Lusaka is the capital city of Zambia. It doesn't have the headline sights of some African capitals, but it's a sprawling, energetic place that rewards a few days of exploration -- and it's a practical base for sorting out documents and planning onward travel across the region.
Cairo Road is one of the main arteries of the city, with most shops grouped along this broad double carriageway. Many government buildings sit about 6 km away along Independence Avenue. The two largest shopping centres, the Arcades and Manda Hill, are where most visitors end up for food, drinks, and supplies.
One of Lusaka's great draws is its markets. Always full of activity, thousands of stalls are filled and cleared every day, selling everything from motor spares to fresh fish, fruit, and rows of "salaula" -- discarded clothing from the West sold to Africa by the bale.
The Lusaka National Museum on Independence Avenue is the best place to understand the country's history and culture, with a witchcraft exhibit unlike anything in most national museums. For crafts, Kabwata Cultural Village on Burma Road lets you buy directly from working artists. Outside the city, Lusaka National Park — remarkably, within the capital's boundaries — has white rhinos and giraffes just 30 kilometres from downtown.