The Republic of Zambia is a landlocked tropical country in south central Africa. It covers an area of 752,614 kilometers squared. Most of the country is elevated plateau between 900meters-1250meters above sea level and small area in the north-east exceeds 2000m. Through Zambia lie several ancient arms of the rift valley system, notably the Luangwa and Zambezi Valleys including the famous Victoria Falls and the country around Lakes Mweru and Tanganyika. Most of the country is drained by the Zambezi system which flows into the Indian Ocean. The remaining area lies within the Congo catchment and thus eventually feeds the Atlantic.

Zambia's very pleasant climate can be divided into 3 seasons. The hot rainy season usually lasts 5 to 6 months between November and April. The remaining months are generally dry with temperatures cooler between May and August and hotter in September and October. Annual rainfall averages between 700 to 1500milimeters, decreasing southwards and in the major low-lying river valleys.

About 750 bird species have been recorded in Zambia. Of this total, over 600 species are residents or afro tropical migrants which breed here and about 100 are non breeding migrants or drifters from the palearctic region. Zambia has only two true endemic species that is to say the Chaplin's Barbet & Black-cheeked Lovebird but there are several near endemics and a large number of species that otherwise only occur in Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo countries that are less accessible to travelling birders. It is the best place for finding all the south-central African endemics and one of the most important countries in Africa for birds.

Zambia can boast large tracts of unspoiled wilderness and the vast majority of the country falls within the Zambezian biome. Miombo woodland is the dominant vegetation and as it has little understorey it is easy to walk through. The key to successful birding is locating bird parties these may comprise 20 to 30 or more species and are a typical feature of the habitat. In most areas the woodland is laced with grassy dambos along the drainage lines these hold a very different variety of species, particularly if they are wet or spongy. In the north, evergreen forest patches (mushitus) are found in dambos and in the north-west there are many forest species characteristic of the Congo basin.

In the north-east several highland areas hold afromontane species, including many typical of the Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania. Zambia also has a rich array of wetlands that are famous for their vast numbers of birds as well as their populations of Shoebills and Wattled Cranes. Further exploration of the country will reveal many other interesting habitats for birding such as teak and dry evergreen forest, acacia, munga & mopane woodland, thickets, termitaria, plains, papyrus swamps and seasonal pans. There are 19 National Parks in Zambia, covering nearly 9% of the country and in addition 35 Game Management Areas (GMAs) account for a further 22%.

Zambia has a pleasing climate and three main seasons. Summer September to April where temperature range from 26ºC to 38ºC a dry winter from May to August temperatures range from 15ºC to 27ºC but fall much lower in the early morning and evening and a rainy season between mid November and early April. In late October through November, the weather should be mostly dry and very hot with the occasional heavy afternoon shower/thunderstorm leading up to the start of the rains in mid/late November. During this season, many mammals congregate around waterholes and shrunken rivers but the park can be quite dry and dusty. Rain showers become a little more frequent later in November, but this is accompanied by a spectacular and sudden 'greening' of the park