Livingstone: Culture and Nature

Choosing Livingstone by travel interest

In Livingstone, the options range from a cultural site to forest activities and the history of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. When choosing a hotel, it helps to distinguish between these highlights: would you mainly like to explore culture, plan for birdwatching or hiking, or understand the cross-border context of the World Heritage Site? The different places offer various starting points for this.

Cultural site and historical points of interest

Maramba Cultural Village is in the southeastern part of Livingstone District, on Sichango Road in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. The Old Drift Crossing Point and a cemetery where the first European settlers are buried are also in the same national park. Alongside the named cultural site, the park therefore contains two places of historical significance. You can consider these themes separately when planning your trip, rather than treating them as a single itinerary.

Birdwatching and hiking

Dambwa and Simonga Local Forests in Livingstone District offer opportunities for birdwatching and hiking, as well as picnic spots. These are different activities: visitors interested in birdwatching can focus on observing nature, while hiking and picnic spots appeal to other interests. The forest areas offer a distinct focus alongside the cultural site and historical points of interest in the national park. When making your choice, consider which of these options is particularly relevant to your travel plans.

The World Heritage Site beyond Livingstone District

The transboundary Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls World Heritage Site includes areas in Livingstone District in Zambia and Hwange District in Zimbabwe. Livingstone District is therefore part of a World Heritage Site that extends across an international border. In the broader destination of Southern Province, the World Heritage Site includes 3,779 hectares of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia. These details show the difference between the local context within the district and the larger, transboundary context.

Nature and history in Southern Province

Southern Province also provides a wider regional setting for nature and cultural interests. Lochinvar National Park is in Zambia’s Southern Province. Its landscape includes floodplains, woodland, and termite mounds. The Gwisho Hot Springs lie along a geological fault in the park. Lochinvar offers opportunities for birdwatching, and more than 420 species have been recorded there. An archaeological site is located at Sebanzi Hill in Lochinvar National Park. The hill was the site of an Iron Age village that was inhabited until the last century. This combination of landscape, nature observation, and archaeological history offers a different regional focus from the places in Livingstone District.

Kafue National Park is partly located in Southern Province. Boat trips are offered there year-round by most camps and lodges near the river; canoe trips are available particularly near Kaingu. Water levels change significantly over the course of the year, and specific operators and availability may vary. If you plan to include these trips, check availability in advance. This regional activity focus is distinct from the birdwatching and hiking opportunities in Dambwa and Simonga Local Forests.

Discover more destinations: Livingstone

View the broader travel overview: Southern Province.