Livingstone offers a unique take on Victoria Falls; not only does Zambia have a different view of the ‘Smoke that Thunders’ to neighbouring Zimbabwe, but the focus of the safari experience is more on the Zambezi itself. Here, you can get much closer to the falls, in various ways.
Most of the luxury Zambia safari lodges in this area are a little way upstream of the falls, but they’re still almost within earshot of the tumbling water. Staying just out of town lets you enjoy the tranquillity of wilderness settings without missing out on any of the activities centred on the falls themselves.
Here, canoeing and sunset Zambezi boat cruises provide leisurely ways to get to know this mighty watercourse. Closer to them – when the river is low – you can picnic on Livingstone Island and swim in Devil’s Pool, from where you can quite literally look over the falls.
If you’d like to calm things down, you can take in their glory while enjoying high tea at a nearby hotel. Alternatively, if you’d like to up the energy with adrenaline activities, you can pop over to the town of Victoria Falls, just across the river in Zimbabwe.
As you’d expect from a town named for an explorer, there’s more to discover right in Livingstone too. Wildlife experiences include game drives and walking safaris in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, home to one of Zambia’s few herds of rhino. And scenic flights over the falls offer views and adrenaline in equal measure.
Mukuni Village can be visited thanks to the local Leya people’s openness to cultural visits; spending time with them offers unique insights into their way of life.
