The Ultimate Guide to Safaris in Zambia

In a nutshell:

• Zambia is the birthplace of the walking safari and one of Southern Africa’s genuinely low-density safari destinations. It doesn’t carry the marketing budgets of its neighbours, which in practice means smaller camps, quieter sightings, and guiding built on bushcraft rather than volume.

• We build Zambia itineraries around four distinct safari regions rather than one: South Luangwa and North Luangwa for walking-safari heritage and remoteness, Lower Zambezi for its exceptional all-round game viewing and full range of activities from walking to canoeing, and Kafue for scale and genuinely low visitor density, plus Liuwa Plain for a second or third safari.

• Zambia is more than a single park. Walking and night drives are practised within the national parks themselves here, not confined to separate private concessions, and pairing a walking-safari region with the Lower Zambezi’s river-based activities builds a far more complete picture of the country than any one location alone.

• Stanley Safaris Zambia itineraries are quoted on a fully inclusive in-country basis, with conservation levies always built into the price; average pricing runs from around USD $1,200–1,500 per person per night for well-appointed camps and internal flights, rising past USD $2,500 at the top end; most itineraries run 7–12 nights and combine naturally with Victoria Falls, Botswana, Malawi or further afield.

Introduction

By Shaun Stanley | Stanley Safaris | Updated September 2026
T&L A-List Safari Expert 2024, 2025 & 2026 | Condé Nast Traveller Expert 2026

I first went to Zambia in 1997, in my final year of school, with a completed university application sitting on the kitchen counter at home. We were camping as a family across Kafue, South Luangwa and Livingstone that June and July, with nothing organised beyond our own tents and a route. We were camped on a bush camp owner’s lawn in Kafue National Park, and hadn’t had much luck with predators; the camp’s sightings book was full of other guests’ leopard, cheetah and wild dog while we’d seen none of it.

One evening, the owner came running over. One of his night-drive vehicles had picked up a leopard stalking an impala nearby. Did we want to come and see it? We piled into the vehicle and found the guide already watching, motionless, mid-stalk. That was the moment I knew I didn’t want to go to university. I wanted to be in the bush, guiding, showing people this. I tore up the application when I got home and started researching guiding courses instead.

That’s a long way of saying: Zambia isn’t a country I recommend from a spreadsheet. It’s the place that started this career, and nearly thirty years later it’s still one of the destinations I look forward to most: for its guiding standard, its small owner-run camps, and a walking-safari heritage no other African country can genuinely claim as its own.

Why Zambia for a Safari?

Zambia made a different choice to its neighbours. Where Kenya and Botswana built global marketing machines around their safari industries, Zambia largely didn’t: the camps are smaller, the guest numbers lower, and the guiding culture built on decades of bushcraft rather than volume tourism. That isn’t a marketing line; it’s a function of a country that has simply never chased the same visitor numbers, and the wilderness experience is structurally different as a result.

To get a sense of scale: Kafue National Park covers roughly 22,400 km² (larger than Wales) and yet carries a fraction of the visitor traffic of parks a fraction of its size elsewhere on the continent.

Unlike destinations where walking and night drives are restricted to private concessions bordering a national park, Zambia permits both activities within the national parks themselves.

In practice, that means a guide can walk you out from camp into the park itself rather than a separate buffer zone, and it’s a large part of why South Luangwa and North Luangwa in particular developed such a distinctive walking culture in the first place.

Zambia is also more than a single destination. Most people who write about it focus almost entirely on South Luangwa. In reality, North Luangwa offers Zambia’s most remote walking experience, the Lower Zambezi delivers genuinely exceptional all-round game viewing alongside its river activities, Kafue rewards travellers wanting scale and space, and Liuwa Plain (routinely skipped by competitor guides) holds one of the more compelling wildlife stories on the continent. A Zambia safari that visits only one region is, in our view, an incomplete one.

The Walking Safari Story: Where It Began

The walking safari began in 1950, started by the guide and conservationist Norman Carr in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley: a deliberate move away from driving through the bush toward experiencing it on foot, with a trained guide. Carr established Nsefu Camp in South Luangwa that same year (one of the first camps in Africa built specifically to let visitors experience a game area on foot) and later opened Kapani.

