Zambia is often referred to as “real Africa” and one of the main reasons for this is that it is home to the walking safari and it really excels at giving a very close to nature experience whether it’s based in a rustic bush camp or under canvas, mostly with an outdoor bathroom. I was lucky enough to spend time working for the best walking guide/operator in the South Luangwa National Park so it was a wonderful place to really cut my teeth on life in the bush. In addition to the more rustic camps there also some very luxurious camps and lodges with sleep out beds on the roof and the odd swimming pool…. but really what Zambia excels at is the more rustic and intimate, yet quality, bush camps with a range of 4-8 rooms (sometimes reeded/thatched, sometimes tented). 

And if you really love to get out of a vehicle in wilderness areas then a few days on a mobile walking safari is just the ticket to switch off from the daily stresses of life and get back to basics, albeit with top notch service, food and guiding; with your whole camp moving every night or two as you move through the bush by foot, you will be amazed at what your crew will serve up for your three course dinner out of an oven which is no more than a hole in the ground. Picking the right guide is absolutely key here and there are some fantastic ones in Zambia who have grown up walking in the bush and are finely tuned to deal with any situation you might stumble into.

It's not all about walking though and of course you can do game drives at most of the camps and, in addition to these activities, in the Lower Zambezi you can test your nerves by canoeing along the mighty Zambezi River amongst the hippos and crocodiles or have a go at some fishing for Tiger Fish while you enjoy a beautiful sundowner and sunset out on the river.

There are some other slightly more niche safari gems in Zambia - Kafue National Park is the largest park in Zambia and the only place to see cheetah there, the Bengwelu Swamps are a magnet for those seeking the Shoebill Stork, the Liuwa Plains for pure unadulterated wilderness, and Kasanka National Park is home to the world’s largest mammal migration – eight million fruit bats arrive from the Congo to feed on the wild Masuku fruits there!

However, the Livingstone area, by Victoria Falls, is a really great fun part of any Zambia itinerary and makes for the perfect place to relax in nature in one of the lovely lodges along the Upper Zambezi river. It works well at the beginning, to ease your way gently into the African bush, or at the end of your safari before you head home and back to reality. If you have a head for heights, we would highly recommend a dip in the Devils Pool at the edge of the Falls.

Being landlocked, if you are looking for a beach add-on, it’s easy to fly into Malawi next door for some relaxation on the lake shores there or you could fly to Mozambique but this does require a night in Johannesburg in the middle.