The city of Lusaka is well-known for its Lusaka National Park, which is the newest and smallest national park in the entire country of Zambia, having established just recently in 2011. Located near the southern part of the central plateau that is elevated about 1,279 meters above the sea level, Lusaka is the capital of Zambia as well as its largest city, in which the State House which is the main residence and offices of the President and government ministries can be found here. It has a population of 1.7 million people living over 418 square kilometers of area, with its roots being traced to its establishment in 1905 by British settlers with the building of the city’s first building. Lusaka has been long established as the center of commerce and government of Zambia, as well as its significant transportation hub that allows access to the country’s four main highways which would lead to a lot of places around Zambia.
Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, formerly known as Lusaka International Airport, is the leading international airport that serves the city of Lusaka as well as acting as the primary gateway into other towns and places in Zambia. Owned by the Government of Zambia and operated by Zambia Airports Corporation Limited, it is located off the Great East Road which is about 26 kilometers northeast from the city center of Lusaka. The airport is named after Kenneth Kaunda who served as the first president of Zambia. At an elevation of 1,152 meters, it has two runways that are 3,962 meters and 823 meters long and are made of asphalt and grass respectively. As the hub for Proflight Zambia, it has served around 1.35 million passengers as of 2018. There are many connecting flights to Lusaka from Manila via Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Kenya Airways, Oman Air and Philippine Airlines with a budget ranging from 48,675 pesos to 59,153 pesos.
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The off-peak month to come over and visit the city is usually around November, where tourists are unlikely to go over due to the increasing temperatures. Consequently, price cuts tend to happen around this period, so it is a good time if you want to save money. As for the peak season in Lusaka, it is during December, July and September where flight and hotel prices may escalate. Therefore, if you plan on coming to Lusaka, please note of these periods and plan accordingly so that you can enjoy Lusaka without causing troubles to your finances.
Due to its high altitude, Lusaka is said to have a humid subtropical climate which implies hot, humid summers and generally cool winters with higher precipitation in summer than in winter. The annual rainfall is about 882.1 millimeters with just 72 rainy days; December and January typically being the wettest months. In general, there is a wet season and a dry season in Lusaka. There are about 2,935.7 sunshine hours annually with a relative humidity of 67 percent. The temperature can go up to 39.6 degree Celsius record high in January to as low as 0.2 degree Celsius record low in June.
When in Lusaka, one can certainly join in the local festivals organized similarly a local would. To begin with, given that most of the Zambians are practicing Christianity in general, the major celebrations in Christianity would be faithfully observed by the community, such as Christmas and Easter Day, among others. That aside, being the capital, Zambia also has a fair share of events such as the Zambia International Trade Fair that aims to promote trade, Africa Automation Fair which is among the most extensive industry showcase in the region and many others.
As the capital of Zambia, Lusaka is undoubtedly not short in terms of attractions to offer to the hopeful visitors that want to come over to experience the city.
Lusaka National Park – Covering an area of 6,715 hectares that was once a forest reserve, this park is among the smallest of its kind in the country. Found within the city limits of Lusaka, the entire area is fenced to give a safe distance of the animals with the population residing in the city.
Kalimba Reptile Park – Often called as the 'Croc Park', Kalimba Reptile Park is where you can find the dangerous reptiles of the region and be able to observe them from a safe distance. It is located 30 minutes away from the Lusaka city center and comprises of a fishing pond, swimming pool, mini golf course and kids playground.
Lusaka National Museum – Established since 1996 to the public, the museum was initially been focusing on the history of Zambia when it achieved its independence, before later shifting its focus into the cultural history of the people of Zambia throughout the ages. There is a lower gallery that is home to contemporary art and the higher gallery that tells Zambia's development throughout the years.