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Vast areas of unspoiled and virtually undiscovered protected wilderness areas make Zambia an undisputed favorite among dedicated safari enthusiasts. Taking its name from the mighty Zambezi River, which flows along its southern border, Zambia has set aside a large percentage of its land as wildlife reserves. This well-watered region of Africa has large tracts of open woodland and floodplains rich in wildlife. Small lodges and camps offer friendly, personal service in pristine wilderness areas known both for their concentration and diversity of game and bird life. Within Zambia's borders are several national parks each with its own character and particular blend of predominant animals and birds. South Luangwa and Kafue National Parks are ideal wilderness areas for traditional walking safaris, mobile tented camps, remote bush camps, night drives to view the fascinating nocturnal species, excellent opportunities for game fishing, and water borne activities, offering something for everyone. The warmth and welcome of the Zambian people is legendary. The safari-goer is guaranteed to see many animals and few Homo sapiens. A safari in Zambia epitomizes the ultimate wilderness experience, in the tradition of Stanley and Livingstone.
| The Basic Facts |
|---|
| Full Name | Republic of Zambia (formerly Northern Rhodesia) |
| Capital | Lusaka |
| Independence | Dec 24, 1964 |
| Time | GMT + 2 hours |
| Population | 9,663,535 (estimated July 1999) |
| Area | 752,610 km2 (740,720 km2 land; 11,890 km2 water) |
| Currency | Kwacha (ZK) |
| President | President Levy Mwanawasa (since January 2, 2002) |
| Public Holidays |
|---|
| New Year's Day | Jan 1 |
| Youth Day | Second Monday in March |
| Good Friday | varies |
| Easter Sunday | varies |
| Workers' Day | May 1 |
| Africa Day | May 25 |
| Heroes' Day | First Monday and Tuesday in July |
| Farmers' Day | Aug 1 |
| Independence Day | Oct 24 |
| Christmas Day | Dec 25 |
| Boxing Day | Dec 26 |
Culture & Language
About 99% of the population are made up of over 70 indigenous tribal groups. The major groups are Bemba, Kaonda, Lozi, Lunda, Luvale, Nyanja and Tongo.
English is the official language and most urban Zambians speak it fluently. In the rural areas it is used less, though only in truly remote settlements would there be problems communicating in English.
Before you go
Visa & Passport
You will need a passport to travel to Zambia. It must be valid for six months after your estimated date of entry into Africa and it should have at least one empty page for each country you will visit.
A visa is an official authorization to visit a country. The visa is entered as a stamp in your passport. US residents are required to obtain a visa to enter Zambia. You can purchase your visa on arrival at the border or airport for $25 for a single entry visa or get a 3-year multiple entry visa for $50 at the embassy of Zambia in Washington DC.
To obtain your visa in the US before your trip, please send the following to the Zambian Embassy.
Your valid passport (with appropriate blank pages)
Two 2"x2" passport photographs
A completed and signed visa form
A money order for the visa fee
A postage paid trackable return envelope
Important: Remember to sign both your passport and visa forms!
For processing procedures and more information, go to Zambia Embassy.
Note: Before you leave home, we suggest you make photocopies of the information pages in your passport and carry them separately from your passport. We also recommend bringing at least two extra 2"x2" passport photographs. This will facilitate the replacement of your passport and visa(s) in the event your passport is lost or stolen.
Immunizations & Health
Current WHO Report for Zambia
You will find Africa a hospitable and healthy place to visit. However, we do strongly recommend that you consult your physician regarding medications and immunizations that are recommended or mandatory. The World Health Organization compiles a listing of required and recommended immunizations for international travelers. Your health insurance provider may cover some of the costs associated with these immunizations. All vaccinations should be officially recorded and stamped in a yellow international immunization card. This card should be carried with your passport.
Routine Immunizations are: tetanus-diphtheria, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, influenza and pneumococcal. Many of these are groups together and some are oral. Additional immunizations to discuss with your doctor are yellow fever, hepatitus A, typhoid, cholera, polio and meningitis.
For your safety, we request all passengers take a course of malaria prophylactics. There are several different possibilities on the market. Please discuss with your doctor which one is best for you.
An International Certificate of Vaccination against yellow fever is required for visitors to northern and western Zambia. Visitors from or passing through a yellow fever and cholera zone must be able to produce a valid certificate of immunization. Air travelers who only pass through the airports of such a zone need not worry about this.
Please remember, not all immunizations can be taken or obtained on the same day or on the day of departure. Some immunizations must be administered serially over a period of time and some cannot be given together. See your doctor at least 4-6 weeks before your trip to allow time for vaccines to take effect.
*Health concerns throughout the world change regularly. For the latest requirements and recommendations consult your doctor and/or go to the above link for the latest WHO report on Zambia.
It is important that you alert us to any allergies, dietary restrictions and existing medical conditions.
