Livingstone City in Zambia sits right at the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia. This is where Victoria Falls, on the Zambia side, is located—the most popular spot is the Devil’s Pool. The city also boasts of harboring Zambezi River, African game, and a vibrant town rich in culture and interesting history of the Scottish explorer, David Livingstone, whom the city was named after.
Languages spoken in Livingstone, Zambia, are Tonga, Nyanja, Bemba, and English. The Zambian Kwacha is the money used. If you cross the border to Victoria Falls Town, Zimbabwe, bring cash with you, preferably US dollars.
Winter months in Livingstone are between May and August. High temperatures average between 78°F and 84°F (°C and °C), while low temperatures average from 45°F to 52°F (°C and °C). Summer months in Livingstone are between September and April. Average high temperatures are 86-92°F (°C). Low temperatures range between 59°F and 68°F (15°C and °C).
On the Zambezi River and the Lower Zambezi National Park in Livingstone, you will find elephants, hippos, water buffalos, impalas, baboons, giraffes, waterbucks, wild dogs, zebras, leopards, lions, and a lot of different bird species. There are quite a few good tour operators to Lower Zambezi National Park offering game drives and river cruises.
Victoria Falls National Park harbors what is considered to be the largest waterfall in the world—Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls is not the widest or tallest Falls in the world (the tallest is Angel Falls in Venezuela), but when dimensions and flow power are considered, it is credited to be the largest in the world. There are many tours like this Private Guided Tour of the Falls in Livingstone. Victoria Falls was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visiting Mosi Oa Tunya National Park is one of the best things to do in Livingstone. The name means “the smoke that thunders”. Not only will you have an opportunity to view the mighty Victoria Falls from the park, on the other side of the park you can take a game drive and see typical African animals such as crocodiles, hippos, buffaloes, wildebeest, zebras, and white rhinos. Visitors can get up close to the White Rhinos by taking a walking safari with a guide who is experienced in tracking the rhinos.
Devils Pool is located on Livingstone Island and is part of the Victoria Falls. You can only visit Devils Pool via a tour operator. From Livingstone, there are a few guided tours offered. The Livingstone Island and Devils Pool Tour is one of the better-reviewed tours. Take your swimming gear to experience breathtaking swimming at the edge of the waterfall gorge. See our post on What to Wear at Victoria Falls for a Devil’s Pool outfit.
Europeans settled here as it is close to the Zambezi River, which they used to cross to other parts of Africa. The colorful Edwardian style buildings in the town center are proof of these settlers in the early 1900s. There are a few good guided tours stopping at different places of interest in Livingstone showing historical buildings and the famous Curio Market.
The Livingstone Museum sits as one of the best things to do when in Livingstone—not only is it Zambia’s oldest and largest museum, it also offers David Livingstone memorabilia, different galleries full of archeological finds and artifacts and documents on the cultures and history of Livingstone and Zambia. The address is Plot 567, Mosi-Oa-Tunya Road, Livingstone.
To better understand the culture of Zambia and how people have lived in the villages for centuries, take a Cultural Tour of Mukuni Village. Mukuni is a village that has real people living in the huts and getting on with their everyday lives—the chief introduced the tour program for tourists and visitors to Livingstone as a way to generate income for the village. When you get to the village, you will be met with guides from the village at the village’s entrance.
The Railway Museum is another attraction in Livingstone worth visiting. Vintage trains are found here and the locomotive history in Zambia is displayed via old photographs and old trains parked at the museum. The museum also showcases the history of Jewish people in Zambia. The Railway Museum is open every day from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and located at 726 Limulunga Road, Livingstone.
Mukuni Big 5 Safaris Park is known for its big cats and the up-close experience with the cats that visitors have. Cheetahs and lions are the pride of the park and visitors can walk alongside them. There are tours to the park that are good, such as this Lion and Cheetah Walk Tour.
Victoria Falls Bridge is one of the best spots to view the Victoria Falls. Many guided tours take people to the bridge and are very informative on the history of the construction of the bridge. Victoria Falls Bridge is popular with adrenaline seekers because of bungee jumping and zip-lining.
The safari experience at Chobe National Park in Botswana is on another level. Animals are plenty, wild, and the encounters very close. A cruise along the Chobe River is memorable. It’s best to take a day trip tour for the visit and don’t forget your passport. A day trip tour to Chobe (the duration is usually 9 hours) is better than driving yourself there as it demands less effort and you avoid dealing with vehicle immigration requirements and the road police.
The Royal Livingstone Express is the luxurious steam train that provides a fine dining experience while touring Livingstone, making a Sightseeing stop at Victoria Falls Bridge—usually, the rainbow appears over the Victoria Falls and it’s beautiful. Snacks and drinks are also served, but the main highlight is the gourmet four-course dinner.
Visit the Livingstone Reptile Park to see crocodiles and snakes. Open every day from 8 am to 5 pm, the park serves as one of the other things to do in Livingstone when one has finished touring Victoria Falls. The crocodiles here are rescued from the Zambezi River because they were a threat to people and other animals. The location of Livingstone Reptile Park is Mosi-Oa-Tunya Road, Livingstone.
MUKUNI PARK CURIO MARKET
Mukuni Park Curio Market is a shopping mall located on Mwela Street, right in the heart of Livingstone. This is a craft market that opens every day from 8 am to 6 pm. It is perfect for souvenir shopping and local art to take back home for gifts.
DAMBWA CENTRAL MARKET
Dambwa Central Market in Livingstone is your typical local market that the locals frequent. Things such as traditional textiles, local crafts, and food such as vegetables and fruits are sold here.
STREET VENDORS AROUND LIVINGSTONE
The best way to buy cheap souvenirs and local crafts is to stop by vendor makeshift stores and negotiate for what you want. Most times the vendors will approach you and try to sell you goods at a hiked up price—if they don’t reduce the prices, you may want to try another vendor, as usually, they are testing to see if you will just pay the high price.
ELEPHANT’S WALK SHOPPING & ARTIST VILLAGE, ZIMBABWE
Cross over the border to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, to buy artisans’ master crafts at Elephant’s Walk Shopping and Artist Village. This is a stretch of local artisans’ shops selling a variety of sculptures, ornaments, vases, and many other artworks you may not have seen before. The shops are also studios where you will see artists at work. After shopping, relax in the gardens, have a Zimbabwean coffee, and experience a close encounter with crocodiles.
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