Lower Zambezi National Park covers 4,092km² on the northern bank of the Zambezi, opposite Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools, and was founded in 1983. An escarpment along the northern boundary acts as a physical barrier to wildlife movement, holding the game on the valley floor below.

The riverbank carries a thick riverine fringe of ebony and fig, giving way to mopane forest and acacia woodland. The valley floor supports enormous herds of elephant along with buffalo, waterbuck, kudu and zebra, with lion and leopard among the predators. Birdlife is exceptional, from the African fish eagle to carmine bee-eaters. The Zambezi here is fairly calm and predictable, which is what makes canoeing, boating and seasonal fishing so much a part of a stay.