Enjoy the many Zambia safari activities Leopard Lodge offers. Relax with a sundowner on the deck or on a late afternoon boat cruise on the Kafue River, watching the bird life going about its business, with fish eagles swooping down to retrieve their dinner. As you might expect, activities focus on fishing, boat cruises, bird watching and game viewing – on foot (the famous Zambian walking safari) or by vehicle, including night drives. Canoeing and rafting can be a lot of fun and is highly recommended. Some four Kilometres from the camp there are some natural hot springs, while the hill behind affords views over the surrounding area.
With all the safari activities, drinks are served at strategic points along the way. For details of the accommodation, see the Leopard Lodge safari accommodation.
Kafue River and Lunga River activities
Fishing for bream, pike, catfish and barbell (to mention a few) on the Kafue and Lunga rivers is therauputic and peaceful – until the 'big one' bites! It is a tradition at Leopard Lodge for fishermen to attempt to catch all five of the different bream species. The lodge has fishing tackle, rods, boats and bait available. The waters of the Kafue River are home to large numbers of hippopotamus and crocodile. Boat cruises, including sunset cruises and day-long boat cruises are all available. There is a bar on board the boat for the short boat cruises, including the sunset cruise. For safety reasons, children have to be over six for the game drives, and over 12 for the walking safaris.
Game viewing
Vast herds of antelope roam the plains and woodlands – red lechwe, the ubiquitous puku, the stately sable and roan antelopes, waterbuck, tsessebe and hartebeest, as well as oribi and duiker. Large prides of lion, solitary leopards and cheetah are the prime predators. Smaller predator groups include jackal, civet, genet and various mongeese. Other species found in the park include yellow-backed duiker, common duiker, kudu, grysbok, warthog, bushpig, serval, hyena, jackal, baboon, vervet monkey, porcupine, wild dog, pangolin zebra and buffalo.
Bird watching
The bird watching opportunities are superb, especially on the rivers and dambos. Over 400 species of birds have been recorded throughout the park. Notable species include the wattled crane, purple crested loerie and Pel's fishing owl. For many people visiting the Busanga Plains, the birdlife is certainly an attraction, with five species of rollers, six bee-eaters, nine kingfishers and 14 types of egrets and herons. There are also the crowned cranes, Fulleborn's and Rosy-throated Longclaws, the Lanner Falcon and large flocks of open-billed and yellow-billed storks.
Accessibility and seasons
Many of the park's internal roads are inaccessible between November and April. But Leopard Lodge is open throughout the year – you can reach the lodge with a 'normal' 4 x 2 vehicle all year round! The main tourist season in Zambia is from 15 May to 20 November, and game is best sighted in the second half of the dry season – from August to November. But Kafue National Park is at its most beautiful after the rains in the first half of the year. So if you want to focus on game-viewing, visit Leopard Lodge between August and October. If you want to see the scenery at its most beautiful, visit between March and May.Leopard Lodge, Zambia – information
- Open all year round
- Natural hot springs
- Lots of fishing on the Kafue River
- Kafue River boat cruises
- Many antelope and other game
- Superb bird-watching opportunities
- Maximum group size of 14
