Resilience in the Flood: A New Season in the Kafue
- Tyrone McKeith
- Apr 8
- 2 min read
After the drought of 2024 left much of Western and Southern Zambia parched and waiting, 2025 has arrived like a breath of fresh air—literally. With widespread, consistent rainfall across the region, this season is shaping up to be a remarkable reset for the Kafue and the iconic Busanga Plains.
The Kafue River is flowing strong once more, a vital artery refreshed by generous rains. Despite the concerns surrounding a mining spill earlier this year—an incident that affected parts of the river system far to the north—impacts within the Kafue National Park itself have, thankfully, been minimal. Ongoing monitoring efforts continue, but the sheer volume of water moving through the system has helped to dilute and disperse pollutants, offering a reprieve to both people and wildlife in the short term.
The Busanga Reborn
Even more reassuringly, the Busanga Plains—fed by the Lufupa River, which originates within the northern reaches of the park and flows into the Kafue system—have remained entirely unaffected by the spill. The Lufupa is upstream of the affected area, and this season it has swollen to its full, magnificent flood.
What this means on the ground is simple: the Busanga is back in all its glory. Water spreads across the horizon, drawing in red lechwe by the hundreds, and setting the stage for dramatic predator-prey interactions. Lions weaving through the reeds at dawn, the ethereal winter mists rising in July—these timeless scenes will play out once again, just as they should.
Why This Year Matters
After the hardship of last year’s drought, 2025 isn’t just another season. It’s a reset. It's nature rebounding with vigour. It’s hope, resilience, and wildness, wrapped into one. For safari-goers and photographers, it offers the chance to witness not just incredible wildlife, but the deeper rhythm of the natural world—a rhythm of hardship, renewal, and awe.
We can’t wait to share it with you.
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