What it is
About 22,400 km2 west of Lusaka, with a fraction of the Luangwa's visitors. Miombo woodland in the south around the Kafue River and Lake Itezhi-Tezhi. In the far north, the Busanga Plains, a seasonal floodplain that dries out into open grass.
Why go
Busanga in September is one of the most striking sights in the region: flat golden grassland, red lechwe in hundreds, and lion hunting across it in the open. The southern section is better for boating and fishing and for going a whole day without seeing another vehicle.
When to go
Busanga is only reachable once the floodwater has drained, roughly July to the end of October, and the camps there open and close on that schedule. The southern Kafue works from about May to November. Access in the rains is difficult and most of the park shuts. It is a long drive from Lusaka and most visitors fly.
Most people stay 3 nights.