Kafue National Park

national park, Zambia

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Article History

Kafue National Park, park, south-central Zambia. Established in 1950 and located about 200 miles (322 km) west of Lusaka, the park covers an area of 8,650 square miles (22,400 square km) and consists of a vast and gently undulating plateau, situated along the middle reaches of the Kafue River and its two tributaries, the Lufupa and the Lunga. The vegetation is lush and green, varying from mixed forest, thicket, woodland, and grass in the south to broad alluvial grassland and patches of evergreen forests in the north. Perennial swamps in the northwest drain into the Lufupa River via the Busanga floodplains. The park’s wildlife includes hippopotamus, buffalo, zebra, elephant, black rhinoceros, lion, sable, oribi, kudu, impala, roan antelope, eland, lechwe, gnu, sitatunga, duiker, and crocodile. There are numerous bird species, including openbill, saddlebill, wattled crane, crested crane, jucana, cormorant, Ross’s lourie, Boehm’s bee eater, black barbed barbet, fish eagle, marabou stork, and vulture. There are camps at Ngoma, Kalala, Nanzhila, Chunga, Kafwala, Lufupa, Moshi, and Ntemwa; safaris are conducted on foot.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Amy Tikkanen.