (this is also a very good wildlife area so worth doing early morning, maybe hitting the Shishamba loop). Staying at either Mukambi or Mayukuyuku means you are right close to the main road so getting back to Lusaka is a simple and easy 3 or 4 hour drive. Mayukuyuku is inside the park and is smaller and more 'bush' than Mukambi, but Mukambi are able to utilise very productive wildlife loops straight from camp whereas Mayukuyuku use the tar road as part of almost every safari drive which some say takes away from the 'bush' experience (trucks and speed humps...)
I would stay at Pioneer in Lusaka as it is very easy to get from here to the airport in the morning, avoiding the Lusaka traffic which is a nightmare and would need to be tackled if you come from Eureka.

I hope some of this helps and feel free to fire away any more questions publicly or PM.

[egilio]

Great advice for me too Tyrone! I'm doing a similar route towards the end of October so might bump into Bobins! I'm doing L'stone - Nanzhila (1 night), Kaingu (2 nights), Mayu (1 night) and then on to our camp at Treetops for a few nights.

Edited September 30, 2013 by egilio

[Bobins]

Hi,

 

We have revised our itinerary slightly and have decided to spend 2 nights in Nanzhilla and then take the spinal road to Mayukuyuku and spend 2 nights there. It is a shame to miss Kaingu but it wss looking a bit rushed.

This way we have 2 long drives and 2 days of chilling.

 

Any tips on the actual camping as this will be our first time?

Cooking etc... is a small concern

 

Andi