A 1.2km airstrip is to be built in the Liuwa Plain National Park, Zambia, to facilitate tourists travelling to the park.

Since 2003 the park has been managed by African Parks, and Norman Carr Safaris has partnered with African Parks to run safaris from the only permanent camp in the park.

Norman Carr Safaris Head of Sales and Marketing, Mindy Roberts, said the new airstrip would be in the heart of Liuwa Plain and only a short drive from a new camp that the two companies are building.

“This will be invaluable for offering guests a more seamless transfer from Lusaka or Livingstone by air into Liuwa Plain National Park and to camp for their safari,” said Roberts.

According to Zambia’s Ministry of Tourism, the number of tourists in the area had been low, partly because of the poor state of roads to the park. The new airstrip is expected to boost arrivals.

Roberts said Norman Carr Safaris guests currently accessed Liuwa Plain via shared charter from Lusaka. “This flight takes 2-3 hours and we fly guests into Kalabo airstrip, which is a more than two hours’ drive from the camp.”

Roberts said it was anticipated the airstrip would be complete at the end of this year.

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