National park
Lower Zambezi National Park
Zambezi floodplain opposite Mana Pools: elephant on the riverbanks, canoe safaris through the channels and tiger fishing.
4,101 km² · 1 gate · 0 campsites · Run by Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), Zambia
About the park
Lower Zambezi stretches for more than 100 km along the north bank of the Zambezi, opposite Zimbabwe's Mana Pools, and climbs from the floodplain through mopane and winterthorn groves to the wooded escarpment in the north. Most of the game gathers on the floodplain: elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard, with hippo and big crocodiles in the river and the odd pack of wild dog. The river is what sets it apart, with canoe trips down the side channels, boat safaris, sunset cruises and tiger fishing on top of walks and night drives. Lodges inside the park run fly-in safaris via the Jeki and Royal airstrips, while cheaper camps sit outside the western boundary in the Chiawa area. Self-drive is possible with a high-clearance 4x4 via Chirundu and Chongwe gate, about five hours from Lusaka, but the park has few roads, no facilities for self-drivers and the best game areas are deep inside where only a few lodges operate.
Highlights
- Canoeing the Zambezi side channels past elephant and hippo
- Tiger fishing on the Zambezi
- Walking safaris and spotlit night drives
- Looking across the river to Mana Pools
- Winterthorn groves on the floodplain
Good to know
- 4,092 km² from the Zambezi floodplain up to the escarpment; over 100 km of river frontage
- Unfenced: game moves freely into the Chiawa Game Management Area
- No paved roads; high-clearance 4x4 for self-drive
- 216 km from Lusaka, at least five hours via Chirundu; Chongwe gate at the western end
- Jeki and Royal airstrips with scheduled Proflight services
- All budget accommodation is outside the park
Wildlife you may see
- Elephant
- Hippo
- Buffalo
- Lion
- Leopard
- Nile crocodile
- African wild dog
- Tigerfish
Sightings are never guaranteed.
When to go
Open: 06:00–18:00
Best time: July–October (busy and pricier July–September; October very hot)
Gates
- Chongwe GateOpen: 06:00–18:00 dailyPay park fees here, per person per day (2025–26): international US$25, SADC/residents US$20, Zambians K55.60; international self-drivers are listed at US$30. Vehicles US$15/day foreign-registered, K34 Zambian-registered. Under-5s free, 5–13 half price.Western entrance on the Chongwe River, reached from Chirundu through the Chiawa Game Management Area; Lusaka to the park takes at least five hours. High-clearance 4x4 needed. Cash only. No facilities for self-drivers inside the park.
Gate times change with the seasons: check with Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), Zambia before you travel.
Campsites
We're still checking the campsites here. They'll appear as soon as they're verified.
Park fees
| citizen | K55.6 per person day |
| citizen (any) | K34 per vehicle day |
| resident | US$20 per person day |
| regional | US$20 per person day |
| international | US$25 per person day |
| international (any) | US$15 per vehicle day |
Category A park. 2025–26 national DNPW tariff per person per day (a day is 06:00–18:00); SADC nationals and Zambian residents pay the regional rate; under-5s free, ages 5–13 half price. Vehicle fee per day: US$15 foreign-registered, K34 Zambian-registered (under 3 t). Pay cash at the gate. The same table lists a higher international self-drive rate of US$30. Boating, canoeing and angling fees are extra.