The Most Memorable Journeys Are Shaped by Thoughtful Choices
I arrived in Lusaka early enough to head straight to the National Museum, which I highly recommend. They have an excellent exhibit on the beginnings of mankind and the history of Zambia, and it was a fascinating introduction to the country before heading out on safari. From there, I checked into Latitude 15, a beautiful little luxury boutique hotel filled with fabulous African art, textiles, and décor from across the continent. I loved wandering through the different spaces and discovering something interesting around almost every corner. Although I was only there for one night, it immediately struck me as exactly how I want my guests to feel when arriving in Africa after a long international flight: comfortable, relaxed, surrounded by beautiful African design, and already feeling a sense of place. Sometimes the smallest choices at the beginning of a journey help set the tone for everything that follows.
The Most Surprising
While I visited Livingstone and Victoria Falls twenty-one years ago, this is really my first deep dive into Zambia. It has been on my list for quite some time, and I always want to experience a destination myself before bringing guests.
What has surprised me most is that Zambia has only national parks; no private conservancies like those across the continent. Yet many of the freedoms I value in a conservancy still exist here. The parks remain open until 8 PM, allowing afternoon game drives to extend well beyond sunset and giving us the opportunity for twilight photography every night, which is amazing. Zambia is also the birthplace of the walking safari, and walking is permitted throughout its national parks, opening another completely different way to experience the landscape and wildlife.
While true off-road driving is not permitted, the experience on the ground is far less restrictive than I expected. You may find the tires slipping off the track and into the bush as you follow a leopard, giving you considerably more flexibility than the words “national park” might initially suggest. For me, that freedom to stay out later, work with the fading light, and experience the bush beyond the vehicle has been one of the most exciting discoveries so far.
A Different Rhythm
A safari in Zambia moves to a different rhythm and should never be compared with East Africa or Botswana. Here, the expression “going to the bush” still carries the romance of an earlier era, reminiscent of Ernest Hemingway and the classic African safari. Most of the camps have retained the traditional safari décor and ambiance. Many companies still use Land Rovers, and game drives unfold at a slower pace. There is no Ferrari safari, racing from one sighting to the next, checking boxes. Many companies still use Land Rovers, and game drives unfold at a slower pace. There is no Ferrari safari, racing from one sighting to the next. Wildlife presents itself on its own terms, and you learn to settle into the landscape, enjoy the journey, and see what unfolds. Yet somehow, just when you begin to wonder what might be around the next bend, something special always seems to appear.
Colors and Backgrounds
One of the things I am loving about Zambia is how beautifully the colors and textures of the wildlife blend into the landscape. The bush can be thick and backgrounds busy, but rather than fighting it, I find myself using it creatively. A fast 2.8 lens softens the vegetation beautifully, turning those layers of branches, grasses, and earthy tones into rich backgrounds that give the images a wonderful sense of place. Even in challenging light, there are photographs everywhere if you begin looking beyond the obvious.
Land of the Leopards
I had seen the images and heard the stories about Zambia’s leopards, but nothing quite prepared me for just how often they would appear. It began to feel as though there was a leopard waiting around every corner, or suddenly dropping from a tree above us. One afternoon alone brought three completely different encounters: a shy leopard disappearing quietly into the bush, a magnificent male leaping into a tree to reach his kill, and a curious young female who caught the scent and came in to investigate. Each game drive seemed to bring another surprise, and after a while, I stopped wondering if we would see a leopard and started wondering what the next encounter might bring.
A Little of the Africa I Remember
What I loved most about Zambia was the nostalgia. There were moments that took me back to my earliest journeys across Africa, when safaris felt slower, simpler, and somehow more connected to the bush. Long stretches without another vehicle, old Land Rovers, unhurried game drives, and wildlife revealing itself on its own terms brought back a feeling I had almost forgotten.
Perhaps that is what I appreciated most. In a world that seems to become faster and more chaotic every year, Zambia offered something increasingly precious: space, stillness, and time to simply be in the wild. I came here to explore a country that had been on my list for years, but I found myself reconnecting with a feeling that first drew me to Africa more than two decades ago. And that may have been the greatest surprise of all.
