Our family arrived in Livingstone, Zambia and took a restful day at Fawlty Towers. Shoprite, and sweet baby laughter made it perfect.

Table of Contents

• Main Journey
• Events
• Tips for Traveling with a Baby
• Local Travel Tips
• Travel Reflections

Main Journey

After a long travel day hopping through Johannesburg just to save on airfare, we finally arrived in Zambia.

Right at immigration, travelers were split into three lines: tour groups, Zambia-only visitors, and those visiting both Zambia and Zimbabwe. We got in the rightmost lane to apply for the KAZA UniVisa, which covers both countries.
The cost was $50 per adult — cheaper than the $80 it used to be. Sweetie, luckily, didn’t need a visa at all.

The process wasn’t fast. Each person had to answer questions about how many times they were crossing the border and what kind of visa they needed. If you’re flying into Livingstone, I highly recommend getting off the plane quickly and lining up early.

Sweetie made her entrance into Zambia by running out of immigration on her own, following a local girl around her age. Already exploring!

Events

We withdrew 500 Kwacha from the airport ATM and lost 40 Kwacha in fees. Ouch.
Still, we needed cash for the taxi, or so we thought.

Coco had a hunch — maybe the shuttle from Fawlty Towers Backpackers was already at the airport to pick someone else up. She walked around once and… boom! She found the driver.

We hitched a free ride into town. Total win.

Fawlty Towers isn’t the only budget-friendly place around — Jollyboys and Livingstone Backpackers are also popular — but this one had ensuite bathrooms for the same price, which sealed the deal for us.

There was a mosquito net over the bed, as expected in malaria-prone areas.
Right outside our room was a small kitchen, so we could easily cook.

We started looking into excursions. Victoria Falls is the big draw, of course, but there’s also elephant rides, river rafting, microlight flights — all crazy expensive. Elephant-back safaris were $170–$180. For that price, we could do way more in Southeast Asia.

The one thing I really wanted to try was Devil’s Pool, that infamous natural pool right at the edge of the waterfall.
But sadly, even though it was dry season, the water level was still too high. No swimming allowed.

The guide mentioned an alternative — Angel’s Pool — but a quick Google search showed it wasn’t quite the same. Felt like a knock-off.

So, we pushed the visit to the Falls to tomorrow and headed across the street to do some grocery shopping.
That’s another great thing about Fawlty Towers — it’s right across from Shoprite, one of Africa’s biggest supermarket chains.

We gave into temptation and bought beef again. No grill here, but at least we had a pan.

At 3:30 p.m., the bar started serving free pancakes. And with them — free coffee and tea.
The mugs? Classic made-in-China prints. Kinda charming in their own way.

It was chilly, so Coco sat alone by the pool drinking tea.
Yup, Zambia used to be a British colony. Tea time is still very much a thing.

This place has a lot of black cats around. Honestly, traveling with a baby, I’d take cats over dogs any day. They’re calm, quiet, and non-threatening.

Later that evening, while cooking dinner, we met a Korean couple who had been traveling for nine months.
Our first encounter with long-term travelers on this trip! Their route was the reverse of ours — they had already done the Americas and were now in Africa. We got to ask a lot about what we could expect next year.

Sweetie got a piece of Korean seaweed from the woman, and she devoured her rice like she hadn’t eaten in days. It was such a funny moment — like watching a baby version of Ha Jung-woo eat onscreen.

The Wi-Fi actually worked well here, so I went over to the bar to sort through travel notes and photos.
Sweetie, meanwhile, played hide-and-seek with Coco, laughing non-stop as she ran around the courtyard.

At one point, Coco tapped out and asked me to tag in.
Sweetie, though, showed no signs of stopping. Her laughter echoed into the night.

Tips for Traveling with a Baby

• UniVisa is free for toddlers.
  Sweetie didn’t need a visa to enter Zambia. Always double-check age exemptions in Africa.
• Avoid high water seasons for Devil’s Pool.
  Even in dry season, the water level might still be too high. Best to check a week before your planned date.
• Choose accommodations with kitchens.
  Having a stove or shared kitchen makes a world of difference with a toddler’s meal schedule.
• Cats are toddler-friendly!
  Guesthouses with cats felt safer than those with big dogs when we had Sweetie running around.

Local Travel Tips

• Fawlty Towers has a perfect location.
  It’s across from Shoprite, and they offer free airport pickup (if you’re lucky like us).
• ATM fees are high.
  Expect steep withdrawal fees at the airport — sometimes as much as 8%.
• Excursions are pricey.
  Many activities like elephant rides or Devil’s Pool are over $100. Research before booking — not everything’s worth it.
• Free pancakes at 3:30 p.m.!
  Head to the bar area at Fawlty Towers. You’ll get pancakes, tea, and coffee — a sweet little ritual to enjoy.

Travel Reflections

Today wasn’t about sightseeing or checking boxes. It was about resting, adjusting, and letting Sweetie run wild in a safe space.

Watching her play hide-and-seek and laugh until bedtime reminded us — this trip isn’t just about the destinations. It’s about giving her moments to be a child, even in the middle of Africa.

We didn’t swim in Devil’s Pool, but we made pancakes and memories instead.
And for now, that’s more than enough.