Lower Zambezi National Park map
An interactive map, coordinates for the gates and airstrips, and how to navigate a valley where the mainstream mapping app does not know the tracks and there is no signal between Chirundu and the park.
Interactive map of Lower Zambezi National Park
Skip the map and go to the list of placesLoading the map…
Lodges without a confirmed location are not on the map yet: Tusk & Mane Kutali Camp, Tusk & Mane Chula Island Camp and Tusk & Mane Tafara Springs.
Everything on the map
Lodges and camps 24
- AmanziTop-end · Exclusive-use, rates on application
- AnabeziTop-end · From about $1,425 pppn
- Baines' River CampMid-range · Packages from $1,995 for four nights
- Breezes River LodgeBudget · From about ZMW700 per tent for two
- Chiawa Camp (location approximate)Top-end · From $1,510 pppn
- Gwabi River LodgeBudget · Rates on request, budget to mid
- Kanyemba Island Bush CampMid-range · Rates on request
- Kanyemba LodgeMid-range · About $220 to $300 pppn full board
- Kayila LodgeMid-range · From about $200 pppn on local specials
- Kiambi Safari LodgeMid-range · Rates on request; camping bookable online
- Kingfisher Lodge Lower Zambezi (location approximate)Budget · Self-catering, rates on request
- LolebeziHigh-end · From about $525 pppn
- Muchichili Safari House (location approximate)Budget · About K7,300 to K9,150 per day for the house
- Mvuu LodgeMid-range · From $465 pppn full board plus
- Old MondoroTop-end · From $1,510 pppn
- Potato Bush Camp (location approximate)High-end · From $975 pppn
- Redcliff Zambezi LodgeMid-range · Rates on request
- Royal Zambezi LodgeHigh-end · From $675 pppn
- Sausage Tree CampTop-end · From $1,200 pppn
- Time + Tide Chongwe CampHigh-end · From $810 pppn
- Time + Tide Chongwe HouseTop-end · From $900 pppn
- Time + Tide Chongwe Suites (location approximate)Top-end · From $950 pppn
- Wildtracks LodgeBudget · Closed, no rates
- Zambezi GrandeHigh-end · From about $800 pppn
Campsites and park camps 16
- Chessa CampCampsite · outside the park
- Chinyunyu CampsiteCampsite · outside the park
- Chitembe Bush LodgeCampsite · outside the park
- Dave & Tess CampCampsite · outside the park
- Gwabi LodgeCampsite · outside the park
- Luangwa Bridge CampCampsite · outside the park
- Masau Fishing CampCampsite · outside the park
- Mupembere CampCampsite · outside the park
- Nkupe CampCampsite · outside the park
- Nyakasanga Fishing campCampsite · outside the park
- Nyamepi Camping SiteCampsite · outside the park
- RukuruCampsite · outside the park
- Tamarind CampCampsite · outside the park
- Trichilia CampCampsite · outside the park
- Woods CampCampsite · outside the park
- Zambezi BreezersCampsite · outside the park
Pans and waterholes 101
- Baboon SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Baboon SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Bakore Mbava SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Big Cave SeepPan · spring · outside the park
- Booster SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Buff PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Buffalo PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Buffalo SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Buffalo SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Candleabra SpringPan · spring · outside the park
Show the other 91 pans and waterholes
- Cell Tower SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Centre PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Charlies SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Chechuru PanPan · outside the park
- Chematuri SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Chibende SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Chibika SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Chico SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Chifungula Channel
- Chimukutu SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Chinamatuchi SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Chine PoolPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Chinyunyu Hot SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Chitope SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Dagga Boy SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Dambara PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Dande PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Elephant Tusk SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Gatu SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Gavunde SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Gwededze SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Hippo PoolPan · outside the park
- Hot Spring 1Pan · spring · outside the park
- Hot Spring 2Pan · spring · outside the park
- Hot Spring 4Pan · spring · outside the park
- Jesse PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Jesse PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Jesse Pan 2Pan · seasonal · outside the park
- Jons PanPan · outside the park