What isn’t in dispute is that Zambia’s walking culture traces directly back to Carr, and that it shaped how guiding is taught and practised across the country to this day. That’s why, region for region, Zambia’s walking guides remain among the best trained on the continent.

What a Walking Safari in Zambia Is Actually Like

A guide will typically drive to a likely area, then set out on foot with an armed scout, tracking whatever the bush gives you that morning rather than working toward a guaranteed sighting. I’ve had two walks in South Luangwa that still stick with me for very different reasons.

On one, we heard vervet monkeys giving alarm calls (a clear sign a predator was close) and spent the better part of an hour trying to work out where a leopard was moving through the thicket ahead of us. We never found it. That’s part of the experience: the tracking, the reading of alarm calls and prints, the not-knowing, is at least as compelling as the sighting itself.

On another walk, a different guide barely mentioned the animals at all. He’d grown up learning which plants his grandmother used for which ailments, and we spent two hours smelling bark, tasting leaves, and hearing generations of bush knowledge instead of chasing a species list. Both walks delivered something a game drive vehicle simply can’t.

The walking experience also changes character by region. South Luangwa’s dense riverine bush rewards close, careful tracking and that kind of slow, sensory walk. The Lower Zambezi is a different proposition entirely: its landscape is far more open, with beautiful ana tree forests (similar in character to Mana Pools across the river in Zimbabwe), and that openness makes it possible to track genuinely big game on foot, including elephant, buffalo and wild dog, over longer sightlines. North Luangwa goes further still, offering walking-only immersion in one of the most remote, least-visited corners of the country. What makes Zambia unusual is that none of this is confined to a single specialist camp: it’s standard practice across the walking regions, usually in combination with game drives, canoeing or boating so you’re not limited to one way of experiencing a park.

South Luangwa National Park: The Walking Safari Heartland

South Luangwa is Zambia’s most established safari destination and the spiritual home of the walking safari. The Luangwa River and its oxbow lagoons draw dense concentrations of game along the water, and the valley is known for leopard sightings, large herds of elephant and buffalo, and packs of African wild dog. Night drives here are also excellent: spotted hyena, genet and the occasional leopard become considerably easier to find after dark.

It’s the park where the walking safari itself was born, and it remains the benchmark for that experience anywhere in Africa. The small, intimate, owner-run bush camp model set well away from its neighbours is very much the archetype for what we look for across our Zambia portfolio.

Stanley Safaris’ South Luangwa Partner Camps

Bilimungwe, Chamilandu & Chindeni

Three small, owner-run bush camps set well apart from one another in the quieter southern reaches of the park, built around the walking-and-driving combination that defines this part of the valley. Chindeni sits beside its own lagoon; Chamilandu is elevated on stilts overlooking a favoured elephant crossing; Bilimungwe is more classically bush-camp in feel.

Best for: Guests wanting the archetypal small South Luangwa bush camp experience.

Tafika

Run by the Coppinger and Jackson families, who founded Remote Africa Safaris in 1995 and remain personally involved in the operation. Tafika has a strong reputation for guiding and for a genuinely lived-in, family-run atmosphere rather than a polished corporate one. It’s also known for its custom-built hides positioned at a nearby waterhole, giving close, ground-level photography of giraffe, bushbuck and mongoose coming down to drink; and, in September and October, nesting carmine bee-eaters, one of the better specific photographic opportunities anywhere in South Luangwa.

Best for: Guests who value a long-standing, genuinely family-run operation with deep local roots, and photography-focused guests wanting hide-based wildlife viewing.

Chinzombo

A more contemporary, design-led camp close to Mfuwe, operated by the boutique specialist Time+Tide, with strong walking and game-drive access into the surrounding park. Time+Tide operates four further South Luangwa camps (Mchenja, Kakuli, Nsolo and Luwi), giving guests who want to camp-hop within one portfolio a genuine range of settings without leaving the walking-safari heartland. Time+Tide’s South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi properties are also among our strongest family-friendly recommendations in Zambia.

