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Livingstone Safari Travel Guide

Livingstone is one of Africa's tour departure hubs.


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Travel back in time in the historic town of Livingstone, Zambia's gateway to Victoria Falls and other top Zambian Travel Destinations.

About Livingstone

The bustling adrenaline capital of Zambia, Livingstone is the travel base for exploring Victoria Falls and enjoying a host of exciting activities.

Livingstone, also called Maramba town, is a lively tourism hub with plenty of African and old colonial charm.

Livingstone Today

Today Livingstone is alive with tourist attractions and activities, hence its title as Zambia's adventure capital.

The small town of Livingstone is a pleasant place to explore on foot and view the old buildings. Walking around Livingstone gives you a real feel for this lively, yet laid-back African town. Livingstone has a selection of restaurants, internet cafes, shops, banks, a post office and even some night life to offer visitors.

Thanks to tourism, Livingstone has made a comeback after a quiet era, with the population of Livingstone at over 100 000.

Tourism generated by tours to Victoria Falls is the main source of income and employment in the area. Other active industries in Livingstone include timber mills, vehicle assembly plants, furniture making, textiles, farming and food processing units. 

Livingstone Attractions & Activities

Livingstone is geared towards tourists and therefore offers numerous attractions and a huge selection of activities to keep travellers well entertained!

Livingstone Attractions include:

  • Victoria Falls Tours
  • Batoka Gorge
  • Livingstone Museum
  • Railway Museum
  • Victoria Falls Field Museum
  • Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
  • Mukuni Cultural Village
  • Maramba Centre & Market
  • Kubu Crafts
  • Mukuni Park Market
  • Crocodile and Snake Park

Livingstone Activities include:

  • White Water Rafting
  • Bungee Jumping
  • Zambezi Canoeing or kayaking
  • Elephant-Back Riding
  • Helicopter or Microlight flights over Vic Falls
  • Horseback Riding
  • Jetboating
  • Zambezi River Boarding
  • Bridge Swinging
  • Gorge Zip Line and Abseiling
  • Zambezi River Sunset Cruises
  • Trips to Livingstone Island
  • Game Viewing in Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park
  • Fishing excursions
  • Walk with Lions
  • Quad biking
  • Steam Train Rides over Victoria Falls Bridge

As you can see there is a serious variety of activities available in Livingstone, from the tame outing to the extremely adrenaline inducing adventure!

Livingstone Location

Livingstone is located on the northern banks of the Zambezi River about 10km's from Victoria Falls in Zambia.

The town of Livingstone is the capital of the Southern Province of Zambia, and is situated near the border of Zimbabwe. There are road and rail connections to Zimbabwe from Livingstone via Victoria Falls Bridge.

History of Livingstone

The town is named after the first European to explore this Zambezi River area extensively, Dr. David Livingstone, a famous missionary and explorer.

In 1905 Livinstone town was established, upon completion of the Victoria Falls Bridge linking the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides of the Zambezi River. 

In 1911 Livingstone became the capital of then Northern Rhodesia,  flourishing until 1935 when the capital was moved to centrally located Lusaka. After a long period of neglect and decline, the last decade has seen the resurgence of Livingstone town.

The quaint old buildings and Jacaranda trees take travelers back to the colonial past of this vibrant and proud town.

When to go to Livingstone

Victoria Falls is an impressive sight all year-round, but the best time to view Victoria Falls is after the rainy season when water levels are higher, between February and May. Vic Falls is at its least impressive after the dry season, in October and November, which are also very hot months.

The best time for game viewing near Livingstone is in the dry winter months, between June and October. During the dry season the vegetation thins out, making it easier to see the animals in the bush and wildlife also tends to congregate at watering holes and rivers.

The best time to go whitewater rafting on the Zambezi River from Livingstone is when the water levels are relatively low, between August and December, as rafting tours stop running when the Zambezi is in full flood.

Livingstone is situated in a humid subtropical climatic zone. The summers are hot and rainy, with temperatures averaging at 30ºC upwards. The winter months are mild and dry with cool nights, with average temperatures of about 23ºC.


View all Livingstone tours   |  See our calendar of tour departures from Livingstone

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