Bangweulu Wetlands Overview
Given the name Bangweulu, meaning “where the water meets the sky”, this community-owned protected wetland lies in north-eastern Zambia, spanning an estimated 6000 square kilometers, and is one of the most extraordinary wetlands in Africa. The area is a Game Management Area, where the land belongs to the local communities who live within it, and have rights to fish and harvest resources from it. It an environment where wildlife and communities are inextricably dependent on one another for survival and a good example of how biodiversity can deliver socio-economic benefits to rural communities. The vast stretches of seasonally flooded grasslands are scattered with huge virgin Miombo woodlands, whilst the swamp areas are dominated by extensive Papyrus and Phragmite reeds which create the lush wetland landscape.
The expansive wetland area makes it very seasonal and an ‘off the beaten track’ destination but an absolute birders paradise, with the star attraction being the rare, prehistoric looking shoebill stork and the rare black lechwe antelope, both endemic to this area. Accommodation options are limited and include an exclusive safari camp, self-catering camps, campsites and home stay options (these need to be booked through an operator).
When To Travel
Being in the tropics Bangweulu has a temperate climate with a wet and dry season.
During the wet season, from February to April, the park comes alive with birdlife and becomes a birdwatcher’s paradise. As the plains are wet, sightings can be done by boat, while a number of walks are also available. Please note that Nsobe campsite is closed at this time because of high water levels.
From May to July, the plains are drier and the weather is much cooler. This is the perfect time to see lechwe and shoebills while walking and driving in the park. Nsobe campsite is open at this time, and opportunities for boating are dependent on the water level.
From August to December is the real dry season, and during this period the conditions are ideal for game drives and camping. The dry season is also the best time to see shoebill nests.
Just a short flight from the Luangwa Valley, the park makes an ideal day trip for those on a big game safari in the area. Our guides and boats are available from February to June, and we can organise shoebill nest visits between August and October by prior arrangement.
May to November Dry Season – Winter
May is the beginning of the dry season and the best time to travel is during the months of May to August, when the Chimbwe Plains are dry enough to drive on but still wet enough to attract the large herds of black lechwe. The rains stop around June and the floodplains start to dry out.
September to November are particularly good for birdwatching.
Temperatures range from 24°C/75°F to 31°C/84°F during the day and 10°C/50°F to 17°C/63°F early mornings and evenings.
December to April Wet season – Summer
The roads remain mostly accessible up to December when the first rains are expected and during the months of January through to April heavy rains make most roads inaccessible and the flooded wetlands are only reachable by boat.
Temperatures range from 27°C/81°F to 29°C/84°F during the day and 17°C/63°F early mornings and evenings.
Getting There
By Road
Bangweulu Wetlands are best accessed by private air charter and if you are going to self-drive, a 4×4 with good clearance is essential and you need to be totally self-sufficient.
There are two routes from the Great North Road from Lusaka to Chikuni and from Mpika to Chikuni. It is approximately an eight hour drive from Lusaka to Mpika.
By Air
Proflight is the charter company operating in Zambia but they have no scheduled flights to Bangweulu, so this has to organized through an Operator.
Species
Wildlife
Since African Parks took over management of the park in 2008, there has been a strong recovery of some of the wetlands’ most iconic wildlife, including the black lechwe. Black lechwe are listed as Endangered and are only found in Bangweulu, and our most recent aerial survey results indicate that this charismatic antelope is on the rise with a population of more than 50,000, up from 30,000 in 2011.
The best time for seeing antelope species is in June and July when the water recedes and the land is transformed into grasslands, perfect for grazing. The park is known for its rare wetland-loving black lechwe, which can be seen in large herds, between 75,000 and 100,000 of these are antelope. Other antelope species to be found are Tsessebe, the fastest of all antelope, the shy and rarely seen Sitatunga and pairs of dainty Oribi are common sightings. Waterways are home to many crocodile and hippo, and predator sightings are very rare but spotted hyena and jackal can be heard at night.
The area is home to spotted hyena, side-striped jackal, as well as serval.
Mammal censuses have revealed healthy populations of black lechwe, sitatunga, southern reedbuck, tsessebe and oribi. Hippopotami are also found in the area. Large mammal populations have otherwise been reduced, but there are remnant populations of buffalo, elephant, roan and hartebeest. Populations of puku, waterbuck, zebra and impala have been established in the Nkondo area.
Birdlife
With over 400 recorded bird species, it is an amazing birding destination with the star attraction being the rare shoebill stork. The best time to see these bird species are during the months of April to July. A community conservation project, the Shoebill Guard Program, engages local fishermen to monitor nesting sites and guards to watch over them until the chicks leave the nest.
Other notable bird species are flocks of wattled cranes, African purple swamphen, African spoonbill, great white and pink-backed pelicans, southern ground hornbill, Denham’s bustard, Pallid and Montagu’s harrier, Goliath heron, swamp fly catcher and blue-breasted bee-eater.
The best months for birding is during the the wet season months, December to March when floodwaters are high and the area is a key stopover-feeding ground for migrating birds, but it has to be noted that roads are not accessible so bird watching is done by canoe.
The Shoebill Guard Program employs local fishermen to ensure the safety of shoebill nests and to protect eggs and chicks being stolen for the illegal wildlife trade.
A population of 433 bird species with staggering avian diversity, Bangweulu is a globally important habitat for waterbirds evidenced by its classification as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International, while part of it has been proclaimed a RAMSAR site.
Its most famous resident is the elusive shoebill, but it also holds over 10% of the world’s population of wattled crane. Of the smaller species, the highly specialised papyrus yellow warbler is considered vulnerable, and collared pratincoles, blue-throated bee-eaters and several species of flufftails also find refuge in the wetlands.