Best for: Guests wanting a more design-forward camp without leaving South Luangwa’s core walking country, or a multi-camp stay within one trusted portfolio.

Sungani Lodge & Kulandila Camp

Two family-owned properties in a quieter part of South Luangwa, positioned toward the more adventure-focused end of the luxury spectrum. Worth knowing before booking: wildlife density here is noticeably thinner than the park’s more established sectors, so this suits a guest prioritising a quiet, exclusive setting over concentrated game viewing.

Best for: Guests wanting a quiet, higher-end corner of South Luangwa, comfortable trading some game density for exclusivity.

North Luangwa National Park: Zambia’s Most Remote Walking Safari

North Luangwa is Zambia at its most remote, and very much our style of location. Only a handful of camps operate across the entire park, road infrastructure is minimal to non-existent, and the experience is built almost entirely around walking rather than vehicle-based game viewing.

What sets North Luangwa apart further is black rhino. Reintroduced and carefully protected within the park, they give guests here the rare opportunity to track black rhino on foot, alongside the walking safari’s usual focus on elephant, buffalo and predator activity. It’s a natural next step for guests who’ve already experienced South Luangwa or Lower Zambezi and want the walking experience taken to its most remote, least-visited extreme.

Best for: Guests on a second or third Zambia trip, seeking the country’s most remote walking-only experience and the chance to track black rhino on foot.

Stanley Safaris’ North Luangwa Partner Camp

Kutandala Camp

North Luangwa — Classic Zambia, on the Mwaleshi River

One of only a handful of camps operating in North Luangwa at all, run by Classic Zambia, the same operator behind our Kafue camps. Set on the Mwaleshi River beneath the Muchinga escarpment, Kutandala is just five en-suite tents, built entirely around walking safaris and game drives with professionally accredited guides. North Luangwa carries the highest elephant density in Zambia and is the country’s only stronghold of wild-roaming black rhino, alongside strong lion and wild dog populations and the endemic Cookson’s wildebeest.

Best for: Guests wanting Zambia’s most remote walking experience, black rhino tracking, and a small, owner-operated camp from a company we already trust in Kafue.

Lower Zambezi National Park: Zambia’s All-Round Powerhouse

The Lower Zambezi is, right now, one of the standout safari regions in Zambia, and the guest feedback we’re getting back on it is exceptional. It’s easy to think of this region as simply the canoeing destination, but that undersells it considerably: the game viewing here is outstanding in its own right, with genuinely excellent leopard sightings, strong wild dog and lion activity, and healthy numbers of elephant, buffalo and general plains game.

The activity range is the real draw. A stay here can combine morning and afternoon game drives, night drives, walking safaris, canoeing, boating and catch-and-release fishing on the Zambezi itself. Very few regions in Southern Africa let you move between that much variety without changing camp. The walking here has its own distinct character, too: the landscape is far more open than South Luangwa’s dense riverine bush, threaded through with striking ana tree forests reminiscent of Mana Pools just across the river in Zimbabwe, and that openness allows guides to track genuinely big game on foot: elephant, buffalo and wild dog among them.

Given the range of activities and the strength of the game viewing, we typically recommend four to five nights in the Lower Zambezi, ideally split across two properties to get the full variety the region offers.

Stanley Safaris’ Lower Zambezi Partner Camps

Kutali & Chula Island

Lower Zambezi — Classic Zambia

Our go-to recommendations in the region: authentic, beautifully rustic tented camps with some of the best guiding in Zambia, both run by Classic Zambia, the same owner-operator team behind our Kafue camps. Kutali sits on the mainland, giving direct access to the main stretch of the river and its surrounding wildlife areas. Chula Island sits on a fairly large private island with its own resident wildlife (leopard, buffalo, elephant and general game, with wild dog and even the occasional lion crossing over), giving guests an almost exclusive stretch of the Lower Zambezi to themselves.

Best for: Guests wanting an authentic, rustic camp experience with outstanding guiding, whether based on the mainland (Kutali) or on a private island with its own game (Chula Island).

