Zambia at a Glance
Livingstone at Victoria Falls
Zambia is a landlocked independent nation in southern Africa, just a little larger than Spain and Italy combined. Zambia is unspoiled by mass tourism, and is rich in wildlife, superb forests and meandering rivers. Of course it's also where you can see the world's biggest waterfall, the Victoria Falls, or as we call it Mosi-oa-Tunya - the smoke that thunders, which spans the border to our neighbor, Zimbabwe. It is one of the seven natural wonders of the world!
The Breath-taking Victoria Falls is where the wide Zambezi River simply drops some 330 feet into a narrow gorge. The Falls lie across the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, and Livingstone is the town on the Zambian side. There is more to Livingstone than just visiting the Falls. The gorges themselves create many high adrenaline stunt-like opportunities; the wide and very beautiful Zambezi upstream of the Falls is wonderful for boating and canoeing. And of course the bridge is famous for bungee jumping!
Zambia's National Parks
Lower Zambezi National Park
The Lower Zambezi, a key national park of Zambia, lies between the rugged and dramatic Zambezi escarpment and the wide and spectacular Zambezi River. The Zambezi runs for 75 miles through the park and with the protection of the Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe on the opposite side this is a haven for wildlife.
There are many channels, lagoons, sandbanks and islands along the river and then open plains, woodland and bush areas behind the riverine strip. The area has a backdrop of the Zambezi Escarpment which towers above the land making for some stunning scenery. From the Zambezi Escarpment seasonal rivers have gouged out gullies in the rock, now covered in hardy trees and bushes. Towards the river the land flattens out and here water collects in depressions and in floodplains by the river. The water, of course, is the magnet for the wildlife which comes down to drink. The river is a massive attraction and offers boating, drifting, canoeing and fishing, all with breathtaking views. For the avid fisherman, the tiger fishing (on a catch and release basis) is worth a week out here for.
South Luangwa National Park
There are many other treasures in store in Zambia, as it boasts some of the best game parks in Africa, providing an unmatched safari experience. The unspoiled South Luangwa National Park is one of natural jewels in Zambia's crown, and home to one of the most varied collections of wildlife on the planet.
The park is centered around the Luangwa River. Untapped by man, its natural ebb and flow of flooding makes much of the park inaccessible by road which keeps it a sanctuary for the large concentration of game that live there. A paradise for birders, over 450 species are to be found in the park, and the wildlife includes elephant, buffalo, hippos, giraffe, leopards and lions.
