Basic Facts

Visas: 

A single entry visa costs $50 for most nationalities. I paid in USD. Double entry costs $80.

I had no problem getting my visa on arrival at the border with Zimbabwe.

Check out the Zambia Immigration Website to see what applies to you!

Money:

You will use (new) Zambian Kwacha. They had an older currency so when you are searching exchange rates be sure to search for new Zambian Kwacha.

ALSO: if you are taking out a lot of cash know that you will not be able to change it in neighboring countries. It will instantly become Monopoly Money.

Languages:

Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga and tons of others! Most people you will encounter will be able to speak English.

Getting around:

Most cities are connected by bus. Smaller villages are connected by shared minibuses/ taxis. Note that the shared taxi stand in Lusaka is not the same as the central bus station.

It is easy to travel between large cities by bus. It is always better to try and buy your ticket the night before for longer distances.

Shared taxis leave when full. Don’t get caught up in getting there early to get the best seats. I assure you they are all bad. Large buses are much more comfortable, but this is all relative.

My Top Experiences (see posts below)

• South Luangwa National Park
•  Kafue National Park

Getting to Zambia

You can of course fly into Lusaka. It is also very easy to get to Zambia overland via Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Malawi. You can also get to the really isolated panhandle of Namibia through a dugout wooden canoe across the Zambezi…good luck with that and don’t get bit by a snake when you’re in the Caprivi Strip.

There is plenty of public transport connecting these countries, though Botswana and Namibia may be a little trickier to get to. I went to Botswana no problem and saw a dude in a canoe who could have taken me to Namibia from there (that’s for next time…).

If you can stomach the monster of a visa and corruption, then you may even be able to cross into the DRC up north.

How much time should you spend in Zambia?

I would say a minimum of 10-12 days would be enough to experience the highlights of the country without feeling super rushed.