Zambia · Culture

2-Day Livingstone to Lusaka Tour with Kalomo and Choma Heritage

2 Days Round trip from Livingstone Easy pace

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The journey

Trip highlights

01 Check out the first state house of the colonial administrators of Zambia in Kalomo
02 See Kalundu Mound, an ancient Iron Age village site along the main T-1 road
03 Visit the Choma Museum and the nearby Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula statue in Choma
04 Explore Samu Lya Moomba, a national heritage site with independence-era significance
05 Learn about local culture and shop for crafts at Kabwata Cultural Village

Sign up for this short excursion between Livingstone and Lusaka, covering a distance of 485.4 km while exploring major highlights along the way. Check out the first state house of Zambia in Kalomo, see Kalundu Mound, and visit the Choma Museum and the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula statue in Choma. Explore Samu Lya Moomba and learn about its historical significance, then visit Kabwata Cultural Village in Lusaka for local crafts and cultural experiences.

Samu Lya Moomba holds a special place in Zambia's history, as it was the location where freedom fighters from across Zambia would meet to strategize on the attainment of Zambia's political independence.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Included · Standard

Transport Not included

Wheelchair access No

Cities Lusaka, Livingstone, Mazabuka, Choma, Monze, Kafue National Park, Kalomo

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

Day 01

Livingstone to Kalomo and Choma Heritage Tour

Meet your tour guide, who will pick you up from the reception of your lodge or hotel in Livingstone in a comfortable, air-conditioned transfer vehicle.
Leave for Kalomo town, travelling north on the T-1, the main Livingstone-Lusaka tourist road of Zambia. It is a good tarmac road, and you will cover a distance of about 128 km. You will pass the small roadside town of Zimba on your way north before reaching Kalomo.
Arrive in Kalomo town, the first colonial capital city of the then Northern Rhodesia, current Zambia. In 1907, it became the capital of what was known as Northern-Western Rhodesia. In 1911, it became the capital of Northern Rhodesia, what is today called Zambia.
Tour the first state house of the colonial administrator of Northern-Western Rhodesia, now Zambia. The administrator's house is a national monument located in Kalomo, Zambia, and is a 116-year-old house. It was the first home of the British South African Company (BSAco)'s administrator in charge of a territory then called North-Western Rhodesia. It is believed that the house served as present-day Zambia's first state house.
Depart for Choma and, along the way, about 3 km north of Kalomo on the main T-1 road, see the Kalundu Mound. It is a slightly raised mound, only a few metres high, through which the road passes. This marks the site of an Iron Age village, and the mound is the accumulated debris of many centuries of occupation.
12:30 pm: Enjoy a delicious lunch break with healthy foods in Kalomo.
13:30 pm: Depart for Choma, a distance of about 100 km.
15:30 pm: Arrive in Choma town. Choma is a market town and the provincial headquarters of the Southern Province of Zambia. It lies on Zambia's main T-1 tourist road and railway line, about 285 km from Lusaka and 188 km from Livingstone. It is home to the Choma Museum and Craft Centre, which is exclusively dedicated to preserving and displaying the cultural heritage of the Tonga people of the Southern Province of Zambia. Enter and tour the Choma Museum and the nearby Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula statue.
17:00 pm: Check in at another good accommodation facility in Choma.
19:00 pm - 21:30 pm: Enjoy dinner.
21:40 pm: Retire to bed to sleep.

Day 02

Choma to Monze, Mazabuka and Lusaka

06:00 am: Wake up and bathe with warm water. Take your sumptuous breakfast.
06:30 am: Leave for Monze en route to Lusaka. Monze is an agricultural rural town with an estimated population of 163,578 people. You will pass through small village sidings along the way, namely Batoka, Muzoka, Pemba, Chisekesi, and Rusangu, in that order before arriving in Monze. The distance from Choma is 97.4 km.
Visit the Samu Lya Moomba, meaning Tree of the Hornbill, a National Heritage Site outside Monze town in the Bweengwa area, and Chief Choongo's chiefdom to see Zambia's deep cultural heritage.
- Samu Lya Moomba holds a special place in Zambia's history, as it was the location where freedom fighters from across Zambia would meet to strategize on the attainment of Zambia's political independence.
After an hour's tour of Samu Lya Moomba, depart for Mazabuka, the next town after Monze. You will see large sugar plantations on the way near Mazabuka town. You will pass a number of small village siding settlements along the way to Mazabuka, approximately 72 km from Monze.
Arrive in Mazabuka, dubbed "the sweetest town" in Zambia. This is because sugar cane that is processed into edible household sugar is grown on a large scale in Mazabuka. You will then take a short snack break in Mazabuka before proceeding to Kafue town, the nearest town to Lusaka.
Reach Lusaka and check in at your lodge or hotel, which you already have booked and paid for in advance. You will be provided with a meal at the nearest restaurant on our account.
Visit Kabwata Cultural Village. A lot of crafts and local print clothing are sold here. This is a perfect place for you to buy a souvenir to take back home.
Thereafter, you will be returned to your lodge or hotel in Lusaka to end the tour.

Where this trip takes you

Kalundu Mound, first state house in Kalomo, Choma Museum, Samu Lya Moomba

The route

Where you'll travel

Tour route map — Round trip from Livingstone 7 cities · 2 Days

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

One night's accommodation in a good-level lodge in Choma
Tour guide

What's Not Included

Accommodation in Livingstone and Lusaka (kindly make your own accommodation arrangements in both Livingstone and Lusaka)
All alcoholic beverages
Insurance
All medical examinations and COVID-19 costs related to obtaining the relevant documentation
Anything not included

What to bring

A wide-brim hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water
Warm clothes for morning game drives in open vehicles

Know before you go

Note:
- Kindly give us the exact location of the lodge or hotel in Livingstone, Zambia, where we will pick you up at least a day or two before the commencement of the tour.
- In tsetse-fly areas, it is recommended not to wear dark-coloured clothing - such as black or dark blue - since it attracts these stinging flies.
- Don't wear bright and colourful clothes or too much perfume - especially on walking safaris.
This travel itinerary is executed in accordance with the set World Health Organisation (WHO), Safe Travels (WTTC - Global), and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) hygiene and sanitation protocols.
Malaria risk - How to protect yourself against malaria?
- Zambia is a high malaria-risk country throughout the whole nation, including urban areas. The highest risk of infection is in the rainy season, from November to May. Persons visiting Victoria Falls must take malaria-suppressive medication. In addition to the suggested antimalarial medication, use a mosquito bed net and effective repellents to avoid the bite of the nocturnal Anopheles mosquito whilst on tour in Zambia.
- Before you travel to Zambia, kindly consult your local physician or travel health clinic for the prophylactic malaria regimen most appropriate to your needs to protect you from getting malaria whilst visiting Zambia.
Safety and security:
- Zambia is a safe country to visit, especially when on an organised safari like this one. Tourlane, an online travel agency based in the USA, recently ranked Zambia the 6th safest travel destination in the world post-COVID-19 pandemic.
- If driving independently, always get local advice on the road conditions and recommended routes, and never underestimate driving times or drive at night.
Staying safe on wildlife viewing activities:
- As long as you listen to your guide's instructions, you'll be very safe on safari. Always follow the rules of the park and respect wild animals. When on a self-drive safari, only leave your car where it has been designated as safe to do so. For additional tips, kindly read the following bulletin points:
- Always follow your guide's instructions and guidelines.
- Always keep your voice down when close to animals.
- Stay in the car during game drives except at designated areas where you are allowed to get out.
- Don't stand up in the car, hang out of the window, or sit on the roof.
- Don't drive too close to animals if you are on a self-drive safari, and back off if the animals seem disturbed.
- Don't drive between elephants in a herd, especially females and their young ones.
- Stay together as a group close to your guide on a walking safari and always walk in a single file.
- Never run or jog in a wildlife area, as it entices predators to attack.
- Never walk between a hippo and water; it may panic and charge because its safety route to the water is blocked.
- Never leave food in your tent; it will attract wildlife.
- Cover your arms and legs in the evening and use insect repellent to protect against mosquitoes.
Staying safe in cities and towns in Zambia:
- As in most big cities globally, there is a fair amount of crime in Zambia's cities and towns. Most incidents are minor, such as petty theft and pickpocketing. You are unlikely to encounter any trouble on guided tours. When venturing out in the city unguided, it helps to take some simple safety precautions: seek advice from your hotel about the area, don't wear any valuables and only take the money you need with you, and take a taxi after dark. For more safety tips that apply to Zambia's cities and towns in general, kindly read the following bulletin points:
- Ask at your hotel if it is safe to walk around the local area; when new in a place, it's always good to seek local advice on safety issues.
- Don't wear jewellery when walking in cities, and leave all valuables in a safety deposit box at your hotel.
- Avoid walking alone in a large, unfamiliar city.
- Don't walk around at night; take a taxi.
- Avoid getting engaged with people approaching you in the street.
- Be careful when drawing money from an ATM; go elsewhere if you suspect people are hanging around.
- Always lock your car doors and close windows when driving in busy towns.
- Never leave a car unattended with valuables or luggage visible.