Livingstone Between World Heritage and Nature

Livingstone is in Zambia’s Southern Province and is described as Zambia’s tourism capital. The city is home to the transboundary UNESCO World Heritage site Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls, which it shares with Zimbabwe. When planning your trip, it is worth considering Livingstone and the wider Southern Province as distinct levels: this lets you decide whether to focus on the city and its surroundings or take a broader look at the region.

World Heritage and History in Livingstone District

The Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls World Heritage site includes areas in Livingstone District in Zambia and Hwange District in Zimbabwe. Within the wider destination of Southern Province, the World Heritage site in Zambia covers 3,779 hectares of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. The national park includes the Old Drift Crossing Point and a cemetery where the first European settlers are buried. In this part of Southern Province, natural landscapes, transboundary World Heritage, and historic sites come together.

Maramba Cultural Village is also in Livingstone District, in the district’s southeastern part, on Sichango Road in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. For nature experiences in the district, Dambwa and Simonga Local Forests offer opportunities for birdwatching and hiking; there are also picnic spots. These places offer different focuses: the national park is associated with the World Heritage site and historic sites, while the two forests provide opportunities to spend time outdoors.

When planning your stay in Livingstone, you can choose which local themes to prioritise according to your interests: World Heritage and history on the one hand, birdwatching, hiking, and picnicking on the other. The places mentioned are all in Livingstone District, but each description refers to distinct locations and activities. This keeps your plans specific without conflating the different natural and cultural features.

Southern Province as a Broader Travel Framework

Looking beyond Livingstone to Zambia’s Southern Province reveals a broader natural landscape. The regional network of rivers and lakes includes the Zambezi, the Kafue, and Lake Kariba. Lochinvar and Blue Lagoon National Parks are also in Southern Province; Kafue National Park is partly in the province. These regional connections broaden your view of the province, but should be distinguished from the places described in Livingstone District.

Floodplains, woodland, and termite mounds shape the landscape of Lochinvar National Park. The Gwisho Hot Springs lie along a geological fault in the park. Lochinvar also offers opportunities for birdwatching, with more than 420 species recorded there. Nature watching and scenery take centre stage here, while Sebanzi Hill adds an archaeological point of interest: the site was home to an Iron Age village that was inhabited until the last century.

A different range of activities is available in Kafue National Park, which lies partly in Southern Province. Most camps and lodges near the river offer boat trips, while canoe trips are available particularly at Kaingu. Boat trips are offered year-round, while water levels change significantly over the course of the year. If you plan to take part in one of these activities, check current availability with the relevant provider.

When searching for a holiday rental in Livingstone, this distinction between the city and the wider travel framework can help: first decide whether Livingstone itself or the wider Southern Province will be the focus of your trip.

Discover more destinations: Livingstone.

Go to the broader travel overview: Southern Province.