Livingstone
Travel Guide Africa Zambia Livingstone
Introduction
Livingstone is a historical colonial city in the south of Zambia, right at the border with Zimbabwe. During recent years it experienced a boom in tourism, with the problems in neighbouring Zimbabwe where more and more tourists kept away from the town of Victoria Falls. It's located in the Southern Province of Zambia and has about 125,000 inhabitants.
Neighbourhoods
Sights and Activities
Victoria Falls
At a height of over 100 metres and a width of about 1,700 metres, the Victoria Falls are the largest sheet of water falling in the world. Located within the boundaries of Mosi-oa-Tunya NP in Zambia and Victoria Falls NP in Zimbabwe, the falls are one of the most impressive landmarks of Africa and travellers from around the world are highly attracted by the opportunities near the falls. Hiking, wildlife viewing, bungeejumping, cruising, whit water rafting the Zambezi river and a helicopter ride to have a bird's eye view of the falls, all are very popular. As the falls are mainly located in Zambia, the best panoramic view is from Zimbabwe, viewing the falls head on. Even better would be the view from the air. It is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Victoria Falls Bridge
The Victoria Falls Bridge is located along the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, spanning the Zambezi River. It connects the two cities/towns of Livingstone, Zambia, and Victoria Falls. It's almost 200 metres long with a span of over 150 metres and with its height of 128 metres also is a popular place for bungee jumping.
Cecil Rhodes initially was the masterpiece behind the bridge, as it would be part of a desired railroad between Cairo and Cape Town. The bridge was designed by George Anthony Hobson and construction eventually started in 1904, after which it took just 14 months for it to be officially opened by George Darwin, son of Charles Darwin, on 12 September 1905. Although trains technically can still cross, there are no official passenger connections and most people either cross by car or on foot.
Other Sights and Activities
- Livingstone Museum - dedicated to the life of David Livingstone
- Victoria Falls Field Museum featuring geology and archaeology around the Falls.
- Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park including the Batoka Gorges - there are good game drives and the popular Rhino Walk, where you go walking in search of the few White Rhinos who live here.
- Railway Museum of the Mulobezi Railway.
- Zambezi River - good for kayaking and rafting.
Events and Festivals
Weather
Livingstone has a tropical climate with relatively high temperatures and humidity throughout the year. Temperatures are usually around 30 °C during the day and still above 20 °C at night, though June and July are about 5 °C cooler and the best months for a visit. November to April is rainy season when roads might be blocked and parks may be unreachable.
Getting There
By Plane
Livingstone Airport (LVI) has a number of flights, with destinations being Lusaka, Nelspruit, Cape Town, Lower Zambezi (for the national park), Mfuwe (for South Luangwa National Park) and Johannesburg.
By Train
The Zambezi Express travel 3 times weekly between Livingstone and Lusaka, taking roughly 15 hours.
By Car
By Bus
Buses leave regularly for Lusaka (7-8 hours) and Shesheke (5 hours), from where you can cross into's Namibia's Caprivi Strip at Katima Mulilo crossing the bridge. The border with Botswana is just over an hour west and you can cross by ferry.
By Boat
Eat
Drink
Sleep
For information about sleeping on the Zimbabwe side, check the Victoria Falls article.
Budget
| Property | Address | Type | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fawlty Towers | 216s Musi o Tunya Road | Hostel | 84 |
| Jollyboys Backpackers | 34 Kanyanta Road PO Box 61088 | Hostel | 88 |
| Livingstone Backpackers | 559 Makambo Road Livingstone | Hostel | 86 |
| Livingstone Holiday home | 2644 / 121 Sinazongwe Street, Livingstone | Guesthouse | 20 |
| Sunbird Guest House | Plot Number 2898/262 off Lusaka Road,Highlands Are | Guesthouse | 88 |
| Kaazmein Lodge and Resort | PO Box 60791 | Hostel | 76 |
| Jollyboys Camp | 80(S) Chipembi Road Livingstone | Hostel | 84 |
| Tabonina Guesthouse | 3 Maina Soko St Nottie Broad | Guesthouse | 92 |
| Comfort Corner Guesthouse | Plot No 24 Maambo Way PO BOX M64 | Guesthouse | 94 |
| The Stone Guest House | 40/1256 Kombe Drive Livingstone P.O.Box 61261 Livingstone | Guesthouse | - |
| Mosi-O-Tunya Executive Lodge | P.O. Box 61209 Plot 4424/37, Highlands | Guesthouse | - |
Mid-Range
Upscale
Work
Learn
Keep Connected
Internet
Phone
See also International Telephone Calls
Getting a local sim card is easy and cheap. The biggest network is Zain, with Zamtel and MTN following. A sim card usually costs less than US$1. Texts to Europe and the United States|US]] cost between 200-300 kwatcha per text. People use texting more than calling, as calls from a mobile to a mobile are expensive.
Post
Post in Zambia is slow but usually reliable. A post card to Europe can take between four days and two weeks, and costs about US$0.30. Parcels take longer, and are quite expensive - make sure you only seal your box at the post office, so you can show what's inside. It also works in your advance - if the personnel sees you only have boring soapstone carvings and nothing of value, your parcel is much more likely to arrive. Leave your cards and letters in the biggest post office; it therefore passes through less hands and is more likely to get to its destination.
On Travellerspoint
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