Written By Kim Barnett
Are you desperate for a vacation? Does your inner wanderlust need some dusting off, but your bank balance is telling you to stay put? Believe it or not, it is possible to get back to travelling and save money while you’re at it! We are here to give you ten reasons to book budget accommodation for your next Livingstone vacation.
Save money to spend on other things
The first reason for booking budget accommodation in Livingstone is relatively obvious – you’ll save cash. Resorts and luxury lodges are outside of the realm of most of us regular folk, but this doesn’t mean that we don’t deserve a fantastic vacation to Zambia’s tourism capital.
Go for longer
Instead of staying one night at an all-inclusive luxury lodge in a national park, you could literally spend a month or longer in a clean but basic room in Livingstone. You might not have a month of leave days racked up, but we are confident that you would rather spend a week in Livingstone than go all that way for one night.
Work away
More and more people are finding it normal to work online. We are no longer chained to a desk, so it is possible to flip open a laptop from just about anywhere. Think about it – you could work and have a vacation all at the same time! Imagine rolling out of bed and being able to choose from going to Victoria Falls or seeing a rhino before going to your virtual office.
Meet awesome people
Hostels and backpackers are all about meeting people. If you are keen to make new friends from around the globe, then book yourself into a dorm bed and find some instant friends. If you have been to Livingstone before, then others will be keen to grab some top travel tips and have you join in their daily adventures.
The location is great
Cheaper accommodation options are often located right in the centre of Livingstone. You’ll be walking distance from museums, restaurants, grocery stores and clubs and save plenty of money in the process by not needing to take taxis everywhere. Since Livingstone’s bus station is located in the city centre, you might even be able to walk to your lodge of choice right from when you arrive in town.
Different experiences
How do you know if you will or won’t like something until you try it? If you have never stayed at budget accommodation in Livingstone, then we think that you should take the leap, and you might be pleasantly surprised. Livingstone has plenty of affordable bed and breakfast spots, guesthouses, backpackers and self-catering apartments.
Support local
Large resorts and hotel chains are often owned by overseas investors and corporations. By choosing to stay in budget accommodation, you can be more assured that your money is supporting local industries. If you want to make the most significant impact with your cash, book directly with the lodge or use a Zambian-based travel agency
Beer money
It’s true; if you spend less on accommodation, then you have more money for beer. That’s a significant fact when planning a vacation. If you want to save even more kwacha for beer, then opt to go to Victoria Falls Waterfront during Friday evening happy hour and grab discounted buckets of icy cold Mosi Lager.
Fun with Friends
Solo vacations are fun and rewarding, but so is hopping in the car for a road trip with a load of your friends. By choosing to stay at the cheaper end of the accommodation spectrum, you can make it more enticing for all of your friends to come along for the ride.
Self-Catering
Budget accommodation options offer facilities that budget travellers want, and this includes the option to self-cater. While you aren’t likely to get gourmet appliances, you will be able to boil up some pasta and keep your food refrigerated. Choosing to cook for yourself for at least one or two meals every day will save you heaps of kwacha. If you need to justify your trip further, remember that you would be eating at home as well.
Livingstone has a massive range of accommodation options, including some of the best budget lodging found anywhere in Southern Africa. But it’s not just about keeping more money in your pocket; there are plenty of reasons to book budget accommodation for your next Livingstone vacation. Check out Destination Livingstone’s blog and directory for more Zambian travel inspiration.
