Zambia as your holiday destination

TRAVELLING IN ZAMBIA

Planning a holiday to Zambia? Fantastic choice! Wondering about the ideal time to visit and how to prepare? We give you an overview, covering essential pre-trip considerations and valuable tips for a memorable safari trip in Zambia.

Best Time to Visit Zambia

Travelers can visit Zambia the whole year through, however it is good to keep in mind the pro’s and con’s of the different seasons. The best wildlife viewing time coincides with the Dry season (April to October) when water is scarce, and animals congregate at waterholes and rivers. The bush is less lush at this time, and animals are easier to spot.

Tropical or sub-tropical climate
The climate in Zambia is tropical or sub-tropical depending on altitude. The general height of the land gives Zambia a more pleasant climate than that experienced in most tropical countries. There are three seasons:

Only in the Valleys of the Zambezi and Luangwa is there excessive heat, particularly in October and, in the wet season, a high humidity. In the warm wet season, frequent heavy showers and thunderstorms occur, followed by spells of bright sunshine. Plants grow profusely and rivers and streams fill up almost overnight.

Dry season
During the cool dry season, night frosts may occur in places sheltered from the wind. The countryside dries up gradually and grass fires, fanned by high winds are a feature of this time of the year. In depressions, frost can occur on cloudless nights. Temperatures rise high during the hot, dry season but new leaves appear on the trees before the start of the rains and new grass brightens the countryside.

Rainy season
From October until the rainy season, it can be unbearably hot. Some roads become impassable during the Wet season (November-March) and several parks and camps close at this time. In the mid-summer months of January and February: temperatures can get uncomfortably hot and humid; rainfall is at its highest – and so is the risk of malaria – while some of the roads in the national parks become impassable.

Zambia Visa & Immigration
Most EU citizens do not need to apply for a visa for Zambia for a visit of less than 90 days. However, always check your own personal situation and in either case ensure and that you have:

Currency
The local currency in Zambia is the Zambian Kwacha although US Dollars are widely accepted throughout the country. The Kwacha was adopted based on the Zambian Pound which, which was in use during its period as the British colony of Northern Rhodesia. The Malawian Kwacha is subdivided into 100 ngwee. Credit card acceptance is improving but don’t rely on it in Zambia’s more remote or little-visited destinations. For your daily expenses it is always important to have a wallet with smaller bills and keep the rest of your cash separated and out of sight.

Especially when you spend several days in more remote areas, like wild parks, ensure you have enough cash on you. Foreign exchange services are not easy to find. Furthermore, it is recommended to take a ‘mix’ of means for payment, including cash (USD), a debit card and a credit card (VISA or MasterCard). There are always cases in which you cannot pay with your normal debit card.

ATM
There are ATMs (Automated Teller Machines) in the larger destinations of Zambia. Remember that for every transaction you will be charged additional banking fees. Also do not forget to change the security settings of your bankcards to ‘Worldwide’ if necessary – ask your local bank for instructions.

Travel and cancellation insurance

Ensure that you are well prepared to have a secure journey. The risk that something happens to you or your family before or during the trip is small, however, it is important to get the right insurance. It can save you costs and a lot of trouble! We strongly recommend a travel and cancellation insurance, so that any unexpected costs due to illness or accidents, costs of replacing stolen or lost baggage or necessary repatriation are covered.

We advise you to contact your local insurance agent or bank for information about the possibilities. Also, we recommend that you contact your healthcare provider to inform you about the coverage of possible medical expenses.

Tipping in Zambia

As is common around the world, tipping in Zambia is completely voluntary and dependent on the quality of the service you have received. At Explore Zambia, we believe that good service should be rewarded, but you should also be mindful of the potential impact that tipping may have on the local community. Tips can make a large difference to those in the service industry, such as waiters, guides and trackers. However, there’s a fine line between the right amount to tip and tipping too much: excessive tips can really affect the balance of the local economy.

In restaurants it is usual to give a gratuity of about 5-10% of your bill. Drivers and guides also appreciate a gratuity as this is often not just an extra, but most often forms part of their salary which a family lives from. In guesthouses and hotels, you will mostly find a ‘tip-box’ for gratuity which is then shared amongst everybody, as also the gardener contributes to you having a comfortable stay. People that do you a favor in public, like cleaning your window or watch your car, would normally receive gratuity too.

Food
Zambia’s native cuisine is based on nshima, a cooked porridge made from ground maize accompanied by some tasty relish, perhaps made of meat and tomatoes, or dried fish. You should taste this at some stage when visiting. It is always available in small restaurants in the towns. Often these will have only three items on the menu: nshima and chicken; nshima and meat; and nshima and fish – and they can be very good.

Camps, hotels and lodges that cater to overseas visitors will serve a very international fare, and the quality of food prepared in the most remote bush camps amazes visitors. Coming to Zambia on safari your biggest problem with food is likely to be the temptation to eat too much.

Shoprite stores in bigger towns have really all that you will need. In the smaller towns, availability is limited to products which are popular locally. These include bread, flour, rice, soups and various tinned vegetables, meats, and fish. This is fine for nutrition, but you may get bored with the selection in a week or so.

Drinks
Zambia has two distinct beer types: clear and opaque. Most visitors and more affluent Zambians drink the clear beers, which are similar to European lagers and always served chilled. Mosi, Castle and Rhino are the lagers brewed. They are widely available and usually good. Soft drinks are available everywhere, which is fortunate when the temperatures are high. Tea is of an incredibly high quality. It is advisable to Avoid drinking tap water, but to drink bottled water instead when travelling through Malawi. Of course, South-African wine is sold in abundance and is of high quality.

Capturing the Essence: photography in Zambia

Zambia guarantees you the most beautiful pictures. For the real hobbyists, a telephoto lens is a must for wildlife-photography. However, keep some rules in mind while taking pictures. If you want to take pictures of people, always ask for their permission first. Especially at places that are popular for tourists, locals may ask for money for a picture. Negotiate friendly and do not secretly take a picture.

Tips for reading
There are many good guidebooks about Zambia, such as the Rough Guide, Lonely Planet and Bradt. For those guides that are specifically about Zambia’s nature you can always visit a local bookstore.