Lavushi Manda National Park National park

History and size of the park
Lavushi Manda National Park, situated in the Mpika District was declared a National Park in 1972. Covering an area of 1,500 square kilometres, it is easily reached from the Great North Road. This game park lies south-east of the Bangweulu Swamps and to the west of the Great North Road between Serenje and Mpika. The north of the land slopes away and the park's streams all drain into the Lulimala, Lukulu or Lumbatwa Rivers and then ultimately into the Bangweulu Basin.

Ecology
The outstanding features include Kanyanga Falls, the Rocky Mountain and lake. Miombo woodland covers most of the Lavushi Manda National Park. There are areas of Riparian forest nearer the larger streams and dambos. There is only one great river, the Lukulu that crosses the park in a wide curve from north to south. In the hills, there are numerous plants of the Euphorbiaceae family and aloe, while palm trees grow in the canyons.

Wildlife
Like many other national parks in Zambia the wildlife here has reduced significantly over the years as a result of poaching and lack of investment. However, the Lavushi Manda National Park is still home to the elephant, lion, buffalo, sable, roan and other antelopes. A growing number of mammals that have been reported though few of these are sighted often.

Birdlife
The park hosts large populations of biome-restricted bird species - birds that are so highly adapted to a particular area that they cannot survive anywhere else. As a result this national park is of major importance for African migrants and has an Important Bird Area status.

Activities
Though Zambia is not very famous for hiking, Lavushi Manda National Park has ample scope for you to experience bush walking over the rolling landscape. Here you can explore the animal kingdom on foot as a dedicated hiker though it is advisable to do this with a knowledgable guide. Driving through the park makes an interesting experience. It is a convenient route into the Bangweulu Game Management Area.

Where to stay
There are no developed lodges, camps or campsites in Lavushi Manda. You'll need all your food, water and equipment. If you are planning on venturing off the main road, then  arrange for one of the scouts from the park gate to accompany you.

Getting there
There are various directions from which th is game park can be accessed.

• If you are coming from the east, then turn to the Lavushi Manda from the Mpika-Serenje road. It is about 60 kilometres from Mpika. The turning to Lavushi Manda from the main Mpika–Serenje road is about 141 kilometres north east of the turning to Mansa and Kasanka. There is another road across the TAZARA railway line, which enters the park after 12 kilometres via a scout post.
• From the west the best track runs east from the Chiundaponda passing by a turn off to Bangweulu. After travelling about 20 kilometres from there you will reach the Lavushi Manda at the Lutimwe Scout Post, which is above the crossing of the Lutimwe River. It is a little more than 10 kilometres from the strong concrete bridge over the Lukulu River.
• It is advisable to take a knowledgeable scout and to carry all the necessary items. Driving even in the dry season is a challenge with big muddy gullies and areas where the road has just been washed away. In the wet season some areas may be completely impassable.

The importance of development and conservation of Lavushi Manda
It is reported that Lavushi Manda National Park is possibly where black rhino were last observed in Zambia in the late 1980s, suggesting the park's habitat would still be suitable for the reintroduction of the species. Lavushi Manda unique landcapes including vast stretches of pristine hills, miombo woodlands, dambos, wet grasslands and forests along the Lukulu and Lulimala rivers. The forty kilometre long dramatic and elevated rocks called Lavushi Manda also need protecting. These landscapes are an upland wildlife refuge for some of the hoofed mammals of the Bangweulu in the wet season (such as the roan, sable and hartebeest). Although largely depleted, recent visits show there is still an excellent variety of large mammals present in small numbers.

The Lavushi Manda National Park and near by Kasanka National Park contain important biodiversity within a key ecosystem of interlinking protected areas. These areas are currently neglected and increasingly under threat by encroachment and illegal resource harvesting. Together with the adjacent Bangweulu wetlands including the new Chikuni Community Partnership Park it offers a prime location for conserving the biodiversity of the significant Central Zambezian Miombo Woodland which is currently under-represented in Zambian National Parks. Here lies an opportunity for investment, community involvement and development and wildlife management that will encourage visitors looking for a uniqe Zambian experience.