Ingombe Ilede Travel Guide: Top Sights in Zambia, Tours & Travel

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Ingombe Ilede- Travel Tips What to See, How to Plan & Tours: Historical & Cultural; Zambia; 5 Reviews

Suggested Duration: 2 hours

Ingombe Ilede—Tonga for "sleeping cow"—is a hilltop archaeological site near where the Zambezi and Lusitu rivers meet, not far from Siavonga and the Kariba Dam. Its name comes from a distinctive baobab that resembles a reclining cow, and this landmark anchors a place that served as a dynamic Iron Age trading hub, especially flourishing between the 13th and 16th centuries. Excavations uncovered dozens of burials accompanied by glass beads, copper crosses and ingots, gold ornaments, imported textiles, ceramics, and cowrie shells—items that underline a complex economy linking the interior to Indian Ocean trade networks and polities like Mwenemutapa, Katanga, and Great Zimbabwe. Today, Ingombe Ilede offers more than relics; it presents a physical connection to deep history, without fanfare or commercial trappings. Situated off a quiet gravel road south of the Lusaka–Chirundu highway, the site retains its sense of place as visitors encounter a humble monument and the baobab that anchors centuries of memory and exchange.

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Reviews of Ingombe Ilede

Chancy Kibombwe

3
Reviewed: 2025-04-15

I was amazed by the space inside the tree. Look out for the workers there. They are hustlers.
Majory Sinonge

5
Reviewed: 2022-12-19

This site is beautiful ❤️ it was so fun climbing the the Ngombe ilede
harriet kabanda

5
Reviewed: 2022-12-19

It was nice to see the Ngombe Ilede, it's a good site I enjoyed myself. Climbing the Ngombe Ilede was so 😊 fun
Kunda Bwale

5
Reviewed: 2022-07-04

Where do I even start🤦🏽‍♀️ most national monument sites break my heart because of the lack of maintenance. Rich in history, but its tale is told poorly. Come on Zambia! We can do better. When we got there the gate was locked. We had to wait for the gate to be opened. Clearly they dont expect too many people. Getting there was a considerable detour off the main road. One would hope you would get something back for your effort. There are no sitting places, no refreshment services. Nothing to prompt me to stay longer. We saw it and were ready to leave. We had to hype ourselves up to stay. There is a beautiful history to be told there. A tale of our past, slave trade and just trade in general. And ancient trading post. We had fun going in and out of the tree... climbing on it. Should we have? I dont know. Our sites are not that protected. Like I always say with most heritage sites.. under appreciated, under staffed, under utilized, full of potential. As for the fallen baobab tree itself. It doesn't look much like a cow. Maybe it did many years ago. It would be nice to see those pictures. All the artifacts that were found there are at Livingstone museum. Why not there? Let the site tell it's own story.
pee-jay muleya

1
Reviewed: 2021-09-28

Apart from the N'gombe illede tree, there is nothing to see or happening. No information & no guide. its a basic DIY tour. Still a great site for some pictures.