Travelers are drawn to Zambia’s spectacular Victoria Falls, described by the Kololo tribe in the 1800s as Mosi-oa-Tunya -- “the smoke that thunders.” The historic town of Livingstone is close to the falls, and a stay here frequently is combined with a safari in neighboring Botswana.

Also in Zambia are South Luangwa National Park, which contains 60 animal species and more than 400 bird species, and Lower Zambezi National Park, a pristine wilderness that’s home to a wide variety of animals.

Zambia safaris are available year-round, though Victoria Falls is most impressive toward the end of the rainy season (December to April). The entire scope of the falls is best viewed when the water level is lowest, at the end of the hot, dry season (September to November). Bird viewing is better in the rainy season, though South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi can be impassable due to bad road conditions. In these areas, game viewing is best in the dry months of June through October.