位于卢萨卡国家公园(Lusaka National Park)内部的野生动物发现中心(Wildlife Discovery Centre)是赞比亚首都目前最值得造访的生态窗口。这个中心由国际游骑兵组织(Game Rangers International)运营,坐落在占地约 67 平方公里的国家公园内,距离卢萨卡市中心仅有不到 20 公里的路程。对于那些刚落地赞比亚、还没来得及深入卡富埃或南卢安瓜的旅行者来说,这里提供了一个近距离了解非洲野生动物救援的极佳机会。
很多早年去过赞比亚的游客可能记得利莱大象孤儿院(Lilayi Elephant Nursery),但现在的重点已经转移到了这个全新的发现中心。中心在 2022 年左右正式对外开放,承接了原本在利莱的孤儿象康复功能。这里不仅是小象们步入荒野前的过渡站,更像是一座现代化的自然教室。整个中心的建筑设计融入了大量土色调和当地材料,不仅看起来和周围的灌木丛融为一体,实际采光和通风也考虑到了非洲高原的强烈日照。
大多数人来这里是冲着孤儿象去的,但中心的展厅其实藏着不少干货。在进入核心观察区之前,你会经过一系列互动展示板,详细介绍了赞比亚境内的非洲五霸(Big Five)分布情况,以及游骑兵如何打击盗猎活动。这里的解说员多半是当地招募的志愿者或者保护区的长期工作人员,听他们讲讲救援小象的故事,比看纪录片要真实得多。你会发现,这些年幼的象宝宝大多是因为非法狩猎或人兽冲突才失去母亲的,这种真实感会瞬间拉近你与这片土地的距离。
如果错过了上午的时间点,那你这趟可能就白跑了。野生动物发现中心每天最重要的环节就是中午 11:45 到 13:00 之间的小象喂奶与泥浴观察。为了保护这些正在康复中的孤儿象,中心严禁任何游客触摸或直接喂食。你会被安排在木制的观察平台上,隔着栅栏看那些几百公斤重的小家伙一路小跑冲向奶瓶。那种争先恐后的样子,确实能让人感觉到生命力的顽强。观察台上方有遮阳顶,这点在赞比亚直射的烈日下显得非常人性化。
看完小象之后,别急着走。中心周围设计了几条短程的丛林步道,走在上面很有可能遇到园区内的斑马、黑马羚或者长颈鹿。因为是步行,这种体验和坐在越野车里完全不同,你能听到脚下枯枝碎裂的声音和远处各种鸟类的鸣叫。卢萨卡的海拔在 1270 米左右,气温虽然不至于像河谷地带那么闷热,但午后的紫外线依旧毒辣,走步道时一定要戴好帽子。展厅内部则利用了不少回收材料制作艺术装置,展示了被缴获的钢丝陷阱如何被转化成美丽的工艺品,非常有教育意义。
去这里最稳妥的方式是自驾或者使用打车软件。从卢萨卡市区出发,走利奥帕兹山路(Leopards Hill Road)大约需要 40 到 60 分钟,具体取决于市区那让人头疼的交通拥堵。建议在上午 10:30 之前出发,这样能留出充足的时间办理入园手续。如果你打算用当地的打车软件,一定要提前跟司机约好回程的时间和价格,因为国家公园门口很难即时打到空车。钱的问题也得算清楚,入园通常需要支付两笔费用:一笔是卢萨卡国家公园的门票,另一笔是给发现中心的捐赠费,外籍游客总花费大约在 20 到 30 美金之间,具体视当时的汇率和官方价格变动而定。
赞比亚的季节感非常明显,每年的 5 月到 8 月是凉爽的旱季,气温非常舒服,但清晨和傍晚可能冷到需要穿件薄羽绒服。到了 9 月和 10 月,天气开始变热,正午时分在观察平台等候时,那种热浪是具有穿透力的。建议带上一瓶冰矿泉水,中心虽然有简单的咖啡馆,但备货并不总是那么齐全。如果是 11 月到次年 4 月的雨季造访,记得带好雨具,虽然绿意盎然,但丛林里的蚊虫会比旱季多出不少。
每天中午 11:45 到 13:00 是唯一可以近距离看到小象在围栏内喂奶和洗澡的时间段。其他时间它们通常会被带到更深处的灌木林进行野外生存训练,游客是看不见的。
个人游客通常不需要提前预订,直接到公园入口处购票即可。但如果是超过 10 人的团队,建议提前通过国际游骑兵组织(GRI)的官方网站发送邮件预约,以便中心安排专门的讲解员。
外籍成年游客需要支付国家公园入园费和中心捐赠费,加起来大约在 400 到 600 赞比亚克瓦查之间,约合 15 至 25 美金。支付时建议准备好信用卡,因为公园管理处有时不接受大额现金找零。
绝对不可以,中心严格执行零接触政策。所有救援的小象最终都要被放归到卡富埃国家公园的荒野中,为了防止它们对人类产生依赖或失去野性,游客只能在平台上远距离观察。
Yvette Mwanza It's a nice place they support wild life and have marathons every end of the month at Lusaka National which is very enjoyable.
