There's a reason Zambia is referred to as the 'real Africa', and Zambia holidays offer a great combination of wildlife, adventure activities and scenic splendour. Zambia has an incredible natural heritage, with huge areas of raw wilderness, the Zambezi River and of course the spectacular Victoria Falls as the country's trump card. Meanwhile the country's national parks are acknowledged as some of Africa's finest reserves, offering some of the best big game viewing on the continent, and also renowned for their abundant birdlife.

Zambia holiday ideas

A few suggestions to get the holiday planning process started

Why visit Zambia with Original Travel

From thundering Victoria Falls to South Luangwa’s sprawling savannahs, Zambia is a destination where nature pulls out all the stops. We’ll listen to your needs and plan the perfect trip, whether it involves canoeing down the Zambezi River, learning about local culture on a village visit or romantic dinners in the bush. Our fantastic local guides will go the extra mile for you, from teaching you the medicinal properties of plants to organising sundowners under the stars. Zambia’s hospitable people and incredible camps set it apart, and we work with vetted properties to suit everyone, from families of four to honeymooners.

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A few of the benefits of travelling with us to Zambia

  • Our local Concierges
  • The Original Travel app
  • Airport lounge access
  • Destination Dossier
  • 24-hour helpline
  • Expert guides
  • 100% carbon absorption

Travel to Zambia by Region

Lower Zambezi National Park

Zambia is renowned for the quality of its national parks and among the very best spots is the Lower Zambezi National Park, with exceptional game-viewing potential. A Lower Zambezi safari holiday can be the ideal way to really discover the diversity and secrets of the African bush. The Chongwe River forms the western boundary of the 1,500 square mile park and the game-viewing here is bountiful, with the Chongwe area particularly famous for its large herds of elephants, as well as populations of lions, leopards and wild dogs. We know the area well, work with the best camps and guides and can arrange walking safaris as well as canoeing and boating trips on the Zambezi, and fishing for the renowned tiger fish.

The South Luangwa

The ox-bow lakes, plains and woodlands of the South Luangwa National Park host huge concentrations of game, including elephants, buffaloes, leopards, lions, giraffes, hippos and over 400 species of birds, and are home to exceptional walking safaris. It's not for nothing that many people refer to the South Luangwa as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, with the Luangwa River being one of the most intact major river systems in Africa and the life blood of the park's 5,600 square miles. With direct flights from Lusaka, the South Luangwa National Park is a great place to start your safari holiday in Zambia and one can easily spend a week or more on a South Luangwa safari combining a stay in many of the small, intimate bushcamps that are dotted along the Luangwa River and many of the lagoons in the area. We sometimes recommend starting off with a few nights in one of the slightly larger lodges around the Mfuwe area where the game is prolific and the focus is mainly on game drives, before venturing out further into the park and staying in a combination of two or three of the smaller more rustic camps where the focus is more on walking. Led by highly experienced guides and accompanied by armed scouts, South Luangwa walking safaris are the best way to discover the diversity and secrets of the African bush, and we only work with the very best guides and camps.

Victoria Falls & Kafue

The spray rising from the Victoria Falls can be seen from miles away, and at more than a mile wide, this is the largest curtain of water on the planet. Victoria Falls holidays can be hugely diverse, and should keep even the most addicted adrenaline junkie happy. Try bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls bridge, or a gorge swing, white water rafting, boogie boarding in the rapids, microlight flights over the Falls and even abseiling the gorge. We particularly recommend a visit to Livingstone Island in the middle of the river, and swimming in the natural pool just feet from the edge of the Falls. It is a hair-raising but thoroughly memorable experience. More sedate pastimes include canoeing trips, exceptional bird and game viewing. And golf, if you must.

Our Zambia holiday collections

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Zambia Guide

Practical advice and inspiration to help you prepare for your holiday

What our clients say about us

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" This is the first time we went on a trip with Original Travel, a specialist advisor who listens to our expectations, and really the feeling of being pampered from departure to arrival. The concierge service is so efficient that we quickly become addicted. "

Our Zambia
specialists

Home to some of the continent’s most spectacular game reserves, it’s no wonder that Zambia is one of our consultants’ favourites. The country is a pioneer of immersive walking safaris, and we’ll use our expertise and contacts to ensure you’re led by the most knowledgeable local guides in the best locations. We know the country inside out and will match your interests with the most suitable parks, whether you’re an avid bird watcher or a leopard lover. While on your trip, our in-country Concierges are always on hand to impart insider tips and tricks, as well as provide support should you need it.

What you can find in Zambia that you won't find anywhere else?

The Lower Zambezi region is famous for its large herds of elephant and a sizeable population of the rare African wild dog, while the Luangwa Valley, which marks the southern end of the Great Rift Valley, is one of the continent's great unspoilt wildernesses. Its ox-bow lagoons, plains and woodlands host huge concentrations of game - including leopards, lions, giraffes, hippos and over 400 species of birds. From learning about the lives of termites to tracking buffalo and discovering unusual plants such as the sausage tree, a walking safari here represents a wildlife experience second to none.


Meanwhile, for anyone in search of a truly secret African destination, just 400 visitors a year make it to the Liuwa Plains, yet this region is home to the second biggest wildebeest migration (upwards of 65,000 on the move) in the world, plus superb birding opportunities and blossoming cheetah and wild dog populations.


Wildlife aside, Zambia is also home to one of the greatest sights in nature - the Victoria Falls, known by the much more apt name of Mosi-oa-Tunya ('the smoke that thunders') to the local Kololo tribe who first showed them to David Livingstone. When the Zambezi is in flood, the spray from the mile-wide falls as they plunge into the gorge below can be seen from miles away. The falls are a focus for all kinds of hair-raising activities, from white-water rafting to bungee jumping and the original gorge swing. Upstream, more sedate pastimes include canoe safaris and picnics on river islands.


What are the best ways to discover Zambia?

Zambia is home to some of the finest National Parks and game reserves in Africa, such as the South Luangwa and the Liuwa Plain, as well as one of the continent's most iconic rivers - the Zambezi - which has its own national park and one of the most famous natural wonders of the world, the mighty Victoria Falls. All these spectacular destinations are easily combinable in one memorable itinerary.

Best places to go in Zambia



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