Tourist Attractions & Monuments Zambia

Like Nairobi, the Zambian capital now has its own "national park," a little Thoiry in fact, for those who would not have the chance to see the animals in the bush. Created in 2008, it was only opened to the public in June 2015. It covers about 67 km² in a vast industrial complex, which does not give it a very pleasant environment. Nevertheless, this protected and fenced area has been the subject of reintroduction of many herbivores: eland, wildebeest, giraffe, zebra, warthog, etc., and even a white rhino donated by South Africa named Thabo. There are plans to reintroduce other species. The park can be visited by car - a 4x4 or at least a car with a fairly high ground clearance is preferable, given the many rocks that protrude from the track. There is even a picnic area and it is very popular with locals on weekends.

Wildlife Discovery Center. In August 2022, this center was inaugurated, consisting of three huts that serve as an exhibition hall on biodiversity and the preservation of Zambian species. The Exploratorium will teach you about the country's different landscapes and ecosystems and the various initiatives to preserve them. It features a 360-degree mural.

Elephant Sanctuary. You can observe the orphaned elephant calf sanctuary that has been moved from Liyali Lodge to Lusaka NP also in 2022 via a platform and watch them being fed between 11:45 and 13:00.

The main luxury lodges listed in Livingstone are actually within the Mosi-oa-Thunya National Park, as they are located along the Zambezi River from the falls to the park boundary. There is an overnight fee included in the price, as well as activities within the park (game drive, walking safari with rhinos). You can also bring your own vehicle for a self-drive safari to see the peaceful herbivores that live here (no predators). You will have to pay the taxes at the office at the park gate.

In a lush park with a children's playground, swimming pool, miniature golf course and restaurant, an impressive collection of snakes, crocodiles, turtles and chameleons can be seen through the windows of beautiful vivariums. The star of the show is the Nile crocodile, the most common in Africa and also the largest. You can buy crocodile skin items from the breeding farm located there. It is located about ten kilometers from the city, in the direction of the airport, the route is signposted.

Founded in 1991, Tribal Textile is a fair trade tourism project that generates a real economic windfall for local communities in a region where employment is scarce. Part of the profits generated are reinvested in the development of a community school. All the lodges in the park can organize the excursion. Between the park and Mfuwe airport, don't miss a visit to this batik workshop, which is certainly one of the best souvenirs to bring back from Zambia. You will be able to watch dozens of local artisans making the batiks. All batiks are 100% cotton and are made entirely by hand. The shimmering colors are obtained with natural pigments from seeds and flowers. Before being painted, the patterns, inspired by the bush (flowers, animals...) and the different village traditions (symbols, dancers, warriors...), are drawn with a starch solution. Each piece produced is a unique creation that bears the signature of its author; some require several days of work. After painting, the fabrics are put in an oven to fix the colors, then washed, dried and finally sewn and ironed. Many items are made this way: cushion covers, tablecloths, tapestries, bags... Often used in the decoration of lodges and restaurants, they can be found in many stores in the country, but at higher prices than those charged here.

The areas of Makeni and Lilayi are located along Kafue road, leaving the city. While Makeni, closer to Lusaka, is a fairly active area and has a large mall (Makeni Mall), Lilayi is a predominantly agricultural area, relatively remote from the city.

One of the most popular area in Lusaka, Leopards Hill Road ("the leopards hill road") is the gateway to the campaign (the "bush") surrounding the city. Many houses and shops are built along this road, which still offers a superb natural setting, which has become rare in town. There are some restaurants, guest houses and handicraft shops.

One of the most original and typical artisanal neighbourhoods in Lusaka. It manufactures and sells everything: menuiserie, metalwork, spare parts for cars, furniture in all kinds, fruits and vegetables… If it is not recommended to walk for too long, it is possible to cross this area by road, by continuing on Alick Nkhata Avenue since the French Alliance or Arcades. You can then reach Kabulonga by Kudu Road.

