Despite being Zambia’s largest city and capital, Lusaka is often an over-looked place for travellers to Africa. However, this sprawling city has enjoyed something of a resurgence in recent years, with bustling city markets, a number of upmarket restaurants and bars, and good links around the country.
Lusaka, the capital of Zambia is a pretty interesting city, I found. Quite honestly, it didn’t have a whole lot available for the casual tourist, but I still quite enjoyed my low-key seven days day there, spread out in three chunks over three weeks. If you’re on limited time, I do suggest at least two full days in the city as well as access to a vehicle (either rented or hiring a driver). Most of what I recommend below are not located in downtown Lusaka but rather spread around the city.
Lusaka Skyline
Explore Lusaka's Rich Culture
I usually like checking out art museums or galleries when visiting somewhere, and of course, there are a number of such places around Lusaka. Art is a great way to get a flavour for a new place and it can help put historical or social context around other sites you visit in country. In Lusaka, I visited a gallery called 37d. It’s small but lovely and well appointed with a wide variety of local art in various styles. Entry is free! There is also a gift shop and café attached to it.
Get a sense of Zambian arts by visiting the Kabwata Cultural Village, one of Zambia’s traditionally styled trade centres that still uses thatched-roof huts. There are over 80 resident artists that come from all nine Zambian provinces, allowing for a great variety of wood carvings, drums, bijou, woven baskets, masks and traditionally designed fabrics. During the holidays, live performers play throughout the village to entertain travellers whilst also getting the opportunity to view the craftsman at work.
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The Namwane Art Gallery is a well laid-out gallery displaying many excellent pieces created by Zambian artists, as well as other African artists. It features a permanent collection of paintings, pottery and a variety of sculptures. Some of the paintings date back to the Kaunda era of dancers welcoming their then-president at the airport - these paintings are some of the finest Zambian artworks.
Discover Zambia’s fascinating history by visiting the National Museum. It recalls the country’s history through exhibited works in ethnography, witchcraft and art. Read about the superstitious rituals and ceremonies created by tribal witch doctors through detailed textual descriptions, and see sculptures and paintings of ancient Zambian artists. Observe ‘The Freedom State’ statue of a man breaking his chains, which symbolises the nation’s struggle for independence.
Experience Lusaka's Culinary Delights
One thing I liked about Lusaka was the variety of restaurants with chill patios. I also found that for the quality of food and meal size, Lusaka restaurants are a lot cheaper than those I have visited in the West - my taste buds, stomach, and wallet were all very happy at the same time for once! If there is one local dish I would recommend, it would be fried bream - it’s the most delicious fried fish I’ve ever had!
Treat yourself and your fellow travellers to a selection of delicious curry at Bombay Lounge’s Authentic Indian Cuisine. Bombay Lounge’s speciality is in ‘Mangalorean’ cuisine, which originates from Tamil Nadu as well as other parts of southern India. You’ll experience fine dining in an elegant setting, and can also enjoy a wide range of cocktails, wines, whiskies and champagnes. For foodie travellers, this is a place you must visit to get those taste buds tingling.
Top 10 Luxury Restaurants in Lusaka You Must Try
Other Dining Options:
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- Twapandula: Get A Taste of Zambia! I can hardly ever resist ugali, so I went with Nshima, spinach and bream. I loved their uplifting red theme, as well as their staff’s energy. Whenever a new customer comes in, they chant something putting a surprised smile on your face!
- Vida E Caffè: On the menu at Vida E Caffè, you can find refreshing teas and coffee, sandwiches, wraps, salads and freshly baked cakes.
- Gigibontà: With the burning sun in Lusaka, ice cream at Gigibontà is always a good idea! Of Italian descent, Gigibontà has about 26 flavors of ice cream on its menu. I can still remember my sugar-rush kind of high, after tasting their gelato! And the beauty of dining at Gigibontà is that you’ll be supporting a good cause.
- Eataly Pizzeria: The Pizzeria has an easy, laid back ambiance with an intimate feel to it. Following our friend Henry’s recommendation, we chose to order a pizza and chicken with dressing. And you can bet on it, because they did not disappoint! Eataly would be an excellent choice to treat yourself to a nice, fancy dinner.
Discover Unique Shopping Experiences
My days of buying little trinkets when I travel are generally over. I now prefer to buy things I’ll either use in my house or wear. Zambia is a great place to buy fabric, specifically the colourful chitenge. This beautiful fabric is usually about 2 meters in length. Traditionally, women use the fabric to wrap around their head, chest, or waist; it is even used as a baby sling. These days, it is also used to make whatever you want to make. You can buy chitenge at markets or a fabric shop and then have a tailor make your outfit of choice!
There are a number of shopping options in Lusaka. For one, there are a million malls in the city! Featuring a cinema, fast-food outlets, savvy restaurants, funky cafes, a bookstore and a large supermarket, the Arcades Shopping Mall is a great place to spend a few hours of your day. The mall has a superb ambience, and every Sunday an outdoor market is hosted in the car park outside the mall offering a vast selection of handicrafts and knick-knacks. The mall occasionally features musical and theatrical events too.
There are also several options for curio shopping, including local markets and cooperatives. Two I recommend for local and/or tourist-friendly handicrafts are the Pakati Market located at the Arcade Mall parking lot on Sundays and the Lusaka Collective. The latter is particularly a fantastic option for curated Zambian arts and crafts, homeware, and gifts.
