Livingstone dates from just after the turn of the century, springing up when the Zambezi Gorge was first bridged in 1904. Tourists were among the first to cross the bridge, and Livingstone remained the area's tourism hub for the next 70 years. The town of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe eclipsed Livingstone in the 1970s, though Livingstone has been battling back ever since. Still, it's not the tourist trap its southern neighbour is.

Anyone who knows their narrow-gauge from their standard should drop into the Railway Museum - the short name for the Zambezi Sawmills Locomotive Sheds National Monument, which lies a few hundred metres west of Livingstone's train station. The rag-tag collection of old engines and rolling stock will warm a rail buff's heart, but to someone else it might look like a rusty pile of junk.

The National Museum has a slightly broader appeal, featuring a collection of archaeological and anthropological relics. One highlight is a copy of a Neanderthal skull estimated to be over 100,000 years old. There are also examples of ritual artefacts and Tonga crafts, an African village mock-up, a collection of David Livingstone items and a display of Africa maps dating back to 1690. If that all sounds too tame there's a creepy collection of witchcraft paraphernalia, but you have to ask to see it.

Livingstone is located about 300km (185mi) south-west of Lusaka, and is accessible from the capital by bus or train.

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