What To Expect

We Take Care of the Details

From providing accommodation options based on your budget, to recommendations on pre- or post-safari travels, assisting you with booking regional air, and meeting you at the airport when you arrive: Boundless Journeys can help you with each step in planning your custom safari. We will seamlessly guide you, so that you can simply relax and enjoy the adventure of a lifetime in Zambia.

The Safari Experience

A variety of activities can be included on our custom Zambia safaris, but the primary activity is often game driving. The wildlife is typically most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon (these times also provide the best light for photography), and therefore we plan our activities accordingly.

Typically, one of the camp staff will knock at your tent door early in the morning, and the group will gather for a quick, light breakfast and coffee or tea before departing camp as the sun rises. We proceed slowly, and even when animals are not present, the landscape and sounds of the bush are entrancing. We spend a few hours exploring and observing animals at watering holes or on the move from one region to another.

As we come upon groups of animals, we allow plenty of time to simply observe and also take photographs. Zambia safari guides are experienced naturalists and will add greatly to your understanding of the animals. We keep a respectful distance - although the same cannot always be said about the animals, and it is not unusual to come nose-to-vehicle with baboons, zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, and elephants. By mid-late morning, we usually return to camp where a delicious midday meal awaits.

In the afternoon, there is usually a few hours of down time, enjoying the amenities of camp, resting, birdwatching, taking photos, or perhaps reading about the region you are visiting. By mid-afternoon, we gather for hors d'oeuvres and drinks before heading out for the afternoon activity. Some days this will be another game drive, or it may be possible to explore the area on foot in the company of our guide and a ranger. We then make our way back to camp, sometimes driving with a spotlight to look for nocturnal animals.

In the evenings, dinner is enjoyed as a group, and will vary from seated meals ordered from the daily menu, to dining in the camp boma (a traditional protected outdoor dining area). Each camp is different, some serving meals at seperate tables, while others serve meals family-style.

Weather

The winter months of May to September are warm during the day and pleasantly cool at night. There is very little rain at this time of year. The summer months are warmer, and midday can be hot (in the mid 90's, particularly in the hottest month of October). Rain falls from November to April, with considerable amounts falling during the months of December, January, and February. Some camps close during the summer months of January-April.

You may obtain other regional weather information at www.weatherbase.com.

When to Go

The national parks and private reserves in Zambia are best for wildlife viewing during the traditional safari-going months of July to October. A visit to the Zambian side of Victoria Falls (Livingstone) is best during the high-flow months of February to May, but due to its proximity to the prime safari areas in Botswana, an overnight or two in Livingstone to see the falls and have a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River is a worthwhile add-on at any time of year.

In terms of wildlife viewing, many agree the following are the best times to go to specific regions:

South Luangwa National Park: May - November; July - October for peak game viewing
Lower Zambezi National Park: June - October; July - October for peak game viewing
Kafue National Park: July - December; August - November for peak game viewing

Cuisine

In the camps, the food is healthy, varied, and delicious, a feat when considering the logistics involved in servicing these remote areas with fresh fruits, vegetables, baked goods, and meats. To accommodate our morning and late afternoon activity schedule, several small meals and a few large ones are served daily. The pre-game drive early breakfast typically includes porridge, cereals, yogurt, fruit, coffee and tea; brunch includes typical breakfast fare accompanied by more savory items like sausage tarts, spring rolls, light lasagnas, and other eclectic choices; afternoon tea offers cakes, cookies, and savory items; "sundowners" are light appetizers and cocktails often taken at a scenic spot in the bush; and finally, dinner, ordered from a menu with two or three daily choices. Beef, pork, and chicken are the basis of most main dishes, with occasional opportunities to try indigenous meats like farm-raised springbok.

Vegetarians can be accommodated with advance notice, though choices tend to be more limited.