7 things to do in Samfya

Samfya is the largest town on the shores of Lake Bangweulu in Luapula Province, Zambia. It is still primarily a fishing district, however, in the last decade, has seen some infrastructure development turning Samfya into a tourism hub.

Take a walk on Samfya Beach

Take your shoes off, dip your toes in the sand and walk along the Samfya beach, or go for a swim. You can also pack a picnic, set up your chitenge material on the sand and enjoy the breath-taking views of the beach.

Fishing

The major activity on Lake Bangweulu is fishing. Every morning, when I looked outside my room. I saw fishermen on their canoes go out into the water and in the afternoon, I saw women selling the catch of the day. You can also enjoy fishing like by negotiating with local fishermen to take you out to their boat for a fee.

The lodges in the beach town are yet to offer fishing as an activity, so the best would be to carry your own fishing equipment or rent from the local fishermen.

Camp out on the Beach

Spend a night under the stars! Samfya Marines offer camping on the beach for ZMW 100 per night with your own tent and ZMW 200 with their tent. If camping not your style, Samfya Marines also have chalets. For full price listings, check out my other blog post on 'Budget Accommodation in Samfya'.

Braii on The Beach

AJC Beach front has a nice lawn and deck. You can bring your own food, drinks and charcoal and pay ZMW 50 or ZMW 75 if you’d like to use AJC’s coal. You can also swim at AJC for ZMW 50 adults and ZMW 25 for children. Admission to AJC is ZMW 30 per person during weekdays and ZMW 50 during the weekend. Children under 10 enter free.

Go On A Boat Cruise

Samfya Marines has a boat and offers sunset cruises as well as jet skis depending on the season. Call ahead to ask if the lodge is offering these activities at the time of your travel.

Chilubi Island Day Trip

Go down to the Samfya Harbor to take a day trip to Chilubi Island, located about 100 kilometers from the harbor. There is a vintage disused yellow fishing boat, and a more modern boat which takes travelers on one way or return trips to the island.

Get a Workout

Get a few friends together and team up for a game of beach volleyball on the shore. AJC sometimes has a net set up, or you can bring your own.