Zambia is a landlocked country in southern Africa, covering 752,617 km² of high plateau drained by the Zambezi River, and home to around 20.2 million people. Most visitors come for Victoria Falls, shared with Zimbabwe on the border town of Livingstone, and for a wildlife circuit that includes South Luangwa, Lower Zambezi and Kafue National Parks — all less crowded than the big-name parks further south and east. A first trip usually combines a few days at the falls with a safari in South Luangwa or Lower Zambezi, since the distances between them are manageable by light aircraft even if the roads are long.
Regions and main cities
Lusaka, the capital, sits on the central plateau and is where most international flights land; it is a logistics hub rather than a sightseeing stop, though it has a growing restaurant scene. Livingstone, in the south on the Zambezi, exists for Victoria Falls and the adventure tourism built around the gorge below it — whitewater rafting, bungee jumping and sunset cruises above the falls. South Luangwa, in the east, is one of Africa’s classic walking-safari destinations, with a dense concentration of leopards along the Luangwa River. The Lower Zambezi, downstream from Lusaka, pairs canoeing and boat safaris with game drives on the river’s floodplain, and Kafue, in the centre-west, is one of Africa’s largest national parks by area but sees far fewer visitors than its size would suggest.
Getting there and around
Most international flights land at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, with a smaller but growing number arriving directly at Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport in Livingstone, next to Victoria Falls. Overland crossings from Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia, Malawi and Tanzania are all used by overland travellers, and the border at Victoria Falls is the most common entry point for anyone combining Zambia with Zimbabwe. Distances between the parks are long by road, so most visitors fly between Lusaka, Livingstone and the safari airstrips serving South Luangwa and Lower Zambezi; self-driving is possible on the main tarred routes, and the facts box above has the side of the road and plug type for a rental car.
When to go
The rainy season runs roughly from November to April, with the heaviest rain in December through February, when some safari camps close and unpaved roads can become impassable; this is also when Victoria Falls carries its fullest flow, often shrouding the viewpoints in spray. The dry season, from May to October, splits into a cooler spell through July before the weather heats up into a dry, dusty September and October — generally rated the best months for wildlife viewing in South Luangwa, since animals concentrate around the river and remaining waterholes. Late in the dry season the falls themselves slow to a comparative trickle on the Zambian side, so travellers chasing both big water and big game may need to pick a side.
Money, safety and visas
The currency, emergency number, plug type and side of the road for driving are in the facts box above. Most nationalities, including EU, UK and US passport holders, can get a visa on arrival for tourism, valid for up to 90 days, or combine it with a side trip to Zimbabwe through the KAZA UniVisa; check your own passport’s requirements and current government travel advisories before you go, since conditions along the DRC, Angola and Mozambique border areas are assessed differently from the rest of the country.