ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS

 

Hire a driver, its cheap and invaluable. 10 euro per day...I can arrange. Be picked up at the airport, but don't drive after dark. If you arrive late in the day take a hotel in town before you come 3 hrs to Siavonga. Buy food supplies in Lusaka at the supermarkets. There is a few stores locally but not the range of Lusaka shops. Relax at the Castle for a day or 2 and visit the town. Bars, hotels, restaurants, beaches, soccer games. Plan a trip to Livingstone where you can stay at Africa's best hotel for $650 per night or Miramba camp grounds for $10 per person...there's lots in between. Must see the Victoria falls. Mosi a tunya game reserve has Rhino and other beasts but not very big compared to the other national parks. You can use My land rover (with driver) or get a tour, or ask for a ranger to show you around ($10). Livingstone hotel has very reasonable afternoon tea or drinks right on banks of the Zambezi with zebra and giraffe wandering around along with the very pesky vervet monkeys. I have heard the 2 hr ride on a 50's classic steam train with fine dining is a good choice, or a sunset boat cruise (choose a boat with multiple motors). You can also helicopter, microlight or bungee jump over the falls if you don't like class 5 water rafting. Back to Siavonga for a boat cruise on the Cassy with our own pilot. Its good for a whole family and is kitted with a kitchen, bunks and a dingy for fishing. Should you have 3 or 4 days then you will reach the area for the legendary Tiger fish. Get a permit before you go. Or, use our speedboat, "the general" and fly at 35 MPH. Kariba Lake is almost totally unspoiled, no industry, no cottages, just fishing rigs homemade by the locals who will willingly sell you a couple of bream (talapia) for $2. Scenery, sunsets and night sky like no other place in the world. When you get back to the castle plan a trip to one of the game parks of which Zambia has plenty. We recently visited the Lower Zambezi (below the lake) park and saw plenty of game, particularly elephant. We took the tents and kit to Mvuu Lodge where we could camp just outside the official park for $20 per person and thoroughly enjoyed their restaurant that had all the facilities needed while looking over the river for Hippo and Crocs. We found a self catering facility that comes with a cook for $100 per couple or $650 for 16 if you take the whole place, even closer to the park gates. You can pay up to $1600 per night at some lodges if you wish the whole luxury package. There is also an air strip there so flights from Lusaka possible if you want to arrange your holidays in a different order. A few days in that area and you will almost certainly see all the game species except Rhino and giraffe. The fantastic "Southern Belle" moored in a Siavonga bay serves dinners onboard whether you are out on the lake for a cruise or just at anchor. The prehistoric shoebill stork in the Bangewelo swamps or the bat migration in Kasanga are also worth seeing although I have yet to do that myself. Upstream Vanessa offers an 'eco tour' at lottery bay where you may visit the locals and see their traditional ways. Quite willing to help with contacts and other info for your planning

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