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Cities, Towns and Areas of Zambia |
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This Zambia's largest national park and home to grassland plains that stretch for hundreds of miles along the banks of the Kafue River. Wildlife is everywhere and you will quite probably be able to spot lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, antelopes, zebras and more on any of the safaris that are offered by commercial outfitters. If you are there between March and May, when the floods are in season, be sure to head for the Busanga Plains at the northern end of the park when it becomes home to thousands of hippos and millions of birds. Bird watchers will also enjoy Lake Itezhi-Tezhi, where herons, spoonbills and many other water birds roost. There are several places for accommodations in the park including camp sites, chalets and lodges with most of them being along the Kafue River. The park is locate about 125 miles west of Lusaka and is accessible by car. However, as the roads are generally pretty horrible, most visitors (who can afford it) fly in by chartered plane. Kafue National Park
Livingstone
Livingstone dates from when
the Zambezi Gorge was first bridged in 1904 and has remained one of the area's
main tourism areas ever since. A visit here would not be complete without a stop
at the narrow-gauge Railway
Museum, which is what the locals call the Zambezi Sawmills Locomotive Sheds National
Monument. It is located quite close to Livingstone's train station. Here you
will find a collection of old engines and rolling stock that, to everyone but a
true rail buff, will probably look like a pile of junk. But still, pretty
interesting. The National Museum has much more appeal for everyone and features a
pretty good collection of archaeological and anthropological relics, including a
copy
of a Neanderthal skull estimated to be over 100,000 years old. There are also
examples of ritual artifacts and Tonga crafts, a reconstructed African village,
and a
collection of David Livingstone items along with a display of Africa maps dating back
to 1690. You may also want to take a peek at the collection of witchcraft
paraphernalia. If you are interested, you will have to ask to see it. Livingstone is located about
180 miles south-west of Lusaka, and is
accessible from the capital by bus or train.
Lusaka
Lusaka is a sprawling city that actually has little
appeal for travelers. But, as it is the capital, you're likely to
spend some time in it.
Downtown is in the western part of the city; the government district lies a few
blocks east. There are several galleries featuring local artists and among the
best are the Henry Tayali Visual Arts Gallery at the Show grounds, the Mpala Gallery,
and the sculpture garden at the Garden House Hotel. Just north-west of the
center is the Zintu
Community Museum, which has exhibits of traditional arts and crafts. The one
area you will want to visit would be the bustling open-air Kamwala Market, a
few blocks south of the town center. The capital is in the southern part of the
country about 60 miles from
the Zimbabwe border and it is accessible by air, rail and bus.
Ngonye (Sioma) Falls
This falls, if located anywhere else in the world, would be the major attraction
of the area. However, with Victoria Falls, it has to rank second. The best thing
about the falls, apart from its beauty, is that is pretty much
free of the tourist trappings of Victoria. Although Ngonye only falls a few
feet, the
broad expanse of the cascade makes for a magnificent sight. For the adventurous,
there is plenty of good white-water
rafting below the falls. Nearby is Sioma Ngwezi National Park, where you
can spot elephants, especially at night. The falls is about 350 miles east
of Lusaka and about 125 miles south of the town of Mongu. The bus from Mongu to the Namibian border can let you
off a little less than a mile west of the falls.
Siavonga & Kariba Dam
Located at the northeastern end of Lake Kariba, Siavonga is, for most of the
people of Zambia, the closest they get to the seashore. Visitors will enjoy the
town as it is quiet and low-key and offers some nice
views of the lake on one side and the Zambezi River gorge on the
other. The lake is pretty well known for fishing and boating. North (about 25
miles) is
the Chirundu Fossil Forest with trees that are over a million years old and lots
of Stone Age artifacts. Siavonga is a wonderful place to take in the view of the
lake but, be sure to view it from a distance as the crocodiles own the lake and
do in about 30 people every year and seem to like tourists equally as well as
locals. Siavonga is about 60 miles southeast of Lusaka and can be reach by bus
daily.
For scenery and wildlife-spotting, South Luangwa is probably your best bet as it is the best national park in Zambia. Vegetation within the park ranges from dense woodland to open grassy plains with lots of oxbow lagoons and water holes. Be on the lookout for animals such as lions, buffalo, zebra, and giraffes. You should also be able to spot an elephant or two as the park has one of Africa's largest elephant populations. You might also spot a leopard or two. There is also a lot of bird life within the park. Especially along the Luangwa River where you'll also be able to spot hippos and crocodiles. Day, night and walking safaris are available, as are horseback safaris and rides. Accommodation includes everything from rustic camp sites and barebones hostels to comfortable chalets and full-service resorts. The park is located about 150 miles northeast of Lusaka and most visitors arrive by air at Mfuwe Airport, which is about ten miles southeast of the village of Mfuwe and the main gate of the park. You can also arrive by public transport. The park is closed during the rainy season of December to April. South Luangwa National Park
Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls is one of the world's most spectacular falls with over a
mile-wide series of falls of the Zambezi River as it drops over 300 feet into
the steeply-walled gorge.
The Zambian side of Victoria Falls, which is often forgotten, provides some of
the best views of the falls and many consider this side to be much better than
its better-known Zimbabwean counterpart. One of the main differences is that you
can actually get quite close to the water by
walking down a steep track to the base of the falls. From here you can follow
walkways that are perched over the abyss. One of the best close-up would be at Knife
Edge Point which is reached by crossing an exciting and hair-raising footbridge through
the spray to a cliff-like island in the river. The bridge is safe so, as long as
you are here, take the walk. You will be glad you did for if the water is
low, and the wind favorable, you'll be treated to a magnificent view of the
falls and the great gorge below the Zambezi Bridge. If you are even more
adventurous, you can indulge in
white-water rafting, abseiling, river-boating, jet-boating, bungee jumping and
several airborne activities. There are plenty of opportunities for souvenirs as
there are several curio stalls near the falls. Actually, there are some pretty
good crafts available here and the sellers love to barter. You should also visit
the nearby archaeological
site and a small museum with exhibits about the dig that show how humans
and their ancestors have inhabited this region for 2.5 million years. The falls
are a little over 5 miles southwest of Livingstone. The best way to travel there
is by
bus or hired car.
Victoria Falls
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