16 day - Self drive Zambia LODGING

This unique, peanut-shaped country, once known as Northern Rhodesia, offers visitors an authentic African experience complete with adrenalin pumping adventure sports, a variety of fascinating cultural activities, and an abundance of indigenous wildlife which finds refuge in Zambia’s vast national parks. Spend your evenings enjoying the spectacular site of the world’s largest waterfall, the Victoria Falls, while sipping on sundowners after an exhilarating day of whitewater rafting down the rapids of the mighty Zambezi River. If that sounds a little too adventurous for your taste, take a houseboat cruise along the exquisite Lake Kariba while watching wild elephants drink at the riverbank as you try your hand at catching the elusive tiger fish. However you choose to spend your time in this unique country, you are bound to leave with a heavy heart and a desire to return again soon to this exceptionally beautiful Southern African country.

You obtain this visa at the border upon arrival or online via https://evisa.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm/#/. This visa cost US$50. In case you travel from or to Zimbabwe, you can also apply for KAZA UNIVISA. This visa is valid to enter both Zambia and Zimbabwe. The costs of this visa are US$50 as well. It's valid for 30 days and you apply for it online.

Currency

Zambia's unit of currency is the Kwacha (ZMW), formally ZMK which was rebased in 2013. The denominaions are K100, K50, K20, K10, K5 and K2. It is subdivided into 100 ngwee. Coins available are K1, 50 ngwee, 10 ngwee and 5 ngwee.

However, some prices are quoted in US$. It is therefore possible to use dollars and pounds as well.

Banking

In the cities and larger towns, you can change cash and travellers cheques at branches of Barclays Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. Larger branches have ATMs that accept Visa. Foreign exchange offices are easy to find in cities and larger towns.

Banks are generally open on weekdays from 08h150 to 15h30 and 08h15 to 12h00 on Saturdays. Banks are closed on Sundays and public holidays.

Proflight flies from Lusaka to Mfuwe (South Luangwa), to Livingstone and the Copperbelt and also does charters.Various air charter companies will fly to any of the many airstrips around the country and most of the areas worth visiting are accessible by air.

Public Transport

There are many taxis available. Prices are negotiable. There is a good bus service to Chipata, Livingstone, the Copperbelt and Harare, but they don’t always follow strict schedules. The main bus terminus is in Dedan Kimathi Road in Lusaka where one can inquire about timetables. Other private bus companies offer more reliable services to Livingstone, Harare and Johannesburg.

Travel by Bus

Long range buses frequently leave from Lusaka to all the main towns. The intercity bus terminal can be found one road up from Cairo Road at the station.

Minibuses and taxis, local transport – all painted blue – can be jumped on at pretty much any juncture. They’re not expensive and you can always find a minibus that won’t cost too much to buy all the seats in it to get your own private minibus to wherever you want to go but you’ll have to negotiate.

Travel by Road

Zambia has 38,763 kilometres of roads, about 10,000 kms of which are tarred and another 8000 kms are gravel road. The rest range from reasonable to bad dirt roads.

If you’re doing a vehicle trip through Zambia it is a good idea to carry a range of tools and essential spares with you.

Be really careful, especially if travelling at night for road markings are usually non existent. Do watch out for animals in the road, vehicles without lights, pedestrians, unannounced roadworks, bad drivers and broken down trucks with no warning triangles. If you see a tree branch in the road, slow down immediately – these are improvised warning triangles and there’s bound to be a truck or car in the middle of the road up ahead.

Be sure to have all your vehicle papers on hand as you’re bound to encounter a few roadblocks.

Zambia's native cuisine is based on nshima, a cooked porridge made from ground maize normally accompanied by some tasty relish, perhaps made of meat and tomatoes, or dried fish. Safari camps will often prepare nshima if requested, and it is almost always available in small, local restaurants.

Camps, hotels and lodges that cater to overseas visitors tend to serve a range of international fare, and the quality of food prepared in the most remote bush camps is typically excellent.

Water in the main towns is usually purified, provided there are no shortages of chlorine, breakdowns, or other mishaps. The locals drink it, and are used to the relatively innocuous bugs that it may harbour. If you are in the country for a long time, then it may be worth acclimatising yourself to it. However, if you are in Zambia for just a few weeks, then try to drink only bottled, boiled, or treated water in town.

