Regions in Zambia

Victoria Falls is known as Mosi-oa-Tunya or ‘the smoke that thunders’ and we can’t come up with a more accurate description. This is Africa’s adrenaline capital, with knockout white-water rafting, bungee jumping and micro light flights. For a more sedate couple of days, you can take delightful boat trips along the river or hover above the falls in a helicopter and behold it in all its glory.

The sheer scale of the Luangwa Valley puts it firmly amongst Africa’s greatest game viewing destinations. Yet unlike its better known cousins elsewhere on the continent, Luangwa is curiously little-visited. With the Luangwa River as its lifeblood, the valley is divided by North and South Luangwa National Parks, where you’ll see crocs, pods of hippos and brightly-coloured bee-eaters nesting in the banks.

There’s nothing so delightful as messing about on rivers, and the Zambezi is one of Africa’s most impressive.  Lurking in the waters are crocs and hippos, along with snorkelling elephants and plenty of birds for twitchers. Drifting along the Lower Zambezi is an absolute pleasure, whether it’s on a boat safari, canoe, or on a fishing trip.

The country’s biggest park, Kafue National Pak is a vast, watery wilderness positioned right in the heart of Western Zambia. The southern sector is thick woodland, with excellent birding along the river and leopards slinking between the trees. Further north, many of the luxury camps are concentrated on the Busanga Plains, only accessible by helicopter.

The hidden corners of Northern Zambia provide some of the country's greatest treats. This isn’t an area for those who want to come to tick off the big five, but more for an unusual, uniquely Zambian experience. At Shiwa Ng'andu, for example, there’s fascinating colonial history, and a slice of unspoilt rural Africa.