Lusaka Cultural Tours: Experience Zambia’s Heartbeat

Planning a trip, right? Thinking of seeing what Lusaka actually has to offer beyond just being the capital? Very cool, because Lusaka, you know, truly is more than just government buildings and busy streets. So, it’s almost like a beating heart of Zambia, that is if you give it a chance to show you. What you can find is that, as a city, Lusaka pulses with culture, traditions that reach way back, and it gives everyone a genuine peek into the life and the history of the area. The city can feel pretty overwhelming to the uninitiated and you will need direction. This list that I’ve put together covers the best guided tours that are around which means that you’ll get to experience the true Lusaka with ease and comfort; this means a load less to worry about when it comes to your visit and instead a total focus on having a blast while getting to experience something awesome! Check this one for a totally different experience!

1. The Lusaka City Walking Tour

Okay, so the Lusaka City Walking Tour, now that’s a real starting point if you are hoping to properly take in all the main sights of the city. Actually, I would suggest doing this one first if you want to get to know Lusaka really well. Typically, it tends to be about three to four hours, in a way offering you a deep plunge into the core of Lusaka, that includes stops at a few key locations such as the Freedom Statue which is there in honor of Zambia’s heroes, and the Lusaka National Museum, which in effect shows off all Zambia’s historical arts and culture and stuff. The guide on such a trip makes such a big difference, so that is something to bear in mind when booking with particular operators. They will have so many stories to share regarding the places that you see which are absolutely crucial if you like digging deep. Another benefit is that the Walking Tours are a very green, eco conscious, method to see what you are after! You also, basically, get a feel for Lusaka’s current lifestyle as you rub shoulders and stride side-by-side with local people, really experiencing their rhythm in that moment. I also noticed that at the end of the trip, as a matter of fact, the street food stops tended to be so good that it made everything feel like you got the maximum amount of Zambian lifestyle packed into just a few hours. A good bite, so to speak.

2. The Chaminuka Game Reserve and Cultural Village Tour

Want to check out wildlife but are you also up for culture, that is the question. If it is then that is great since this sounds pretty ideal if so. Now, it tends to be based just on the outskirts of Lusaka and what Chaminuka can be best described as is a game reserve that is paired with the village, that shows how traditional Zambian people once were. The reserve portion has so much including birds and animals which you will not get anywhere else, you know? Then as well, there is the cultural village that will genuinely throw you back in time, and in addition, it is totally complete with local artisans and guides and what they end up doing is teaching all about Zambian ways, customs, architecture of long ago. Seriously, that trip to Chaminuka gives you a kind of two-for-one experience that manages to somehow, in a way, merge culture together along with what is literally natural beauty into just one trip. Just for one day right there. A definite must!

3. The Kabwata Cultural Village Visit

Fancy picking up a proper souvenir? Then visiting Kabwata Cultural Village may well be what you should be checking out! See, Kabwata can best be defined as a real arts and crafts center in Lusaka and to be honest, it is just loaded to the brim with all manner of crafted bits and pieces that come from different regions right across Zambia, which is nice. Anyway, if you take a slow meander around the village itself, right there you’ll find artists very much in their zone carving and painting and creating. You get that nice, in some respects, behind the scenes look! Haggling may be involved, it is totally expected there so, to be honest, embrace this fact with wide open arms since getting a good price feels quite nice. So, to give you an example of something I bought – I picked up a lovely hand carved mask there; but what really made it something special, and the main reason why I liked the village, is how the guy that carved it happily shared all about the heritage with me right there while he made it, more or less, from start to finish. To be honest, I just felt I wasn’t only buying a little piece of art there, I genuinely think, actually, it captured some memories! You will just love, like your time here!

4. The Old Lusaka Historical Tour

Okay, are you seriously in to proper stories? See, I am someone that likes to dig pretty deep when I travel, actually seeking to take it all in. I really want to get below the surface of a place. If so, then one of the trips I seriously liked was a walking tour focused just on historical places of Old Lusaka; in some respects taking it all in, historically speaking. These tend to revolve, by the way, around the buildings that are left over from when colonial rule was happening. Furthermore, you may find you also get taken to a few of the spots that actually managed to contribute and play a role when it came to Zambia securing freedom from colonialism back in the 1960s – places that have witnessed it all. The guides seem very skilled in painting a really striking vision as they are actually telling these tales that I was chatting about; very much creating in your mind’s eye some very vibrant depictions from the past, you know? In fact, you may like going for it, just imagine Lusaka wasn’t actually filled with all the modern vibes from today but back then during a totally different era of rule; one of disruption. Honestly, it is kind of crazy if you really start to think about what those streets must have experienced during these moments, really and truly. You might, say, have some moments. So fascinating.

5. The Soweto Market Experience

You feel ready to fully take on the sounds, smells and sights that Zambia gives out, like? I mean, seriously be prepared to take on just such an onslaught! So then, one morning I found myself on a tour to Soweto Market, just a spot that the tour guides all told me really is the biggest and, obviously, one of the busiest marketplaces throughout all of Lusaka. A warning. Prepare yourself since it is definitely a lively experience! When I first walked in I noticed all sorts of different things all displayed up and down – stacks upon stacks of fresh fruit to weird unknown electronics! Honestly, at first I felt quite lost since the entire spot is actually such a confusing maze. As I began going about the whole tour, really, I really got a better understanding of day-to-day commerce for local people; very interesting. Now, so you know, I found out later on that the food stall owners were cooking dishes that have actually stayed proper traditional Zambian staples all this time – the tour operator gave me a try! So that, I must say, gave such an authentic taste that showed me what kind of Zambian food you just simply wouldn’t find at fancy, western, places for the tourist – you have to check it.