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Lilayi Elephant Nursery (1 hr)
You can visit this orphanage easily from Lusaka. Lilayi Elephant Nursery is only a 30 minutes drive from downtown. Every taxi driver will know where it is. You’ll have to ask your driver to bring you back to Lusaka as well as there is no option to take a taxi from there. Make a deal with your driver for drive and waiting time.
The orphanage is open from 11:30 am to 1 pm only. Best time to be there is between 11:30 and 11:45 am because then they will feed the baby elephants. Visit this website for more information about the orphanage and other projects of Game Rangers International.
If you want to make your visit a daytrip, you can go to the nearby Lilayi Lodge afterwards and spend the rest of your day at the pool. This lodge is mentioned in our Shopping, Restaurant & Entertainment section.
Lower Zambezi (1-3 days)
Make a boat safari or canoe safari. You will see elephants on the banks of the river and without a doubt you will meet the hippopotamus as Zambia is home to Africa's highest population of this wonderful but dangerous animal.
Get closer to Nile crocodiles and watch hippos and elephants making a splash in Zambia's rivers. You can even do a walking safari because nothing beats the thrill of tracking game on foot. Best time to travel to this area is August to November.
This lodge is next to Lower Zambezi National Park. If weather conditions are good you can go there for a jeep safari. But you have to go by boat for 1½ hour first. So if you like to go into this park, book a lodge inside the park. Here are some great options: Chongwe River Camp, Sausage Tree Camp and Chiawa Camp.
Kafue National Park (2-3 days)
You won’t find giraffe and rhino in this reserve, but you do get a chance to see lions, leopards, elephant and buffalo. (The only park with the ‘big five’ in Zambia is South Luangwa National Park but it is quite far away from Lusaka.)
From Lusaka the road is good, and it takes approximately 3 hours to get to the Hook Bridge. There are light aircraft airstrips at Nagoma, Puku Pan, Chungu and Hippo camps. There are no scheduled flights, but aircraft can be chartered for your visit. Our favourite lodge near the reserve is Mukambi Lodge.
Victoria Falls: Travelling to Livingstone: (1 day)
From Lusaka you can travel to Livingstone either by plane or by bus. There is also a train service but it is not a daily route and not one of the most comfortable means of transportation so we advice to travel by bus or plane.
Proflight Zambia offers several direct flights per day to Livingstone. Go to their website to make a booking. Make sure to book in advance as the planes are very small and often fully booked.
For a bus trip to Livingstone you have to go to Intercity station in downtown Lusaka. Mazyando is the bus company travelling to Livingstone. The price of a ticket depends on the class. Some services are first class others economy. A ticket costs 150 kwatcha or less. The driving time will be 6 to 7 hours. You should buy your tickets in advance and the only option to do so is unfortunately at the bus station.
Victoria Falls: Visiting the falls (1-2 days)
The Falls are located 11 kilometres outside Livingstone. An admission fee is payable as you enter the park. The ticket is valid for multiple entries on the same day. The park is open from early morning to 6 pm daily. There are limited food- or drink stalls inside the park so bring your own.
The falls are locally known as Mosi oa Tunya, 'the smoke that thunders'. It is the world's largest single curtain of falling water. Different times of the year will provide completely different experiences. Peak flood season is around March and April when the full power of the Falls can be experienced in all its glory. Around November and December the Falls become little rivulets running over the edge and in some places along the 1.7km width, no water falls at all.
Victoria Falls: Sunset Cruise (2 hrs)
You will hear the Falls thunder but don’t expect a close-up look at the Victoria Falls as the boats can’t go there. Just enjoy the view of the beautiful scenery and the wildlife around.
There are several operators offering a sunset cruise. Some of them offer a real booze cruise. It depends on your likes which one to book. Every accommodation can arrange a tour for you. Prices may vary from us$ 30 to us$ 70 per person. We had good experiences with African Queen Cruise Company.
Victoria Falls: Bungee jump (1 hr)
But looking at the falls is not the only activity of course. The area has become a Mecca for thrill-seekers, and one of the most thrilling things to is jumping from Victoria Falls Bridge spanning the magnificent Batoka Gorge.
And remember; if you ever want to do a bungee jump, this 111 metres jump is perhaps one of the most beautiful places in the world where you have the option to jump.
A booking for a jump is not necessary, but don’t go to late in the afternoon, as there is a limited number of jumpers they can handle a day. Just take a stroll down to the bridge. You’ll have to go through the border post, as the bridge is in no-mans-land, between Zambia and Zimbabwe. A jump is not cheap by the way; including a movie of your jump, it will cost you around us$ 200.
If you don’t dare to jump yourself, it is great to watch the jumpers and the scenery from the bridge anyway.
Victoria Falls: Overnight stay (1 -2 nights)
Here you will find a list of all accommodations around the Victoria Falls and Livingstone.
One of our favourites located in downtown Livingstone is Fawlty Towers Lodge, which is in walking distance to the bus station. If you prefer to stay next to the Falls and money is not a problem, you could book a room at The Royal Livingstone or The Zambezi Sun.
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