Overlanding Through Zambia with G Adventures

Last summer I went on a 27-day camping tour through Africa with G Adventures. After visiting Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, it was time to make our way through Zambia.

Two Long Driving Days

We had an early morning start so that we could cross the Zimbabwe-Zambia border before it got too busy. From there, we had a long day of driving to Zambia’s capital, Lusaka. Our guide had warned us that East Africa would feel very different from where we had previously been (South Africa, Botswana, and Zimbabwe). Indeed, you could see a huge difference between the two places; there was now a lot more trash on the side of the road and much more poverty.

We were about an hour from our campsite when the Lando broke down and our driver had to bleed the engine. Several people laughed at us as we stood waiting on the side of the road, but thankfully we were on our way before too long. As we arrived on the outskirts of Lusaka, there were tons of burning trash piles which made the air very smoky. We had an uneventful night at camp and went to bed early in preparation for the next day.

Our next drive was just as long, and this time the fan belt on our Lando broke which meant that we had no AC. Thankfully we didn’t really need it as long as we kept our windows cracked. We arrived at our camp near South Luangwa National Park and learned that we would have to worry about hippos in our campground again. Thankfully there was a guard this time to keep watch and warn us of any danger. The hippos were just as loud as they were in Botswana, but I was so tired that I was able to sleep through the night anyway.

South Luangwa National Park

We didn’t have to pack up our tents the next morning, but we did have to be up early for our morning wildlife drive through South Luangwa National Park. Unfortunately I wasn’t feeling well, but I powered through and made it through the drive. We saw hippos, zebras, impalas, and elephants that were tiny compared to the ones we had seen in Botswana. It was a “boring” drive compared to what we had seen on previous safaris.

Elephants in South Luangwa National Park

Cute impalas

Hippos look very strange on land!

I spent the afternoon resting at the campsite and used the very slow WiFi to catch up with family and friends. Soon it was time for our sunset safari drive. As the evening turned to night, we saw 2 female lions and 4 lion cubs which were adorable. We then watched one of the moms hunt an impala which was incredible to witness! Later, we saw one of the cubs searching for its mom in the tall grass; I hope they were able to reunite with one another. While I’m not sure I agree with the ethics of the nighttime safaris (the spotters shined lights on the area so we could see what was going on), it was definitely a memorable experience.

Our sunset safari drive

My Insta-worthy safari photo 😀

A beautiful Zambian sunset

Another Driving Day

We had yet another driving day through Zambia (the country is very large, after all) but we were at least able to sleep in for once. We stopped for lunch at Tribal Textiles, a community workshop that crafts sustainable home décor. We learned how they weave the textiles which was really interesting. The pieces were beautiful, but I only had room in my bag for some small postcards.

Learning how a hand-crafted textile is made

From there, we drove a few more hours to the city of Chipata. We had to stop for groceries on the way, and it was interesting to see the similarities and differences between US grocery stores (with many more similarities than differences). As soon as we parked the Lando, a group of children came up to us asking for candy and snacks; to the children’s delight, some of our group members happily obliged. Soon after, we arrived at our campsite and enjoyed dinner and roasting marshmallows over the fire. I was having such a good time socializing with the group that I stayed up until 12:30, despite having to be up at 5:30 the next morning. It was worth it to spend time with my new friends!

While we spent most of the time in Zambia driving, the experience was really eye-opening. I was thankful that I got to experience a part of Africa that not many people visit, and I was grateful for our guides’ knowledge of the area. We were officially at the halfway point of our trip; time flies when you’re having fun!