- Kalisho SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Kamba SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Kamingera SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Kanga PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Kanyairaira HolePan · spring · outside the park
- Kanyezva SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Katendere SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Katuwa PanPan · outside the park
- Kauroko Salt PanPan · outside the park
- Kaveve SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Kawanuka SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Komoto PoolPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Kudu PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Kudu SeepPan · spring · outside the park
- Leonards SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Long PoolPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Lungfish PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Madzia PanPan · outside the park
- Madzia PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Magawa PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Mahogany SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Mahogany SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Manderegera SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Maneza SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Manjoe PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Marech SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Matemb PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Matendere SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Matewa SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Mauzwe PanPan · outside the park
- Mawela SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Mhofu PanPan · outside the park
- Mikes SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Mombererere PansPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Moz PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Msaba PanPan · outside the park
- Munroe PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Munyemu PoolPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Munyemu PoolPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Mutinu SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Muvundura PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Naissin Ele SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Nuamachirenti PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Nyahira PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Nyakowa SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Nyakwashu SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Nyala Berry PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Nyamacharara PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Nyamucho SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Nyamunta SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Nyautungu PoolPan · outside the park
- Pan DandePan · seasonal · outside the park
- Rowa Pan and SpringPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Sable PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Salt SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Samrhive SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Sangao Sango SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Small SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Terita PanPan · seasonal · outside the park
- Tunsa Hot SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Urera BB SpringPan · spring · outside the park
- Utsiwats SpringPan · spring · outside the park
Rivers and springs 41
- Angwa RiverRiver · outside the park
- Chakwenga
- Chavara RiverRiver · outside the park
- Chewore RiverRiver · outside the park
- Chico RiverRiver · outside the park
- Chigusa RiverRiver · outside the park
- ChongweRiver · outside the park
- Chowe
- Kachowe RiverRiver · outside the park
- KafueRiver · outside the park
Show the other 31 rivers and springs
- KapambaRiver · outside the park
- Lesser ChongweRiver · outside the park
- LuangwaRiver · outside the park
- LusangashiRiver · outside the park
- Mahonde RiverRiver · outside the park
- Manyemu RiverRiver · outside the park
- Manzantanda RiverRiver · outside the park
- Marongora RiverRiver · outside the park
- Mkanga RiverRiver · outside the park
- Mongwe RiverRiver · outside the park
- Mucheche RiverRiver · outside the park
- MuchindaRiver · outside the park
- MunyanyaRiver · outside the park
- Munyemu RiverRiver · outside the park
- Murowa RiverRiver · outside the park
- Mushika
- Mwambashi
- MwanjaRiver · outside the park
- Mwanzamtanda RiverRiver · outside the park
- Nyakasanga RiverRiver · outside the park
- NyamangweRiver · outside the park
- Nyambiri RiverRiver · outside the park
- RimponjeRiver · outside the park
- Rufunsa
- Rukometche RiverRiver · outside the park
- Ruyese RiverRiver · outside the park
- Sapi RiverRiver · outside the park
- Sinjiri RiverRiver · outside the park
- Tunsa RiverRiver · outside the park
- Urira RiverRiver · outside the park
- Zambezi
Viewpoints 9
- Chirundu Crocodile FarmViewpoint · outside the park
