TOURISM

WELCOME TO ZAMBIA

Land of the legendary African walking safari, home of the Victoria Falls, the wild Zambezi River, breath-taking lakes and wetlands, a profusion of birds, abundant wildlife, and raw, pulsating wilderness, all in one friendly country.

Acknowledged as one of the safest countries in the world to visit, Zambia's welcoming people live in peace and harmony. The Wildlife is superb and some of the finest Safaris on the planet are available from our fine lodges and safari companies.

Blessed with 17 magnificent waterfalls apart from the spectacular Victoria Falls, Zambia offers tours to 'cascade followers' into the remote undeveloped rural areas where you can get a glimpse of village life. Zambia has the largest water resources in the whole of southern Africa with 5 massive lakes and plentiful rivers offering excellent fishing.


VICTORIA FALLS

Described by the Kololo tribe living in the area in the 1800's as "Mosi-oa-Tunya" - "the Smoke that Thunders" and in more modern terms as "the greatest known curtain of falling water", Victoria Falls are a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, bordering Zambian and Zimbabwe.

Columns of spray can be seen from miles away as 546 million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge (at the height of the flood season) over a width of nearly two kilometers into a deep gorge over 100 meters below. The wide basalt cliff, over which the falls thunder, transforms the Zambezi from a wide placid river to a ferocious torrent cutting through a series of dramatic gorges.

Facing the Falls is another sheer wall of basalt, rising to the same height and capped by mist-soaked rain forest. A path along the edge of the forest provides the visitor who is prepared to brave the tremendous spray with an unparalleled series of views of the Falls. One special vantage point is across the Knife Edge Bridge, where visitors can have the finest view of the Eastern Cataract and the Main Falls as well as the Boiling Pot where the river turns and heads down the Batoka Gorge. Other vantage points include the falls bridge and the Lookout Tree that commands a panoramic view across the Main Falls.


NATIONAL PARKS

Experts have dubbed South Luangwa as one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world, and not without reason. The concentration of game around the Luangwa River and its ox bow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa.

The hippopotamus is one animal you won't miss. There is estimated to be at least 50 hippos per kilometer of the Luangwa River! Zebra can be seen running in small herds of about a dozen. Thornicroft's Giraffe, unique to Luangwa Valley should also be easily spotted. The park has 14 different antelope species, most of which are easily seen on game and night drives. Watch out for the elusive bushbuck, the eland, and the most numerous antelope - the impala. These gregarious animals can be seen in herds all over the park. Reedbuck, roan, sable, hartebeest, grysbok, klipspringer and oribi tend to stay deeper in the remote parts towards the Muchinga escarpment. Baboons and velvet monkeys are prolific. Scarcer is Maloney's monkey. Seen on night drives are the night ape, and the nocturnal bushbaby. Hyenas are fairly common and their plaintive, eerie cry, so characteristic of the African bush can be heard on most nights. South Luangwa has a good population of leopard, and lions are as plentiful in the Luangwa as anywhere else in Africa. The Luangwa River also has an extraordinarily high number of crocodiles.

Bird watching is superb, with about 400 of Zambia's 732 species of birds appearing in the Valley, including 39 birds of prey and 47 migrant species. There is plenty for the birdwatcher to spot, whatever the season.


KAFUE NATIONAL PARK

From the astounding Busanga Plains in the North Western section of the Park to the tree-choked wilderness and the lush bamboos of the south, fed by the emerald green Lunga, Lufupa and Kafue Rivers, the park sustains huge herds of a great diversity of wildlife. From the thousands of red lechwe on the Plains, the ubiquitous puku, the stately sable and roan antelopes in the woodland to the diminutive oribi and duiker. The solid-rumped defassa waterbuck, herds of tsessebe, hartebeest, zebra and buffalo make for a full menu of antelope. Large prides of lion, solitary leopards and cheetahs are the prime predators. There is a host of smaller carnivores from the side-striped jackal, civet, genet and various mongoose. Birdwatching - especially on the rivers and the dambos is superb. Notables include the wattled crane, purple crested loerie and Pel's fishing owl. Over 400 species of birds have been recorded throughout the park.

The Kafue and Lunga Rivers offer superb fishing opportunities, especially good bream, barbell and fresh water pike. Most lodges have fishing tackle, rods, boats and bait available.


LOWER ZAMBEZI NATIONAL PARK

This is Zambia's newest Park and as such is still relatively undeveloped, but it's beauty lies in its absolute wilderness state. The rivers edge is overhung with a thick riverine fringe, mostly diasporus, ficus and other riverine species. Further inland is a flood plain fringed with mopane forest and interspersed with winter thorn trees Acacia albida. The hills that form the backdrop to the park are covered in broadleaf woodland.

The park covers an area of 4,092 square kilometers, but most of the game is concentrated along the valley floor. Enormous herds of elephant, some up to 100 strong, are often seen at the rivers edge. 'Island hopping' buffalo and waterbuck are common. The park also hosts good populations of lion, leopard and fish eagle.

OTHER PARKS OF INTEREST

  • North Luangwa - Very wild, access with operators only
  • Nsumbu - On the shores of Lake Tanganyika, excellent fishing
  • Lochinvar - A wetland birders paradise. Small and accessible boasting huge herds of Kafue Lechwe
  • Nyika Plateau - A highland park, excellent birds, awesome views, large herds of antelope, notably eland
  • Sioma Ngwezi - Undeveloped and wild, teak forests, good elephant, roan antelope
  • Kasanka - Superb birding, fishing and the rare sitatunga antelope
  • Bangweulu Floodplains - Thousands upon thousands of the endemic black lechwe antelope and the rare Shoebill Stork
  • Liuwa Plain - Annual wildebeest migration, great predators including wild dog

WHAT TO DO

The Victoria Falls area is rapidly becoming known as the 'Adventure Centre' of southern Africa, with various adrenaline sports, unmatched scenery of breathtaking proportions, and many other leisure options for outdoor lovers.

  • Whitewater Rafting through Batoka Gorge
  • Bungi Jumping off the 111m high Victoria Falls Bridge
  • Canoeing on the upper Zambezi
  • Horseback Trails along the Zambezi and the surrounding Teak forests
  • River Boarding mega thrills on the Zambezi rapids
  • Abseiling off the sheer cliffs of Victoria Falls Gorge
  • Micro-lighting over the Falls
  • River Safaris Quiet jet-propelled boats take you into remote parts of the upper Zambezi




IMPORTANT LINKS

For further Information on Zambian Tourism visit: