5 Reasons why Zambia is the most exciting holiday destination in the world right now

Zambia is a country filled with lush wilderness, dusty plains and exotic wildlife. Its pleasantly warm, (but not too hot) with English as its first language and exciting cuisine that you simply wont be able to try elsewhere. Are you ready to find out why theres so much media attention focused on this humble African country?

It was influenced by the Arabs and the Portuguese who landed here in the nineteenth century, not to mention the thousands of migrating Africans beforehand, and in living memory, Zambia was a British colony. Attracted by its reserves in gold and copper, English expats flooded here, until it became independent in the 1960s.

With so much wildlife crammed into a country thats only a little bit bigger than the state of Texas, Victoria Falls; which is one of the worlds wonders, and the chance to explore David Livingstones legacy, is it any wonder Europeans are flocking here once again?

Lets take a look at 5 astonishing things that set Zambia apart from the rest of Africa, not to mention the world, with a view to introducing you to some incredible sights.

Victoria Falls

Its one of the worlds highest waterfalls, fed by a visually spectacular and crocodile-filled part of the Zambezi river, and known as The Smoke that Thunders. This is a sight that is so breath-taking, its almost impossible to put into words the feeling you get when you see it for the first time.

Whether youve just looked down upon it from the border bridge that stretches from Zimbabwe into Zambia, youre looking up at the mist from your river cruise boat, or youre on a nearby bank soaking up its majesty, you wont be sorry you made the effort to travel to Zambia!

Safari

Zambia offers safari opportunities unlike anywhere else in Africa. The wetlands and flood plains attract a diverse bird life and plenty of animals. From the right camp, you can expect to see the Big 5, during the wet and dry seasons, as well as a whole host of smaller mammals; both herbivores and predators.

South Luangua National Park is the big name in safari activities. You can make safari hikes on foot, take a boat or canoe safari through the lakes and rivers, or go on a game drive. The Mosi oa Tunya National Park and Kafue National Park are also great places for a safari holiday.

Safari camp-hopping

Nkwali Camp has morning and evening safaris and is ideal for spotting leopards, lions and baboons, while the Kahului Bush Camp is where youll see antelopes, reedbucks and hartebeests. The Chongue River Camp is a favourite with canoe enthusiasts, possibly because there are fewer hippos here, and if youre looking for a camp with an impressive backdrop, then they dont come any more impressive than Waterberry Lodge, which overlooks Victoria Falls.

For those of you, however, who have your hearts set on seeing an elephant, its worth noting that the elephant population of the Lower Zambezi National Park is larger than the human population. Youll see elephants a-plenty, all living in their own natural habitat.

Advice for safari first-timers

The key to relaxing and enjoying your safari in Zambia is being able to trust your guide. All the safari holidays we sell here at Aspen Travel are via our multi-award winning, internationally respected travel partners, who have carefully researched every feature of their handpicked itineraries. They know that the key to providing a dream holidays lies in selecting the very best guides and tour managers. Youll certainly be in a safe and reliable pair of hands when you book a safari holiday through us.

What you pack, and how you behave in the African bush, will be integral to your enjoyment of the holiday. An essential item for your safari includes loose fitting clothes made from natural fibres, in neutral colours. Not only will these help keep you cool in the midday heat, but unlike dark colours, they wont attract tsetse flies. Taking a light jacket for the cooler evenings, and a raincoat for sudden downpours during the wet season, is also recommended.

Safari is an incredible, potentially life-changing experience. Try to soak up the noises and smells that come your way as theyll help you understand better the environment surrounding you. But do remember to shake out your shoes before you put them on; as this will prevent the wildlife from being closer to your skin than you may want!

Zambian cuisine

Whether you fancy trying a bit of bush tucker, or you want to get your teeth into some legendary African barbecue, Zambia has a whole range of delicious dishes for you to try! Caterpillars fried in oil and served with onions are a delicacy known as ifinkubala, while inswa are flying ants with their wings removed. Theyre cooked in the same way.

Roasted beef or goat is very common and served with potatoes, tomatoes and chilli. Its best washed down with the local beer, known as Mosi. Seafood is also popular, such as Nile perch or bream, grilled and covered in delicious gravy. Accompany it with a local starch, such as nshima, and some vegetables, perhaps okra, pumpkin leaves, or a type of aubergine known as impwa and youll be enjoying a fine locally-sourced meal. You could follow it up with slices of masuku, which tastes like plum, or masau, a type of apple.

Central African location

Zambia is centrally located in Africa, which makes it ideal as part of a wider escorted tour, should you want to dip into a few different African cultures during your trip. For instance, one of the most popular African escorted tours we have will see you beginning your holiday on the wild plains of Tanzania before taking a Pride of Africa luxury train through the Udzungwa Mountains.

Youll take in the deserts and traditional villages of Botswana, go on a game drive in search of leopards and lions in the Madikwe game reserve in South Africa and travel in a cable car up the iconic Table Mountain to survey the sight of Cape Town below. This is a trip that will take in the South African wine regions, a beach-based penguin colony, a tour of the mining towns and also a discovery trip around Zambia.

Booking your trip to Zambia has never been easier!

Here at Aspen Travel we partner with a range of the worlds most respected tour operators in order to provide our customers with a variety of options to tour Africa. Our luxury all-inclusive tours are by Saga, Exodus, Kuoni and Cox and Kings to name just a few.

In many cases, youll have VIP door to door treatment, so youll be picked up from your house and taken to the airport. All aspects of your holiday will be included in the price, such as your flights, transfers, tour guide, overnight accommodation, food and drink, equipment youll need and entrance tickets into the places of interest youll be visiting.

An expert will be in charge, ensuring you get to each destination on your itinerary on time, that you always get the right room, the right meal, and that youre in the right place to get the best view at any given moment. With everything taken care of, all you need to do is make sure you enjoy it all!

Our role in all of this is to make the booking process as easy as possible for you. We have a team of dedicated travel advisors who will ask you about your travel preferences and budget in order to find the best package deal for you. Then, once youre ready to book, well sort it all out for you. Fancy embarking on a dream holiday, but cant bear the thought of trawling the internet, comparing prices and reviews? Then let us do the heavy lifting for you. Our friendly team members are ready to take your call.