Given the name Bangweulu, meaning “where the water meets the sky”, this community-owned protected wetland lies in north-eastern Zambia, spanning an estimated 6000 square kilometers, and is one of the most extraordinary wetlands in Africa. The area is a Game Management Area, where the land belongs to the local communities who live within it, and have rights to fish and harvest resources from it. It an environment where wildlife and communities are inextricably dependent on one another for survival and a good example of how biodiversity can deliver socio-economic benefits to rural communities. The vast stretches of seasonally flooded grasslands are scattered with huge virgin Miombo woodlands, whilst the swamp areas are dominated by extensive Papyrus and Phragmite reeds which create the lush wetland landscape.
The expansive wetland area makes it very seasonal and an ‘off the beaten track’ destination but an absolute birders paradise, with the star attraction being the rare, prehistoric looking shoebill stork and the rare black lechwe antelope, both endemic to this area. Accommodation options are limited and include an exclusive safari camp, self-catering camps, campsites and home stay options (these need to be booked through an operator).
Being in the tropics Bangweulu has a temperate climate with a wet and dry season.
During the wet season, from February to April, the park comes alive with birdlife and becomes a birdwatcher’s paradise. As the plains are wet, sightings can be done by boat, while a number of walks are also available. Please note that Nsobe campsite is closed at this time because of high water levels.
From May to July, the plains are drier and the weather is much cooler. This is the perfect time to see lechwe and shoebills while walking and driving in the park. Nsobe campsite is open at this time, and opportunities for boating are dependent on the water level.
From August to December is the real dry season, and during this period the conditions are ideal for game drives and camping. The dry season is also the best time to see shoebill nests.
Just a short flight from the Luangwa Valley, the park makes an ideal day trip for those on a big game safari in the area. Our guides and boats are available from February to June, and we can organise shoebill nest visits between August and October by prior arrangement.
May to November Dry Season – Winter
May is the beginning of the dry season and the best time to travel is during the months of May to August, when the Chimbwe Plains are dry enough to drive on but still wet enough to attract the large herds of black lechwe. The rains stop around June and the floodplains start to dry out.
September to November are particularly good for birdwatching.
Temperatures range from 24°C/75°F to 31°C/84°F during the day and 10°C/50°F to 17°C/63°F early mornings and evenings.
December to April Wet season – Summer
The roads remain mostly accessible up to December when the first rains are expected and during the months of January through to April heavy rains make most roads inaccessible and the flooded wetlands are only reachable by boat.
Temperatures range from 27°C/81°F to 29°C/84°F during the day and 17°C/63°F early mornings and evenings.
By Road
Bangweulu Wetlands are best accessed by private air charter and if you are going to self-drive, a 4×4 with good clearance is essential and you need to be totally self-sufficient.
There are two routes from the Great North Road from Lusaka to Chikuni and from Mpika to Chikuni. It is approximately an eight hour drive from Lusaka to Mpika.
By Air
Proflight is the charter company operating in Zambia but they have no scheduled flights to Bangweulu, so this has to organized through an Operator.
Wildlife
Since African Parks took over management of the park in 2008, there has been a strong recovery of some of the wetlands’ most iconic wildlife, including the black lechwe. Black lechwe are listed as Endangered and are only found in Bangweulu, and our most recent aerial survey results indicate that this charismatic antelope is on the rise with a population of more than 50,000, up from 30,000 in 2011.
The best time for seeing antelope species is in June and July when the water recedes and the land is transformed into grasslands, perfect for grazing. The park is known for its rare wetland-loving black lechwe, which can be seen in large herds, between 75,000 and 100,000 of these are antelope. Other antelope species to be found are Tsessebe, the fastest of all antelope, the shy and rarely seen Sitatunga and pairs of dainty Oribi are common sightings. Waterways are home to many crocodile and hippo, and predator sightings are very rare but spotted hyena and jackal can be heard at night.
The area is home to spotted hyena, side-striped jackal, as well as serval.
Mammal censuses have revealed healthy populations of black lechwe, sitatunga, southern reedbuck, tsessebe and oribi. Hippopotami are also found in the area. Large mammal populations have otherwise been reduced, but there are remnant populations of buffalo, elephant, roan and hartebeest. Populations of puku, waterbuck, zebra and impala have been established in the Nkondo area.
Birdlife
With over 400 recorded bird species, it is an amazing birding destination with the star attraction being the rare shoebill stork. The best time to see these bird species are during the months of April to July. A community conservation project, the Shoebill Guard Program, engages local fishermen to monitor nesting sites and guards to watch over them until the chicks leave the nest.
Other notable bird species are flocks of wattled cranes, African purple swamphen, African spoonbill, great white and pink-backed pelicans, southern ground hornbill, Denham’s bustard, Pallid and Montagu’s harrier, Goliath heron, swamp fly catcher and blue-breasted bee-eater.
The best months for birding is during the the wet season months, December to March when floodwaters are high and the area is a key stopover-feeding ground for migrating birds, but it has to be noted that roads are not accessible so bird watching is done by canoe.
The Shoebill Guard Program employs local fishermen to ensure the safety of shoebill nests and to protect eggs and chicks being stolen for the illegal wildlife trade.
A population of 433 bird species with staggering avian diversity, Bangweulu is a globally important habitat for waterbirds evidenced by its classification as an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International, while part of it has been proclaimed a RAMSAR site.
Its most famous resident is the elusive shoebill, but it also holds over 10% of the world’s population of wattled crane. Of the smaller species, the highly specialised papyrus yellow warbler is considered vulnerable, and collared pratincoles, blue-throated bee-eaters and several species of flufftails also find refuge in the wetlands.
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