Zambia

Zambia is known for its natural wonders, the mighty Victoria Falls on one side and wildlife parks on the other, ideal for photo safaris. Few people know, however, that some of the most spectacular traditional ceremonies on the entire continent are preserved here: the Kuomboka, the Likumbi Lya Mize and the Kulamba Kubwalo.

Victoria Falls (Mosi-oa-Tunya, ”smoke that thunders”) is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and rightly so, as it is one of the largest and most majestic waterfalls on the planet, with a height of 108 metres and a face of almost 2 kilometres. This spectacle of nature can be enjoyed in many ways: with an adrenaline-filled swim in the Devil’s Pools, a scenic helicopter flight, or rafting down the rapids of the Zambezi River.

In the Lower Zambezi Park, you can go on exciting canoe safaris among herds of hippos, crocodiles and elephants, while in South Luangwa Park you can follow the tracks of leopards on the hunt for impala and sitatunga, in the Busanga Plains of Kafue Park you can spot lions and leopards, and in Liuwa Plain Park you can witness the migration of wildebeest into Zambia’s ‘little Serengeti’.

And while many satisfied travellers will be preparing to return home, there will be some incredible surprises for the curious who decide to explore the country’s culture. The Kuomboka ceremony celebrates the ritual journey of the litatunga (the king of the Lozi people) from his palace in Lealui to his residence in Limulunga, where he spends the rainy season. The royal vessel, a large wooden canoe, is pushed across the river by a hundred oarsmen wearing headdresses made of lion’s mane, encouraged by the sound of drums. The Likumbi Lya Mize, where the Luvale people witness the exit of the Makishi macheras, linked to the Mukanda initiation rites, or the Kulamba Kubwalo of the Lenje people, with processions of traditional chiefs to the tomb of the queen mother.

These are all experiences that will leave you with unforgettable memories of the peoples and traditions of the country.