Lolebezi

Lower Zambezi — African Bush Camps

A well-established, increasingly premium property in the valley (arguably one of the more premium camps in Zambia today), run by African Bush Camps, with strong, consistent feedback on guiding, service and food. Lolebezi is known for its resident leopard population, collectively referred to as the “Leopards of Lolebezi,” and its suites (four luxury suites plus a family suite) each have their own private plunge pool over the Zambezi, alongside a full wellness spa, gym and infinity pool. It’s also one of our stronger family recommendations in the region, with a dedicated family suite that accepts children of all ages.

Best for: Guests wanting a premium, design-led Lower Zambezi property with genuine wellness facilities, and families wanting a dedicated suite of their own.

Chongwe – River Camp, Suites & House

Lower Zambezi — Time+Tide, at the confluence of the Chongwe and Zambezi Rivers

Three distinct ways to stay at the same beautiful confluence setting, all run by Time+Tide. Chongwe House is an exclusive-use property, ideal for families wanting the whole camp to themselves. Chongwe Suites suit honeymooners particularly well. Chongwe Camp, the tented option, is a strong fit for most other guests wanting the classic Lower Zambezi experience.

Best for: Families (Chongwe House), honeymooners (Chongwe Suites), and general guests wanting the classic tented experience (Chongwe Camp).

Kafue National Park: Scale, Space and Where It All Began

Kafue is one of Africa’s largest national parks at roughly 22,400 km² (larger than Wales) yet carries a fraction of the visitor traffic of parks its size elsewhere. Kafue holds a particular personal significance, too: it’s the park where, back in 1997, a single leopard sighting on a borrowed night-drive vehicle redirected my life from a university application toward a career in guiding and safaris (see the introduction above).

Kafue rewards travellers who want space and variety. Elephant, lion and leopard are all well established, with particularly good wild dog activity up in the Busanga Plains in the north. The Busanga Plains themselves are a highlight in their own right: a wide, open floodplain with large herds of red lechwe, strong resident lion prides making the most of the open ground, and a genuinely good variety of antelope species, including sable. Being a considerably bigger park than South Luangwa or Lower Zambezi, Kafue delivers more of a wilderness experience: the right choice for guests actively trying to get away from other vehicles and other guests altogether.

A bird list of more than 500 species, confirmed by African Parks, the conservation NGO involved in managing parts of the ecosystem, rounds out Kafue’s appeal for keen birders.

Musekese Camp

Kafue — Classic Zambia

Owned and operated by Tyrone McKeith of Classic Zambia, a guide and conservationist Shaun knows directly and has interviewed for the Stanley Safaris podcast. Musekese is closely tied to Musekese Conservation, with a strong reputation for walking, boating and genuinely wild, low-traffic game viewing across Kafue’s varied habitat.

Best for: Guests wanting a conservation-led, owner-operated camp with strong walking access and genuine first-hand expertise behind it.

Ntemwa-Busanga

Kafue — Busanga Plains, Classic Zambia

Also part of the Classic Zambia stable, sitting on the Busanga Plains in Kafue’s north and pairing naturally with Musekese for a two-camp Kafue itinerary. The Busanga floodplain landscape here is completely different to the miombo woodland further south: open grassland, large lechwe herds, and strong predator activity through the dry season.

Best for: Guests wanting Kafue’s floodplain habitat, combined with Musekese for a complete picture of the park.

Lwenge River Camp

Kafue — Classic Zambia

A third Classic Zambia property in Kafue, positioned as an exclusive bushcamp experience on the river, a further option for guests wanting to stay within one trusted operator’s portfolio while adding a different setting to a Musekese or Ntemwa-Busanga stay.

Best for: Guests building a multi-camp Kafue itinerary within the Classic Zambia portfolio.

Liuwa Plain: Zambia’s Best Differentiator

Worth including on a second or third African safari, not a first. Liuwa Plain, in Zambia’s remote west, hosts a wildebeest migration that African Parks (the conservation NGO managing the park) reports at more than 47,000 animals, widely described as Africa’s second-largest wildebeest migration after the Serengeti-Mara. It’s also one of the last strongholds of a wild African lion population that was, for a period, reduced to a single female before careful reintroduction efforts.

