Kalimba Reptile Park

Trained guides

The well-trained guides share fascinating information and fun facts about the reptiles in the park. Visitors will go away having had a real-life experience with these potentially deadly creatures – creatures you really wouldn't want to encounter in their natural habitat!

School outings and group day trips

Kalimba is a popular destination for school outings, group day trips and team-building exercises. There is a discounted rate for groups larger than 20 people during the week (Monday to Friday). We pride ourselves in being an education centre about reptile protection and conservation. We help people to understand that snakes and reptiles are not our enemies, therefore breaking common myths and misconceptions about our scaly friends.

Snakes

We have a variety of indigenous snakes on display. You can come up close and personal with deadly creatures such as the Black Mamba, the Gaboon Viper, the Puff Adder and three different kinds of Cobra! If you are brave enough, with the help of our staff you can even wrap a Python around your shoulders to take a photo!

Activities

There are lots of activities to do as well. Challenge your friends to a round of crazy golf or to reeling in the biggest fish. There are two swimming pools, a volleyball court, a mini grass football pitch, a children’s jungle gym, swings, a pool table, a restaurant, refreshments, braais (BBQs) and picnics. The grounds are well laid out with many beautiful spots in the sun or shade.

Nature Lover?

Nestling in the lush basin of the Ngwerere Stream, the grounds are beautifully kept. This is a great place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Lusaka and be more in contact with nature. There are a large number of bird species nesting around the crocodile ponds, many that are rarely seen in and around Lusaka. While listening to bird songs you can also learn about the many different trees on the grounds that are each labeled with their Latin name.

Fishing

One of the most popular activities at Kalimba Reptile Park is a full day of fishing in the ponds that are open to the public. Visitors can borrow a basic bamboo stick rod and bait is available at a small fee. Individuals and groups are more than welcome to fish all year round. This experience offers a day of friendly fishing competition and a relaxing day of fun. All catches need to be weighed and paid for at reception. The ponds at the park are regularly stocked with fish from the farm, so a good catch is always guaranteed!

Food, Refreshments, and Braais (BBQs)

Ever sampled a Croc burger? Well, now's your chance! It's very popular served piping hot, irresistible to those with an adventurous palate – though they say it tastes just like chicken! Other tasty grilled food is available such as homemade beef burgers, pork sausages, crocodile kebabs, homemade boerewors and fish, all of which are farm-reared right next door.

An assortment of ice creams are sold at reception, together with soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, all at very reasonable prices. Braai ingredients and charcoal are on offer and braai stands are free of charge. Full bar facilities are available. Please note that personal drinks are not permitted and corkage fees apply.

Farm shop

The farm shop offers a range of products at farm prices. Products include:

• Assorted crocodile products including crocodile oil
• Pekin duck - whole, breast, legs and liver
• English style pork sausages
• Pork chops
• Our famous boerewors
• Bream fish (Tilapia)

Visit Kalimba Farm’s restaurant for freshly made food and refreshing beverages. It is a casual dining atmosphere with various seating options and is ideal for the entire family.

Kalimba Farm’s team places great emphasis on serving guests with delicious food and providing great service. They invite you to join them and taste their wide variety of meals, drinks as well as desserts!

Duck Farming

Kalimba Farms proudly produces international quality free range Pekin ducks. The original parent stock on the farm was imported 4 years ago from Grimaud & Frère breeders in France. The Pekin duck is a high performing breed for commercial use specially selected for their high meat content.

Free range from incubation to final product

On the farm we take our ducks through the whole cycle from incubation, growing to a final product. An important reason to choose the Pekin duck is that they are more adapted to integrated farming with fish. Our ducks live on our fish ponds and are completely free range. Their waste naturally fertilizes the pond and feeds the phytoplankton that constitutes an important part of the diet of the fish.

Duck for restaurants and lodges

Kalimba has a production capacity of about 200 ducks a week in a 7 week cycle from day old ducklings through to maturity. We currently supply a number of Lusaka’s restaurants and lodges. Our final products include:

• Duck breast
• Duck legs
• Whole duck
• Duck liver
• Chinese delicacies such as neck, feet, heads and gizzards

Fish Farming

Aquaculture is an industry that is expanding rapidly in Zambia right now. At Kalimba we use an older model where our aquaculture is integrated with livestock, primarily with the ducks, but also the green grass around the ponds provides grazing for our cattle all year round. The idea is that you feed formulated feed to one animal (the ducks) and the waste from that animal feeds another animal, so in feeding one you are essentially feeding two. At Kalimba we feed three!