Kabulonga and Woodlands, a beautiful area inhabited and flowery, are the main residential areas for expatriates and high Zambian social class. There are some supermarkets, restaurants and hotels.

Olympia Park and Roma are located behind the shopping centre of Manda Hill and opposite the Arcades shopping centre. There are some restaurants, backpackers and guest houses.

Rhodes Park and Fairview combine the entire area from the roundabout of Independence avenue (where the French embassy is located) to the west of Addis Ababa Drive. From these very central districts, you can reach all parts of Lusaka in 10 minutes by car. There are many restaurants and backpackers. Opposite Rhodes Park, on the other side of the Great East Road, lies the Northmead district, renowned for its bustling nightlife and charming market.

The historic centre of Lusaka, called by the premises «town» («the city»), consists of some main streets, grouped west of Cairo Road. Cairo Road is historically the city's main shopping artery where coffee, shops, banks and travel agencies are concentrated. It was around this street that British settlers built the first buildings in the city. If it is quite interesting to walk around, to immerse itself in local life, it is essential to follow some basic security rules: do not take bags or valuables with you and take care of pickpockets; Don't stop talking with street vendors who challenge you and always close all doors of your vehicles, whether you are inside or not.

The Chutes falls are located on the river Lufubu 85 km northeast of Kawambwa along the road linking Kawambwa and Luwingu.

Kapishya Hot Springs Lodge, in the same property as Shiwaa N'gandu Manor, is open to non-guests for the day. First for the bathing in the hot springs, but also for the activities proposed: visit of the manor, safaris, horse riding, discovery of rock paintings, hiking, rafting, mountain biking... Charming spa with view on the river. You can get there by car from the Great North Road, or by air charter to the property.

Lake Kashiba, with its crystal clear turquoise waters, is the most famous of a group of small lakes near Ndola, known as the "sunken lakes", which mysteriously means "sunken lakes". These little-known lakes offer a perfect vacation setting for swimming and wilderness camping. The lakes were formed by the erosion oflimestone several million years ago, as a result of a water current that literally collapsed part of the rocks, leaving a large lake surrounded by high rocks. These high rocks prevent wildlife from inhabiting the lake, so there is no risk of encountering crocodiles or hippos, and you can swim in peace and watch the fish in the crystal clear water. They are also perfect promontories to jump into the water after swinging on a liana. There are spots set up by the locals all around.

A mysterious depth. The lake is 800 meters wide and its depth is about 100 meters on the sides, while its depth in the center remains a mystery: the many divers and researchers who have tried have never managed to measure the bottom but it is estimated to be about 100 meters deep: nobody has ever been able to go down there for the moment.

Legends. This unknown depth of the abyss has fueled mystical beliefs surrounding the lake, including the presence of a monster called "Ichitapa" or "lsoka lkulu" or the myth that leaves and boats floating on the surface of the lake would be sucked to the bottom at night. A monster that captures the shadows of people standing next to the lake, paralyzing them until they fall into the water where they are devoured.

To get there. Lake Kashiba is about 330 km from Lusaka just past Luanshya, in the Mpongwe area, when you take the Great North Road towards the Copperbelt (about an hour's drive past Kapiri Mposhi). Turn left onto the road towards Mpongwe until the road becomes a track and continue for about 15 km. At the sign for Saint Anthony's mission, turn right. Continue to the right on a very bad road for about 500 m. Only accessible by 4x4 and in the dry season. The site has two sheltered areas, but no infrastructure has been built, so the site is reserved for wilderness camping. A camping fee is required.

