Arriving in Zambia’s capital, you are liable to be both puzzled and pleasantly surprised. Lusaka looks so much cleaner and more prosperous than other parts of Zambia — including the “tourist capital,” Livingstone — that it seems you’ve arrived suddenly on another continent. Such are the charms of this outwardly unremarkable city, one of the fastest growing of all African capitals.

Within the bizarrely shaped country of Zambia (on a map it looks like an oblong lump of dough with a fist punched deep into the top), speakers of 72 different languages somehow manage to get along with one another. Zambia has never had a civil war, never suffered from apartheid. In marked contrast to its neighboring country, Zimbabwe, the Zambian currency is actually on the rise.

Lusaka’s modern history began around 1905, when engineers constructing a railway from Livingstone to Broken Hill (now Kabwe) built a rail siding near the village of Chief Lusaakas. Within five years Europeans moved in, building a police station, post office, mills, sports club and hotel. In 1931, Lusaka won out over Livingstone as the capital of what was then Northern Rhodesia because of its central location and elevated climate.

Following independence in 1964, Northern Rhodesia became Zambi. High prices for copper, Zambia’s chief export, transformed Lusaka from a dusty village to a respectable urban center with well-paved roads. Thousands of rural workers poured into the city in search of work. But with a severe downturn in copper prices in the 1970s, Lusaka’s building projects stagnated. Job-seekers kept coming — and building an assortment of chaotic shanty-towns. Of late, however, Lusaka’s city façade has greatly improved, with roads repaired, rubbish regularly cleared and green spaces rehabilitated.

The suburbs and neighborhoods of Lusaka drape over a set of low hills, with Kabulonga, Northmead and Woodlands the most fashionable. The city offers great amenities to its residents, both locals and expatriates. The Arcades Shopping Mall, for example, rivals anything you would find in the West — with two Internet cafés, a bureau de change, cellular phone offices, a coffee shop/ wireless hotspot, a travel agency, upscale boutiques and a multi-screen cinema. Other Lusaka malls include Downtown, Manda Hill Centre and Crossroads.

Despite Lusaka’s ongoing development, Zambia still faces major problems. Next to the conical huts of a rural village, a poster advertises a widows’ support project — a legacy of the sad human toll of AIDS.

Zambia is one of the seven countries most affected by HIV/AIDS. With whole families wiped out, average life expectancy has fallen to 39 years. The Central Statistical Office of Zambia estimates that 1.5 million people will have died of AIDS by 2010, with huge effects upon the workforce, productivity and household incomes.

But copper prices are once again on the rise, and a stable, business friendly Zambian government is in place. Micro-credit agencies are thriving in the countryside. Villagers’ top development priorities are a solar-cell panel to power radios and recharge mobile phones, and a galvanized iron roof to withstand rainy-season downpours. Hand-operated water pumps have virtually eliminated cholera and other water-borne diseases. Given these positive signs, Zambia’s prospects appear brighter than those of a great many other African countries.

LODGING

INTERCONTINENTAL LUSAKA

Following extensive renovations, Inter- Continental is a Lusaka landmark. Its 121 rooms include 12 suites, and all have broadband Internet and digital satellite TV. The health club and business center are open 24 hours. The Olive Grove restaurant features specialties from Italy, Spain, Greece, Morocco and Lebanon. The poolside Savannah Grill & Restaurant offers everything from pizza to seafood and Zambian dishes, with a daily-changing themed buffet. Many locals visit the in house shopping mall, which includes t icketing offices for South African Airways and Zambian Airways, with the main hallway housing an excellent gallery of works by Zambian artists.$$$
INTERCONTINENTAL LUSAKA
Haile Selassie Avenue, City Centre
tel 260 21 1 250 000
http://www.ichotelsgroup.com

TAJ PAMODZI HOTEL

Part of the Taj Hotels group, this newest addition to Lusaka’s hotel scape is a business-type hotel with real style, located about two miles from the city center among well-landscaped gardens. Services include a business center and in-room broadband — though the Internet speed is sometimes slow.
The poolside grill/bar provides fine cuisine in a restful setting with a continental, Zambian and Indian menu specializing in lamb and such delicacies as brochettes of crocodile tail. A jazz band plays most nights.$$-$$$
TAJ PAMODZI HOTEL
Church Road
tel 260 21 1 254455
http://www.tajhotels.com

MULUNGUSHI VILAGE
You can relax at this low-key estate in a quiet suburban area of Lusaka four miles from the city center. The extensive grounds and gardens make it a restful hangout, with villas for long-term residents and seven well-appointed hotel rooms. Facilities include tennis courts, an excellent pool and a bar/lounge that attracts business people from across Africa and beyond. A downside is the absence of broadband Internet, but two Internet cafés are within walking distance at the Arcades Shopping Mall. $
MULUNGUSHI VILAGE
Kalundu
tel 260 21 1 291 416
http://www.mulungushivillage.com

