A little more
Zambia.
A lot less roaming.

Travelling to Zambia: what to know before you go

Zambia is a landlocked country of rivers, wetlands and wild national parks, home to Victoria Falls, the birthplace of the walking safari and some of Africa's least crowded game areas. It suits travellers who want a more remote, hands-on safari, from canoeing the Zambezi to tracking wildlife on foot.

Where to go

• Victoria Falls. Known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, 'the smoke that thunders', the Zambezi plunges into a narrow gorge on the border with Zimbabwe.
• South Luangwa National Park. One of Africa's great wildlife parks, with leopards, lions, elephants, buffalo, hippos and Thornicroft's giraffe along the Luangwa River.
• Lower Zambezi National Park. A park along the Zambezi opposite Zimbabwe's Mana Pools, where canoe safaris drift past elephants, hippos and buffalo, and tiger fishing is popular.
• Kafue National Park. One of the largest national parks in Africa, with varied landscapes.

Best time to visit

The dry season from roughly May to October is the main safari season, when vegetation thins, animals concentrate near water and roads are passable; September and October are the hottest months but the best for game viewing. Victoria Falls is at its most powerful around March to May, when spray can hide the view, and lowest around October to November.

Staying online in Zambia

Mobile coverage is good in Lusaka, Livingstone, the Copperbelt and other towns, with 4G available in the main urban areas. In national parks and rural areas coverage is limited or absent, and many safari camps have Wi-Fi only in the main area, if at all. Power cuts have been common in recent years, which can affect Wi-Fi and mobile masts. Download offline maps for road journeys. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.