Remote north-central Zambia holds two of the continent’s most unusual wildlife experiences, often combined on one trip. Kasanka stages the world’s largest mammal migration — up to ten million straw-coloured fruit bats — while the vast Bangweulu wetlands are the place to track the prehistoric-looking shoebill stork across plains grazed by tens of thousands of endemic black lechwe. This is specialist, bucket-list territory for birders and naturalists.
Kasanka National Park
A small, community-supported park famous for the November–December arrival of millions of fruit bats — the densest concentration of mammals on earth — plus the rare, water-loving sitatunga antelope viewed from treetop hides.
Wildlife Density: ★★★☆☆ Infrastructure: ★★★☆☆ Photography: ★★★★☆
Adventure: ★★★★☆ Exclusivity: ★★★★☆ Value for Money: ★★★★☆ Scenery: ★★★★☆
Location: North-central Zambia; near Serenje
Key wildlife: 10 million fruit bats (Nov–Dec), sitatunga, puku, birds
Best for: The bat migration, birders, naturalists
Best time: Mid-November to mid-December (bat migration)
Bangweulu Wetlands
A vast community-owned wetland — “where water meets the sky” — and the most reliable place in Africa to find the elusive shoebill, alongside enormous herds of endemic black lechwe and rich birdlife. Managed with African Parks and local chiefs.
Wildlife Density: ★★★☆☆ Infrastructure: ★★☆☆☆ Photography: ★★★★☆
Adventure: ★★★★☆ Exclusivity: ★★★★★ Value for Money: ★★★☆☆ Scenery: ★★★★☆
Location: Northern Zambia; near Samfya & Lavushimanda
Key wildlife: Shoebill, black lechwe (huge herds), tsessebe, oribi, birds
Best for: Shoebill & birders, wilderness, walking and boat safaris
Best time: May–July (shoebill, drying floodplains)
More about these areas — camps, access and combining the two — will be added here over time.
25South 