National park
Kafue National Park
Zambia's biggest park: the Busanga Plains, Lake Itezhi-Tezhi and the Kafue River, with lion, cheetah, wild dog and over 20 antelope species.
22,279 km² · 6 gates · 5 campsites · Run by Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), with African Parks
About the park
At about 22,400 km², Kafue is Zambia's largest park, running from the seasonally flooded Busanga Plains in the far north, through miombo woodland along the Kafue, Lunga and Lufupa rivers, to Lake Itezhi-Tezhi and the drier south. It holds 21 antelope species, from red lechwe and puku on the floodplains to oribi and sable in the woodland, plus over 200 lions, Zambia's largest cheetah population and a stronghold of wild dog. The tarred M9 between Lusaka and Mongu crosses the middle of the park, so it is one of the easiest big parks in Africa to reach by road, and self-driving is popular, with lodges and campsites in every region and boat trips on the rivers. African Parks now co-manages the park with DNPW. In the rains (roughly November to April) the black-cotton soil turns tracks to mud, northern camps close, and some areas are cut off until roads are repaired.
Highlights
- The Busanga Plains in the far north, flooded grassland with red lechwe and lion
- Boat trips on the Kafue and Lufupa rivers
- Lake Itezhi-Tezhi in the south
- Self-drive loops off the M9 and the north–south spine road
Good to know
- About 22,400 km², Zambia's largest park
- The M9 Lusaka–Mongu road crosses the park; transit on it is free
- Gates include Nalusanga (east, M9), Kabanga (north), Musa (Itezhi-Tezhi) and Dundumwezi (south)
- Spine road from Kabanga to Dundumwezi regraded in 2021
- Camping only at designated sites; no wild camping
- Cash only at the gates; no ATMs nearby
Wildlife you may see
- Lion
- Cheetah
- African wild dog
- Leopard
- Red lechwe
- Puku
- Elephant
- Oribi
- Buffalo
- Hippo
- Burchell's zebra
- 500+ bird species
Sightings are never guaranteed.
When to go
Open: 06:00–18:00
Best time: July–October; the park is fully accessible April–October
Gates
- Chalanta GateOpen: 06:00–18:00 daily (standard national park gate hours)Kafue National Park fees apply once inside, per person per day: international US$20, SADC nationals/residents US$15, Zambians K33.6. Vehicles US$15/day foreign-registered, K25.5 Zambian-registered. Under-5s free, 5–13 half price. Cash only. Not confirmed that permits are sold at this gate.Gate with a ranger post on the unpaved D181 on Kafue's north-eastern side. It is not one of the visitor gates the park's tourism operators list (Nalusanga, Lufupa, Kabanga, Tateyoyo, Musa, Dundumwezi), so check it is open to visitors before planning a route through it. No cards and no ATMs at Kafue gates.
- Chunga GateOpen: 06:00–18:00 dailyPay park fees here, per person per day: international US$20, SADC nationals/residents US$15, Zambians K33.6. Vehicles US$15/day foreign-registered, K25.5 Zambian-registered. Camping extra (non-residents US$5/night). Under-5s free, 5–13 half price.On the M9 by the Kafue Hook Bridge, where the track south towards Chunga and the central park leaves the main road. Cash only: no gate takes cards and there are no ATMs nearby. Transit on the M9 is free of park fees.
- Kabanga GateOpen: 06:00–18:00 dailyPay park fees here, per person per day: international US$20, SADC nationals/residents US$15, Zambians K33.6. Vehicles US$15/day foreign-registered, K25.5 Zambian-registered. Camping extra (non-residents US$5/night). Under-5s free, 5–13 half price.Northern gate, reached from Kasempa; the north–south spine road runs from here to Dundumwezi in the south. Northern camps tend to close around November and some areas are cut off in the rains. Cash only: no gate takes cards and there are no ATMs nearby.
- Musa GateOpen: 06:00–18:00 dailyPay park fees here, per person per day: international US$20, SADC nationals/residents US$15, Zambians K33.6. Vehicles US$15/day foreign-registered, K25.5 Zambian-registered. Camping extra (non-residents US$5/night). Under-5s free, 5–13 half price.Southern gate at Itezhi-Tezhi, by Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, about 6 km past New Kalala and Musungwa lodges beyond the dam wall. From Lusaka take the M9 and the D769 via Mumbwa (fuel there), then about 66 km of gravel after the Mweengwa DNPW checkpoint to Itezhi-Tezhi town. Cash only: no gate takes cards and there are no ATMs nearby.
- Nalusanga GateOpen: 06:00–18:00 dailyPay park fees here, per person per day: international US$20, SADC nationals/residents US$15, Zambians K33.6. Vehicles US$15/day foreign-registered, K25.5 Zambian-registered. Camping extra (non-residents US$5/night). Under-5s free, 5–13 half price.Eastern gate on the M9 Lusaka–Mongu road, the first one you reach coming from Lusaka (Lusaka to Hook Bridge is about 3.5 hours). Cash only: no gate takes cards and there are no ATMs nearby. Transit on the M9 is free of park fees.
- Ndumdumwenze GateOpen: 06:00–18:00 dailyPay park fees here, per person per day: international US$20, SADC nationals/residents US$15, Zambians K33.6. Vehicles US$15/day foreign-registered, K25.5 Zambian-registered. Camping extra (non-residents US$5/night). Under-5s free, 5–13 half price.Southern gate (often spelt Dundumwezi) at the south end of the spine road, about 2.5 hours' drive from Livingstone. Fill up in Kalomo on the T1; from there the road turns to gravel, with the last 70 km to the gate on a gravel road. The all-weather road from Ngoma to this gate is a transit route with no park fees. Cash only: no cards, no ATMs nearby.
Gate times change with the seasons: check with Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), with African Parks before you travel.
Campsites
- Bongololo CampsiteLodge camping4.0
- Kasabushi CampsiteLodge camping4.4US$45 pp/night
- Malala Wilderness CampsiteCampsite4.3
- Mapunga Bush CampLodge camping4.3US$45 pp/night
- McBride's CampsiteLodge camping4.2
Park fees
| citizen | K33.6 per person day |
| citizen (any) | K25.5 per vehicle day |
| resident | US$15 per person day |
| regional | US$15 per person day |
| international | US$20 per person day |
| international (any) | US$15 per vehicle day |
Per person per day (06:00–18:00); SADC nationals and Zambian residents pay US$15. Under-5s free, ages 5–13 half price. Camping extra (non-residents US$5 per person per night). Cash only; transit on the M9 and the Ngoma–Dundumwezi road is free.