King Lewanika Camp

Liuwa Plain — Ker & Downey Zambia

The main camp option in Liuwa Plain, run by Ker & Downey Zambia as they expand into the country. King Lewanika sits on the threshold where ancient woodland meets the plain’s open horizon, just minutes from Matiamanene Airstrip: five luxury tents and one family tent (sleeping up to five), fifteen guests at most, with a pool area and elevated dining deck overlooking the plains. It operates seasonally, from March through December. Guests get access to the migration and to some of the lowest visitor numbers anywhere in Zambia’s protected area network, across two distinct settings: the main camp in the southern plains, and a complimentary mobile fly-camp sleep-out further north, tracking the migration’s northern range loop as herds begin moving that way from around late May.

Best for: Well-travelled guests on a second or third African safari, seeking genuine remoteness and a specific, changing wildlife story across the seasons.

Victoria Falls: Combining the Falls with Your Zambia Safari

Victoria Falls sits on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, with Livingstone as the Zambian town closest to the falls, and most Zambia safaris begin or end with two to three nights here. The falls drop roughly 108 metres at their deepest point, viewed from the Zambian side’s Knife-Edge Bridge, with sweeping views across the gorge and, seasonally, the chance to swim at the edge of the falls in Devil’s Pool. For exactly when the falls (and Devil’s Pool) are at their best, see the Best Time to Visit section below; Victoria Falls runs on its own separate seasonal calendar to the rest of the country.

Livingstone also offers activities Zambia’s bush camps don’t: white-water rafting, microlighting over the gorge, sundowner cruises on the Zambezi above the falls, making it a natural bridge between arrival and the deeper bush experience to come.

Signature Zambia Safari Experiences

Walking Safari

Zambia’s signature experience and, across South Luangwa, North Luangwa and increasingly the Lower Zambezi, standard practice rather than a specialist add-on. See Section B above for the full story, including how the experience changes character from region to region.

Canoeing, Boating & Fishing

Best in the Lower Zambezi, where a guided canoe safari drifts silently past pods of hippo, basking crocodile, and elephants swimming between islands, alongside boating and catch-and-release fishing on the river itself, a genuinely different rhythm to a vehicle-based safari.

Night Drives

Widely available across South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi in particular, revealing a different cast entirely after dark: spotted hyena, genet, civet, and the nocturnal predators that rest through the heat of the day.

Birding

Strong throughout the country, from Kafue’s woodland species to the wetland specialists of Liuwa Plain. Keen birders can reasonably expect Zambia to be one of the better birding countries on a broader African itinerary.

Cultural and Plant-Knowledge Walks

Some of the most memorable walks aren’t about a species list at all: a guide with deep, often family-inherited knowledge of the bush’s medicinal and practical plant use can turn a walk into hours of genuinely fascinating, hands-on learning.

Family Safari in Zambia

Zambia isn’t always the first name that comes to mind for a family safari, given how walking-focused the country is: walking safaris typically carry higher minimum ages than a standard game drive. But a number of genuinely excellent family-friendly camps make Zambia work very well for the right family, and especially for one after a bit more adventure than a conventional family safari destination offers.

Time+Tide’s properties in both South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi offer strong family options. Chongwe House in the Lower Zambezi is an exclusive-use property well suited to families wanting the whole camp to themselves. Lolebezi, run by African Bush Camps, has a dedicated family suite with its own private lounge and accepts children of all ages. Activities are tailored to a family’s specific interests and children’s ages throughout, and several camps can arrange a nanny or child-minder so that younger children can stay back at the lodge while parents go out on a walking safari.

As a general rule across Zambia, the minimum age for a walking safari is twelve, though this is very much guided by discretion: a guide or camp manager will still hold a child back from a walk if they feel conditions on the day aren’t safe, regardless of age.

Zambia Honeymoon Safari: Luxury with an Edge of Adventure

Zambia’s small, intimate camps make for a genuinely compelling honeymoon destination, especially for a couple after something with more adventure than the standard luxury safari honeymoon. The combination of walking safaris, the option to sleep out under the stars, and a full range of exciting activities alongside strong wildlife viewing gives a Zambia honeymoon a rawer, more adventurous character than some of the more polished honeymoon safari destinations elsewhere in Southern Africa.

