Zambia
Livingstone
Set 11km away from the Victoria Falls, Livingstone town has taken on the role of an
adventure sports mecca. It is a African town with a diversity of interesting people from all
nationalities. The town centres itself around one main road, the Mosi-oa-Tunya Rd,
referring to the local naming of the Victoria Falls, meaning “the smoke that thunders”.
Rich in scenery and heritage, Livingstone today has become the most important tourism
spot of Zambia.. The friendly locals welcome you with open arms and bright smiles. Several
hotels and lodges are located on the banks of the Zambezi River, offering a scenic and
luxurious experience.
Numerous adventure companies in Livingstone provide river boarding, white water rafting,
canoeing, horse riding safaris, abseiling, boat cruises, walks with lions, elephant back safaris,
quad bike riding, kayaking and tours of Victoria Falls, as well as cultural interaction with the
local tribes at Mukuni Cultural Village.
Lusaka
Lusaka, the capital of Zambia is a small city, part modern and part traditional African, where
local markets are located alongside industrial-looking high-rise blocks. Lusaka has
experienced a boom of growth in the past ten years.
Local African markets are a hub of activity and a lifestyle of the locals. Hundreds of stalls
including fishmongers, fruit sellers and rows of “salaula” – stalls of second-hand clothing
sold by the bale - are set up each morning, visited by the public during the day and cleared
away before dark. Upmarket clubs and restaurants are found in the suburbs, and roadside
‘shebeens’ (taverns) offer a closer experience of how Zambians “get in the groove” and
dance the night away to the sounds of rhumba, kwela and hip hop.
Munda Wanga is an Environmental Education Centre, Wildlife Park and Sanctuary and a
beautiful Botanical Garden only 16 km from Lusaka. The Lilayi Elephant Nursery is another
attraction, located 15 minutes south of Lusaka. It rescues and rehabilitates orphaned
elephants before releasing them back into the wild.
Lower Zambezi National Park
The Lower Zambezi National Park covers an area of 4092 square kilometres. It has a smaller
diversity of animals than other big parks, but the opportunities to get close to the animals
wandering in and out of the Zambezi channels are spectacular.
The Park lies opposite the famous Mana Pools Reserve in Zimbabwe; the whole area on both
sides of the Zambezi River is a massive wildlife sanctuary. Most of the animal life is
concentrated along the valley floor. There is an escarpment along the northern end which
acts as a physical barrier to most of the Park’s animal species.
Enormous herds of elephant, some up to 100 in number, are often seen at the river’s edge.
Buffalo and waterbuck are usually seen, including lion and leopard. A special experience is
to hear the eerie cry of the African fish eagle whilst in the area.
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