About Livingstone

Livingstone is situated in Zambia, near the famous Victoria Falls. Livingstone backpacking tours are ideal for adventure seekers.

Livingstone Budget Travel

Below is a list of Livingstone's top activities, click on the link to view all details and tours.

Jet Boating on the Zambezi, Victoria Falls Flight of Angels

View all activities in Livingstone

Airports

Nearest major Livingstone airports include:
• Livingstone Airport
• Lusaka International Airport
• Private camp airstrips

Birdlife

Livingstone birds include a large number of endemic and migratory species, with many to be found in the rainforest alongside the falls and the Zambezi River. Common species include kingfisher, fishing owl, fishing eagle, stork, Bishops birds, cranes and many other beautifully coloured species. Key habitats include the Mosi-o-Tunya National Park, which has a high species count set against stunning forests and woodlands.

Conservation

There are a number of key Livingstone conservation projects operating within the town and surrounds, and the beautiful game-rich Mosi-o-Tunya National Park is situated within the area. Other initiatives include a lion rehabilitation project, wildlife education programs and the Zambia Wildlife Authority has a strong presence in the town with their head office based in Livingstone. Victoria Falls also offers a protected area also designated as a World Heritage Site.

Culture

Livingstone cultures include the following:
• Food and drink plays a key role in social gatherings
• Crafts are an important cultural heritage and income provider
• Museums record history of the town and its people and cultures
• Music and dance is an important social heritage
• Traditional healing is very prevalent in villages

Customs

Livingstone customs allows free import of the following for travelers of 18 years and over:
• 200 cigarettes or 450g of tobacco
• 1 opened bottle of alcoholic beverages

Health

Livingstone health facilities are not up to western standards, although as a major tourist center the town is somewhat more developed than rural areas. It is best to take out comprehensive travel insurance and to pack a basic first aid box containing essentials such as malaria medication, vitamins, headache pills, nausea pills, diarrhea pills, bandages and anti-septic creams.

AIDS

Livingstone HIV/AIDS basic precautions include the following:
• Don’t ever share needles or syringes
• Practice safe sex at all times
• Equipment should be sterilized
• If you require self-administered injections, take an adequate supply of your own needles
• Avoid tattoos, acupuncture treatment or body piercing from suspect or unsterile operators

Vaccinations

Livingstone inoculations include the following:
• Hepatitis A & B
• Typhoid
• Polio
• Rabies
• Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
• Tetanus-diphtheria

Languages

Livingstone languages include:
• English
• Afrikaans
• Silozi
• Tonga
• Nyanja

Malaria

Livingstone malaria medication includes the following:
• Mefloquine (Lariam)
• Doxycycline
• Atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone)

Money

Livingstone money and banking info includes the following:
• Banks are generally open Monday to Friday from 08h30-15h00
• Travellers cheques can be exchanged at banks, airport and selected hotels
• US Dollars are widely accepted across the town
• Credit cards are accepted to some degree although not by all outlets
• Foreign exchange facilities can be found at banks, airports and some hotels

People

Livingstone people include the following groups:
• Lozi
• Tokaleya
• Kololo
• Nyanja
• South African
• European

Phrase

Livingstone local phrases in Silozi include:
• Welcome - Mulumeni
• Thank you - Ni itumezi
• Please - Nangu
• How are you - Muzuhile cwani?
• Fine - Lu zuhile hande

Vaccinations

Livingstone inoculations include the following:
• Hepatitis A & B
• Typhoid
• Polio
• Rabies
• Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR)
• Tetanus-diphtheria

Plants

Livingstone plants are a mixture of riverine vegetation, dry mixed woodland and mopane woodlands - and the area offers some of the densest woodlands in Southern Africa. Zambia as a whole has some unique species of vegetation which is found in very few countries including riparian sandbars, fringing forest and basalt cliffs which can also be found across the town and surrounding areas.

Religion

Livingstone religion includes the following:
• Christianity
• Traditional beliefs
• Christian Zionists

Safety Tips

• Like many towns with a high unemployment rate, petty theft can occur in Livingstone
• Keep all valuables safe and out of sight in a moneybag under your shirt
• Do not swim in the rivers ' aside from hippos and crocodiles, there may also be bilharzia
• When on game drives, stay in your car at all times except at designated rest stops
• Drive carefully ' roads can be poor and wildlife can appear in the middle of the road so keep speed levels down
• If you are staying near or in the game park grounds, do not wander out of the camp alone as there may be dangerous wild animals lurking around outside camps

Transport

Livingstone local transport options include:
• Taxi
• Car
• Plane

Travel Books

Livingstone recommended travel books include:
• Zambia Bradt Travel Guide 4th Edition by Chris McIntyre
• Zambia in Pictures by Bella Waters
• Basic Facts on Zambia by Mwelwa Musambachime
• Globetrotter Zambia and Victoria Falls by William Gray
• Old Livingstone and Victoria Falls by Gordon Shepherd

Visa Requirements

Get more information on visas in Zambia

What To Buy

• Livingstone travel book plus bird and wildlife guide
• Plug adapter for UK and US visitors
• Sleeping bag plus camping mattress if you are on an overlanding tour
• Basic first aid box with supplies and vitamins, plus malaria medication
• Mosquito repellent spray and lotion

What To Pack

• Lightweight clothing in neutral colours and long sleeves for mosquito protection
• Warm jacket for cooler months and evenings
• Comfortable walking or hiking shoes, sandals and appropriate shoes for activities such as rafting
• Sunglasses, sunscreen and sunhat
• Camera with spare batteries plus film or memory card, and binoculars

When To Go

• The weather is cool and dry from April to August
• The hot and dry season runs from September to October
• The end of October before the rains in November is very hot and humid
• The warm and wet months run from November to March
• Victoria Falls is at its lowest between August and December

Wildlife

With one of Southern Africa’s most beautiful parks, and the beauty of Victoria Falls creating a lush habitat for a range of species, Livingstone wildlife is rich and varied. Elephant or horseback safaris offer a unique way to view the area’s game, which ranges from elephant to rhino, lion, zebra, hippo, crocodile and many species of antelope.