Chiawa: Safari Activities and Regional Access

If you are looking for a hotel in Chiawa, two questions can help you get a sense of the destination: Which activities in the wider area interest you, and how can you plan your regional journey? The wider area offers safari and water activities; Chirundu and Chiawa Road are important reference points for route planning. This lets you consider both the types of activities and the course of your journey when planning.

Activities in the wider area

In the wider region around Chiawa, activities on offer include game drives, walking safaris, canoeing, boat trips and fishing. The low-water season lasts from August to December. The selection brings together a range of activity options. If you are mainly considering water activities, you can use the low-water season as a seasonal reference point when planning your travel dates.

Chiawa Camp offers its guests game drives, wildlife walks, canoeing, boating and fishing with guides. These are guided activities for camp guests and are therefore tied to the camp.

Regional access and route

The Lower Zambezi region is accessible via the border town of Chirundu. Chirundu is 143 kilometres south of Lusaka; the drive takes about two and a half hours. The distance indicates the geographical separation, while the approximate driving time gives an idea of how long it takes to reach Chirundu. The two figures therefore answer different questions for journey planning. The approximate duration is a guide for the section to Chirundu, not a minute-by-minute schedule. When planning your day, you can therefore consider this driving section separately from the onward route via Chiawa Road.

From Chirundu, Chiawa Road runs east across the Kafue Bridge into the Chiawa Game Management Area and then into Lower Zambezi National Park. Chirundu and the Kafue Bridge are two distinct reference points for orientation: the border town is the gateway to the Lower Zambezi region, while the bridge lies on the eastbound route into the Game Management Area and onward to the park.

Lusaka as an additional regional reference

Lower Zambezi National Park is in Lusaka Province and covers 4,092 km². Lusaka National Park opened to the public in June 2015. On August 8, 2022, the Wildlife Discovery Centre opened there. It was established through a partnership between Game Rangers International and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, and became the new home of the elephants that had previously been cared for at the Lilayi Elephant Nursery.

Another cultural reference in the Lusaka region is Chakwela Makumbi, a traditional ceremony of the Soli-speaking community under Chieftainess Mukamambo Nkomesha. It takes place in Chongwe District.

Discover more destinations: Majuaneti, Mulamba, Kafue, Chaledzela, Lusaka, Chalimbana, Chipanama, Chilanga

Go to the main travel overview: Lusaka.