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General

If you’re out to experience the ‘real’ Africa, Zambia is that diamond in the rough. The country boasts some of the continent’s best wildlife parks, and shares some of the region’s major highlights: Victoria Falls in Southwestern Zambia, Lake Kariba as well as Lower Zambezi National Park in Southeastern Zambia. It is also an angler’s dream, as fishermen hail from all over the world to try their luck on the mighty Zambezi River with the hopes of landing a toothy tiger fish or the rare, giant vundu. Avid birders also flock to Zambia to glimpse its fabulous diversity of birds, most notably Chaplin’s barbets.

Zambia is a friendly and peaceful, landlocked country but can be a challenge for the traveller: distances between major towns and attractions are large, and getting around by car or public transport takes time and patience.

Practical Information

Money:

Zambia’s unit of currency is the kwacha (k), sometimes listed as ‘ZMK’ (Zambian kwacha) or ‘kw’. Inflation is high in Zambia, and due to elections in late 2006 and the skyrocketing price of copper, some prices are quoted in kwacha and others in US dollars (US$), as different businesses base their rates on the different currencies. In the cities and larger towns, you can change cash and travellers cheques at branches of Barclays Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. Larger branches have ATMs that accept Visa. Foreign exchange offices – almost always called bureau de changex – are easy to find in all cities and larger towns.

Visas:

All foreigners visiting Zambia need visas, but for most nationalities tourist visas are available at major borders, airports and sea ports. It is important to note that you should have a Zambian visa before arrival if travelling by train or boat from Tanzania. Citizens of South Africa and Zimbabwe can obtain visas on arrival for free. For all other nationalities, tourist visas are issued on arrival, but cost about US$40 for a single-/double-entry visa (valid for three months)

When to go:

Zambia has three seasons: the dry season (mid-April to August), when temperatures drop at night, but the landscape is green and lush; the hot season (September to mid-November), the best time to see wildlife as flora is sparse; and, the wet season (mid-November to mid-April), ideal for bird-watching.