What Makes Zambia Safari Unique?
Zambia is Africa's best kept secret. It is the sleeping giant ofAfrican safari. It's also the friendly people and the peace thecountry safeguards and continues to enjoy. That's what makes thecountry a haven of peace for refuges from civil strive. ...AndZambia is the hub of African travel.
Zambia is located in south central Africa with eightneighbouring countries. There are 19 national parks and34 game management areas. Thus a whopping 30 percent of thecountry's 752,614 sq kms. The country has the largestwater resources in southern Africa. There are large empty tractsof land in pristine state and a large wildlife estate. Zambia'sunique natural resources include minerals such as copper,precious stones and lumber; both native hard wood and softexotic pinewood timber.
The National Parks
Of the 19 national parks South Luangwa is Zambia's premier gamereserve. The South Luangwa National Park has probably thelargest variety and concentration of game in Africa and perhapsin the world. Experts in wildlife safari consider the 9,990sq kms park has some of the finest viewing areas. It israted one of the top game reserves in the world with a uniqueprofusion of wildlife. Some animals are rare and only found inthe park. An example is the Thornicraft giraffe.
Another game reserve is the Kafue National Park. The sprawling22,400 sq kms is the second largest national park in theworld and is about the size of Wales in Britain and twice thesize of Yellowstone National Park in the USA. The park islocated in the central-western Zambia and boasts excellent gameviewing, bird watching and fishing.
The park has two unique wetlands. The Busanga Floodplain in thenorthern sector is special. The emerald green Lunga, Lufupa andKafue Rivers crisscross it. Here are found multi-species ofanimals and birds. The Busanga plain is an antelope country. Theendemic lechwe fill its plains. The park's southern limit alsobreaks into another wetland the Nanzhila Plains. The plains arenext to Zambia's newest lake at the Itezhi-Tezhi Dam.
Copper and Gemstone Reserves
Apart from the fauna and flora estate the country holds 6percent of the worlds copper reserves. In addition Zambia is theleading producer of precious and semi-precious gemstonesincluding the rare beauty, the green emerald. Amethyst,garnet, tourmaline, citrine and their verities are alsofound in Zambia. Most of the finished and semi-finished gemstoneproducts are exported worldwide.
Tracts of Land and the Wilderness
The population to land ratio is one of the lowest in Africa. Atless than 15 people per sq km it is one of the lowest in theworld. The sparse population has left a large portion of Zambiaunspoiled and in its natural state.
You get to see teeming wildlife in pristine wilderness. Thewildlife is completely ‘wild and untamed.' Some of theanimals have had little or no contact with humans. So thenational parks present wildlife in its natural habitat, the verysame way nature has always wanted it to be.
The Rivers and Lakes of Zambia
Zambia's major rivers, lakes and wetlands are considered to holdthe largest component of water resources in Southern Africa.There are four major rivers. The Zambezi covers the largest partof Zambia from northwest through southern to southeastern. TheKafue cuts the country in the middle. The Luangwa nearly cutsoff the eastern part of the country. But the Chambeshi thatdischarge into Lake Bangweulu in north-central Zambia hassuffered name changes along its course. After leaving Bangweuluit changes its name to Luapula River. It becomes the Congo Riveron leaving Lake Mweru and entering the Democratic Republic ofCongo.
In the south is Lake Kariba on the Zambezi. It was the largestman-made lake until the Aswan and the Cobara Bassa were dammed.Lake Kariba is the latest destination for safari investmentbesides the Victoria Falls. Another is Lake Bangweulu surroundedby white sand beaches and by the tenth largest wetland inAfrica. The wetland is the home of the endemic lechwe antelopesand the rare shoebill stork. The third is Lake Mweru on theborder with Democratic Republic of Congo. And Lake TanganyikaAfrica's deepest lake has its southern tip extending intonorthern Zambia.
The Wild Zambezi River
One river that deserves mentioning is the Zambezi River afterwhich the country is named. From its source near Kaleni Hills inthe northwestern corner of the country the Zambezi cuts a lyingdown "S" shape as it flows through its course a total of 3,450kms before discharging into the Indian Ocean. Its entrance atthe ocean is dramatic for it ends in many river channels calleda delta.
The Zambezi passes through changing landscapes and environment.From the rapids in the notrhwest through the wide river and thesite of the "Likumbi Lya Mize" ceremony of the Luvale people. Itthen passes through the Zambezi floodplain where the Ku-ombokaceremony of the Lozi people takes place. Later the rivertraverses a hilly area and becomes wide and tranquil. Suddenlythe river breaks into the world's most spectacular waterfall.This is the mystic and awe-inspiring Victoria Falls.