- Kanga PanViewpoint · outside the park
- Longhole viewing pointViewpoint · outside the park
- Mana MouthViewpoint · outside the park
- Old Ndungu CampViewpoint · outside the park
- Trichilia IslandViewpoint · outside the park
- Vundu PointViewpoint · outside the park
- Plus 2 without a name in OpenStreetMap
Gates 3
- Chiawa Game Management Area GateGate · outside the park
- Chongwe GateThe main western entrance and DNPW ranger post, reached through the Chiawa game management area
- Chongwe River Camp gateGate · outside the park
Airstrips 11
- Chirundu Air StripAirstrip · FVCD
- Dandawa Airstrip
- Jeki AirstripThe airstrip inside the park, about 35 minutes from Lusaka by light aircraft
- Kulefu Airstrip
- Kuperinengu Airstrip
- Luangwa Airport
- Mana Pools Airfield
- Mwanja AirstripAirstrip · ground
- PWMA Red Cliffs Fly Camp
- Royal AirstripThe Chiawa game management area strip, serving Royal Zambezi, Zambezi Grande, Baines' and the Chongwe properties
Show the other 1 airstrips
- Rukomeche Airstrip
Towns 12
- ChiawaVillage
- ChitopeVillage
- KavalamanjaVillage
- Luangwa
- MezunguzaVillage
- MinuroVillage
- MuguramenoVillage
- MulalikaVillage
- Rufunsa
- ShingelaVillage
Show the other 2 towns
- UnyanyaVillage
- Zumbo
Ranger posts 6
- Chiawa Gate
- Conservation Lower Zambezi (CLZ)
- Lower Zambezi National Park - Chongwe Gate Office
- Lower Zambezi National Park - Zambezi Checkpoint
- Mana Pools Headquarters
- PWMA Chirundu Office
Fuel 2
- Endrone
- Plus 1 without a name in OpenStreetMap
Clinics 5
- Chiawa Rural Health Clinic
- Mana Pools Clinic
- Mariga
- Proposed hospital site
- Sacred Heart HospitalHospital
Download the official park map
DNPW publishes no downloadable Lower Zambezi map, and the department's own web pages have been unreachable for some time. The practical references are Conservation Lower Zambezi, which works across the park and the surrounding game management areas, the commercial Tracks4Africa mapping for self-drivers, and whatever sketch map you are handed at the gate.
Key coordinates
Save these before you go. Mobile coverage inside the park is patchy at best, and a set of waypoints in an offline app will get you out of trouble faster than anything else.
| Place | What it is | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Chongwe Gate | The main western entrance and DNPW ranger post, reached through the Chiawa game management area | -15.70157, 29.33417 |
| Jeki airstrip | The airstrip inside the park, about 35 minutes from Lusaka by light aircraft | -15.63348, 29.60351 |
| Royal airstrip | The Chiawa game management area strip, serving Royal Zambezi, Zambezi Grande, Baines' and the Chongwe properties | -15.72498, 29.30328 |
| Chiawa village | The community the game management area is named after, on the road down the valley | -15.88929, 29.04202 |
| Chirundu | One-stop border post with Zimbabwe, the last fuel and the boat embarkation point | -16.0320, 28.8515 |
| Lusaka | Where the road and the flights start, about 216 km and a minimum five hours by road | -15.4163, 28.2818 |
Navigating the valley
- Download offline maps before you leave Lusaka. Google Maps does not have the track through the Chiawa game management area; Maps.me does, and Tracks4Africa is the paid standard for self-drivers.
- Expect no mobile coverage between Chirundu and the park except in villages. Tell someone your route before you go.
- The Chiawa bridge over the Kafue River, just past Gwabi River Lodge, is the fixed point on the road route. It replaced the old pontoon in 2015. Everything downstream of it is dirt.
- Work backwards from the 18:00 permit expiry. The track is slow, and a self-drive permit does not let you be out after dark.
- There are no paved roads inside the park and 4x4 is required. Carry an axe and a shovel: fallen trees on the Chongwe road are routine.
- Coordinates above are drawn from open mapping data. Confirm gate positions locally, because the eastern Chavululu Gate opened only in 2022 and is thinly documented.
The boundary that decides your bill
The park's western boundary runs near the Chongwe River, and everything upstream of it is the Chiawa game management area. That line, not the riverbank, is what determines whether you pay a national park entry fee: a stay in the game management area carries none unless you cross into the park.
Plenty of maps and guides blur this, and it is worth being precise about, because it can be the difference between paying nothing and paying $85 to $120 per person per night.
The gates
Chongwe Gate on the western boundary is the main entrance and the one virtually every self-driver uses. Mukamba Gate in the north comes off the Great East Road, with camping reported around 20 kilometres from the highway, though details on it are thin. Chavululu Gate was built on the eastern boundary in 2022 by Conservation Lower Zambezi.
Official gate hours are not published anywhere we could find. The statutory permit day of 06:00 to 18:00 strongly implies the gates work those hours, and no source states whether cards are accepted, so bring cash.