Please Note - Some Lusaka departures may still need to be added. If you do not see departures listed for your dates, please do click this link to contact our people and find out what's available.
Lusaka can be accessed directly from Heathrow in the UK, as well as several other internetional travel hubs, such as Johannesburg in South Africa. There are domestic flights from Lusaka International Airport to most of the main tourist destinations in Zambia, including Livingstone at Victoria Falls.
Lusaka doesn't have a public bus system which means that cheap mini-bus taxis and private cabs are the only way to get around. Along with Nyanja, English is the main language spoken in Lusaka, so you can ask for directions and pointers from locals. Lusaka is relatively safe, but petty theft is common due to high unemployment rates, so don't carry valuables and take taxis at night. This said, there are surprisingly few beggars and most people are simply going about their business trying to make an honest living with a friendly smile.
For Zambian history, ethnography and contemporary art, visit the Lusaka National Museum. The museum's collection is limited, but some of the galleries provide an excellent overview of Zambia's history and contemporary life. Highlights include the modern Zambian paintings and sculptures, as well as the witchcraft display. Other exhibits show the cultural, ethnographic and archaeological highlights of the country.
Get a glimpse into the local way of life for many Zambians. Visits to the lively informal settlements, or shanty towns, on the outskirts of Lusaka allow visitors to see how most of the locals live. “Komboni” is the local word for these low income, high density settlements in Lusaka. For a complete picture of contemporary Lusaka a visit to one of the local Kombonis is a must.
Thousands of stalls are set up every day in markets across Lusaka, offering an array of goods and services from spare car parts to wooden crafts. These stalls range from food vendors, to hairdressers and sellers of fresh fruit and fish.
The Sunday Market sells good-quality crafts, with the city's largest market, Soweto Market, located nearby. The Town Centre Market or Lusaka City Market has a traditional atmosphere, but watch your valuables for opportunists.
Head to Kalimba Reptile Park to see snakes, crocodiles, tortoises, and chameleons up close.
Kalimba Reptile Park lies to the northeast of Lusaka and is only accessible in a 4x4 vehicle. It's a great place to see crocodiles and snakes, among other reptiles. The reptile park is also a nice spot to have a beer and sample a crocodile burger.
Get your groove on in the nightclubs and shebeens (informal bars) of Lusaka. Lusaka has a decent nightlife featuring upmarket nightclubs that fill up over the weekends. The city also features numerous roadside shebeens where visitors can experience an authentic night out in Lusaka, dancing into the night with locals to the sounds of rhumba, kwela, hip hob and R&B.
Visit the Munda Wanga Environmental Park - a combination of botanical gardens and wildlife sanctuary.
This park, located about 16km south of the city, rehabilitates various animals for release into the wild, providing a home for those that cannot be released. Resident animals range from cheetahs and lions to an American black bear which is a long way from home. The botanical gardens host many regional flora and fauna and the park has a swimming pool, bar and barbecue grills.