Before the waterfall the Zambezi passes through a point nearKazungula where four countries meet; Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabweand Zambia. Nowhere else do countries converge on one point in amanner such as this.
Down stream of the waterfall the Zambezi collects into a lake atKariba Dam. Down stream it is joined firstly by the Kafue,Zambia's second largest river and secondly by the Luangwa Riverat a confluence where three countries meet: Mozambique, Zambiaand Zimbabwe. ...And before its mouth at the Indian Ocean theZambezi River forms the second and larger lake at Cobara-BasaDam in Mozambique.
The Beautiful Victoria Falls
Now the Victoria Falls is something worth talking about. Itsawesome, beautiful and a world heritage site. The Toka-Leyapeople of Chief Mukuni who have always lived there have builtmany shrines for their deities and ceremonies. Because of thecontinuous thunder from the largest curtain of falling water andthe accompanying mist that plumes from the bottom of the gorgethey have called the waterfall "Mosi-Oa-Tunya" meaning the"smoke that thunders". But I like the other name. "Shungu waMutitima."
Little wonder Dr David Lingstone the famous Scottish missionarydoctor and explorer could not resist to write in his dairy,"...scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels intheir flight." Because the beauty is awesome. Dr Livingstone wasthe first European to see the waterfall on November 16, 1855. Henamed it after Queen Victoria.
At the bottom of the falls are red Kalahari sands. Opposite thewaterfall it rains 24 hours a day 7 days a week (24/7). Thismist rain nurtures a small rainforest. And two rain bows too.One is seen during the day and the second occurs at night on afull moon. These are the popular solar and lunar rainbows ofVictoria Falls ...but then that's another story!
Adventure Centre and the Safaris After the Victoria Falls theZambezi River passes through nine gorges it has cut down 122metres deep. The nine gorges are in fact former waterfalls atdifferent stages of the development and migration of the fallsup stream. This migration covers the past 150 million years!
Now the gorges are a spectacular sight. They also form part ofthe area where adrenaline pumping adventures take place -whitewater rafting over 22 rapids, bungi jumping through 122metres, gorge swinging, abseiling, river boarding, jet boating,etc. It is for this reason that Livingstone town near theVictoria Falls is now recognized as the Southern AfricaAdventure Centre.
If you have a daredevil spirit take to the air in a microlightflight. Fly over the Victoria Falls, watch animals in the nearbyMosi-Oa-Tunya National Park...and get really close to thecascading water of the world's largest curtain of falling water.But if you would rather like mundane pastime then you might wantto enjoy the "Flight of Angels." Hire a helicopter or indeed arigid wing airplane. Even this choice will be your life'smemorable experience.
Where to Stay
The banks of the Zambezi River are dotted with many lodges andcamping sites. A visit to the Zambezi Waterfront might be whatyou want. More interesting though is the theme designs of mostlodges. They have a strong African architectural style.
The Sun International resort is the latest inclusion and isbuilt closest to the Victoria Falls. The resort is a combo oftwo hotels: one, the Zambezi Sun is a three star hotel onlyminutes from the Victoria Falls and the other the RoyalLivingstone is a five star royal opulence.
The red walls of the Zambezi Sun depict decorative symbols ofprehistoric times. The colour of these African drawings issimilar to the Kalahari sands found at the bottom of the falls.But the luxury of the Royal Livingstone is all very different.The ever present butlers and staff wear uniforms reminiscent ofthe dress of Dr Livingstone at the time he discovered thewaterfalls one and half centuries ago. He named the waterfallsin honour of Victoria, then queen of England.
Next to the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park is another new hotel.Chrismar Hotel has just been completed near the 60 sq kmnational game park. It's as if the hotels and lodges are‘popping' up everyday!
In Lusaka the capital city of Zambia you'll find other excitinghotels and lodges; the 5 star Taj Pamodzi, the 5 star HotelIntercontinental, Holiday Inn and other fine hotels.
The private game lodges are all within fifty kms. Popular onesare the Lilayi Lodge, the Protea Safari Lodge, and Chaminuka.But Siavonga at Lake Kariba has exciting lakeshore lodges. It'sonly a two-hour drive from Lusaka. My advice...you'll enjoy thehospitality of Zambia!
How to Get to Zambia
The choice is wide. You can choose to arrive by air and land atany of the four international airports that have full custom andimmigration facilities. Mfuwe International Airport is on theboundary with the Zambian premier game reserve, the SouthLaungwa National Park. Another is at Ndola on the Copperbelt ofZambia. And yet another is the Lusaka International Airport 22kms from the capital city of Zambia. But LivingstoneInternational Airport is special. Only 8 kms from the VictoriaFalls whose first sighting you get from the air on approach tolanding.
