Livingstone & Victoria Falls
Named after the famous Victorian missionary explorer, Dr David Livingstone, the town was established in 1905.This quiet bustling town is a little neglected but still retains a special charm.
The proximity to the Zambezi River and the spectacular Victoria Falls led it to become a base for travellers from all over the world wanting to explore this Seventh Wonder of the World.
Livingstone is 11 kms from Victoria Falls, and just beyond the entrance to the Falls is the Zambian border post. From here you can walk across the Friendship Bridge overlooking the Falls to the Zimbabwean border post and Victoria Falls town on the Zimbabwean side. A taxi costs approx US$3 between Livingstone and Victoria Falls.
Both the Zimbabwe and Zambia sides of the Falls have National Parks where you can view wildlife.
South Luangwa National Park
The Park covers an area of 9050 sq km and is regarded as the home of ‘walking safaris’.
The vegetation ranges from dense woodland to open grassy plains and many oxbow lagoons that act as natural waterholes. Home to a great number of buffalo, giraffe, zebra, impala and kudu which roam the plains; waterbuck, reedbuck and hippo haunt the riverside stretches. Carnivores are represented by, among others, lion, leopard, spotted hyena, wild dog and a number of nocturnal predators. The Park boasts an impressive 455 bird species including raptors and large waterbirds.
Best time to visit is Apr/May & Oct/Nov when the weather is dry and animals gather near waterholes which offer better wildlife viewing. Experts have dubbed South Luangwa as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world. The concentration of game around the Luangwa River and lagoons are among the most intense in Africa.
Lower Zambezi National Park
This is Zambia’s newest Park and as such is still relatively undeveloped, but its beauty lies in its absolute wilderness state.
The diversity of animals is not as wide as the other big parks, but the opportunities to get close to game wandering in and out of the Zambezi channels are spectacular. The Park lies opposite the famous Mana Pools Reserve in Zimbabwe, so the whole area on both sides of the river is a massive wildlife sanctuary. Enormous herds of elephant, some up to 100 strong, are often seen at the river’s edge.
More Highlights
Lusaka, the capital is a city whose bustling chaos has a certain charm that is just Zambia. The city lies at the junction of the main highways to the north, east, south and west. Most travellers just pass through or spend only one night.
Lochinavar National Park is situated on the southern edge of the Kafue Flats, a wide floodplain of the Kafue River. The varying vegetation makes it an interesting park to visit with floodplains, woodlands and termite mounds. It is particularly well known for the large herds of Kafue lechwe, unique to the Kafue flats.
Kafue National Park is the largest park in Zambia and one of the largest in the world. It is a very remote area and can only be reached by air or 4WD.