King Lewanika is a lodge run by time + tide (previously Norman Carr Safaris) in Liuwa Plain National Park. The lodge offers six villas of which one is a family villa with two separte en-suite bathrooms.

The lodge is open from mid October to mid July. At the onset of the rainy season in October, the herds return to Liuwa Plains and the animals remain on the plains until July. With the start of the dry season in July, the herds retreat north back to Angola. The lodge is closed in this period.

Liuwa Plains is a remote area situated in the west of Zambia. The plains are about 70km long and 30km wide, embraced by the two rivers Luambimba und Luanginga. One of the earliest protected areas in Africa, Liuwa Plain was proclaimed a game reserve by the king in the early 1880’s; protected by the Lozi people and used as a royal hunting ground. The park was declared a National Park in 1972.

Planes currently fly to Liuwa Plains twice a week from Lusaka. The flight duration is about 2h30. The airstrip is located at Matamanene from where it is only a 10-min drive to the lodge.

The region has been the victim of very heavy poaching, but game has returned since the park is managed and protected by African Parks. The presence of a lodge in the area will further stabalize the situation.

The Liuwa Plains are known to host one of the biggest wildlife migration on this planet. About 40'000 blue wildebeest and zebra migrate from Angola to the plains at the onset of the rainy season in October. Other animals include zebra, oribi, red lechwe, tsessebe, roan and eland. Predators include jackal, serval, wild cat, cheetah, lion and wild dog.

A fascinating documentary was made about the last lioness in Liuwa, who befriended the filmmaker Herbert Bauer out of pure loneliness. The lioness has since been joined by several of her own kind from the Kafue region. Filmmaker Herbert Brauer created a fantastic movie for National Geographics, featuring Lady Liuwa.

Buffalo are present, but yet low in number, and the 20 to 30 that make Liuwa Plains their home are under constant observation by motorbike-riding ranger. It will be some time until Liuwa Plains returns to its former glory but there is much hope.

Game Drives in open 4x4 vehicles. Walking Safaris, if the water level is low (March/April to December). Canoeing and motorboat safaris are offered from Jan to March.

SwissAfrican Travel Service
Dammstrasse 27
8702 Zollikon
Zurich, Switzerland


Telephone: +41 (0)44 451 40 51