Luxury Zambia holidays

The capital city of Zambia sitting right at its heart, all roads here lead to Lusaka. One of the fastest growing cities in central Africa, it’s the common ground of any journey by road or air across this vast and varied country.

Pioneering feet paved the way here in the birthplace of African walking safaris. Scored by an orchestra of birdsong, spotting a big cat is most likely in this Valley of the Leopard – a highlight for many travellers on Zambia holidays – its concentration of wildlife rivalling the densest on the continent.  

Home to the largest array of species in any of the nation’s National Parks, this giant stretches out over both land and longevity as the oldest and largest on the list. The cryptic Cheetah is most prevalent here, hidden while four of the Big Five wander freely, now protected from previous threats of poaching.

Once the private game reserve of Zambia’s president, game drives are accompanied by walking and river safaris between the Zambezi River in the South and Escarpment to the North. An abundance of water attracts the likes of lions, buffalo and elephants, while the proximity of the UNESCO World Heritage Mana Pools keeps wildlife close by.

Locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya or ‘The Smoke That Thunders’, her presence needs no introduction. The seventh natural wonder of the world mightily marks the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, with Devil’s Pool perching precariously at the precipice for a particularly hair-raising photo opportunity.

You’ve never felt as remote as in Botswana, with its placid lagoons, eco-diverse island game reserve and the lunar-like salt flats of Makadikadi Basin.

Bright red shukas, the savannah’s most notable characters, and a landscape of flat plains that billow into hills, Kenya is archetypal Africa.

Unspoilt and uncrowded, Madagascar is the land of the ‘blue safari’ – where snorkelling, diving and sailing in the warm turquoise waters is only paused for a bit of lemur spotting.

Arabia’s mystical allure and Africa’s vibrancy converge in Morocco, refusing to give in to Western ways and instead delivering a splendid culture contrast that’s sure to stay rooted in traveller’s minds forever.  

A country still with some growing to do, these lesser-trodden coastlines that often act as an add-on to a South African safari are a rare find of authenticity-meets-blissfully-beachy break.

Ethereal expanses of dunes merge into wild, coastal wilderness in this sun-baked land, casting the spooky spell of the sands that’s all too exciting and easy to succumb to.

Untamed and mysterious, the sulky rainforests of Rwanda are a wildlife wonderland, where golden monkeys peak out from behind dense leaves, bushbuck scarper at the slightest of sounds and gorillas take over the mountains.

The ‘Rainbow Nation’ that earnt her stripes in a cacophony of languages, three buzzing cities, and everything from safaris to Winelands in-between; it’s not just a colourful diversity, but the sheer joy for surprises that keeps familiar feet coming back for more.

Tanzania is a Great Migration, the volcanic peaks watching over herds as they cross vast plains and indented craters, eyed intensely by the climbing lions from their treetop perches; but this book holds more than just its front cover.

The archipelago of Zanzibar is somewhat of a wildcard, but with its bohemian vibe, mellow pace and decidedly quieter yet still sugar-white sands, it gives the Maldives a run for its money.

Bringing off-the-beaten-track safari experiences that’re just as active as its dramatic Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe is no stranger to a thrilling escapade.