Things To Know Before You Go

Getting there: Lusaka is the capital city and the major gateway to Zambia. Most through-service flights from the United States are with South African Airways, with service from New York and Atlanta connecting through Johannesburg. British Airways flies directly from Europe to Lusaka; KLM, Lufthansa, and Air France all have direct flights from Europe to Johannesburg. Air travel can be booked through the individual airline Web sites, through a travel agent, or through Expedia.

There are three seasons: warm and wet from December to April, cool and dry from May to August, and hot and dry from September to November. In the fall the daytime temperatures are usually in the 80s, but the nights can become quite cool, so take a jacket or sweater.

Our route will include travel by foot, by four-wheel-drive vehicle, and by small chartered plane. As such, it is important to use soft luggage that will fit in tight quarters. We won't need much for our two-week safari: shorts, T-shirts, sleeping bag, and toiletries. Tsetse flies are common, and they are best dealt with by wearing light-colored long pants and shirts (they're attracted to dark colors). Malaria is prevalent, so it is recommended to take malaria prophylaxis.

Zambia is a genuine adventure destination, with several activities besides safaris available. The Zambezi below Victoria Falls is one of the most exciting commercial whitewater rafting runs in the world, and trips can be booked through Sobek Expeditions, the company that pioneered these runs. (Full disclosure: Richard Bangs is a founder and partner in Sobek.) You can also mountain-bike, abseil the Batoka Gorge, bungee jump the Victoria Falls bridge, canoe, jet-boat, fly an ultralite, ride horses, and fish.

The Zambia Tourist Board has a comprehensive Web site.

Entry requirements: All U.S. citizens must have a passport and visa to enter and exit Zambia for any purpose. All visitors must obtain visas at a Zambian Embassy or consulate abroad prior to entering the country (a single entry visa costs $25). For further information on entry requirements, please contact the Embassy of the Republic of Zambia's Web site. A number of private visa service companies can expedite this process; we used Zierer Visa Services.

Safety and security: Zambia has never had a war and has been a relatively stable country, for the region. However, U.S. citizens are advised to avoid travel in Zambia's northern Luapula province, including the entire Lake Mweru lakefront, and in areas near the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo, due to instability in the area. Continuing military action in the DRC causes armed combatants and refugees to cross into northeastern Zambia. Armed gunmen occasionally attack vehicles near the DRC-Zambian border.

Large numbers of travelers visit tourist destinations, including South Luangwa National Park and Livingstone (Victoria) Falls, without incident. American citizens are advised to defer any unnecessary travel to the region along the western border with Angola, where conditions remain unsettled.

Land mines in the Gwembe Valley near Sinazongwe (along the southwest end of Lake Kariba) make off-road travel to that area potentially hazardous. U.S. citizens are advised not to travel on the Livingstone to Siavonga Road and not to drive off established roads in this area.

Check out the latest U.S. State Department warnings and assessments.

Crime: Crime in Zambia is widespread. Armed car-jackings, muggings, and petty theft are commonplace in Lusaka and other major cities, especially in downtown commercial districts and housing compounds. Travelers should keep car doors locked and car windows rolled up at all times. Travel at night is particularly risky, both in Lusaka and on roads outside of the city.

The loss or theft abroad of a U.S. passport should be reported immediately to local police and to the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate. The pamphlets "A Safe Trip Abroad" and "Tips for Travelers to Sub-Saharan Africa" provide useful information on protecting personal security while traveling abroad and on travel in the region in general. Both are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, or via the Bureau of Consular Affairs home page.

Medical facilities: Government hospitals and clinics are often understaffed and lack supplies. Private medical clinics in major cities can provide reasonable care in many cases, but major medical emergencies usually require medical evacuation to South Africa or the United States. Basic medical care outside of major cities is extremely limited. Doctors and hospitals often expect immediate cash payment for health services.

Medical insurance: The Department of State strongly urges Americans to consult with their medical-insurance company prior to traveling abroad to ascertain whether their policy applies overseas and if it will cover emergency expenses such as medical evacuation. U.S. medical insurance plans seldom cover health costs incurred outside the United States, unless supplemental coverage is purchased. Further, U.S. Medicare and Medicaid programs do not provide payment for medical services outside the United States. However, many travel agents and private companies offer insurance plans that will cover health-care expenses incurred overseas, including emergency services such as medical evacuations.

Useful information on medical emergencies abroad, including overseas insurance programs, is provided in the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs brochure "Medical Information for Americans Traveling Abroad," available via the Bureau of Consular Affairs Web site or via autofax at (202) 647-3000.

AIDS is epidemic in Zambia. Be careful.

Other health information: Information on vaccinations and other health precautions may be obtained from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's hotline for international travelers at 1-877-FYI-TRIP (1-877-394-8747), via fax at 1-888-CDC-FAXX (1-888-232-3299), or via the CDC's Web site.

Books and videos: A wonderful book that lingers through Zambia is , by the late Shiva Naipaul. Another good read is , by Delia and Mark Owens. Of course, anything by Laurens van der Post will be an interesting tale, though you can't always believe what you read. A couple of relevant documentary videos are and .

Communications: Lusaka boasts some Internet cafes, but there is no land-based communications system for most of our journey. We are using two Thrane & Thrane Capsat M-4 Inmarsat phones, capable of 64 kbps data transmission speeds. For audio reports we are using an Iridium Motorola 9505 portable satellite phone with an accessory data kit for transmissions at speeds up to 9.6 kbps. The team is using a variety of digital cameras including a Canon D30 with 3.2 megapixel resolution, along with a 28-135 mm and a 100-400 mm stabilized zoom lens, plus the smaller 3.3 megapixel Nikon 880, and a 2-megapixel Canon PowerShot S200 digital ELPH. The laptops include a Mac iBook, a Compaq Armada 7400 with a Xircon credit-card ethernet/modem PCMCIA card, and a Toshiba Portege.

Promotional considerations for this trip were provided by: Renee Mill's African Adventures of Redmond, Wash., (425) 885-3548; Sheraton Hotels Worldwide; South African Airways, (800) 722-9675; Telenor Satellite Services of Bethesda, Md., "Making remote connections routine"; and Zulu Nyala Country Manor in Johannesburg, South Africa.