Holidays in Zambia

Higher than Niagara Falls in Canada and wider than the Iguazú Falls in South America, Victoria Falls is an African icon of staggering proportions. Shared between Zimbabwe and Zambia, it’s a treat for the senses: see the epic curtain of water, hear its deafening roar and feel the blanket of spray hitting your face. It really has to be seen (and heard) to be believed; no wonder it’s adopted the mysterious nickname ‘The Smoke That Thunders’. As well as purely admiring its raw beauty, there’s a multitude of ways to experience it. Get a bird’s-eye view from a helicopter ride overhead, get a soaking while treading a nearby trail or taking a courageous glimpse over its edge while floating in the ominously named Devil’s Pool. You can even hop over to the Zimbabwean side when the Zambian share diminishes towards the end of the dry season, for an entirely different angle. However you see this astounding wonder, it’ll stay with you long after you’ve returned home.

South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya may grab the headlines but Zambia has a safari gem of its very own. South Luangwa is a mish-mash of contrasting wildernesses, each featuring their own unforgettable wildlife experiences. Spy hippos wallowing in lagoons, elephants wading through marshes, leopards stalking impalas under the cover of thick woodland and buffaloes charging across sprawling plains. The sky is just as abundant, filled with the park’s 400 species of birds, such as snake eagles, bateleurs and ground hornbills. Better still, South Luangwa is where the ‘walking safari’ originated, so close-up on-foot glimpses of wildlife in action are hair-raisingly raw. For sheer density, few destinations in Africa can match this wild slice of Zambia.

Tracing a north-eastern slice of the Zambezi River, the Lower Zambezi National Park is a majestic floodplain nestled plum in the river’s great rift valley. This artery supports a huge amount of life, a wilderness where elephants slake their thirst on its banks and zebras, bushbucks, lions and wild dogs wander the ebonies and acacias that stand tall on the lush floodplain. The Lower Zambezi only attracts a trickle of visitors and its variety of safari options mean whether you choose to spy game by boat or 4x4, you’ll likely have these rich landscapes all to yourself regardless. Most who visit arrive and depart via a light aircraft and it’s these first and final glimpses that live long with many, the curving oxbox lakes decorating the emerald floodplain like watery crescent moons. The Lower Zambezi certainly is out of this world in our book.

Please seek advice from your doctor regarding medical precautions against Malaria. Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Polio and Tetanus-Diphtheria vaccinations are currently recommended. If entering Zambia from a yellow fever zone, you must be in possession of a valid international yellow fever inoculation certificate. Please consult your GP at least four to six weeks prior to travel for current advice.

The time difference is GMT +2 hours.

The flight time from London to Lusaka or Livingstone is around 14 hours, including one stopover.

The currency is the Zambian kwacha.

British passport holders need a visa to enter Zambia. The visa application can be completed on arrival in Zambia or prior to travelling, either in person at the Zambia High Commission in London or via post. A 90-day tourist visa is £35.