Lusenga Plain National Park- Travel Tips

What to See, How to Plan & Tours

Lusenga Plain National Park, located in Zambia's Luapula Province near the southeastern shores of Lake Mweru, covers roughly 800–880 km² and was designated a national park in 1972 after serving as a game reserve. The park receives high annual rainfall—around 1,500 mm—which supports a mosaic of ecosystems, including grassy upland dambos, evergreen mushitu gallery forests, reed-fringed wetlands, and miombo woodlands alongside the Kalungwishi River. The river also gives rise to Zambia's second-largest waterfall, Lumangwe Falls, known for its dramatic width and seasonal mist reminiscent of "smoke that thunders", along with other cascades such as Kundabwika and Kabwelume nearby. Wildlife within the park was largely depleted but has seen recent restoration efforts beginning around 2007, with species such as Grant's zebra, puku, impala, and elephants reintroduced, and ongoing conservation planning underway. Lusenga Plain also holds international significance as an Important Bird Area, supporting a remarkable variety of bird species including wattled crane, Southern carmine bee-eater, half-collared kingfisher, and many endemic miombo specialists. Cultural ties enrich the setting as well—rock art near Kundabwika Falls reveals ancient human presence, and local communities maintain ceremonial traditions such as the Umutomboko and Chishinga Malaila festivals.