It also combines beautifully with a beach extension. Malawi’s lake beaches make for a natural bush-and-beach pairing given the proximity, and we’ve also combined Zambia safaris with a Tanzania beach extension: flying couples on to The Manta Resort on Pemba Island, or to Fanjove Island south of Zanzibar, for the beach half of the trip.

For a honeymoon couple who wants their safari to feel like an adventure rather than simply a luxury stay, Zambia is one of our strongest recommendations in Southern Africa.

Best Time to Visit Zambia: Region-by-Region Guide

Zambia’s safari calendar is more binary than some neighbouring destinations, and it varies significantly by region: South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and Kafue all but close down over the rainy season, while Liuwa Plain and Victoria Falls each run on their own separate patterns entirely.

South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi & Kafue: Dry Season Only

These three regions are best visited in the dry season, broadly June through October, when most camps are open and operating at their best. Camps across all three typically close from November through April, sometimes into May or June depending on the specific property, for the rainy season. We don’t recommend guests visit these regions during that window. A handful of South Luangwa camps do stay open through the wet months, but the experience shifts toward birding and boating rather than the wildlife-focused game viewing the dry season delivers, which is worth knowing before booking outside the main season.

A specific note on October: it is exceptionally hot, with daytime temperatures reaching around 45°C and very little wind to relieve it. Because many of Zambia’s bush camps are small, rustic and solar-powered, air conditioning generally isn’t available, and the heat can be genuinely difficult for some guests. Worth discussing directly with us if you’re considering an October trip.

Liuwa Plain: The Exception

Liuwa Plain runs on an inverted calendar to the rest of Zambia. The wildebeest migration and calving concentrate in the plain’s southern section from around November through April, extending into June, making the rainy season Liuwa’s peak time, not its off-season. Outside that window, King Lewanika Camp operates a mobile fly camp in the north of the plain, giving access to the migration’s northern movement from around July through October or November. Between the two camp configurations, Liuwa works across almost the entire year, just via a different part of the plain, and a different camp setup, depending on when you go.

Victoria Falls: Its Own Calendar Entirely

Victoria Falls follows a separate pattern again. The falls are at their fullest from around March or April through to August, then begin drying up from mid-August onward: the further into the dry season, the lower the water, until the following year’s rains rebuild the flow from around April. For guests wanting to swim in Devil’s Pool on Livingstone Island, this only becomes possible once the water has receded enough to be safe, generally from around mid-August onward.

Zambia Safari Cost: What to Expect

As a guide, budget from around USD $1,200–1,500 per person per night for well-appointed camps and internal flights, rising past USD $2,500 per person per night at the very top end of the market. Zambia sits toward the more accessible end of Southern Africa’s luxury safari destinations, though costs still depend heavily on camp choice, season, and how much flying is involved in your itinerary.

Why It Costs What It Costs

• Small-camp economics: most partner camps run well under twenty beds, and the staff-to-guest ratio this allows is part of what the price buys.

• Fly-in logistics: several regions and camps are only practically reached by light aircraft from a hub such as Mfuwe or Lusaka, and that cost is built into all-inclusive pricing.

• Conservation levies: Stanley Safaris always includes conservation levies as part of our quoted price, funding anti-poaching and community programmes in the areas we operate, never charged as a separate surprise on arrival.

What the Price Includes

Almost everything at most camps: accommodation, all meals, game activities, laundry, local beverages, and conservation levies, always built into our quoted price rather than charged separately. Typically excluded: international flights and premium imported drinks. Stanley Safaris quotes on a fully transparent basis, with clear detail on every inclusion and exclusion.

Planning a Safari in Zambia: Everything You Need to Know

Getting There

International visitors typically fly into Lusaka or connect via Johannesburg, with onward flights or charters to Mfuwe (for South Luangwa), Lower Zambezi’s airstrips, or Kafue’s camps. Livingstone has its own international airport for Victoria Falls arrivals. Stanley Safaris handles every domestic connection.