Amit Lokhande A must visit place in Lusaka within the Lusaka National Park, if you haven't visited yet. Appreciate the efforts of the team here to take care of the Orphaned elephants 🐘 here We were lucky enough to see 6 elephants here and what a sight it is to watch them from so close the youngest one being just 5 months old. Take your kids and take them across the huts 🛖 for the detailed information. Must also appreciate the place is so well kept neat and clean. I would recommend this place with your friends and family, certainly kids will love ❤️ this place a lot. Entry Fees - Adults K 100 & Kids below 12 yrs K 50 this is seperate from the Lusaka National Park Fees to be paid here at the Reception.
Ana Furukawa Located within the reserve, the Centre hosts some new buildings and facilities to entertain both kids and adults for a couple of hours. The informational huts are beautifully painted and have a lot of information on plants and animals (though not all of them observable within the park) and some interactive structures for kids to learn/play with, including some real skeletons of animals. Worth the extra fee to have access to the platform where baby elephants are fed, while listening to a lot of interesting elephant facts from the guide! Entrance fees are as follows (as of Jan. 2023): Adults: 15USD for tourists, 100ZMW for residents and 50ZMW for citizens Kids (3-12y.o): 5USD for tourists, 50ZMW for residents, free of charge for local kids. Gift shop at the left side of the reception displays beautiful items from Lusaka Collective (a bit pricey, but still beautiful to look at and many of them reverting a good % of sales either to the artists or for a good cause). The cafe just before the Centre entrance offers nice options for a light lunch (I had a wrap - super fresh and yummy) and fresh drinks, desserts and coffee. My group ended up spending some 5 hours from 11h30 to about 16h30 there between taking our time to appreciate elephant feeding, some shopping, delicious lunch and coffee and the guided tour (with the National Park, not the Centre). Of course you can do it quicker, depending on your time availability. *Card payment accepted, if network is failing, try raising the machine for some signal ;)
Daniel Mukena Fun outing on a wet day. Situated in the Lusaka National Park, the Wildlife Discovery Centre is a great place to come close to baby Elephants and learn about the work being done by Game Rangers International. The work encompasses animal rescue and rehabilitation as well as the work being done with communities affected by human animal conflict and those previously involved in poaching activities. The staff were very helpful and courteous, I learned so much in the short time I was there. Currently there is also a game drive that can be booked to run just prior to the feeding time and conclude just in time for the elephant feeding. Theres a little spot to get some quick bites and enough seating around the area, in my opinion this is the best picnic area in the National Park. Because they are situated in the National Park you will be required to pay your toll at the gate which starts at K10 and also entry fees into the park which are K30 for adults and K15 kids. For the WDC Local charge is K50 adults/ kids free, Permit holders K100 adults/K50 kids and International $15 adults/$5 kids. I drove in a small sedan but in very heavy rain I suggest you use something bigger as the road has some puddles you may have trouble with. Ample parking available. Its a fun and educational place you should certainly visit. Please take the little ones too.
SD N Such an experience to have! A national treasure tucked away in the heart of our beautiful city, it is a sanctuary for animals and a hub for Game Management. A little shop run by Lusaka Collective has such nice handmade crafts, lots of books by local authors and photographers. A must for all Lusaka Residents to visit and cherish.