Practical information

Visa & money
Most visitors need a visa which can be easily obtained when arriving at Lusaka airport at the fee of $ 50 for one month. The Zambian currency is Kwacha.

Languages
Zambia has over 70 different tribes, uniting as a population of nearly 10 million. Many of them live in and around the urban centres. Many languages are spoken although the official language is English, In Lusaka the most commonly spoken languages are Nyanja and Bemba.

The weather
It has a tropical climate with three seasons, cool and dry from April to August, hot and dry from September to October and warm and wet from November to March.
Clothing: the winters (April till August) are mild but a jersey or jacket is advised for the morning and the evening. In spring (April till October) it can get quite hot

Health
Anti malaria medication is advised especially in the raining season. There are some good clinics in the capital of Lusaka and Zambia also has a comprehensive Medical Rescue Services.

Safety
Boasting one of the most established democracies in Africa – and with a relatively stable economy – Zambia is considered one of the safest countries in Africa to visit.Infrastructure and facilities have much improved. It is however advisable not to carry too much cash in the cities.

Please check out www.zambiatourism.com for more information.

People

Zambia has one of the lowest population-to-land ratios in Africa: about 10 million people in a country half the size of Europe. The employment opportunities offered in the copper mines and associated industries post independence led to a strong rural-urban migration. The result has made Zambia one of the most urbanised countries in Africa with massive areas of uninhabited land across the country. About one fifth of the population lives on the Copperbelt in the north, but the biggest concentration of people is found in Lusaka with an estimated population of over 2 million.

Zambia’s contemporary culture is a blend of values, norms and traditions of more than 70 ethnically diverse people. Most of the tribes of Zambia moved into the area in a series of migratory waves a few centuries ago. Many travelled in search of establishing new kingdoms, farming land and pastures. However, the existence of so many tribes has proved less of a political problem in Zambia than in many other African countries.

At least half of the Zambian population are Christian, mainly Roman Catholics and adherents of the Protestant United Church of Zambia. Most of the remainder follow traditional religions.

Birdlife

"For a landlocked country dominated by a single biome, Zambia has a comparatively rich birdlife. To date, 750 species have been recorded." - Peter Leonard, author of Important Bird Areas in Zambia.

To a large extent Zambia’s avifauna is that of the Central African Plateau. The vegetation is principally miombo woodland, bisected by grassy dambos along drainage lines. Along watercourses there may be riparian forest or in wetter areas wet evergreen forest. Zambia also has low-lying valleys and a very small part of montane altitudes. All these habitats have a distinctive set of birds.

Among interesting species are Zambia’s only endemic, Chaplin’s Barbet, the mopane-dwelling Black-cheeked Lovebird, the very sought after Shoebill Stork, the elusive African Finfoot, Pel’s Fishing Owl, Wattled Crane, Bohm’s Bee-eater, Bar-winged Weaver, Rosy-throated Longclaw, Souza’s Shrike and a plethora of other species more easily seen here than anywhere else.

Wildlife

Zambia has one of the most diverse wildlife populations in the world, thanks to a great variety of ecosystems. Mammoth lakes, lush wetlands, wild rivers, large plains and dense woodlands attract nearly 300 different mammals – including some found nowhere else in the world. The many unique species are found in pristine wilderness. This ensures that the finest safaris are available.

A vast grassy plateau dominates the country with the prime wildlife regions being concentrated around the Luangwa, Kafue and Zambezi water systems. Whilst not sharing the game diversity of some of its neighbours, Zambia's wildlife concentrations are impressive - it's ideal for specialists seeking specific African game species or birdlife on a brilliant scale.

Night drives are a speciality in Zambia and provide arguably the best means for seeing some of the more elusive nocturnal species, including leopard.