Visa Requirements

Most nationalities require a visa for Zambia, and multi-country visa options may be available for combining a trip with Zimbabwe and a Botswana day trip via Kazungula. Visa requirements and costs vary by nationality and change from time to time, so we always confirm current requirements directly with you before booking.

Health and Vaccinations

Zambia’s safari regions (South Luangwa, North Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and Kafue) are malaria-risk areas, and prophylaxis is generally recommended by travel health authorities. This is general guidance, not personalised medical advice: speak to a travel health professional or your GP well before departure.

What to Pack

Neutral, muted colours throughout: khaki, olive, tan and grey, with layers for cool early mornings on game drives and warmer afternoons. A light rain layer is useful in the green season. Stanley Safaris provides a full, property-specific packing guide to every guest on confirmation.

Currency and Connectivity

The local currency is the Zambian Kwacha, though US dollars are widely accepted at safari camps. Most partner camps are remote, with limited connectivity by design: most guests consider the disconnection one of the more valuable aspects of the experience.

Conservation and Community Impact

Every camp and lodge we partner with in Zambia supports local conservation and community initiatives, and a meaningful part of what our guests pay for their safari goes directly toward that work: anti-poaching efforts and community-run projects funded through the conservation levies built into each stay. Musekese Conservation, tied to our Musekese Camp partnership in Kafue, is one particularly strong example. More broadly, African Parks manages Kafue and Liuwa Plain in partnership with Zambia’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife, and in South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi, dedicated conservation organisations (Conservation South Luangwa and Conservation Lower Zambezi) run anti-poaching, human-wildlife conflict and community programmes. Stanley Safaris always includes these conservation levies in your quoted price rather than charging separately.

How to Plan a Bespoke Zambia Safari with Stanley Safaris

Every Stanley Safaris Zambia itinerary begins with a conversation. Not a web form, not a brochure request: a conversation about where you are in your safari life, what you are hoping to feel, and how much walking, water and wilderness you want in the mix.

A property is always going to want to sell their beds, so they’re not necessarily going to tell you the weaker points of their camp, or why it isn’t the right fit for a particular guest, or the right time of year. Using a specialist, we can give unbiased advice, cross-sell across different camps and portfolios, and match the guide, the camp and the timing to what a guest actually wants from Zambia, not what’s easiest for us to sell.

— Shaun Stanley, Founder, Stanley Safaris

A Zambia itinerary can be designed around several different structures:

• Walking-focused: South Luangwa and/or North Luangwa, prioritising the walking programme over any other activity. North Luangwa adds the possibility of tracking black rhino on foot.

• Multi-region: South Luangwa or North Luangwa combined with the Lower Zambezi, pairing dense-bush walking with the Zambezi’s open-landscape walking, canoeing and exceptional all-round game viewing.

• Complete Zambia: South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and Kafue in one journey, typically ten to twelve nights, plus Victoria Falls.

• Beyond the classics: adding Liuwa Plain to a South Luangwa or Kafue base, timed around its own migration calendar rather than the standard dry season.

• Honeymoon: intimate camps, walking and sleep-out experiences, combined with a Malawi lake or Tanzania beach extension (Pemba Island or Fanjove Island).

• Family: family-friendly camps such as Time+Tide’s properties, Chongwe House and Lolebezi, with activities tailored to children’s ages.

• Regional and further combinations: Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Botswana via Kazungula, Malawi’s beaches, or further afield to Cape Town, Kenya, Tanzania or Rwanda.

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Author

Shaun Stanley has been travelling to Zambia since 1997, when a family camping trip through Kafue, South Luangwa and Livingstone (and one leopard sighting on a borrowed night-drive vehicle in Kafue National Park) changed the course of his life. He tore up his university application on the way home and pursued a guiding career instead. In the nearly three decades since, Zambia has remained one of his most personally significant destinations, and Stanley Safaris continues to deepen its first-hand relationships with camps and operators across the country.

He is the founder of Stanley Safaris, ranked 4th in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Safari Outfitters (2025), a T&L A-List Safari Expert (2024, 2025, 2026), and a Condé Nast Traveller Travel Expert (2026). Every Zambia itinerary Shaun designs is built on direct knowledge of the landscape, the camps, and the people who bring them to life.