Zambia offers impressive diversity as well as large concentrations and numbers of wildlife, and some of the wildest and most remote game areas in Africa. Kafue National Park’s Busanga Plains are famous for lion prides while plains game such as puku, red lechwe, Lichtenstein’s hartebeest, oribi and buffalo can be seen. Cheetah and wild dog are present, and a treat is the resident herd of rare roan antelope.

The Zambezi River is home to hippo, crocodile and elephant, as well as incredible birdlife. Mosi-oa-Tunya hosts species such as buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest and white rhino.
Birdlife in Zambia is prolific, with over 750 bird species found here, including many specials; the north of the country is the southernmost extreme of the bizarre-looking African Shoebill’s range.

Climate

The seasons in Botswana are indistinct. Rains generally start in October or November and persist through to March or April. Within that period there may be long dry spells. In April, temperatures begin to fall and May is generally regarded as the first month of the dry, cool winter, characterised by clear sunny days and cold nights. Spring begins in August and temperatures rise rapidly during the hot, dry period of September, October and November until the rains again break.

Botswana is truly a land of breathtaking contrasts, from the sandy plains of the Kalahari Desert to the lush oasis of the Okavango Delta. It is possible to combine these areas into one visit, gaining a spectacular overview of different scenery and attractions: from peaceful mokoro rides through clear waterways, to exhilarating game-drives along riverine forests, to a visit at your own deck from a great herd of elephants. Game-viewing is usually at its best during the dry season (in the winter months of May to August) and in the hot spring-time months of September and October, when the animals gather around dwindling sources of water, near rivers, pools and waterholes.