The northern circuit

Written By James Mackie

Zambia’s Northern Circuit is one of Africa’s last great overlanding adventures — a journey through wild landscapes, remote parks, and vibrant local culture. From the misty woodlands of Kasanka National Park, where millions of fruit bats fill the skies each year, to the vast Bangweulu Wetlands with the shoebills and black lechwe, this route is pure wilderness. Travellers explore the granite hills of Mutinondo, the historic Shiwa Ng’andu Estate, soothing Kapishya Hot Springs, and the turquoise shores of Lake Tanganyika, before ending at the thundering Lumangwe Falls. It’s an unforgettable circuit through Zambia’s untamed north — raw, remote, and breathtakingly beautiful.

Tips for travelling the Northern Circuit:

  • November is the only time to witness the bat migration in Kasanka NP.

  • During the dry season (May - October), the Northern Circuit can be joined with the Luangwa Valley.

Recommended Campsites:

  • Mutinondo Wilderness

  • Forest Inn, Mkushi

  • Kundalila Falls

  • Pontoon Campsite, Kasanka NP

  • Nsobe Campsite, Bangweulu NP

  • Kapisha Hot Springs

  • Flowers and Ferns, Mbala

  • Ndole Bay, Lake Tanganyika

  • Isanga Bay, Lake Tanganyika

  • Kalambo Falls, Lake Tanganyika

  • Lumangwe Falls

James Mackie
Next

lower zambezi and the southern province