Zambia

South African Airways and Comair/British Airways regularly fly from Johannesburg into Livingstone International Airport, 5 km (3 miles) out of town. The flight is a comfortable hop, less than two hours in duration, and the airport is small and friendly, with helpful staff to speed you on your way. If at all possible, don't check your luggage in Johannesburg and always lock suitcases securely, as luggage theft in South Africa is an everyday occurrence.

There's a perfectly reasonable traffic code in Zambia. Unfortunately, not many people have ever heard of it. You would do well to leave the driving to your local guides or negotiate an all-inclusive rate with a taxi driver recommended by your hotel or lodge for the duration of your stay. Note that taxis are generally not allowed to cross the border, so if you want to visit Zimbabwe, you’ll have to book a tour that includes transfers. Once at the border, it’s feasible to walk into and around Victoria Falls town or rent a bicycle.

If you insist on renting a car, you should know that some of the roads have more potholes than tar. You don't necessarily need a 4x4, but it's not a bad idea, especially if you want to go off-road at all. Voyagers has two offices in Livingstone: Mosi-oa-Tunya Road (opposite Ngolide Lodge) and Livingstone Airport. Hemingway's rents out Toyota Hilux Double Cabs (similar to the Toyota Tacoma), fully equipped with tents and other camping equipment—you can even hire a driver! Costs start from US$220 per day for an unequipped vehicle.

If you plan to add the popular Kafue and Lower Zambezi camps to your trip, you should book your transfers together with your accommodation through a travel agent or with your camp reservations, as air-transfer companies change hands and/or minds quite often in Zambia. A travel agent or camp will also assure that connection times work to your best advantage if they’re responsible for the transfers.

The Zambian government is curbing the use of U.S. dollars, and increasingly, places accept only Zambian kwacha (ZMW). The kwacha comes in denominations of ZMW2, ZMW5, ZMW10, ZMW20, ZMW50, and ZMW100 bills. Coins start at 5 ngwee (the local equivalent of cents) and work up to ZMW1. At the time of this writing, the conversion rate was about ZMW5.2 to US$1.

Tipping is less common in Zambia because service charges are included, but it's appreciated. Small notes or 10% is appropriate. Gas-station attendants can be tipped, but tip a taxi driver only on the last day if you’ve used the same driver for a number of days.

Zambia has a 17.5% V.A.T. and a 10% service charge, which is included in the cost or itemized on your bill. International banks along Mosi-oa-Tunya Road in Livingstone have ATMs and exchange services. Banking hours are generally weekdays 8–2 (although some do open the last Saturday of the month). Many bank ATMs accept only Visa. It’s also worth noting that queues for ATMs can get very long during working hours.

You may be invited to do a little informal foreign exchange by persuasive street financiers. Resist the temptation—it's not worth the risk of being ripped off or arrested. There are many reputable exchange bureaus throughout town, though they’re sometimes flooded with dollars and low on kwacha, generally toward the end of the month. MasterCard and Visa are preferred by business owners and banks to American Express or Diners Club. Business owners always prefer cash to credit cards, and some smaller hotels levy fees up to 10% to use a credit card.

You'll need a valid passport and visa to enter Zambia. Nationals of any country not on the Zambian Immigration Referred Visa list can simply purchase a visa on entering the country. At this writing a standard U.S. single-entry visa costs US$50, and a single-entry and transit visa cost the same. Day-trip visas cost US$20 (often included in the cost of prebooked activities, so check with your booking agent). If you plan to return to Zambia in the near future, you’ll need a multiple-entry visa, or you'll have to buy another visa on your return. Multiple-entry visas and visas for nationals from countries on the referred visa list (www.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm) can be purchased only at Zambian Missions abroad and not on arrival.

For minor injuries, a test for malaria, or the treatment of non-life-threatening ailments, you can go to the Rainbow Trust Mwenda Medical Centre, Southern Medical Centre, or Dr. Shafik Hospital. For serious emergencies, contact SES (Specialty Emergency Services). There are a number of pharmacies in town including Health and Glow Pharmacy, Link Pharmacy, and HK Pharmacy. Pharmacies are generally open weekdays 8–8, Saturday 8–6, and Sunday 8–1.

It's always a good idea to leave ample space in your luggage for common sense when traveling to Victoria Falls. Wild animals abound throughout this area (even in the center of town from time to time) and must be given a lot of physical space and respect. You must also remember that Zambia is relatively poor. There are tourism police, but opportunistic thieving still happens occasionally. Although crime in this area is generally nonviolent, losing your money, belongings, or passport will result in spending the remainder of your trip with various officials in stuffy, badly decorated offices instead of sitting back on the deck of your sunset cruise with drink in hand.

As for the water, it’s always advisable to drink bottled water, although the tap water in Zambia is generally considered safe. Should you develop any stomach upset, be sure to contact a physician, especially if you’re running a fever, in order to rule out malaria or a communicable disease. Do remember to mention your visit to a malaria area to your doctor in the event of illness within a year of leaving Africa.

Telephone rates in Zambia are much cheaper and more stable than those in Zimbabwe. Check numbers very carefully, as some are Zimbabwean mobile phones. Zambia and Zimbabwe now both have cell coverage, and there are certain areas where the networks overlap and mobile telephones work in both countries. If you have any trouble dialing a number, check with a hotel or restaurant owner, who should be able to advise you of the best and cheapest alternative. International roaming on your standard mobile phone is also an option, as coverage is quite extensive. Alternatively, you could purchase a local SIM card with pay-as-you-go fill-ups—this is probably your cheapest option. Pay phones aren’t an option, and the costs of all telephone calls out of the country can be exorbitant.

The country code for Zambia is 260.When dialing from abroad, drop the initial 0 from local area codes and cell-phone numbers. Note that all telephone numbers are listed as they’re dialed from the country that they’re in. Although the number for operator assistance is 100, you’ll be much better off asking your local lodge or restaurant manager for help.

Although the Zambia National Tourist Board (next to the museum; open weekdays 8–1 and 2–5, Saturday 8–noon) is very helpful and friendly, you might be better off visiting Jollyboys (behind the Livingstone Museum; open daily 7 am–10 pm) for comprehensive and unbiased advice.

Contacts

Airlines

Comair/British Airways. 213/32–2827; www.britishairways.com.

South African Airways. 0213/32–3031; www.flysaa.com.

Car Rental Companies

Hemingway's. 0213/32–3097; 0977/86–6492; www.hemingwayszambia.com.

Voyagers. 0213/32–2753; 0213/32–3259; www.voyagerszambia.com.

Embassies

U.S. Embassy. Ibex Hill. (eastern end of Kabulonga Rd.), Lusaka, Lusaka, 31617. 0211/35–7000; zambia.usembassy.gov.

Emergency Services

Fire. 993.

General emergencies. 999; 112.

Police. 991.

SES. 213/32–2330; 0977/74–0308; www.ses-zambia.com.

Hospitals

Rainbow Trust Mwenda Medical Centre. Lusaka Rd., about one mile from center of Livingstone, Livingstone, Southern. 213/32–3519.

Dr. Shafik Hospital. Katete Rd., Livingstone, Southern. 213/32–1130.

Southern Medical Centre. House 9, 1967 Mokambo Rd., Livingstone, Southern. 213/32–3547.

Visitor Information

Jollyboys. 34 Kanyanta Rd., Livingstone, Southern. 213/32–4229; www.backpackzambia.com.

Zambia National Tourist Board. Tourist Centre, Mosi-Oa-Tunya Rd., Livingstone, Southern. 0213/321–487; www.zambiatourism.com.