Tilapia (Bream) farming

Kalimba is the only commercial farm using an indigenous species of Tilapia (Bream) called O.Andersonii. The use of this species is critical for its conservation as O.Andersonii is under threat from many exotic, imported and genetically improved species that are currently being used in aquaculture. These exotic species have also invaded Zambia’s rivers and Lakes damaging the local ecosystem.

The local species performs competitively with imported species as they are well adapted to aquaculture. Their natural habitat is calm water such as lagoons and slow flowing water, which are very similar to ponds. There is currently a government program that is encouraging the farming of the local species for its conservation, improving neighbouring ecosystems and to improve its performance.

Buying Tilapia (Bream)

At Kalimba, parent stock of Tilapia are available for purchase. We can provide orders of maximum 1000 fish. Orders must be made in advance as the fish must be conditioned for transport on the farm. Fish may be collected by appointment only.

Angling

The angling ponds at the reptile park are restocked with our fish on a regular basis so if you wish to take home some fresh fish, you are most welcome! Bring a fishing rod or borrow one of ours and catch fresh bream fish for your dinner.

How it all started

Crocodile farming in Africa dates back to the early 1980s. Crocodile began to substitute the supply of crocodile skins from hunting to skins from farming. This was essential for the survival of the Crocodylus Niloticus species.

Kalimba Farm began in 1985, and was the first farm in the world to integrate crocodile farming with aquaculture. Crocodile Farming has been a great asset to the local Zambian economy as it uses a natural renewable resource to generate foreign exchange.

Crocodile farming

A crocodile has a life cycle of about 5 years on the farm. We incubate, hatch and raise the crocodiles on site. There is no waste from the production of crocodiles as their skin, meat and even their fat are used. We pride ourselves on completing the entire cycle from birth to final products.

Crocodile Skin

We produce top quality crocodile skins that are exported to tanneries in Italy and Singapore which supply top global fashion houses worldwide.

The crocodile farming industry in Zambia has met a few difficulties in recent years due to increasingly strict quality controls and an export duty placed on the export of crocodile skins by the current government. With these new difficulties in export, Kalimba is aiming to support the local economy by tanning the skins locally and producing top quality crocodile skin products such as belts, shoes and handbags right here in Zambia.

Crocodile Meat

Over the years crocodile meat has become a delicacy in Zambia. All of Kalimbas' Crocodile meat is sold on the local market. It is very lean so it is a very healthy source of protein. The taste is a mixture between chicken and fish - many say a Crocodile Burger tastes like chicken and Kalimbas' Smoked Crocodile Tail tastes remarkably like smoked salmon!

Kalimba Reptile Park is well known for its world-famous Croc Burger and also makes a number of other crocodile products such a Croc’wors (crocodile boerewors), crocodile sausage, spicy crocodile sausage, and crocodile tail.

Crocodile Oil

Crocodile oil has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Recently scientific research has been carried out to confirm and test the medicinal properties of crocodile oil which have been scientifically proven to have the following properties:

• Anti-inflammatory and Antimicrobial properties - Sixteen fatty acids have been identified in the oil with oleic, palmitic and linoleic acids being its major components. It has been effective in the treatment of different inflammations and fungal affections and can be taken orally or topically. It is very effective as a topical anti-inflammatory and significantly reduces redness and swelling of the skin.
• Skin and Haircare - Crocodile oil has been used in many skin care and hair care products as it contains Vitamin E, Vitamin A, linoleic acid, sapogens and antiseptic terpines. It is great for dry, cracked skin and has been used in the treatment of dermatological conditions such as psoriasis and eczema. It is also great as a lip balm for dry cracked lips.
• Cell regeneration and wound healing - Oleic acid contained in crocodile oil is a key ingredient in cell regeneration. It increases the wound healing process and is known to reduce scars and the appearance of stretch marks. Crocodile oil is full of fatty acids such as omega 3, 6, and 9 that along with its other fatty acids are an effective treatment for large open wounds as well as burn wounds.

Despite traditional belief here in Zambia, there is no scientific evidence to prove that crocodile oil is a cure for HIV/AIDS. However, if taken orally at the same time as antiretroviral drugs it can be beneficial to overall health and improve the functioning of the immune system.

Products made with crocodile oil such as soaps, lotions and balms are for sale in our farm shop.