In this way, the city can be seen as a place where the people of the city can learn about the history of the city and its history, as well as a place where the people of the city can learn about the history of the city and its history. Inaugurated on May 17, 1960 in the presence of the Queen of England, its history is detailed at the entrance, with explanatory panels on the different stages of the construction of this colossal arch. It stretches over 579 m wide and stands 128 m above the Zambezi. A technical feat at the time. Its structure is being reinforced since 2018 and the work should last until 2025, but the drop in water levels due to global warming since 2016 is worrying. At its maximum capacity, 9,000^m3 of water rushes through it per second, but from 2019 to 2022 water shortages have tended to reduce its operation. The best view is from the Zimbabwean side, about 2 km from the Zambian post. From there, the landscape offers a striking contrast with, on the one hand, the immensity of the lake that stretches to infinity and, on the other, the dizzying canyon formed by this colossal water retention. Souvenir vendors sell statuettes of Nyaminyami, the river god, here. For those who are interested in the history of the dam, the Eagles Rest Hotel displays in its restaurant some photographs of the different stages of its construction, underlining the technical prowess that this site represented in the 1950s.

A sign indicates the location of these huge tree trunks from the Karoo period, about 150 million years ago. One of the many charms of Kariba is the mysterious forests of dead trees (mostly mopane and mahogany) that stand near the shoreline. This is a very important part of the city's culture, as it is the only way to get to know the city and its people. They are the survivors of the vast logging campaign undertaken on more than 1,000 km² before the lake was formed. Also spared by the rise of the waters, too slow and too progressive to involve their fall, they were, for a long time, a subject of concern for the ecologists of the region. They predicted that in the long term the trees would be detrimental to the developing ecosystem... The opposite was true! In the 1970's, research established that the submerged trees constituted a favorable support for the development of dozens of species of vertebrates and algae. A providential food that allows to maintain a very high rate of fish in the lake. This is the only way to ensure the sustainability of the city's cultural landscape. It is important to add that they serve as a perch for a multitude of aquatic birds (egrets, herons, cormorants, kingfishers and fish eagles...) that like to come and nest in their bare branches.

This museum, one of the few in the region and even in the country, is a real treasure trove of precious stones. In addition to the samples of minerals extracted in the region that made its fortune, first and foremost copper, very beautiful precious and semi-precious stones are displayed here. You can learn a lot about gemology. In this museum you will find explanations on the mining industry and its history in Ndola, copper objects dating from the Stone Age, but also traditional crafts. Also worth seeing is a beautiful collection of butterflies.

This huge tree of the Afzenias species is an emblem of the city, near the center. A survivor from the colonial era, it has become a symbol of the slave trade, whose negotiations took place in the shade of its foliage in the 1880s. Indeed, Swahili slave traders, the most famous of whom were Chipembere, Mwalabu and Chiwala, came here to buy slaves. They traded prisoners captured especially during the war with the Mambundu from Angola. They were then deported to the Swahili coast of the Indian Ocean and sold to Arab slave traders who operated the human trade from the island of Zanzibar in Tanzania, then under the rule of the Sultanate of Oman. They were then sent mainly to the Arabian Peninsula, and to a lesser extent to Indian Ocean colonies (Mauritius, etc.) until the 1900s, when British-protected Zambia abolished slavery. While the British sought early to intercept slave ships bound for the Americas as early as the 1850s, it was very difficult to control the opaque trade that took place deep in the Zambian bush, which was an advantage for decades for Swahili traders based in the region. In addition, the Arabs continued to illegally ship slaves even after the British took control of Zanzibar, as it was easy to send boats by night and with little fanfare.

This is one of the most spectacular sites in Zambia, about 80 km east of Kabwe. Where the two rivers Lunsemfwa and Mkushi meet, they have carved narrow gorges more than 300 m deep into the sedimentary rocks of the Karoo Age. The best viewpoint in the canyon is Bell Point (GPS: 14°38.500'S; 29°08.600'E). To get there, head south of town towards Chisama, then Mulungushi and Lunsemfwa. A good 4WD and a detailed map of the area are essential.

This cavernous complex (12°13.939'S, 31°08.693'E) shelters magnificent San rock paintings. The drawings are quite simple, black in color, and represent geometric patterns, human silhouettes and animals (elephants, antelopes). Excavations in the 1940s established that the site had been occupied intermittently for about 15,000 years. Indeed, all the elements necessary for survival were present: water from the nearby river, a cave for shelter, wood for fire and plenty of game.