And then you may choose to arrive by road from any of the eightneighbouring countries but mainly from Bostwana, Namibia,Malawi, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Get on a plane or car and come to Zambia ...And you'll leavewithout ever forgetting Zambia safari!
Zambia is located in south central Africa with eightneighbouring countries. There are 19 national parks and34 game management areas. Thus a whopping 30 percent of thecountry's 752,614 sq kms. The country has the largestwater resources in southern Africa. There are large empty tractsof land in pristine state and a large wildlife estate. Zambia'sunique natural resources include minerals such as copper,precious stones and lumber; both native hard wood and softexotic pinewood timber.
The National Parks
Of the 19 national parks South Luangwa is Zambia's premier gamereserve. The South Luangwa National Park has probably thelargest variety and concentration of game in Africa and perhapsin the world. Experts in wildlife safari consider the 9,990sq kms park has some of the finest viewing areas. It israted one of the top game reserves in the world with a uniqueprofusion of wildlife. Some animals are rare and only found inthe park. An example is the Thornicraft giraffe.
Another game reserve is the Kafue National Park. The sprawling22,400 sq kms is the second largest national park in theworld and is about the size of Wales in Britain and twice thesize of Yellowstone National Park in the USA. The park islocated in the central-western Zambia and boasts excellent gameviewing, bird watching and fishing.
The park has two unique wetlands. The Busanga Floodplain in thenorthern sector is special. The emerald green Lunga, Lufupa andKafue Rivers crisscross it. Here are found multi-species ofanimals and birds. The Busanga plain is an antelope country. Theendemic lechwe fill its plains. The park's southern limit alsobreaks into another wetland the Nanzhila Plains. The plains arenext to Zambia's newest lake at the Itezhi-Tezhi Dam.
Copper and Gemstone Reserves
Apart from the fauna and flora estate the country holds 6percent of the worlds copper reserves. In addition Zambia is theleading producer of precious and semi-precious gemstonesincluding the rare beauty, the green emerald. Amethyst,garnet, tourmaline, citrine and their verities are alsofound in Zambia. Most of the finished and semi-finished gemstoneproducts are exported worldwide.
Tracts of Land and the Wilderness
The population to land ratio is one of the lowest in Africa. Atless than 15 people per sq km it is one of the lowest in theworld. The sparse population has left a large portion of Zambiaunspoiled and in its natural state.
You get to see teeming wildlife in pristine wilderness. Thewildlife is completely ‘wild and untamed.' Some of theanimals have had little or no contact with humans. So thenational parks present wildlife in its natural habitat, the verysame way nature has always wanted it to be.
The Rivers and Lakes of Zambia
Zambia's major rivers, lakes and wetlands are considered to holdthe largest component of water resources in Southern Africa.There are four major rivers. The Zambezi covers the largest partof Zambia from northwest through southern to southeastern. TheKafue cuts the country in the middle. The Luangwa nearly cutsoff the eastern part of the country. But the Chambeshi thatdischarge into Lake Bangweulu in north-central Zambia hassuffered name changes along its course. After leaving Bangweuluit changes its name to Luapula River. It becomes the Congo Riveron leaving Lake Mweru and entering the Democratic Republic ofCongo.
In the south is Lake Kariba on the Zambezi. It was the largestman-made lake until the Aswan and the Cobara Bassa were dammed.Lake Kariba is the latest destination for safari investmentbesides the Victoria Falls. Another is Lake Bangweulu surroundedby white sand beaches and by the tenth largest wetland inAfrica. The wetland is the home of the endemic lechwe antelopesand the rare shoebill stork. The third is Lake Mweru on theborder with Democratic Republic of Congo. And Lake TanganyikaAfrica's deepest lake has its southern tip extending intonorthern Zambia.
The Wild Zambezi River
One river that deserves mentioning is the Zambezi River afterwhich the country is named. From its source near Kaleni Hills inthe northwestern corner of the country the Zambezi cuts a lyingdown "S" shape as it flows through its course a total of 3,450kms before discharging into the Indian Ocean. Its entrance atthe ocean is dramatic for it ends in many river channels calleda delta.
The Zambezi passes through changing landscapes and environment.From the rapids in the notrhwest through the wide river and thesite of the "Likumbi Lya Mize" ceremony of the Luvale people. Itthen passes through the Zambezi floodplain where the Ku-ombokaceremony of the Lozi people takes place. Later the rivertraverses a hilly area and becomes wide and tranquil. Suddenlythe river breaks into the world's most spectacular waterfall.This is the mystic and awe-inspiring Victoria Falls.
Before the waterfall the Zambezi passes through a point nearKazungula where four countries meet; Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabweand Zambia. Nowhere else do countries converge on one point in amanner such as this.
