Kafue National Park
🇿🇲 Zambia
🦁 Lion Roars Across Kafue's PlainsKafue National Park is a protected savanna and riverine wilderness situated in the heart of Zambia. Its vast expanse features open grasslands, dense woodland, and permanent river channels that shape the region's diverse ecosystems.
-14.527° S 26.018° E
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Lion
Panthera leo
★ 
Painted Hunting Dog
Lycaon pictus
★ 
Common Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
📊 Most Spotted
Puku
Kobus vardonii
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
African Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
African Bush Elephant
Loxodonta africana
Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia capicola
Nile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
Northern Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Turtur chalcospilos
Common Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
Tropical Boubou
Laniarius major
Hadada
Bostrychia hagedash
African Wattled Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Lion
Panthera leo
★ Painted Hunting Dog
Lycaon pictus
★ Common Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
📊 Most Spotted
Puku
Kobus vardonii
African Bush Elephant
Loxodonta africana
Northern Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
Common Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Kinda Baboon
Papio kindae
Leopard
Panthera pardus
Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Malbrouck Monkey
Chlorocebus cynosuros
Roan Antelope
Hippotragus equinus
Hartebeest
Alcelaphus buselaphus
Greater Kudu
Tragelaphus strepsiceros
📊 Most Spotted
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
African Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia capicola
Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove
Turtur chalcospilos
Tropical Boubou
Laniarius major
Hadada
Bostrychia hagedash
African Wattled Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus
Grey Go-Away-Bird
Corythaixoides concolor
Bateleur
Terathopius ecaudatus
Black-backed Puffback
Dryoscopus cubla
Black-collared Barbet
Lybius torquatus
White-backed Vulture
Gyps africanus
📊 Most Spotted
Nile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
Wahlberg’s Striped Skink
Trachylepis wahlbergii
Nile Monitor
Varanus niloticus
Chobe Dwarf Gecko
Lygodactylus chobiensis
Serrated Hinged Terrapin
Pelusios sinuatus
Flap-necked Chameleon
Chamaeleo dilepis
Olive Whip Snake
Psammophis mossambicus
Common Tiger Snake
Telescopus semiannulatus
Tropical House Gecko
Hemidactylus mabouia
Puff Adder
Bitis arietans
Olive Marsh Snake
Natriciteres olivacea
Fischer's Thick-toed Gecko
Chondrodactylus laevigatus
📊 Most Spotted
Grey Foam-nest Treefrog
Chiromantis xerampelina
African Split-skin Toad
Schismaderma carens
Senegal Kassina
Kassina senegalensis
Kivu Reed Frog
Hyperolius kivuensis
Red-Banded Rubber Frog
Phrynomantis bifasciatus
Anchieta's Ridged Frog
Ptychadena anchietae
Powers Clawed Frog
Xenopus poweri
Bocage's Tree Frog
Leptopelis bocagii
African Common Toad
Sclerophrys gutturalis
Margined Reed Frog
Hyperolius marginatus
Mababe puddle frog
Phrynobatrachus mababiensis
Angolan Reed Frog
Hyperolius parallelus
Recent sightings in Kafue National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Dry Season Floodplain Concentration
Hippos and lechwes gather in dense herds along the Kafue River’s shrinking pools, creating unparalleled wildlife spectacles. The hippo’s grazing maintains open water channels, while lechwes graze on exposed floodplain grasses.
2Peak Predator Activity
Lions and wild dogs dominate the dry-season hunt, preying on concentrated herds of puku, impala, and zebra. Night drives reveal these predators in action, especially near water sources.
3Rains and Amphibian Emergence
Grey foam-nest treefrogs and African split-skin toads erupt in chorus after rains, transforming wetlands into a symphony of sound. Their breeding coincides with the first flush of insect life, attracting bats and birds.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Dry Season Floodplain Concentration
- 2Peak Predator Activity
- 3Rains and Amphibian Emergence
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
But in terms of birding this was only one highlight, we saw many special birds including African Finfoot (multiple times), Red-Throated Twinspot, Black-Backed Barbet, Western Banded Snake Eagle to name a few.
We encountered a breathtaking variety of antelope—kudu, puku, and more—part of the park's vast mosaic of over 150 mammal species.
We had near constant awe-inspiring lion encounters, watching a huge pride of 34 – of which we saw 31 – lounging in the sun, hunting and generally interacting.
We had some of our best sightings of leopards in two days, and saw lions, elephants, puku, and plenty of hippo and croc.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Kafue National Park?
The most likely sightings are Puku (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Common Bulbul (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Common Hippopotamus (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), African Fish-Eagle (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), African Bush Elephant (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 1233 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Kafue National Park for wildlife?
August has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Lion in Kafue National Park?
Yes — about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Kafue National Park, based on 53 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Painted Hunting Dog in Kafue National Park?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Painted Hunting Dog sighting in Kafue National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Common Hippopotamus in Kafue National Park?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Common Hippopotamus sighting in Kafue National Park, based on 70 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
Very goodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
Experience
ExcellentHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
