Zambia is landlocked and situated on a high plateau in south-central Africa, taking its name from the Zambezi River which also provides some of the most exciting and beautiful places to visit. It is blessed with vast natural resources such as minerals, wildlife, forestry, fresh water and arable land - perhaps surprisingly it is one of the world's fastest growing, economically reformed countries.
South Luangwa National Park, in eastern Zambia, is the southernmost of three national parks in the Luangwa valley and is a world-renowned wildlife haven. Concentrations of game along the meandering Luangwa River and lagoons are among the most impressive and prolific in Africa. The river is full of hippo and crocodile and is a lifeline for a huge diversity of habitat and wildlife, with over 60 species of mammal and 400 species of birds. Wildlife species include Thornicroft's giraffe and large herds of elephants and Cape buffalo.
Kafue National Park is the largest national park in Zambia, the second largest park in Africa and home to over 55 different species of mammals. It contains a superb range of antelopes as well as large herds of red lechwe and puku, plus zebra and blue wildebeest. Lions are plentiful and widespread all over the park, and plenty of hippo and some of the largest crocodiles in southern Africa are also found here. Elephants are commonly seen along the Kafue River and leopard, spotted hyena, cheetah and Cape wild dog occur throughout the park.
The Lower Zambezi National Park lies on the north bank of the Zambezi River and remains one of the few pristine wilderness areas left in Africa. Most large mammals in this UNESCO World Heritage site congregate on the floodplain, including Cape buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, many antelope species, crocodile and hippo
Victoria Falls or 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' (The Smoke That Thunders) on the Zambezi River provides habitat for several unique species of plants and animals. It is found on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and considered to be one of the world's largest waterfalls.