Before you travel
Regulations in various African countries dictate that passports need to have a remaining validity of a minimum of 6 months upon entering the country and that at least one entire page of your passport is completely clear of any stamps. If you are travelling to more than one country on the continent, please bear in mind that some countries issue visas that can take up an entire page.
All visitors to Zambia require a visa for their stay. Visas are issued at all border posts in Zambia and there is no need to arrange your Zambian visa prior to your arrival in the country. Current visa fees are:
| African States passport holders: | Free |
| Other passport holders: | US$ 50.= (single entry) US$ 80.= (double entry) |
Double entry visas are useful for travellers visiting one or more of Zambia’s surrounding countries for one or more days during their stay in Zambia (eg; a day trip to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, a few days in Botswana’s Chobe area or Namibia’s Caprivi Strip etc.). The second entry can be used within 3 months from the original entry into Zambia.
Once your visa has been issued, you are advised to check that the immigration official has entered the correct number of days for your stay as per your request. Leaving the country after your visa has expired attracts large fines of up to ZMK 1,800,000 (+/- US$ 400.=).
Visas are issued for periods up to a maximum of 30 days at any border post. Tourists can remain in Zambia for a maximum of 90 days per 12 month period and can have their visas extended at Immigration Headquarters in Lusaka. A business traveller is allowed to be in Zambia for a maximum of 30 days per 12 month period.
In the past, Zambian immigration waived visa fees for bona fide tourists upon submission of a letter from the hotel or other tourist establishment where the visitor had booked accommodation. Unfortunately, these visa waivers are no longer applicable.
The country’s official currency is the Zambian Kwacha (ZMK) and you will find ATMs in all cities. Most hotels and lodges advertise their rates in US Dollars and this currency is widely accepted.
Please note that banks and foreign exchange tellers usually offer a lower rate of exchange for smaller denomination notes of a foreign currency (US$50 and below).
When negotiating a price in Kwacha, taxi drivers and shopkeepers will often use the word “Pin”, meaning “thousand”, stemming from the old days when the Zambian Kwacha was rapidly weakening and a paperclip would hold a bundle of notes accounting for ZMK 1,000.
You will find taxis at all airports and, in the cities, at international hotels, tourist attractions and major shopping centres. All Zambian taxis are bright blue sedans and usually parked in designated areas. There are no metered taxis in Zambia but there are set fees for certain routes. Whilst you should not count on an operational air-conditioner in any of them, taxis are generally an affordable, safe, reliable and friendly means of transport!
Taxi drivers generally prefer to accept Kwacha and will often give you an unfavourable rate of exchange if you wish to pay in US currency, due to the lower exchange rates applicable for small denomination notes.
Do not mistake taxis with the country’s commuter transport, minibus vehicles that can be recognised by their dual colour: bright blue below the window line and white from the windows up. Commuter transport is not recommended for tourists.
With 240V the norm, Zambian electrical standards prescribe UK square 3-pin plugs. Most hotels and safari lodges will also provide facilities to fit European 2-pin plugs and South African round 3-pin plugs. You would be best advised to travel with adaptors suitable for the appliances and chargers that you might carry on your travels.
There are inherent risks in all forms of travel and we recommend that visitors are comprehensively insured against all risks including but not limited to costs of cancellation, damage, delay, evacutation, hospitalization, illness, inconvenience, injury, loss of luggage, repatriation and theft.
Upon entry into Zambia you are not currently required to show Yellow Fever, Cholera and/or other tropical disease vaccination cards. However, we recommend that you keep these vaccinations current as regulations might change at short notice. Please bear in mind that Zambia is a malaria area and we recommend that travellers seek advice from their doctor and/or travel clinic on the use of anti-malarial prophylactics. We recomend that you contact your Foreign Offices, Consular Section or travel agent for current travel, health and safety advisories.
To be on the safe side, we suggest that you drink bottled water for the duration of your visit to Africa. Most reputable establishments will provide their guests with bottled water on a complimentary basis.
