Entered Zambia 21st April 2001.
Exchange Rate: 1USD = 3400 Kwacha
Fuel: 1 Litre = K4500 (93 octane)
Camping: US$5
Backpackers: – US$6-$8
Road conditions: – Going from Livingstone to Malawi is good sealed road, with occasional badly pot-holed sections. Further north, I have heard the unsealed roads are a real challenge.
Speed limits: – Don’t know, no one cares.
Border crossings: Several to Namibia, Malawi, Tanzania, Congo and Zimbabwe. No Visas required for commonwealth countries.
Food & Drink: – 1L Water K3000, 330ml Beer K3000, 330ml Pepsi K1500, Main Meal (Roast meat and vegetables) K12000
My one and only stop in Zambia, Livingstone falls. There is plenty more to see here, but it is a relatively expensive country. Fuel is close to European prices, and accommodation expensive, especially in Livingstone.
I got soaking wet. The Zambezi is at it’s highest level right now and the mist generated by the crashing water floats up to 100m or so, then forms into rain droplets and comes down again.
A local sitting on the bank at the top of the falls, appreciating the rainbow.
The bridge from Zambia to Zimbabwe.
The bridge again, but the ‘boiling pot’ in the foreground. No prizes for guessing why they call it the boiling pot! I was told the figures of the amount of water that flows down the falls every minute, but I can’t recall the specifics. It will suffice to say one minute would be enough to supply a decent sized city for a day.
Downstream from the falls, the Zambezi carves its way through the rocks.
The best way to see the falls in my opinion. A 600cc Rotax twin cylinder 2-stroke microlight.
A peek over the pilot’s shoulder.
Approaching the falls. The mist rising 100m before raining back down.
This should give you an idea of the size of the falls. It is1.7km long. From the ground you can only see a small section at a time. Only with an aerial view can you really appreciate their magnitude.
Coming in for the landing. These Microlights are fun, but a bit unstable landing. They are so sensitive to wind, it seemed a dicey affair even in a 5 knot wind.
Again, Zambia has a lot more to offer than I saw. They have one of the best wildlife parks in Africa, and plenty of dirt roads for those looking for them.