Liuwa Plain lies in Western Zambia, a remote park of 3,660km² established in 1972. It is open floodplain for the most part, and the scale of it is the point: grassland running flat to the horizon, broken by pans and scattered woodland.

In November, with the onset of the rains, massive herds of blue wildebeest arrive from Angola and traverse the plains in their thousands, drawing the predators with them. Lion, hyena, wild dog, jackal and serval are all present, alongside zebra and a long list of antelope — oribi, red lechwe, steenbok, duiker, tsessebe and roan. The birdlife is exceptional when the rains come, with crowned cranes, secretary birds, fish eagles and martial eagles, and large flocks of black-winged pratincoles around the water pans. August to December is the easier time for wildlife viewing; November brings the migration and dramatic storms.