| Location:
situated in Barotseland - Western Zambia.
The name apparently originated from a legend.
‘Liuwa’ in the local dialect means walking stick,
and the legend relates how Litunga (a Lozi King)
planted his walking stick in the soil of the plain
and it grew into a mutata tree.
The legendary tree can still be seen.
Geography:
the teeming vast grasslands are dotted with pans, wetlands
and islands of false mopane, silver cluster leaf and weeping wattle.
Wildlife: wildebeest,
oribi, red lechwe, steinbuck, duiker, tsessebe and roan.
Predators are numerous: Jackal, serval, wildcat,
wild dog as well as lion and hyena.
Birdlife
over 300 species including thousands of
wattled
and crowned cranes.
Of interest are the white bellied bustards,
secretary bird, red billed and hottentot teals,
long tailed whydah, sooty chat to name just a few.
|
Wildebeest |
Accommodation:
There are 5 camping areas per community
campsite - these share 2 flush toilets and 2 cold water showers
plus handbasins.
Each area has large shaded areas on sand which are raked each
day.
Wood is provided for a small fee. The water available is quite
brackish so needs to be boiled thoroughly.
Facilities: There
are no visitor facilities and other than a sandy track leading
to Matamanene Camp there are no roads inside the national park.
Visiting
times: Best visiting time is August to
December. November is the start of the rainy season.
Tthousands of wildebeest start their journey in Angola moving
to the northwest region of the park in June. At the start of the
rainy season (about October/November each year) the herds
move southwards to the southern plains of Liuwa. Here they remain
allowing spectacular game viewing until the following May. |
| Getting
There: Your options are limited to a self-sufficient
4x4 expedition (with a minimum of two vehicles and plenty of supplies
and experience) or an organised mobile safari.
If self driving into Liuwa it is strongly recommended that you
take at least two 4WD vehicles.
The road from Katima Mulilo to Kalabo is fine up to the Nangweshi/Senanga
ferry.
From that point to Kalabo, estimate two days to do the 180 kilometres
- low range driving over very sandy roads.
There is no fuel available at Kalabo so carry extra supplies.
Accessing Kalabo from Mongu depends on the seasonal levels of
the Zambezi - enquire at Mongu’s port office for available
options which range from the Post Boat to two ferries. |
the long road ahead |
