Located on the Angolan border, west of the Zambezi River, lies the expansive plain known as Liuwa. Not many people have visited this area because it is very difficult to get to.
Renowned safari guide Robin Pope led trips here in the 1990s and has resumed his work in the region recently. This is a rare chance to visit this remote national park that isn’t often visited. The four- or five-night safaris begin with a charter flight from Lusaka that takes more than two hours to reach Kalabo. After driving for about two hours onto the plain and to camp, you will be greeted by Robin and his crew. Approximately 30,000 blue wildebeest, as well as herds of zebra, red lechwe, oribi, steinbuck, and other animals, live on the plain.
The hyena is the main predator, with wild dogs and sporadically cheetahs competing for prey. There is currently a program in place to reintroduce lions, which were once common. The numerous water-filled pans are home to a wide variety of water species, and birdwatching is always a highlight. There are two time periods for expeditions:the start of the rainy season occurs in November and December, when large storms move through. As the wildebeest give birth to their young, migratory birds show up, and everything blooms. However, by the middle of December, the expedition leaves because the flooding has made it unusable. Early May is the earliest possible time to drive back in, when the game is abundant, the pans are full, and birds are everywhere.