Out in the bush, most of the camps and lodges use water from bore-holes. These underground sources vary in quality, but are normally perfectly safe to drink.

The rains in Zambia come mostly in December, January, February and March though the further north you are, the earlier the rains arrive and the later they leave. Eastern areas and higher areas generally receive more rain than western and lowland areas.

By April and May most of the rain has faded away, leaving a landscape that's still green, but starting to dry out. Nighttime temperatures start to drop, especially in higher and more southerly locations.

In June, July and August the nights become much cooler, but the days are clear and warm. Make sure you bring warm clothes to wrap up if you're out at night, as some nights get very cold! Most of Zambia's small 'walking bush camps' open at the start of June, when the roads have dried out sufficiently to allow access. This is the start of the 'peak season' for these countries – with often cloudless days and continually increasing game sightings.

Into September and October the temperatures climb: the lower-lying rift valleys – Lower Zambezi, Mana Pools and Luangwa Valley – can get very hot in October. However, you'll see some superb game as the animals concentrate around the limited water sources.

November is variable; it can be hot and dry like October, or it can see the season's first downpours. Often it's a very interesting month as you can see both patterns on successive days.

Zambia has mild winters and the summer days can be scourching hot. Lightweight casual clothes can be worn all year round, with a jacket or jersey for early winter mornings and evenings.

On safari keep clothes to neutral colours - kharkis, browns and greens. A sunhat, sunscreen, sunglasses and insect repellent are a must.

It is always African Travels aim to:

• Supply all non-­‐alcoholic beverages inclusive in your tour price (soft drink, water or juices) during periods outside of your hotel stay.
• Wherever possible make all hotel/lodge bookings inclusive of meals and included in your tour price. Also referred to as Full Board. It will be noted on your itinerary where this is included or not.
• We will supply inclusive of tour price any lunches (usually packed/picnic style) on activities outside your hotel/lodge that are not supplied in the activity you are doing.

What you should allow for is:

• Purchases of any snack food -­‐ $5 a day.
• Hotel/lodge alcoholic beverages – see your lodgings beverage menu list.
• Room service surcharges – see your lodgings compendium or information desk.
• Laundry costs -­‐ $1-­‐$3 USD per item is a guide.

CARRYING & STORING CASH

It’s a good idea to carry both USD’s and ZMW's (or other local currency) on your travels. A good guide is USD$50 per day. Most travellers find it prudent to keep cash on them (neck and waste belts are great). At the least keep your luggage/back packs locked if keeping valuables in them.

If using hotel safes ensure they are bolted in and don’t share the code or key with anyone. If the safe is not bolted most hotels will allow you to use their safes. Take a photo or sign an agreed register for valuables kept at hotel receptions.

If you are heading away from major towns for more than a day talk to your guide about how much currency you should carry or about availability of International ATM’s. International ATM’s are available in major towns and cities.

TIPPING

Tipping is a part of Zambian culture & surrounding countries. Bear in mind that most people are on very low wages, but the Zambians are not demanding or rude about tipping and have no expectation other than tipping what you feel is appropriate and within your means. Quite often if you ask or seek guidance on how much to tip you will get the answer “Whatever you feel is right”. The below guide will help.

Tipping can be done in USD or ZMW, however if in USD please ensure the notes are in excellent condition and post 2009. Zambians can find it difficult to exchange USD’s outside of these parameters.

Also note that for more regional or rural trips tipping it’s preferred in ZMW as money exchanges may not be nearby. So it’s best to carry a bit of USD and ZMW’s. That leaves a lot of leeway, anything from $0 to large amounts and can at times be confusing especially for visitors from non-­‐tipping nations.

Therefore to help assist our visitors below is a guide, but please bear in mind that you are entitled to tip however little or much you desire or budget for.

Activity

Safari Guides: (Normally given at the end of the tour) 

• 1 traveller: $15 to $30 per person per day
• 2 travellers $12 to $22 per person per day
• 3 travellers $11 to $18 per person per day
• 4 travellers $10 to $16 per person per day
• 5 travellers $9 to $14 per person per day
• 6 travellers $8 to $12 per person per day

Cook on camping safari
Some people feel that it is appropriate to tip a camping cook a little less than the safari guide and some may prefer to tip roughly the same.

Service Tips at lodges
Best to put in a central tip box. That way unseen staff get a share. $2-­‐$5 a day