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Quick Facts for Zambia Africa
Travelers Information for Vacation Holidays and Safaris to Zambia
With a third of the country devoted to conservation, Zambia offers
the adventure visitor some of the best wilderness and wildlife areas in Africa.
A wide range of action adventures, from the legendary walking safari
to river rafting on the mighty Zambezi, allows the enjoyment of nature
at its wildest and most exhilirating
A birder and angler's paradise, Zambia has recorded more than 740
bird species in areas of great scenic beauty
Has some of the best fresh water fishing available including excellent
Tiger fishing
Zambia is one of the most stable countries in Africa, with 73 tribes
living in harmony. People are very friendly and display a rich cultural
heritage during their vivid traditional ceremonies, which is open to
Westerners to witness their ancient and timeless mystique
Electricity: 220volts, 50Hz. Plugs are 3-pin square.
Health - You are advised to take pre-arrival precautions against hepatitis
A, polio, typhoid, malaria (risk throughout the year in the whole country)
and yellow fever. Other health concerns are dysentery, diarrhoeal diseases,
cholera (avoid street vendors; filter and boil water), influenza (risk
extends throughout year), limited medical facilities and AIDS. The climate
aggravates chronic sinusitis. Dust in the dry season, molds in the rainy
season and pollens much of the year can affect allergies.
Hours
Office Hours:
8am-1pm and 2pm-5pm Mon-Fri
Shopping Hours:
8am-5pm Mon-Fri (some till 7pm); 8am-1pm on Sat (some till 5pm)
Banking Hours:
8.30am-2.30pm Mon-Fri (few open on Sat)
Climate : There are three distinct seasons: Aug-Oct is warm to hot and dry offering
the best time for game viewing as water is scarce; Nov-Mar is hot with
thundershowers, but excellent bird watching season as migrants come
from the north; and Apr-Jul when days are dry and warm and evenings
and early mornings are cold - also good for game viewing
Currency:
1 Kwacha = 100 Ngwee. Foreign exchange is at authorized banks and bureaux
de change. American Express is widely used, with more limited use of
Access/MasterCard, Diners Club and Visa. US dollar traveller's cheques
are recommended.
Customs
Duty Free Allowances
- USD150 worth of goods (not including list below)
- 400 cigarettes or 500g of cigars or 500g of tobacco
- 2,5 litres of wine - 1,5 litres of spirits - 2,5 litres of beer -
1oz of perfume
Special Notes
- Souvenirs may be exported without restriction but game trophies such
as tooth, bone, horn, shell, claw, skin, hair, feather or other durable
items are subject to export permits. (NB! For full information, please contact the nearest Embassy of Zambia.) |
Language
English is the official language and all media and business is conducted
in it. There are over 73 tribal dialects of which the main languages
are Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga, Luvale, Lozi, Mambwe and Tumbuka.
Public Holidays
New Years' Day (1 Jan); Youth Day (12 Mar); Good Friday (9Apr); Easter
Monday (12 Apr); Labour Day (1 May); Africa Day (25 May); Heroes Day
(5 Jul); Unity Day (6 Jul); Farmers' Day (2 Aug); Defence Day (12 Aug);
Independence Day (24 Oct); All Saint's Day (1 Nov); Christmas Day (25
Dec)
Shopping
ebony carvings; woven baskets; copper, brass and malachite objets
d'art; printed cloth; masks; drums; thumb pianos; xylophones; conical
fishtraps; clay pots. Souvenirs may be exported without restriction,
but game trophies e.g. tooth, bone, skin, feather, etc. are subject
to export permits.
Social Conventions: The majority follow traditional animist beliefs
and this is reflected in their social culture and customs. Hand shaking
is the common form of greeting.
Time Difference: GMT+2
Tipping: Tipping in hotels has been abolished by law, but a 10 percent
tip may be expected or included in bills elsewhere
Livingstone Car Hire Imperial Car Hire offers a full range of vehicles
to tour around Livngstone
AJ Car Hire and Tours offers chauffeur driven cars
or self drive hire and takes tours around the area as well as airport
transfers.
Makoro Quest, Bundu Adventures and Bushtracks Africa also do transfers |
TOP TEN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
- South
Luangwa Zambia's premier game park noted for its dense
concentrations of game, with over 50 mammal and 400 bird species;
the Luangwa river boasts more hippos and crocodiles than any other
river in Africa
- Liuwa Plains Scene of dramatic blue wildebeest
migrations with the attendant predators lion, leopard, cheetah and
the endangered wild dog
- Kafue One of Africa's biggest parks, with huge
herds of antelope and superb lion sightings in the northern Busanga
Plains; high concentrations of water birds occur on the flats
- Bangweulu Swamps The floodplains are renowned
for high concentrations of water birds, of which millions feed in
the nutrient rich shallows; it also attracts the endemic acquatic
black lechwe antelope by the thousands
- Lochinvar
National Park Regarded as holding the world record for
the highest diversity of bird species (428 in only 410 square kilometres);
over 30,000 Kafue lechwe antelope, found nowhere else in the world,
roam here
- Lusaka In the capital, don't miss the colourful
markets, Munda Wanga Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Kalimba Reptile Park,
Kabwata Cultural Village, Lusaka Museum, Zintu Community Museum of
Arts and Crafts and the Copper Art Centre
- Livingstone In town, see the Mosi-oa-Tunya Zoo, the Livingstone Museum, the Railway
Museum, Maramba Cultural Village, Mukuni tribal village, traditional
ceremonies and markets. Nearby canoe or cruise on a boat along the
upper Zambezi, go white water rafting, bungi jump off Vic Falls bridge,
micro-light over the Falls and Batoka Gorge or go on horse riding,
hiking or birding trails
- Lake Kariba Offers prime fishing, water sports,
houseboating and lake camping
- Lake Tanganyika Africa's deepest and longest lake
offers great scuba diving and hiking to the top of Kalambo falls,
the second highest in Africa at 220m; other water sports, fishing
and game viewing can be enjoyed at Sumbu park on the shore
- Lower
Zambezi Excellent game viewing by boat or canoe; home
to one of the largest remaining elephant herds in the world; also
see buffalo and hippo at close range and birds in abundance
Enquiries
Email us at
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Tel: + 27 31 762 2424  kype africa.travel
Office Hours -S.Africa GMT+2 World Times |
Travel_Guide-Zambia
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African_Animals_Info
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Safaris
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