This remote park in the far west is pristine wilderness, which, to the ardent bush-lover, is its biggest attraction, and the rewards are great indeed.

The game is spread out across the plains and takes some driving around to find, but to come upon a vast herd of blue wildebeest, a prowling wild dog, or a pride of dozing lions in this forgotten piece of Africa is especially fitting because of its completely natural and uncommercialized state.

The birdlife is abundant and the very dramatic storms and lightning rising up on the horizon, contrasting with the green and gold grasslands, create spectacular views and fantastic photographic opportunities.

Size of Liuwa plain national park Zambia

Liuwa Plain National Park is a 3,369-square-kilometre national park in Zambia’s Western Province. “Liuwa” means “plain” in the local Lozi language, and the plains originally served as a hunting ground for Lubosi Lewanika, the Litunga of the Lozi people.

Location of Liuwa plain national park Zambia

Liuwa Plain in western Zambia has one of the oldest conservation histories in Africa, dating back to the late 19th century when the King of Barotseland appointed his people as the custodians of the reserve and the national park is located in Zambia’s Western Province.

How to get to Liuwa plain national park Zambia

From Lusaka, the capital city of Zambia, get onto the Lumumba Road in the industrial area. At a set of traffic lights, look for a sign to Mongu and take Mumwa Road (M9). Stay on this road for roughly 620 km, passing turnoffs to Mumbwa and Kaoma.  You will also pass through Kafue National Park. The only places to get fuel once you leave Lusaka are Kaoma and then Mongu.

Once in Mongu stay on the same road unless you need supplies. The road goes into the heart of Mongu where you get to a roundabout. At this roundabout, go straight, passing the government buildings on your right-hand side. You will come to a T-junction, at which point you will turn left and head down to the harbour. Turn right and follow the route for roughly one hour until you get to the Zambezi River. After crossing the river, drive straight for another hour. You will find a T-junction, turn right and go through Kalabo until the harbour. Liuwa’s headquarters and visitor centre are at the harbour on your left.

With the advent of flights between Lusaka and Mongu in 2011 and scheduled flights to Kalabo in recent years, access to this area has improved.

Things to do in Liuwa plain national park Zambia

• Liuwa Plain made The New York Time “Top 52 Places to Visit” in 2018; Time Magazine’s “2018 100 Greatest Places”; and Travel & Leisure’s 2018 “It List”.
• Liuwa Plain hosts the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa – but without the crowds -so you can enjoy this spectacle in an intimate and jaw-dropping setting.
• Liuwa was home to the famous Lady Liuwa – a famous lioness who was the sole survivor after all of the lions had been poached out. Today, due to our reintroduction efforts, she has left behind a small but growing pride of lions after her passing in 2017.
• Liuwa’s wildlife diversity is stunning. Along with the spectacular wildebeest migration, there are cheetahs, hyenas, lions, eland, tsessebe and an incredible array of birds including the wattled crane.
• Experience the historic and epic Kuomboka festival when the plains are flooded, where the King and his procession move to higher grounds by boat along the river.

When to visit Liuwa plain national park Zambia

The weather is cooler from May to July, warmer from August to October and the rains typically occur from November to April.

Where to stay in Liuwa plain national park Zambia

Even though the area of the Liuwa National Park is remote, the park has one permanent lodge open to visitors, which has been an exciting development for the park.

King Lewanika Lodge

King Lewanika is a brilliant base from which to explore Liuwa, a modern and comfortable camp in a truly amazing part of Africa.