The feeling is intoxicating: unbridled freedom. In today’s world, increasingly fewer locations can provide the wonderful sense of discovery and glorious solitude found in settings like this.
Why choose a Liuwa Plain safari?
With the combination of immense wilderness, a park leading world-class conservation efforts and the greatest displays of wildlife phenomena on earth, Liuwa’s safari experience is unrivalled.
Located in western Zambia, Liuwa Plain National Park covers woodlands and flat Kalahari sand plains that stretch over 3,369 square kilometres. These transform when the rains come and the river swells to over forty kilometres of glimmering water.
The park is run by the highly regarded non-profit African Parks organisation and provides a blueprint for what sustainable, low-impact tourism should be, working alongside the Zambian National Parks Department and other conservation programmes.
Around the size of Wales with just one luxury lodge and a few camps, Liuwa Plain is exclusive, remote and wild. This unique location provides the ultimate backdrop of pristine Africa devoid of tourists and abundant with wildlife.
"After each day’s enthralling adventures, retreat to your exclusive lodge where you’ll be greeted by expansive views over the vast terrain."
What wildlife can you see in Liuwa Plain?
Each day a different spectacle of nature awaits. Liuwa Plain is home to the second largest wildebeest migration in Africa, so watch in awe as 45,000 blue wildebeest thunder between the western boundary and the centre of the plains in one of nature’s most spectacular phenomena.
One day you might discover fresh lion tracks leading to a thrilling glimpse of a lioness with her cubs during a game drive, the next you will find herds of buffalo and steenbok sprawled across the landscape at sunrise on a bush walk or whilst gliding along in a canoe. Amongst the wide range of other animals you can potentially encounter are the oribi, the endangered roan antelope and the tsessebe – the fastest antelope in Africa.
The exclusive nature of Liuwa Plain means that you can search for wildlife in complete privacy. Drive for hours and your only company will be wildebeest herds, a dazzle of zebra and the feathery golden grasses and marshes that blanket the plains. You might also find cheetah and spotted hyena, the dominant predator in Liuwa, on your travels.
Your guide will also be able to point out some of the 257 bird species that you would have otherwise missed, from the endangered wattled crane to waders, egrets, bustards and water birds that find sanctuary in this fertile environment. During the green season, flooded plains attract exceptional concentrations of birdlife.
What to expect on a Liuwa Plain safari in Zambia?
You will be accompanied by an experienced wildlife expert throughout your intimate safari excursions, whose knowledge of the landscape and wildlife that roam here is unrivalled. After each day’s enthralling adventures, retreat to your exclusive lodge where you’ll be greeted by expansive views over the vast terrain.
Where to stay in Liuwa Plain: King Lewanika Lodge
King Lewanika is the only permanent luxury lodge in Liuwa Plain National Park — an intimate sanctuary set against one of Africa’s most extraordinary wilderness backdrops. Positioned on the edge of woodland overlooking vast, shimmering plains, the handful of open-fronted tented villas offer rare privacy in a park defined by space and silence.
Relax in the spacious seating areas, indulge in sundowners on the wooden verandah or take a refreshing outdoor shower after a day on safari. Your every need will be catered to for the duration of your stay, from the excellent service and cuisine to the semi-aquatic land cruisers at your disposal for travelling across the pans during the wet season.
Staying at King Lewanika is not simply about accommodation; it is about immersion. With so few guests in such a remote corner of Zambia, the experience feels deeply personal. A maximum of 15 guests can stay at the lodge across just five luxury tents and a family tent, so expect unhurried game drives, uninterrupted sightings, and the rare privilege of witnessing Africa’s second-largest wildebeest migration without another vehicle in sight.
In Liuwa Plain, solitude is the luxury. King Lewanika Lodge places you at its heart.
Conservation in Liuwa Plain
African Parks began management of the National Park in 2003 and have overseen 20 years of restoration and conservation work. From just one lioness in 2003, the famous ‘Lady Liuwa’, the conservation efforts have resulted in a healthy lion population with cubs regularly born. The ecosystem supports significant wildebeest population in Africa, as well as thriving hyena, cheetah and wild dog populations.
African Parks works closely with the 12,000 people living in communities within the park boundaries, supporting them to coexist with wildlife through employment opportunities, school scholarships, sustainable farming support, and healthcare.
For travellers seeking a safari with a positive impact, Liuwa represents one of Africa’s most compelling success stories.
Planning your luxury Liuwa Plain safari
When is the best time to take a Liuwa Plain safari?
King Lewanika Lodge is open from March to December. For the wildebeest migration, herds start to build from late October with the true magic typically between late November to early December. However this is when the rains start so be prepared for wet weather. May and June bring their own merits, with temperate weather, pools full from flooding and teems of water birds to be seen, as well as a few wildebeest still to be found.
How to get to Liuwa Plain
During the rainy season, the terrain can become very wet and hard to access by vehicle. We recommend taking the light aircraft flight into King Lewanika Lodge’s airstrip, which runs daily and is just a 6 minute transfer from the lodge. The flights depart from both Livingstone and Lusaka making for easy connections to international flights or other locations in Zambia.
Extend your Liuwa Plain safari
A walking safari in the South Luangwa National Park would make an excellent addition to a safari in the Liuwa Plains, exploring the home of the walking safari on foot with expert guides. Our luxury Zambia walking safari, “Africa: Heart and Sole”, could be tailored to include a few nights in Liuwa Plain. Explore the itinerary for inspiration of how a Zambia safari could fit together.
Discuss with our experts what you’d like to see and we will provide a highly personalised itinerary taking into account all of your wishes. Here beneath the vast Zambian skies, you’ll find a sense of freedom and solitude unlike anywhere else during this simply unforgettable experience.