DINING

CATTLEMAN’S GRILL

One of Lusaka’s most popular dining spots, this outdoor space is designed to resemble an African game lodge’s eatery and has great ambiance, though the result is somewhat less than authentic. The service is fast and furious, the portions huge and the menu varied, with steaks and chicken the most popular. Add good bar service, and the result is near-unbeatable.$$
CATTLEMAN’S GRILL
Chrismar Hotel, Los Angeles Boulevard
tel 260 21 1 253 036
http://www.chrismarhotels.com/Lusaka

LUANGWA RESTAURANT
The rooftop terrace at the Fairview Hotel is a great hangout both day and night, with a pleasant bar and good city views. A lunchtime specialty of the hotel’s Luangwa Restaurant is the Zambian food buffet, including such delicacies as ifinkubala (fried caterpillars), braised kudu, kapenta (freshwater fish), ox livers, grasshoppers and the national polenta-style staple nshima. This is undoubtedly one of the most authentic dining experiences to be had in all of Zambia. $
LUANGWA RESTAURANT
City Centre
tel 260 21 1 212 954
http://www.fairview.co.zm

RHAPSODY’S LUSAKA

The Lusaka location of this popular Pan- African gourmet restaurant features its own eclectic menu, offering everything from Falklands calamari to Thai-style coconut and coriander chicken, Cajun linefish and prawn curry. Or pick from the range of Rhapsody Signature Steaks. Pasta and vegetarian dishes round out the menu, but the dessert selection could be better.
RHAPSODY’S LUSAKA
Shop 41, Arcades Shopping Mall, Great East Road
tel 260 21 1 256 705
http://www.rhapsodys.co.za $

DIVERSIONS

Lusaka’s markets are well worth a visit — but a must-remember rule is not to photograph people without first asking. The biggest is Soweto Market, with everything from designer brands to traditional herbal medicines. The Lusaka City Market is best for produce, while the Craft Market at the Dutch Reformed Church in Kabulonga Road (the last Saturday of the month) is great for African fabrics, sculptures and basketry. Zintu Za Nyimba at the lower end of Panganani Road offers a good selection of lamp shades, hand-dyed textiles, wooden furniture and carvings. There is also a good craft market outside the Melissa Supermarket in Kabulonga precinct.

Combine shopping and sightseeing at Kabwata Cultural Village. Constructed more than 60 years ago, the village represents Zambia’s many ethnic groups, with a variety of hand-crafted wares including cane goods, batik textiles, stoneware,  wooden figurines, spears, drums and face masks.

Lusaka National Museum (off Independence Avenue, tel 260 21 1 228 807) features four major exhibits: contemporary art, history, ethnography and witchcraft. Many visitors make a beeline for the last of these out of sheer curiosity. But don’t bypass the others!

A few miles out of town on the Leopard’s Hill road, Adventure City (tel 260 97 779 666) is a great getaway for the family, with six waterslides, eight swimming pools and picnic and barbecue areas. The Munda Wanga Environment and Botanical Gardens (on the Kafue Road in Chilanga, tel 260 21 1 278 456) are a must-visit, with a fast-expanding collection of animals including lions, elephants, baboons and African wild dogs.

Lusaka makes a great hub for exploring some of Africa’s best national parks. South Luangwa National Park, Victoria Falls and Lower Zambezi National Park can each be covered in a day or weekend. The Travel Shop (tel 260 21 1 255 559, http://www.rsmarketing@microlink.zm) in the Arcades Shopping Mall offers a South Luangwa Special for $480 per person including Lusaka–Mfuwe return airfare, two nights at a choice of eight safari lodges, transfers, all meals and activities. Similar deals are offered by Kanyemba Lodge (Lower Zambezi National Park, tel 260 21 1 265 836, http://www.kanyemba.com).

INFO TO GO

Lusaka International Airport (LUN), about nine miles from the city, is serviced by several international carriers. Zambian Airways also offers flights to Johannesburg, Livingstone, Ndola and Mfuwe. Obtain a visa upon arrival at the airport. Single-entry visas cost $25, with an international departure tax of $25. Domestic flight departure tax is $8. Inexpensive taxis and minibuses are the best way to get around Lusaka, with stands at most hotels and shopping malls. Lusaka to Livingstone buses leave from ShopRite in Cairo Road early in the morning and at noon. The weather in Lusaka follows three distinct seasons: December to April is warm and wet, May to August is cool and dry (best for visiting national parks and wildlife reserves), and September to November is hot and dry. For more information, visit http://www.zambiatourism.com .