National Park History: Two Dates

Two opening dates shape the history of Lusaka National Park. The park opened to the public in June 2015. On August 8, 2022, a Wildlife Discovery Centre opened there. It was established through a collaboration between Game Rangers International and the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. The centre became the new home of the elephants that had previously been cared for at the Lilayi Elephant Nursery. The two dates mark different milestones: the first public opening concerns the park, while the later opening concerns the centre and the elephants’ move from their previous care facility.

Nature on Different Scales

Lower Zambezi National Park is in Lusaka Province and covers 4,092 km². Its stated area offers a different perspective from the history of Lusaka National Park: here, the focus is on the park’s extent, while there, it is on historical openings. The figures thus answer different questions—how large a national park is and which dates mark its development. Together, they provide a spatial and temporal framework for considering these nature-related topics.

Chakwela Makumbi: A Soli Tradition

Chakwela Makumbi offers a cultural perspective. This traditional ceremony of the Soli-speaking community takes place in Chongwe District and is led by Chieftainess Mukamambo Nkomesha. The community, its leadership, and the location give the tradition a specific context. If you are interested in cultural connections, Chakwela Makumbi can be considered as a distinct topic alongside the national parks.

A Broader View of Zambia

At the broader destination level of Zambia, Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls adds precise measurements to the picture of nature. The falls are about 1,708 metres wide, average 100 metres deep, and reach a depth of 108 metres at their deepest point. The transboundary Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage Site includes 3,779 hectares of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia. The measurements in metres describe the width and depth of the falls; the figure in hectares refers to the Zambian section of the park within the World Heritage Site. Two different scales are therefore presented side by side: the dimensions of the falls and the area of a section of the park.

Zambia’s museums also focus on different subjects. The Livingstone Museum has five permanent exhibition galleries covering archaeology, ethnography, natural history, history, and David Livingstone. Some of the memorabilia related to David Livingstone are displayed in the galleries. The Copperbelt Museum, by contrast, focuses on the history of mining and serves to document and preserve it. The two institutions thus represent different approaches: a collection spanning five subject areas and a museum with a clear focus on Zambia’s mining history.

Kuomboka is a traditional Lozi ceremony in Zambia’s Western Province. It takes place in Mongu under the leadership of the Litunga, the King of the Barotse; its timing follows the seasonal flooding. The community, location, leadership, and seasonal connection give the ceremony its distinctive characteristics. If you are planning a visit around Kuomboka, check the specific event dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Lusaka, Chilanga, Chiawa, Majuaneti, Mulamba, Chaledzela, Chipanama, Kafue, Chalimbana.

For the broader travel overview: Zambia.