Lusaka National Park

Top choice in Lusaka


The idea of seeing a rhino in the wild just 15km from the capital seems absurd, but this new national park (opened in 2015) allows you to do just that. Set over 46 sq km, it's home to eland, zebra, giraffe and wildebeest, among others. But it's the white rhino that brings people here. While you'll be able to tick it off from the list of Big Five, most likely you'll see them in their holding pen, so it can feel more like a zoo than national park.

Imported from South Africa, the rhino are dehorned for anti-poaching purposes and guarded 24 hours a day. They spend most of the time roaming, but are fed in their pen – so it's a good idea to call ahead to ensure you see them. All up it's a nice retreat from town, but with the nearby power station at the park's entry, it's not the most pristine of locations.

Theoretically it has bikes to rent, but in practice they're rarely available. It's located 4.5km off Leopards Hill Rd.