Travel to Zambia offers everything you could hope for in an African adventure – big cats and elephants in game reserves, one of the world’s most famous waterfalls, and outdoor activities such as sunset cruises along the Zambezi. Zambia tours cover everything you need to see in the spectacular country, and to help you choose the right one for you, we’ve compiled a list of our top things to do.
Thundering Victoria Falls
Locals call it Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘The Smoke That Thunders’, and it’s easy to see why when you travel to Zambia – this immense mile-wide curtain of misty waterfall spray is extremely efficient at 500 million litres a minute, and is visible from up to 30 miles away. Dr Livingstone named the first outside discovery after her majesty, his journal describing it as “scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.”
Take a dip in Devil’s Pool
This is a photo that automatically wins bragging rights, from an infinity rock pool with a difference. Swim a few feet from the lip of gushing Victoria Falls, often with a rainbow glistening below. It’s safe, but only with a reputable guide and tour company.
Relax on a Zambezi Sunset Cruise
This popular tour excursion offers on-board wildlife spotting, where hippos and antelope bask riverside in front of an extraordinary dusky orange hue background – toasted with a Zambezi beer.
Ride the rapids on the Zambezi
Rapids famed the world over provide the perfect opportunity to try white water rafting with dramatic backgrounds. In quieter sections, try river boarding, kayaking or a canoe safari drifting past grazing families of impalas.
Stop by historic Livingstone
The former capital was christened after the famous missionary explorer David Livingstone, whose visit in 1855 brought the double-edged sword of colonial tourism, evidenced by the town’s Edwardian houses and now the base for travellers’ adventure sports excursions.
The capital of Lusaka
Overland tours often recharge in the capital between national parks, in the city developing quickly thanks to the riches of copper mines and the location of Zambia’s international airport.
Bungee jumping croc bait
For the ultimate thrill seeker, jump 111 m off the border bridge between Zimbabwe and Zambia, and bounce back up over the croc-infested Zambezi.
Wildlife spotting at South Luangwa National Park
Some of Africa’s best night game viewing and the original ‘walking safari’ excursion can be found here. Walk with lions amid river and baobab bush, camp on the banks of the Luangwa River and stay on ground level with big cats, elephants, hippos and floods of migrating fruit bats.
Chill out at Lake Kariba
The world’s largest reservoir provides luxurious houseboat holidays as the nearby dam supplies volts of electric power to both Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Courtney Gahan is a serial expat, traveller and freelance writer who has bartered with Moroccan marketeers, seen the sun rise at Angkor Wat and elbowed her way through crowds on NYE in NYC
