Lusaka, Choma, budget safari in lower Zambezi

i spent close to a month in Lusaka recently, and i must say there's really nothing much to do within the capital. You can probably head to the Arcades, some pretty decent restaurants over there. Walk around the streets of central Lusaka if you wish to, the central market is pretty interesting. But do be careful of your belongings.

I went for a safari at lower zambezi for 3 days. Stayed at Kanyemba Lodge, excellent place. Abit pricey but it was worth the money. It is more like a river safari (you can reach the place by boat), so lots of boat cruises and canoe safaris.

hope this helps!

I stayed at Kanyemba for a few nights last year and highly recommend it too. The lodge, food and staff were excellent and all contributed to the perfect end to my trip last year.

You're probably going to find that transport is your deciding issue on what to do and when to do it. From Choma, unless you have your own transport, getting to Lower Zambezi will be fairly expensive (for instance, most transfer companies would send a vehicle from Lusaka - meaning the vehicle has to go Lusaka-Choma-Lower Zambezi). However without your own transport, Livingstone/Vic Falls is probably a better option when you're actually in Choma - there are plenty of decent bus lines servicing the Lusaka-Livingstone route that would stop in Choma. The road is in good condition now, so the bus is certainly a good budget-conscious way of getting to Livingstone.

If you're looking to get to Lower Zambezi NP from Lusaka, you would be better off visiting one of the lodges outside the park, in the Chiawa Game Management Area. These places are a lot cheaper than those within the park itself, and as they are closer to Lusaka, the transport to get there is also going to be cheaper. Note that while game drives are conducted within the National Park itself, most of the more budget options don't put a huge emphasis on the game drives themselves (though they are generally available). Instead, the emphasis is on the Zambezi river - from canoeing safaris to Tiger fishing, or photogaphic cruises/sunset cruises - some lodges also offer walking safaris (though they might not be available yet, as the rain is still falling and vegetation is thick and unsafe for walking).

When selecting a place to stay in Lower Zambezi, take care to note the inclusions/exclusions. Some places seem cheaper than others, but when you add on the "optional extras" (like meals and activities), they become a bit more expensive than at first sight.