Traveling through Southern Africa (Part 1) – Arriving in Livingstone, Zambia

Livingstone, Zambia was an old colonial capital, but after Zambian independence in 1980 and the collapse of trade with Zimbabwe, it fell on hard times.  Now, due to the many advisories against travel in Zimbabwe, Livingstone is now the regions new tourism and adventure capital.  It is a major way station for travelers coming from eastern and western Africa and it is the starting point for those adventurers traveling to the south.  Lying just 10 km (6.2 mi) north of Victoria Falls and the Zambezi River, Livingstone offers everything from safaris to whitewater rafting to bungee jumping.

Getting to Livingstone isn’t easy.  There aren’t many roads and those that exist are in less than stellar condition.  The fact of the matter is Livingstone is a long way from anywhere else.  The best way to get there is by plane, but the only international connections are via Johannesburg, South Africa.  It’s about a two-hour flight plus waiting time, but it’s still the fastest way to go.

Once in Livingstone, there are plenty of taxis at Maramba Airport, just be sure you make your deal before getting into the car.  If you have accommodation booked, ask and they will make arrangements to meet you at the gate for a nominal fee.  We arrived a few days before our overland truck was leaving, so we decided to stay in a nice hotel and enjoy the sights.

The hotel had a driver that picked us up at the airport.  During our stay, he was there to take us anywhere we want to go (always at an addition cost).  Also staying at the hotel, were others that would be traveling overland with us.  We made some fast friends and the next day all went together to see Victoria Falls before heading to the camp of our overland driver-guides to introduce ourselves.  Although our trip didn’t officially start for another two days, they invited us to join the group the next day for a little adrenaline adventure, a 111-meter-high bungee jump off the Zambezi Bridge.

We didn’t jump, but went as moral support for those that did.  It also gave us a chance to meet the rest of the people that we would be traveling with over the next 5 weeks.  It was a great group of eclectic characters to which we quickly bonded and became a part, but you’ll hear more about that as we further our travel adventures into Southern Africa.