Zambia

Zambia is home to Victoria Falls, national parks, incredible safari lodges, and some of the best wildlife viewing in Sub-Saharan Africa. So whether you’re cruising on the Zambezi River, flying over Victoria Falls, or tracking wildlife in a game reserve, this travel guide has everything you need to plan a trip to Zambia!

The Ultimate Safari Travel Guide

While Zambia is famous for Victoria Falls, this country is a world-class safari destination in its own right. I HIGHLY recommend splitting your time between the Victoria Falls area and South Luangwa National Park.

Ready for your next adventure? Here’s how to plan an epic trip to Zambia!

Where To Stay

Typical Travel Costs

Exchange Rate

The currency in Zambia is the Zambian Kwacha. 1 Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) equals about $0.06 U.S., £.04 British Pounds, and €0,05 Euros. Exchange rates are subject to fluctuations, so be sure to check this as your trip approaches.

Accommodation

A hostel or budget hotel will be around 540 ZMW a night ($30, £25, €28). A mid-range hotel should be about 1440 ZMW a night ($80, £65, €75), and there are vacation homes near Victoria Falls and larger cities, which average about 1350-1800 ZMW a night ($75-100, £60-85, €70-95).

As a general rule of thumb, you should plan on spending a minimum of $1,000 US per night per person at an all-inclusive safari lodge

This number might give you sticker shock, but let’s break down what this covers: all food, lodging, drinks, activities, guides, transfers, and conservation fees. So the only additional costs would be your flights and tips.

You get what you pay for on safari, so don’t skimp!

How To Budget for an African Safari

Food

Lunch in a casual restaurant is around 90 ZMW ($5, £4, €4,50). Local beer or a glass of wine will be about 35 ZMW ($2, £1.50, €1,80). A nice dinner will be about 540 ZMW ($30, £25, €28), and a fine dining meal with drinks will start at 1440 ZMW ($80, £65, €75) and go up from there.

Tap water is not consistently drinkable in Zambia, so only refill your water bottles with water provided by your accommodation or restaurants.

All-Inclusive vs. A La Carte at Safari Lodges

While all-inclusive resorts can be a budgeting mistake for some types of trips, this isn’t the case with an African safari. There is very little you can do on your own on a safari, and even if you did pay for things à la carte – it will add up to around the same price.

I’ve consistently found it’s better and often more economical to go all-inclusive.

The one exception is if you’re road-tripping and only spending one or two nights at each stop. In this case, an à la carte or half-board rate might be a better financial choice. 

If you’re driving and guiding yourself, you don’t want to pay as if you were using a safari lodge’s vehicles and guides. And if you’re moving accommodations every other day, chances are you’ll be eating some of your meals on the road, so an all-inclusive rate could mean you’d be paying for meals you won’t get to eat.

Safari Guides

Transportation

A one-way bus trip between cities averages 360 ZMW ($20, £16, €18). A city taxi will charge a 90 ZMW flat fee ($5, £4, €4,50) and $25 ZMW per kilometer ($1.50, £1.15, €1,30). Renting a car (not including gas) will cost around 900 ZMW a day ($50, £40, €45), and hiring a car and driver will start at about 5400 ZMW per day ($300, £250, €280).

Uber and Lyft don’t operate in Zambia.

Other Expenses

Haggling is expected in markets. Most vendors start with inflated prices expecting tourists to negotiate a lower price.

ATMs and currency exchange outlets can be found at airports and in larger cities, but ATMs are few and far between in the rest of the country. Some restaurants and hotels take credit cards, but cash is the preferred form of payment, even at high-end safari lodges. So always plan on having plenty of cash with you.

Cash is the best (and sometimes the only) way to pay for permits/visas at the border. You’ll need to purchase a visa to enter Zambia when you arrive in the country – this goes for flights and land border crossings.

If you’re going to visit the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls and cross back into Zambia, you want to get the KAZA UniVisa visa, which allows you to cross both borders and move between both sides of the falls. Purchasing this visa will save you money, and you won’t have to wait in line to cross over to the other side of the falls.

The Ultimate Guide To Visiting Victoria Falls

Tipping

Restaurants: 10% of the bill (always check to see if this is automatically included in the check).

Hotel & Safari Lodge Staff (Servers, Housekeepers, etc.): 270 ZMW per day per guest ($15, £12, €14).

Safari Guides & Trackers: 360 ZMW per guest per day for a guide ($20, £16, €18) and 180 ZMW per guest per day for a tracker ($10, £8, €9). If you have different guides and trackers during your stay at a safari lodge, make sure to note your staff’s names.

