Travel
The British Airways flight from Heathrow Airport to Lusaka (capital city) takes approximately 10 hours and prices vary. I traveled end of June last year for approximately £800. Lusaka Airport was much better than I expected; exactly what you’d imagine in a Western country.
As I was doing charity work in Lusaka transport was provided from the airport to the guesthouse where we were saying. For those traveling independently public transport is very easy, cheap and convenient. The main mode of public transport being little blue mini buses.
One thing to remember however is that the buses will not leave until they are full and when they are they are VERY VERY cramped!
The main bus station is situated in the centre of Lusaka- this alone is a culture shock! It’s busy 24 hours a day, and is full of all kinds of people including beggars and lots of street sellers. They will be very persistent so be stern otherwise you’ll run out of money very quickly! I’d also suggest carrying your bags on your front and not keep valuables in pockets. However don’t let this put you off; the people are genuinely great and will be happy to help you can’t find your bus, which will happen!
There are also taxis, which you can flag down or ranks at both Arcades and Manda Hill supermarkets. Again these are reasonable, but you should decide on a price with the driver before you set off on the journey.
Top Tips:
- Girls will get more attention! But I had no trouble traveling alone on some occasions.
- Don’t take pictures whilst inside the bus station; I did once and got threatened with being arrested!
- Look out at the goods being sold! You won’t believe some of it- from spoons, to plugs, to puppies!
Visas
If you are planning a prolonged stay in Zambia you will require a visa, this can be gained by writing to the Zambia High Commissioner in London or by downloading a form from the website:http://zhcl.org.uk/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
Be warned if you are traveling out of Zambia, even for 1 day on a safari, for example, you will be expected to pay a fee to enter a new country and then again whilst returning to Zambia.
Events and Places to Visit
Lusaka:
I was based in the capital city LUSAKA. I was placed in schools in the village CHILENJE near by. My three schools were- St. Patrick’s Girls School, Chilenje Basic School and St. Josephs Community School for orphans and vulnerable children. St. Josephs particularly was full of incredible children and teachers.
I was placed in these schools via the Lusaka-based sporting charities Sport In Action and EduSport. Both charities have websites and happily welcome volunteers, so if you fancy volunteering go for it! You won’t be disappointed it’s the most fulfilling thing I’ve ever done.
It will additionally give you a great look into local life and give you the best insight into Zambia and its people.
Other must-dos whilst in Lusaka are to visit the local markets. There are amazing craft markets at the Arcades supermarket on Sundays (where you must barter!). It is full of African fabrics, wooden ornaments, jewelry (look out for the local stone- Malachite) and much more. Again expect sellers to be very persistent. For a bit of a culture-hit I also recommend visiting the huge Lusaka market, used by the locals to buy everything and anything!
Not necessarily a place to visit, but somewhere helpful to know are the two big supermarkets- Arcades and Manda Hill, both are a similar size to a supermarket you’d find in the UK and sell the same kind of stuff. At both you will also find an internet café, restaurants, a pub and a few clothes shops and at Arcades you will also find- a bowling complex, a cinema, and an amazing bakery with the most incredible Chelsea buns ever! (Random I know!)
You will also discover how much Zambians love sport so try and take in a local football game at the weekend (in most villages) or a rugby game, we watched Zambia vs. Uganda and it was a great experience, it cost 10,000 kwacha to get in (approx £1.20). If you are a rugby player yourself, get in touch with the team as a few of my friends went along to training!
You will find plenty of options for accommodation, as Lusaka is full of guesthouses and hotels. We stayed in a very homely guesthouse in Olympia Park, just on the outskirts of the city centre, within walking distance to the supermarkets and buses.
Livingstone:
For a break from volunteering we went on a trip to Livingstone; definitely a backpackers paradise! Amazing fun. However we traveled from Lusaka to Livingstone on a coach and it took about 10 hours! Partially because we broke down twice and because we hit a donkey! So I’d definitely suggest looking into flights!
There are loads to do in Livingstone, and the backpackers’ hostel Jollyboys Lodge is a great base:
http://www.backpackzambia.com/pages/hostel.htm.
Whilst there I recommend of course visiting Victoria Falls.
It is truly spectacular and understandably one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
I also did a Gorge Swing (attach photo), which was a big adrenaline rush in which you free-fall 53 meters in 3.5 seconds! It is said to be worse than a bungee! It definitely felt that way!
I visited Chobe National Park (in Botswana) (attach photo) this was incredible and one of the highlights of my trip. I saw Elephants, Kudu, Waterbuck, Impala, Warthog, Giraffes, Crocodiles, Hippos, Water Buffalo and more.
If you are traveling in a big group I also highly recommend the Sunset Cruise (Booze Cruise!) As much food and drink as you want, incredible views, and traditional entertainment. All excursions are available through Jollyboys.
Livingstone also offers plenty of restaurants and craft markets.
Extras and Essentials
Cards and money:
- Be sure to notify your bank that you will be using your credit/debit cards whilst in Zambia otherwise they WILL freeze your account!
- You will find cash points and a bureau de change at each of the big supermarkets.
- Zambian currency is called Kwacha and is in the form of notes. 100.00 kwacha is approximately 1p!
Mobile Phones:
- Not all mobiles will work in Zambia, I use T-mobile and although I was told it would work it didn’t! Even if your phone does work however the cheapest way to do it is to buy a Zambian sim card, which costs about 80p and then credit for about £2! It even works out much cheaper to text home with it.
Clothing:
- The only advice I can offer regarding clothes is to not wear too many little colours, as they’ll turn orange with the dust!
- Also girls should avoid wearing short- shorts, skirts or dresses, as it is frowned upon to show your thighs. Basically just dress modestly.
Vaccinations:
Where can I start! I basically had everything going, but did have extra to consider as I was working with local people, and coaching sport (i.e. injuries and cuts put me at high risk etc). UK doctors surgeries are very helpful and will be able to fully advice you on what you need. You will need to consult your GP/nurse as much as 3 months before traveling as some vaccinations are given a few weeks apart.
Food:
There is a wide range of food on sale so you can eat exotically if you wish, but if you prefer sticking to what you are used to then you can! Supermarkets stock as much Heinz, Walkers and Cadburys as you want! But bare in mind this is likely to be more expensive as they are imported.
However there are plenty of opportunities to eat the local produce, which I definitely recommend. Street sellers sell locally grown fruit and vegetables very cheaply, this also offers you a great opportunity to meet and chat to the local women sellers, and support the local communities.