Explore Lusaka's Markets: The city prides itself on its market culture and every day, there are literally thousands of stalls that sell a myriad things. There are fresh fruit sellers, hairdressers, fishmongers, restaurants, spare parts, second-hand clothing and gifts to name a few.
- Lusaka City Market: Zambians go to this fascinating market in Los Angeles Road to get their bargains. The market hosts over 400 stalls and despite how busy it is, tourists don’t often get hassled.
- Soweto Market: This market, just off Los Angeles Road, is more functional than the Lusaka City Market but is still worth a visit.
- Pakati Sunday Craft Market: Every Sunday the Arcades Shopping Centre car park in East Park is turned into a craft market. This is a great place for gifts and crafts.
- Northmead Market: Known as a great place to stock up on souvenirs and to enjoy the small supermarkets, restaurants and fresh food stalls in the area around Chigwilizano Road.
Wildlife Encounters Near Lusaka
If you have limited time and can’t head out of town for some time at a lodge, why not check out Lilayi Lodge? If you only have a day, you can come here for a meal or two and participate in one of their many offered activities - sunset game drive or wine tasting, anyone? If you have a night or three, definitely consider booking one of their beautiful rooms.
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Near Lilayi Lodge is the Lilayi Elephant Nursery. Be prepared to die from the cuteness of baby elephants! When I went, there were five of them. From a raised hide, you can see these cutie pies being bottle-fed and watch them play after their lunch.
Lilayi Elephant Nursery
Located just 30 kilometres from the city, Lusaka National Park - Zambia’s newest but smallest national park - is a great destination for a day trip. The location is rather unusual, as it’s located close to the city and in a populated area. However, it’s home to thousands of species such as rare white rhinos, giraffes, zebras, blue wildebeest, and eland, which roam freely throughout the habitat, comprising forests, lakes, rivers and waterfalls.
Go on safari and take a culture tour in Chaminuka Game Reserve, which sits on top of a hill overlooking Lake Chitoka. It’s a private reserve that’s home to 72 different species of Zambian mammals and reptiles, along with over 300 species of birds. It’s located just 25 kilometres away from the centre of Lusaka, but it seems like a totally different world. There’s so much to see and do at the reserve, you can spend a whole day exploring. See lions, cheetahs, ostriches, hyenas, giraffes and elephants whilst exploring the landscape in either a jeep or on foot during a safari tour, or a boat tour on the lake. Cheetahs are the main attraction - the cheetah experience will leave you speechless at the speed of these graceful creatures.
At Parays Game Ranch, you get the opportunity to get really close to Zambia’s wildlife. Jump into a 4×4 and explore the park at your own pace, seeing a range of animals including zebras and wild boars. The undoubted highlight for many visitors is the majestic white lions, taking the spotlight as the park’s main attraction. These fascinating creatures roam freely in their well-maintained area of the park. After spending time observing the animals, enjoy a sizzling barbeque of bush meat.
Other Wildlife Options:
- Kalimba Reptile Park: Get a great experience of the reptilian atmosphere. It’s home to various beautiful reptiles such as the slender-nosed crocodile, native snakes, tortoises, and many others. You’ll get the opportunity to learn about each type of reptile at the park and have the option to take a guided tour to gain even more insight into the life of reptiles.
- Munda Wanga Environmental Park: It is comprised of an environmental education centre, a wildlife park and sanctuary, and a beautiful botanical garden.
Other Activities and Attractions
Spread over an area of 47,000 square metres, Nembo Scenic Park is a scaled-down model of the map of Zambia, so you can get a bird’s eye view of the country without needing to take off in a plane.
Built in 1962, the Cathedral of The Holy Cross proudly overlooks the city of Lusaka. Since being built, it’s served as a national shrine for prayer and reconciliations, and is a place where locals gather to show their faith. The brilliant architecture was designed with aesthetics that make it look like it was made in the 1950s, and it’s designed to complement the surrounding parks. Visitors are welcome to join locals to express their faith during the Sunday service.
For Children:
- Adventure City: offers a variety of activities including water slides, paintball, and swimming pools.
- Monkey Pools: offers a fun outing for swimming and playing in the crystal-clear turquoise waters, the source of the Mukamunya River. The grounds are lush, with jungle-like forests, and make an excellent picnic spot for a day out.
Day Trip to Victoria Falls
If there was only one thing you could choose to do when in Zambia, it would be to visit Victoria Falls. Known as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’, or ‘the Smoke that Thunders’, the falls are a fascinating sight of awe-inspiring beauty, and one of Africa’s greatest attractions as well as being one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The Victoria Falls form the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and are located on the Zambezi River. It’s the only waterfall in the world that is over a kilometre wide and is over 100 metres in height, and they’re renowned as being the greatest curtain of falling water in the world.
| Attraction | Description |
|---|---|
| Lilayi Lodge | Offers meals, activities like sunset game drives, wine tasting, and beautiful rooms for overnight stays. |
| Lilayi Elephant Nursery | A nursery where orphaned baby elephants are cared for and rehabilitated. |
| Kabwata Cultural Village | A traditionally styled trade center with resident artists from all Zambian provinces. |
| Lusaka National Park | Zambia’s smallest national park, home to various species like white rhinos, giraffes, and zebras. |
| Victoria Falls | One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, located on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe. |
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