Down stream of the waterfall the Zambezi collects into a lake atKariba Dam. Down stream it is joined firstly by the Kafue,Zambia's second largest river and secondly by the Luangwa Riverat a confluence where three countries meet: Mozambique, Zambiaand Zimbabwe. ...And before its mouth at the Indian Ocean theZambezi River forms the second and larger lake at Cobara-BasaDam in Mozambique.
The Beautiful Victoria Falls
Now the Victoria Falls is something worth talking about. Itsawesome, beautiful and a world heritage site. The Toka-Leyapeople of Chief Mukuni who have always lived there have builtmany shrines for their deities and ceremonies. Because of thecontinuous thunder from the largest curtain of falling water andthe accompanying mist that plumes from the bottom of the gorgethey have called the waterfall "Mosi-Oa-Tunya" meaning the"smoke that thunders". But I like the other name. "Shungu waMutitima."
Little wonder Dr David Lingstone the famous Scottish missionarydoctor and explorer could not resist to write in his dairy,"...scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels intheir flight." Because the beauty is awesome. Dr Livingstone wasthe first European to see the waterfall on November 16, 1855. Henamed it after Queen Victoria.
At the bottom of the falls are red Kalahari sands. Opposite thewaterfall it rains 24 hours a day 7 days a week (24/7). Thismist rain nurtures a small rainforest. And two rain bows too.One is seen during the day and the second occurs at night on afull moon. These are the popular solar and lunar rainbows ofVictoria Falls ...but then that's another story!
Adventure Centre and the Safaris After the Victoria Falls theZambezi River passes through nine gorges it has cut down 122metres deep. The nine gorges are in fact former waterfalls atdifferent stages of the development and migration of the fallsup stream. This migration covers the past 150 million years!
Now the gorges are a spectacular sight. They also form part ofthe area where adrenaline pumping adventures take place -whitewater rafting over 22 rapids, bungi jumping through 122metres, gorge swinging, abseiling, river boarding, jet boating,etc. It is for this reason that Livingstone town near theVictoria Falls is now recognized as the Southern AfricaAdventure Centre.
If you have a daredevil spirit take to the air in a microlightflight. Fly over the Victoria Falls, watch animals in the nearbyMosi-Oa-Tunya National Park...and get really close to thecascading water of the world's largest curtain of falling water.But if you would rather like mundane pastime then you might wantto enjoy the "Flight of Angels." Hire a helicopter or indeed arigid wing airplane. Even this choice will be your life'smemorable experience.
Where to Stay
The banks of the Zambezi River are dotted with many lodges andcamping sites. A visit to the Zambezi Waterfront might be whatyou want. More interesting though is the theme designs of mostlodges. They have a strong African architectural style.
The Sun International resort is the latest inclusion and isbuilt closest to the Victoria Falls. The resort is a combo oftwo hotels: one, the Zambezi Sun is a three star hotel onlyminutes from the Victoria Falls and the other the RoyalLivingstone is a five star royal opulence.
The red walls of the Zambezi Sun depict decorative symbols ofprehistoric times. The colour of these African drawings issimilar to the Kalahari sands found at the bottom of the falls.But the luxury of the Royal Livingstone is all very different.The ever present butlers and staff wear uniforms reminiscent ofthe dress of Dr Livingstone at the time he discovered thewaterfalls one and half centuries ago. He named the waterfallsin honour of Victoria, then queen of England.
Next to the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park is another new hotel.Chrismar Hotel has just been completed near the 60 sq kmnational game park. It's as if the hotels and lodges are‘popping' up everyday!
In Lusaka the capital city of Zambia you'll find other excitinghotels and lodges; the 5 star Taj Pamodzi, the 5 star HotelIntercontinental, Holiday Inn and other fine hotels.
The private game lodges are all within fifty kms. Popular onesare the Lilayi Lodge, the Protea Safari Lodge, and Chaminuka.But Siavonga at Lake Kariba has exciting lakeshore lodges. It'sonly a two-hour drive from Lusaka. My advice...you'll enjoy thehospitality of Zambia!
How to Get to Zambia
The choice is wide. You can choose to arrive by air and land atany of the four international airports that have full custom andimmigration facilities. Mfuwe International Airport is on theboundary with the Zambian premier game reserve, the SouthLaungwa National Park. Another is at Ndola on the Copperbelt ofZambia. And yet another is the Lusaka International Airport 22kms from the capital city of Zambia. But LivingstoneInternational Airport is special. Only 8 kms from the VictoriaFalls whose first sighting you get from the air on approach tolanding.
And then you may choose to arrive by road from any of the eightneighbouring countries but mainly from Bostwana, Namibia,Malawi, Tanzania and Zimbabwe.
Get on a plane or car and come to Zambia ...And you'll leavewithout ever forgetting Zambia safari!
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