Northern Zambian Region Hotels

Introducing Northern Zambian Region

The Northern Province of Zambia is located predominantly on the great southern African plateau which has been uplifted to an elevation of 1200 metres above sea level.  Rift valleys extend around the Northern Province from the north-west to the south.  These rift valleys in Zambia lie sometimes outside the borders of the Northern Province, as in the case of the Luapula-Mweru valley and the Lake Rukwa and Lake Malawi rift valleys.

The escarpments of the Lake Mweru-wa-Ntipa-Lake Tanganyika rifts and the Luangwa Valley rift are located within the boundaries of Zambia's Northern Province.  In some areas, the rift valleys have pushed up highlands which can be seen around Kambole and Mbala above Lake Tanganyika as well as at the Muchinga escarpment above the Luangwa valley, and the highlands along the border with Tanzania and Malawi which culminate in the Mafinga Hills and Nyika  Plateau.

Rivers in the Northern Province of Zambia

Rivers and streams meander through the Northern Province of Zambia posing a great challenge for the infrastructure of transportation.  The main river on the eastern side of Zambia's Northern Province is the Luangwa River which originates in the Mafinga Hills.  The Luangwa River has no road across its valley for a distance of about 800 km.  Being Africa's second longest river, the Congo, originates in the Northern Province of Zambia via its longest tributary, the Chambeshi River.  The Chambeshi River rises in the hills south-west of Mbala and divides the Northern Province diagonally as it meanders to Lake Bangweulu in the south-west.

During the rainy season, the Chambeshi River and the Luangwa River spread across floodplains which cover often several kilometres in width.  Large tracts of both seasonal and permanent lagoons and swamps along their valleys are created. The Chambeshi feeds the largest wetlands , the Bangweulu Swamps and the floodplain in Mpika and Chilubi Districts, which is known for its Lechwe and birds among other wildlife.

Lakes in the Northern Province of Zambia

The Northern Province of Zambia features three large natural lakes:

• The Lake Bangweulu and its adjacent wetlands is shared with the ccountry's Luapula Province
• The Lake Mweru-wa-Ntipa is located in the Kaputa District
• The vast Lake Tanganyika in the north forms part of Zambia's border with the Congo and Tanzania.

• Nsumbu National Park is located adjacent to Lake Tanganyika
• Lake Mweru-wa-Ntipa National Park
• Lake Tanganyika has a great diversity of fish as well as crocodile, hippo and aquatic birds
• Nyika National Park is known for its montane vegetation
• Bangweulu Wetlands
• Isangano National Park
• Lavushi Manda National Park
• Muchinga escarpment and Luangwa Valley: some regions of the North and the South Luangwa National Parks are located in Zambia's Northern Province but can only be accessed from the Eastern Province