Tour Guides & Drivers (not at camps or lodges): 180 ZMW per guest for a half-day ($10, £8, €9), 360 ZMW for a full day ($20, £16, €18).

Airport & Hotel Porters: 90 ZMW per bag ($5, £4, €4,50).

Hired Guide & Driver for Your Entire Trip: 360 ZMW per day per guest ($20, £16, €18).

When To Go

June – September are the driest months of the year and the peak travel season because wildlife is easy to find around water holes. These months have the highest prices and crowds, so book your lodge and tours as far in advance as possible. Daytime temperatures average in the 60s and 70s (remember, it’s winter here), and nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing, so bring layers.

May, June, and October are the shoulder months. The rains will have stopped (or won’t have started yet), the landscape will be lush, and wildlife will be easily visible at waterholes (though not as high a concentration as in July – September). Travel costs will be less during these months, and the safari lodges and destinations won’t be overrun with tourists. Daytime temperatures range from the 60s to 80s, while nighttime temperatures can come close to freezing, so bring layers for the mornings and evenings. 

November-March are the rainy and off-season months. It will be wet and humid, and wildlife will be hard to find because they won’t need to gather at watering holes. You can score some great accommodation deals during these months, though, and it can feel like you have the entire country to yourself. 

April – July are the best months to visit Victoria Falls because the water level will be at its highest.

WHAT TO PACK

Less is more when you’re packing for a safari, so be selective and strategic. But also remember that when you’re on safari, you can’t just go to a shopping center if you forget something. Some safari lodges have stores, but they will be for souvenirs, not travel items you might have forgotten.

Electrical outlets in Zambia can be Types C, D, or G, so you’ll need an adaptor.

Pro Tips: Choose comfort above all else! If you are taking a bush flight, there will be strict limitations on the size and type of bag you can bring, so double-check these requirements. Stick with neutral colors and avoid dark colors because they’ll attract flies and make you very visible to wildlife. If you’re on a walking or riding safari, avoid white clothes because they’ll get VERY dirty VERY quickly and make you stand out for wildlife.

Here’s my safari packing list:

1-2 Sun hats. Make sure they have a neck strap to keep them from blowing away, and that they’re not made of a heavy material that will make you sweat.

Light scarf to protect your neck from the sun, cover your face when it’s dusty, and cushion your neck from a camera strap.

Sunglasses.

Binoculars. Most lodges won’t have enough extras for every guest.

Socks & Underwear. Bring more than you think you’ll need. You get dirty and sweaty on safari, so you’ll want to constantly change your socks and undies to feel fresh and clean. Many safari lodges have laundry services, but they usually won’t wash underwear for cultural reasons.

Sports Bras. Bring the most supportive sports bras you own. Game drives are VERY bumpy, so you want to bring bras that will give you the comfort and support you’ll need.

Shop My Safari Essentials

You’ll want layers in the mornings and evenings that you can take off when it gets warmer in the afternoons.

2-3 Cargo Pants.

2-3 Layering T-Shirts.

1-2 Long Sleeve Shirts.

Cargo Jacket.

Beanie & Gloves.

1-2 Pairs of Shorts.

Fleece Jacket.

Comfy Pants – a pair of leggings or sweatpants.

Dinner Dress & Cardigan.

Romper, Midi, or Tunic Dress. These are great for looking nicer in the evenings or layering with a cargo jacket and boots for a game drive.

Swimsuit and Kimono or Cover-Up.

Boots. You will wear boots 95% of the time on your safari, and you don’t want to use up luggage space with more than one pair. So bring your comfiest, most broken-in pair of boots, and wear them on the plane to save packing space. If you buy new boots for your safari, get them at least a couple of months before your trip to have plenty of time to break them in.

Portable Charger & Spare Batteries. You don’t want your phone, GoPro, or Camera to die on you when you’re out looking for wildlife.

Reusable Water Bottle.

Camera Bag.

A backpack if you’re going on a walking or riding safari.

Have you been here? Comment below with anything you’d add to this guide for planning a trip to Zambia!

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This guide for planning a trip to Zambia is not a sponsored post, and, as always, the thoughts and opinions expressed in this guide for planning a trip to Zambia are entirely my own. Some of the links in this guide for planning a trip to Zambia are affiliate links, and, at no cost to you, I may earn a small commission from this guide for planning a trip to Zambia.