Welcome to Zambia!

Only ten million people inhabit Zambia, a country half the size of Europe, and therefore it has one the lowest people to land ratios in the continent. With nineteen wildlife reserves and seven waterfalls, Zambia has many highlights, including some of the best safaris in the world and an abundance of places to stay for an adventurous and picturesque vacation. One of the best ways to explore this untamed wilderness is to take a Zambia tour. Visitors can enjoy world-class river rafting, the longest bungee jump of 364 feet from the Victoria Falls bridge, river surfing, diving, fishing, bird watching, and also canoeing safaris down the Zambezi.

Zambia is a landlocked nation in Africa, bordered by Malawi in the east, Angola in the west, the Democratic Republic of Congo in the north, and Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe in the south. Tanzania is on Zambia's northeast. The Capital city, Lusaka, is situated in the southeast region of the country, and the population of Zambia is centred around Lusaka and the copper belt in the northwest.

Hunter-gatherers and nomadic tribes lived in Zambia for thousands of years, and from the eighteenth century onwards, several European explorers visited Zambia. Towards the end of the nineteenth century, the British slowly started occupying the country as a protectorate of Northern Rhodesia. The protectorate obtained independence on 24 October 1946 and adopted the new name of Zambia, a name derived from the river Zambezi flowing through Zambia. After independence, Zambia adopted a one-party system of administration, with Kenneth Kaunda being the first president of independent Zambia. He was the most dominant force in Zambian politics until 1991, when multiparty elections were held for the first time.

Traditionally, Zambia's main industry has been copper mining. Today it has started adopting a more diverse economic programme. The country's economy began declining in the 1970s and it has not been able to recover from that. In 2000, Zambia had a foreign aid debt exceeding US $6 billion. The growing population is a major strain on the economy and to add to its woes, HIV/AIDs is widely prevalent. Zambia is one of the poorest nations of the world, with an average per capita income of US $395.

The Zambezi flows down along the western part of the country and forms a natural border along a large part of its south. David Livingstone sailed down the river in the 1850s, hunting for a route into the heart of Southern Africa. He wanted to introduce European civilisation and Christianity to fight the miseries of the slave trade. While working amongst the Kololo tribe, Livingstone wanted to set up a system of fair trade for the natives and also support the trade of cotton and ivory etc. However, this plan depended on finding a suitable route to transport large quantities of goods to the coast. Livingstone chanced upon the Victoria Falls during his explorations but, unfortunately, found the Zambezi to be un-navigable. Nevertheless, when he went back to Britain, he had wondrous tales about the magnificent waterfalls. Livingstone spent his last days in Zambia, and when he passed away in 1873 was buried near Lake Bangweulu.

Victoria Falls is one of the world's most impressive waterfalls. The Kololo tribe, who lived in its vicinity during the 1800s, described it as Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning ‘the Smoke that Thunders'. Spray from the falls is visible from miles away. The waterfall has 20 billion cubic feet of water plunging over a 1.2-mile cliff every minute. It falls 328 feet down a steep-walled gorge. The falls crash over a wide basalt cliff and transform the wide and calm Zambezi into an unruly surge of water rushing through a row of spectacular gorges. Another steep walled basalt cliff faces the falls. It is of the same height and is covered by mist-covered rainforests. Walking along the edge of the forest gives visitors an unmatched view of the awe-inspiring waterfalls.

Wherever you choose to take a tour in Zambia, the wam locals and natural beauty will captivate you, and a true adventure is sure to be found. You can use our Zambia map to find the best location for your hotel in Zambia and ensure your ideal holiday. And whilst in Zambia you should use your holiday to explore other great African destinations like Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritius and South Africa.