Included within the ticket price.

Included within the ticket price.

It’s generally easy to hire a taxi in Lusaka, Livingstone and the other major cities by booking over the phone, either direct or via your hotel. It’s also possible to hail an Ulendo or Bolt cab in the street in bigger cities. Uber is not widely used and you should not depend on it. Most commuters use shared minibus taxis.

There are a few places in Livingstone where you can hire a bicycle and some safari lodges have mountain bikes for their guests to borrow but this is not common. Most people who are planning to tour Zambia by bike bring their own. Lusaka has a few bike hire options.

Long-distance coaches run from Lusaka’s intercity bus terminal to the major regional centres such as Livingstone.

It is an offence to use a mobile phone while driving or to drive under the influence of alcohol. It is also essential to carry your driver’s licence with you at all times and to wear a seat belt. Check if you require an international driving permit (IDP).

Zambia has three main internal train lines, from Livingstone to Lusaka, from Lusaka to the Copperbelt, and from Kapiri Mposhi to the northern border with Tanzania. The main train station is in Dedan Kamathi Road in central Lusaka, one road east of Cairo Road.

Government offices are open from 08h00 to 17h00, Monday to Friday. They may be closed from 13h00 to 14h00 for lunch.

Bank hours vary from bank to bank but most are open from 08h30 – 15h30 Monday to Friday, and 08h15 to 11h30 hours on Saturdays. Shops are generally open from 08h00 to 17h00, Monday to Friday although some stay open until 19h00, and on Saturdays from 08h00 to 13h00 although some stay open until 17h00.

Zambia is a fascinating country to travel around by vehicle. Even though camping facilities are generally fairly basic, if you’re well prepared you can find some of the best unexplored and remote places in the country and very often have them all to yourselves. Aim to have buckets for washing pots and clothes, all cooking utensils and much of the food you need for the whole journey apart from fresh vegetables. Meat is not always available in the remoter areas. Most villages will sell onions, tomatoes, potatoes, bread, sugar, salt and oil. You can buy just about anything you need for your journey in Lusaka, Livingstone and the bigger towns in the Copperbelt but tinned food can be pricey. Always have at least twenty litres / five gallons of drinking water in the vehicle at all times as well as spare jerry cans of petrol or diesel. It is best to boil all water before drinking it.

Be careful in towns and villages not to leave your vehicle open and unattended. You should have no problem sleeping outdoors in designated camping areas but lock things away before you go to sleep (nocturnal animals like genets may be attracted to the smell of food. Human food is extremely unhealthy for them so do not leaving any lying around).

Here is a list of campsites to consider.

Zambia has three distinct seasons as follows – December to April: warm and wet, May to August: cool and dry. September to November: hot and dry. Average temperatures in summer range from 25°C / 77°F to 35°C+ / 95°F and in winter from 6°C / 43°F to 24°C+ / 75°F depending on where you are.

More detailed information about Zambia’s climate here.

Zambia has mild winters and the summer days can get quite hot. Lightweight casual clothes can be worn all year round, with a jacket for early winter mornings and evenings. On safari keep clothes to neutral colouring – khakis, browns, greys and greens. A sunhat, sunglasses, sunscreen and insect repellent are a must.

Mobile coverage can be patchy in some very rural areas but is good around Lusaka, Livingstone and the other main towns and cities. In some areas rural frequented by tourists, such as South Luangwa National Park, mobile phone masts have been installed for the benefit of local workers and guests. Almost all lodges and camps now have Wi-Fi in some parts of the property (sometime the main area only, sometimes your room only, sometimes everywhere. A handful of camps retain a ‘digital detox’ ethos with no Internet connectivity. Connectivity will be hit and miss on walking safaris).
For visitors who would prefer to avoid roaming charges when making and receiving calls, local SIM cards are easily available. SIM cards from the main service providers such as Airtel and MTN can be bought at mobile phone shops at the airport and in the main towns and cities.
Internet service providers (ISPs) include AirLink Broadband, Airtel Zambia, Zamtel, MTN and UUNet.

Local current is 230V, 50 cycle AC. Socket types are C (two small round pins), D (three large round pins) and G (three large rectangular pins).

Most hotels and lodges will offer a laundry service (safari camps will generally offer it for free but may not wash underwear for cultural and religious reasons. Detergent is provided in your room to wash your own undergarments.). For low-budget travellers or campers there are no coin operated laundromats at all so consider drip-dry clothing and be prepared for hand washing.

Zambia is an extremely photogenic country. From panoramic scenery, wildlife and birds to people and vibrant ceremonies, it offers photographers a lot of subjects. Rich colour and good low lighting conditions abound. It is considered rude to take pictures of people without asking them first. Do not offer children sweets in exchange for photos or take images of people’s homes or private lives without asking. It is not permitted to take pictures of government buildings, airports, borders, soldiers or military installations. Do not photograph game rangers or anti-poaching units. Keep your cameras in a dust-resistant, padded case and out of the midday sun. A 200mm (or longer) telephoto lens will prove very useful on safari. Some game-drive vehicles have charging points.

In some establishments service charge is on your bill. If it is not, please tip 10% (ideally in cash) for good service in restaurants, bars, spas and so on. On safari, work on a per day rate for your guide and general lodge staff separately, and tip in US dollars.

PHOTO CREDITS: Floating Rabbit | Pexels, Adam Ojdahl | Wikipedia, Robert Bernatzeder | Biggestleaf Travel, Wilderness Safaris – Busanga Bush Camp, Airlink