Zambia

At the crossroads of Southern, Central and Eastern Africa, exhilarating wilderness is never too far away. Beautiful protected areas, home to a great diversity of wildlife, combined with a tradition of excellent guiding have long made Zambia a favourite for safari travellers. Across these parks, you’ll find a sprinkling of some of Southern Africa’s most luxurious lodges and excellent low impact, intimate, owner-run camps, many of which have been pioneers in sustainable and regenerative travel.

The Zambian side of the mighty Victoria Falls, around the town of Livingstone, is a must-see and there are some stunning lodges on the Zambezi from which to explore this natural wonder of the world.

On each side of the river from which it takes its name, the almost pastoral South Luangwa is one of Africa’s best national parks. It's where walking safaris began, a deeply engaging way to explore the wilderness and get acquainted with its great density of wildlife. In Lower Zambezi National Park, across from Mana Pools in Zimbabwe, see elephants play on the valley floor as you canoe the river’s languid waters.

There are some hidden gems, too. Kafue, the country’s largest national park and almost the size of Vermont, is a rugged place home to Zambia’s luxury safari scene, packed with just a small handful of properties – an offbeat yet rewarding destination for the patient. For travellers after a whole park virtually to themselves, head to the unique Liuwa Plains and its one permanent lodge, while North Luangwa provides an untouched ecosystem to explore on foot for seasoned safari-goers.