Packing
| | Documentation |
|---|
| Passport | 2 passport photos |
| Health Certificates | Airline Tickets |
| Travelers Checks | Spending Money |
| Money belt | Proof of insurance |
| Xerox copy of passport, travelers checks | |
| General | Clothes |
|---|
| 1 bag/backpack - max 30 lbs | 2 pair shorts |
| 1 small day bag | 2 pair lightweight pants |
| Travel pillow | 3 lightweight shirt |
| Travel alarm clock | 1 longsleeved lightweight shirt |
| Luggage lock | 1 sweater/fleece |
| Travel umbrella | 1 warm windproof jacket |
| Swim Suit |
| Field Gear | Undergarments & Socks |
|---|
| Camera/film/batteries | 1 pair all weather sandals |
| Video camera/tapes/batteries | 1 pair lightweight walking shoes |
| Binoculars (Extremely Important) | 1 pair evening shoes for lodges and cities |
| African Field Guild | Men: one nice collared shirt |
| Journal & Pens | Women: dress or skirt and blouse |
| Book | |
| Map - Michelin #955 is best | |
| Water Bottle | |
| Flashlight & Batteries | |
| Sunglasses | |
| Wide-brimmed hat, baseball cap and/or bandanas | |
| Toiletries | First Aid Kit |
|---|
| General - toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, razor, shampoo, etc. | The basics: bandages, antibiotic ointment, anti-diarrea tablets, antacid tablets, pain reliever, waterproof tape, antiseptic, tweezers, scissors, etc. |
| Sunblock | Allergy pills |
| Insect repellent (containing DEET - 20% is optimal) | Prescription drugs w/original label |
| Lotion/sun protective lip balm | Malaria Tablets |
| Small bottle of Woolite or washing detergent for undergarments | |
| Contact lenses/solution/glasses | |
| Hairdryer (requires a converter 220-240 volt AC 50 Hz) | |
Laundry services in Africa are very good and available at nearly all of our safari camps, lodges and hotels. This means that you can travel light and still enjoy clean fresh clothing throughout your journey.
Money & Tipping
Today's Exchange Rate
Zambia's unit of currency is the Zambian kwacha, which is divided into 100 ngwee. Notes are issued in denominations of K10,000; 5,000; 1,000; 500; 200; 100 and 50. Coins are K1, and 20, 10, 5,2 and 1 ngwee.
We suggest bringing a combination of Traveler's Checks (mainly as a security measure) and US dollars. Have your traveler's checks issues in small denomination ($20s and $50s) as you will receive the entire amount in the foreign currency you exchange for. Getting US dollars in Africa is expensive but having some throughout the trip is necessary. The remainder of your spending money is a combination of credit card purchases and obtaining local currency at ATM machines. The amount of extra money you need to bring will depend on how many optional activities interest you and your shopping habits. $300 cash should be plenty - with at least $50 in small bills for bartering and tipping.
Personal expenditure, meals in major cities, insurance, drinks other than specified, gratuities, airport taxes and visa fees are excluded. We suggest that you allow US$25-35 per day to cover the cost of personal expenses and souvenirs (within reason). There are a number of optional activities available and recommended in the Victoria Falls area.
Note: We strongly recommend keeping your passport, all money, vouchers and international air tickets in a money belt or pouch.
Guide to Tipping on Safari
Although tipping is a safari tradition, it is never compulsory and should only be done if you have received good service. The staff very much appreciates receiving gratuity from you and it is one way of assuring them they are doing a good job. You can tip in US dollars or local currency.
Guests often want to know what is appropriate, so we have prepared a brief guideline to assist you.
Professional Guides and Driver Guides
We recommend, if you are happy with the service, about US$5-10 per person, per day for the guide and about US$3 per person, per day for the driver as a suggested tip.
Lodges and Camps
Here we recommend $3-5USD per client, per day, to be divided among the staff. Most lodges have a staff tip box located at reception or a central location. Tips left here will be divided among the porters and waiters and other lodge staff. If you are particularly satisfied with assistance received from someone, a personal tip is also acceptable.
Voltage & Photography
Bring the photo equipment you are used to working with. A trip like this is not the best place for trying out a new camera. If you spend all of your time learning how to use a piece of equipment, you may not learn how to shoot good images. Bring the instruction manual. Keep in mind that too much equipment can be a hindrance, while leaving behind a piece that could be useful is also a mistake. We suggest bringing an 8" x 5" beanbag to use as a tripod to hold your camera steady when shooting from the vehicle. Bring a combination of lenses that range from 25mm to 300mm.
We suggest an average of 2-3 rolls of film per day of game viewing. Most of your game viewing is in the early morning and mid to late afternoons. For protection from airport X-ray machines, pack all film in lead-lined shield bags. Film and batteries are not available in the African bush. You will find them in the major cities, but they are very expensive.
Digital photography is here. Digital photographers will have to plan for how to save images while in the field. Multiple storage disks are less cumbersome than bringing a laptop to download images to.
Whichever film type you select, the slower ASA films (50-100) generally produce higher quality photos. I would bring a slow film and a faster one (400) for low-light situations.
Note: Always ask before photographing the native people. Do not take pictures of military installations, police stations, airports, soldiers, police or border posts - you may have your film confiscated.
Please consult with lodge managers about charging your equipment. Many properties are run on generators that are only turned on at certain times of the day, usually in the early evening and turned off in the late evening at bedtime.
240 volts AC, 50Hz. British style 3-pin plugs are used.
The Africa factor
Expect the unexpected. Despite our efforts to have every safari run perfectly, things are going to happen that are simply out of our control. We will do what we can to minimize these situations however, things will still occur albeit a canceled flight beyond our control, rogue warthogs wandering in our camp, flat tires, floods, all or none may occur.
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