Tour Code: NAV 21-SD
Type of tour: Guided Self-Drive / Self-Catering
Duration: 9 Nights (Katima Mulilo to Liuwa to Katima area)
Tour Cost: on request
Maximum 6 guest vehicles

Our tour starts at a campsite near Katima in Namibia - join us here to meet the rest of the group, and for a pre-departure briefing. Next morning we leave camp early, crossing into Zambia and heading north-west to our overnight campsite on the Zambezi River near Sioma (Ngonye) Falls. We then follow the Zambezi River into the north-west, passing through Senanga and Mongu en route to Kalabo, our springboard to Liuwa Plain.

Situated in Barotseland on the upper Zambezi flood plains, Liuwa covers an area of 3,660km² of grassland and wooded islands. It is home to a great variety of animals, birds and plants. Our focus is on Liuwa's wildebeest migration, the second largest in Africa - annually during November and December, more than 30,000 wildebeest emerge from the surrounding woodland to mass out on the Plain.

Other game at this time includes zebra, tsessebe, eland, red lechwe, oribi and reedbuck. Predators include African wildcat, side-striped jackal, hyena, cheetah, wild dog and occasionally leopard, while lions have again been re-introduced. With over 300 bird species, Liuwa is certainly also a paradise for keen birdwatchers - keep a lookout for marabou- and saddle-billed storks, white pelicans, tawny-, fish- and martial eagles, and large populations of endangered species such as wattled- and crowned cranes.


This is a self-drive, self-catered, 'expedition-style' tour where a solid 4x4 vehicle with good ground clearance, transfer box and lockable differentials is required, and should be suitably equipped with essential extras such as long-range fuel and water tanks, strong recovery points, recovery gear, etc. This is a camping tour and, as with all our expeditions, it will appeal to adventurous and self-sufficient travellers who enjoy the journey as much as the destination - those who are not averse to "roughing it" if the situation arises.

Our well-situated and shady campsite in Liuwa has two cold water showers and 2 flush toilets with septic tanks. With a total of 4 nights in Liuwa, we'll have ample time to relax and explore different areas of the Park. This is an expedition-style tour for experienced Africa travellers, and one should expect a challenging drive to reach this remote corner of Zambia - but the wildlife and birding spectacle makes any challenge worthwhile! Please note that Liuwa is a malarial area and anti-malaria prophylaxis are therefore strongly advised. There are no shops in Liuwa and you will need to be completely self-sufficient for the time that we are there.
Contact us for further information on this tour.
The 'road' to Liuwa is an adventure all of its own... and typical of the non-existent tracks one can expect when deviating anywhere off the main routes in Africa. We'd always heard that Liuwa was a spectacular destination, and still we were blown away by the remoteness - Liuwa is full of surprises! This was a well-planned and well-run self-drive tour: the group size was small, which certainly added to our enjoyment of the experience - I heartily recommend that you do this tour with Navigators - you won't be disappointed!
Gravel, corrugations, potholes, deep sand, possible water / mud in places
Medium. Where required, advice and assistance will be given by your tour leader
750 km
Good ground clearance, transfer gearbox (hi / lo range), lockable differential/s, strong recovery points front and rear, good set of tyres, spare wheel and 2nd spare
Long-range fuel and water tanks, dual battery system with deep-cycle battery, fridge / freezer
Second spare wheel, vehicle snorkel
Advanced set-up including Hi-lift jack, jacking plate, spade, tow strap, tree protector, snatch strap, bow- and D-shackles, compressor, tyre guage, tyre repair kit, tyre levers, tyre tube, radiator seed net, spare V-belts, spare oils & fluids, assorted nuts & bolts, etc.
1100 km Katima Mulilo to Liuwa, game drives, and back to the Katima area in Zambia