Zambia is an up-and-coming African safari destination we’ve been watching closely. Located in south-central Africa (as opposed to The Gambia, in western Africa), Zambia has diverse and wild landscapes, great accommodations in tranquil locations, and amazing wildlife phenomena.
Birds can add an amazing dimension to any African safari and one of various spectacles here is the annual nesting of Southern Carmine Bee-eaters along the Luangwa River in South Luangwa National Park. Each year during the dry season, thousands of these colony-nesting birds create and attend to burrows in vertical riverbanks, where they raise the next generation of bee-eaters ahead of the next rainy season.
A specially placed blind can be set up beside a river bank to blend in beside an active bee-eater colony, allowing us to view these spectacular birds passing literally in front of us during their comings-and-goings without disturbing them. We can see many of the world’s 28 gorgeous bee-eater species throughout Africa and Asia (plus one in Europe!) but I would say that the Southern Carmine Bee-eater is among the most striking. Its heart-stopping beauty is complemented by its chattering notes as the birds sally back-and-forth from their nest cavities, in which each pair typically raises 2-5 young. The best time to visit Zambia to view this amazing sight is from September through mid-November.
A Zambia trip makes a great extension to our South Africa tour, or book this experience as part of a private Zambia tour. Please e-mail me to find out more!
