The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
The Viafro verdict
For whom, and for which trip.
An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.
- For which trip
- Lusaka · Luangwa Parc · Livingstone · Parc National de Luangwa
- Best season
- May to October
- Length
- Allow at least 8 days for these 4 essentials, one stop every two or three days. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit
Twelve months, in colour.
Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
Visa, passport, customs
GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. French travellers: see France Diplomatie (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/zambie/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- To enter Zambia, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. It must have at least 2 blank pages for entry stamping. Make sure you get your passport stamped.
- British passport holders do not need a visa to enter Zambia. You must be able to show: valid return or onward tickets
- To enter Zambia, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk. For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Zambia guide.
Vaccines, malaria, water
This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor or an international vaccination centre before you travel.
- At least 8 weeks before your trip: where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the NHS travel vaccinations page
- Medical facilities throughout Zambia are of a lower standard than in the UK. Facilities in rural areas are basic and emergency services are limited. Carry basic medical supplies.
Per the ministries
Viafro gives no safety rating: here are the zones and advice published by the French ministry (in French) and the official extracts, with their dates.
Vigilance zones published by France Diplomatie (in French) · page updated on 15 Sept 2026 · see the official map
- Orange · Zones déconseillées sauf raison impérative (en orange sur la carte)
Frontières nord
Globalement calme, la Zambie est exposée sporadiquement à des mouvements de personnes fuyant des zones d’affrontements en République démocratique du Congo (RDC).
- Travel in larger cities and the major game parks is generally safe during daylight hours. However, serious crimes can happen. Pre-arrange transport to avoid walking at night and stay aware of your surroundings, especially after dark.
- There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
What the country’s law provides
Photography, alcohol, drugs, relationships: the rules published by the ministries, quoted as they stand, without comment.
- It is illegal to possess or use drugs, including marijuana. Drug use and smuggling are serious offences.
Currency
Zambian Kwacha / Zambian KwachaViafro publishes no price or budget range without a source: amounts will come from our own expenses recorded on the ground, dated and itemised.
- There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Zambia. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 21,913,874
- Time zone
- +1 h from Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and G plugs · 230 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the left
- Calling code
- +260
- Languages
- English
- Area
- 752,618 km²
- Highest point
- Mafinga Central, 2,339 m
- Main religions
- Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7%, none 1.8%
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- LUNKenneth Kaunda International AirportLusaka925,077 passengers
- LVIHarry Mwaanga Nkumbula International AirportLivingstone
- ZKBKasaba Bay Airport
- CIPChipata AirportChipata (Fort Jameson)
Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.
On the road
- If you are planning to drive in Zambia, see information on driving abroad. You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Zambia for up to 90 days. If you still have a paper driving licence, you may need to update it to a photocard licence.
Destinations
The essentials.
Lusaka
Lusaka ( loo-SAH-kə) is the capital and largest city of Zambia.
Luangwa Parc
Livingstone
Livingstone is a city in Southern Province, Zambia.
Parc National de Luangwa
Chutes Victoria
SaraessopMust-try food
Six dishes, and where to taste them.
Chikanda
Chikanda is a Zambian dish made from the boiled root tubers of terrestrial orchids also called chikanda. The dish is often called "African polony" because it has a texture that resembles bologna. Chikanda can be eaten as a snack, dessert, or an accompaniment t
Delele
Delele is a Zimbabwean, Zambian, north-eastern Botswana and Northern South African dish made from a local plant of the same name, and often eaten with sadza or phaletšhe or Vhuswa. The English word for delele is okra. Okra is also referred to as "derere". It i
Nshima
Le nshima, ou nsima, est un plat originaire de Zambie, à base de farine de maïs, qui se présente sous la forme d'une pâte blanche. Il est consommé dans toute l’Afrique, en particulier à l’est, en Zambie, au Malawi et au Kenya, où il constitue la base de l’alim (summary in French)
Ifisashi
Ifisashi or visashi is a traditional Zambian dish prepared with greens and peanuts. Ifisashi is most often eaten with nshima. It is considered a vegetarian dish, but meat can be added if desired. Ifisashi is a dish best enjoyed hot and is often served as a mai
Braai
Barbecue varies by the type of meat, sauce, rub, or other flavorings used, the point in barbecuing at which they are added, the role smoke plays, the equipment and fuel used, cooking temperature, and cooking time.
Munkoyo
Munkoyo or ibwatu is a type of beer brewed in rural Zambia. It is a mildly fermented drink made from maize porridge and pounded Rhynchosia venulosa roots. This mixture is then boiled. It can then be drunk immediately after it is made or allowed to ferment for
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Hellohello
- Thank youthank you
- Pleaseplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Protestant 75.3%, Roman Catholic 20.2%, other 2.7%, none 1.8%.
- Languages: Bemba 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda (North Western) 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.7%, unspecified 0.2% (2010 est.).
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Independence Day, 24 October (1964) ; independence: 24 October 1964 (from the UK).
Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.
Did you know?
Three things to remember.
The country’s highest point, Mafinga Central, reaches 2,339 m.
21,913,874 inhabitants in 2025 on 752,618 km², about 29 per km².
Independence on 24 October 1964 (from the UK).
Gallery
See it before you go.
Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.
Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.
Live, work, invest
A few key figures.
Sourced data (World Bank). No investment advice.
GDP per capita (current US$)1.3World Bank · 2025GDP growth3.8 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)13.9 %World Bank · 2025Unemployment (ILO estimate)5.9 %World Bank · 2025International tourist arrivals502World Bank · 2020
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
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Sources and verification dates · 19 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
- Wikidata · Zambia (Q953)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Zambia · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Zambia · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Zambia · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- Rough Guides · Zambia Travel Guide · When to visit
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (English)
- Wikipedia · Chikanda
- Wikipedia · Delele
- Wikipedia · Nshima
- Wikipedia · Ifisashi
- Wikipedia · Braai
- Wikipedia · Munkoyo
- Wikipedia · Lusaka
- Wikipedia · Livingstone
- CIA World Factbook · Zambia (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · Zambie · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 15 Sept 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Lusaka · monthly normals (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.