Zambia - Health AND Travel Advice

Health Advice

Recommended Immunisations

Hepatitis A
Polio
Tetanus
Typhoid Fever
Meningococcal meningitis (especially for long stays)

Yellow Fever Yellow Fever Certificate is required for entry into Zambia if travelling from a Yellow Fever infected area. This includes passengers transiting through an infected area.

Malaria Malaria is endemic all year round throughout Zambia and is chloroquine resistant, hence adequate prophylaxis is vitally important.

Passport & Visa

Visas are required for most EU member states and you will be required to have a valid passport with at least 6 months from date of expiry. Please note that to have at least 2 blank pages in your passport is always a good idea.

Visas for UK citizens can be obtained from the Zambia High Commission in London or your local embassy or High Commission. (2 Palace Gate, Kensington, London W8 5NG, phone: 0207 589 6655; Website: www.zhcl.org.uk)

Visas can also be obtained on arrival at Lusaka and Livingstone airport entry points.

Please note that in early 2008 the visa waiver system was abolished and the fees for all nationalities requiring a visa to visit Zambia is US$50 for a single entry and US$80 for double entry visa.

General Tips

Tap water in Zambia is not recommended for the use of drinking water. Always use bottled mineral water or filtered water, which is widely available, for drinking and brushing teeth.

The local currency is the Zambian Kwacha (ZK). The bank notes are available as ZK10,000, ZK5000, ZK1000, ZK500, ZK100, ZK50 and ZK20. The exchange rate is approximately US$1 = ZK 4,500, £1 = ZK6,700 and €1 = ZK5,600.

Credit Cards - You can use Master & Visa credit card to pay for expensive items such as top-end hotels & lodges, tours, flights and car-hire in cities and tourist areas. Most hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and the larger stores accept credit cards. Please be aware surcharges up to 10% may apply. Note that reliance, especially in National Parks, should not be placed on credit card transactions being available.

Internet and email facilities are available in Lusaka and Livingstone in Zambia. Zambia uses 220V to 240V electricity but encounters frequent power cuts. Most Zambia sockets take British-style plugs with the three rectangular prongs, but you will also find the South African three-round-pong sockets.

The Zambia time zone is GMT+2:00, meaning that during the summer time period in Europe, Zambia is 1 hour ahead of the UK and there is no difference in time between Zambia and most other Western European countries. During winter time they are 2 hours ahead.

For more general health & travel advice, packing tips and travel insurance, please check our Travel Planning section.