Lusaka
Located in the southern region of Zambia’s central plateau, Lusaka offers transport links to most of the national parks within the country as well as to Victoria Falls.
When to go to Lusaka
Best Time to Go
Visit Lusaka year-round for a varied experience.
The capital city of Zambia
Plenty of accommodation options
Great transport links to key safari areas
A mix of wildlife and cultural experiences
Zambia’s Friendly Capital
As far as cities go, we really like Lusaka. It is laidback, clean, and friendly, and has some great places to stay. That said, there is little of real interest to do here, so Lusaka usually acts as a pleasant stopover for travelers on their way to or from Zambia’s national parks or Victoria Falls. However, if you would like to spend a little longer here, to acclimatise or to take in some city sights, we could certainly help by talking you through the accommodation options and the things you can do whilst you are here.
Located in the southern region of Zambia’s central plateau, Lusaka offers transport links to most of the national parks within the country as well as to Victoria Falls.
Activities
For those spending time in Lusaka, there are some notable galleries, museums and shops to explore. You can also take a city highlights tour to see the key attractions.
Take a City & Township Tour
Visit Museums & Galleries
Local Nature & Wildlife Attractions
Stock up on Souvenirs
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If you only have time for one outing, most hotels in Lusaka can arrange highlights tours of the bustling city. These can include a wide variety of attractions, from visiting a traditional healer to admiring the city’s political buildings to looking around one of its breweries.
We recommend the Henry Tayali Visual Arts Centre for visitors who favor modern art, while the Nomwande Art Gallery is our top tip if you’d prefer to see the works of well-established painters and sculptors. Also, the Lusaka National Museum provides a wealth of information about Zambia’s history and culture. On the upper gallery, you’ll find an interesting account of the country’s development, as well as a children’s corner. The lower gallery boasts an exciting assortment of contemporary art.
The Munda Wanga Environmental Park is situated approximately 16 kilometers south of Lusaka. It’s a rescue center for the likes of owls and pangolins, alongside botanical gardens containing almost 500 plant species. If you’re here at 2pm on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, you can watch the animals’ feeding time. Located in Ngwerere, a suburb of Lusaka, Kalimba Reptile Park is perfect for fans of all things scaly. Showcasing crocs, snakes, tortoises, and more, the park also offers fishing, farming, and general fun for all the family.
For shopping enthusiasts, Kabwata Cultural Village is an open-air market, full of thatch-roofed huts and stalls from which you can purchase a range of arts-and-crafts items from local sellers. On weekends, usually from 2pm, you can also watch a cultural performance. Lusaka’s development has included the construction of numerous shopping malls, such as Cosmopolitan, Embassy, and East Park. If you have time to spare, you could certainly spend an afternoon browsing in any of these retail centers, taking an occasional break to refuel in any of their sit-down eateries.
History
Where The city was built on the site of a village that had been named Lusaka after its chief. In 1905, British settlers expanded the site by constructing a railway; and in 1935 it became the British colony’s capital of Northern Rhodesia, taking this title from the city of Livingstone. In 1964, Lusaka was named capital city of the newly independent Zambia. Since then it has seen rapid development, and today it’s a popular city for both Zambians and tourists, with further growth anticipated in business, housing, entertainment, and other areas.
Talk to someone who’s been there
Real expertise doesn’t come from a few trips to Africa. All our specialists have either been guides, run the camps, or grown up and lived in Africa. That’s over 600 years of genuine safari experience.Good to Know
01.What are the best accommodation options?
Chat to a safari specialist to discuss visiting Lusaka as a stopover destination within your Zambia safari schedule, or to find out more about the city. We feature a select handful of properties on our website, ranging from boutique hotels to rustic lodges.
02.Top months to visit?
Lusaka is an all-year-round destination, and the time of year you visit will of course depend on your safari itinerary. The city is hottest from September to November, and wettest from December through to March.
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