Zambia - Piper & Heath TravelPiper & Heath Travel

A RICH HISTORY,
A BRIGHT FUTURE

CLIMATE
humid subtropical & tropical savanna

DENSITY
45 people per square mile

% OF LAND UNDER CONSERVATION
38%

POPULATION
16,200,000

COUNTRY SIZE
290,000 square miles

CONSERVATION SCORE
7/10

In the past ten years, little known Zambia has emerged as one of the top travel destinations in Africa. Its developing infrastructure is creating more access to its prime locations, giving visitors access to its hidden gems while still maintaining an untouched feeling. Zambia is a land blessed with awe-inspiring natural wonders, a wealth of wildlife, huge water bodies, and vast open spaces. It’s been acknowledged as one of the safest places in Africa.

Despite being a land-locked country, it’s famous for its water. Three mighty rivers: the Kafue, the Luangwa and the Zambezi flow through Zambia. The nation’s biggest draw is also one of the world’s seven natural wonders – the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls. Some visitors take pleasure in just watching the falls or enjoying a sunset or dinner cruise on the Zambezi. While others seek a more adrenaline-fueled adventure and explore “the smoke that thunders” by helicopter, bungee-jump into the Zambezi, or white-water raft below its curtain of water. Cavernous Lake Tanganyika is the second-deepest lake in the world and an ideal spot for relaxing on the beach or snorkeling.

About thirty percent of the country’s land has been set aside for wildlife. There are twenty national parks and thirty-four game reserves to be explored. South Luangwa is the best park in Zambia. Its plains teem with Impalas, pukus, waterbucks, giraffes, and buffaloes while hippos play in the river. Kafue National Park is one of the largest in the world. It’s 8,687 square miles encompass plains, rivers, and forests with excellent chances to spot leopards, cheetahs, and crocodiles. There are plenty of safari options available and wide range of luxury safari camps, lodges, and five-star hotels.

While visitors will never forget the thrills Zambia provides, their lasting impression of the country will be the warm, friendly people that inhabit this memorable place. With over seventy different tribes in Zambia, there is wide cultural diversity, yet so little tribal animosity. Once part of the British Empire, it is now a thriving democracy.