Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Kalambo Falls
0214
About 40km northwest of Mbala, along the border between Zambia and Tanzania, is the
221m-high
Kalambo Falls
(adult/child/car US$15/7/15, campsite US$10)
. Twice as high
but nowhere near as expansive as Victoria Falls, Kalambo is the second-highest single-
drop waterfall in Africa (the highest being Tugela Falls in South Africa). From spectacular
viewpoints near the top of the falls, you can see the Kalambo River plummeting off a
steep V-shaped cliff cut into the Rift Valley escarpment down into a deep valley, which
then winds towards Lake Tanganyika. There is a campsite here, with stunning views out
over the Great Rift Valley. Facilities are basic, with only a long-drop toilet available, but
there is a caretaker.
The best way for travellers without a car to get here is from Mpulungu. A thrice-weekly
taxi boat service (ZMW25) stops at villages east of Mpulungu. It moves quite slowly and
makes plenty of stops so just getting to the base of the falls can take all day. Avoid arriv-
ing in the dark as it's two to three hours walking uphill to the viewpoint near the top of
Kalambo Falls (and the campsite). It's also possible to hire a private boat from Mpulungu
harbour, which will cost around ZMW700 per day including fuel. Ask around at the mar-
ket near the lake in Mpulungu.
Another alternative is to stay in one of the lakeshore lodges near the falls, from where
you could hike to the falls or visit on an organised boat trip.
Travel by road is possible but only with a 4WD as the road is in very poor condition,
with plenty of deep sandy stretches. Some taxis may be willing to tackle the road and will
charge about ZMW400.
Mpulungu
0214
Resting at the foot of mighty Lake Tanganyika, Mpulungu is a crossroads between
Eastern, Central and Southern Africa. As Zambia's only international port, it's the termin-
al for the ferry across the lake to Tanzania. It's also a busy commercial fishing port and
several fisheries are based here, some of them exporting tropical fish to aquariums around
the world. The streets are fairly lively and busy, especially at night, but there is no real
reason to come here unless travelling north to Nsumbu National Park and Ndole Bay or
