Zambia Tours & Safaris

The main wildlife reserve that we visit in Zambia is South Luangwa National Park, which is the country's premier national park. South Luangwa National Park is home to four of the Big Five, black and white rhinos are sadly extinct. We enjoy one or more game drives in the reserve on tour.

However, our Zambia tours also explore neighbouring countries such as Tanzania and Namibia, where rhinos and the rest of the Big Five live and wildlife sightings are virtually guaranteed! Reserves such as the Serengeti National Park, Etosha National Park, the Ngorongoro Crater and Chobe National Park can all be visited on tour. So you have a good chance to tick all of the Big Five (lion, leopard, buffalo, elephant, and rhino) off your list on a Zambia safari!

Of course, the national parks of Africa are home to wild animals which cannot be called on a whim - no wildlife viewing is guaranteed on our safaris, but we endeavor to give you the best opportunity to spot these majestic creatures in the African bush.

Like many of Africa's safari destinations, the dry season is the best time for a Zambia safari, as the drier conditions mean vegetation is less dense, so wildlife is easier to spot. Animals also gather around the fewer remaining water sources, so guides know the best places to look.

In Zambia, the dry season lasts from June - November, which offers the best conditions for game viewing.

Victoria Falls can be visited all year round but is at its most impressive at the end of the wet season from February - May. This is when the waterfall is at its fullest.

You can find more detailed information in our guide on when to visit Zambia!

If travelling on one of our camping trips, we recommend you read our guide to overland camping safaris. You can also see a detailed packing list in the Trip Notes for each tour.

Some of the important items to remember on your Zambia tour are: sleeping bag, travel pillow, towel, Mosquito spray (with active DEET ingredient), your own personal first aid kit, torch, antibacterial wipes, a photocopy of your passport data, and your Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate.

The local payment is a cost per person that needs to be paid in US Dollars cash only. It is this payment that in part covers the park fees and other inclusions such as meals as detailed on each tour page. The local payment also covers your arrival transfer (if included) and first night’s accommodation.

Please note that due to exchange rate fluctuations in the US dollar, the local payment amount may be subject to changes. This payment will be collected by your tour leader at the Welcome Meeting on day 1 of your escorted tour. Our Reservations team can give you more information about the local payment, the cost of which can be found on each tour page.

On our overland camping and accommodated Zambia tours, the maximum group size varies between 16 and 30, depending on which tour you book. These tours depart with a minimum of 4 passengers.

Speak to our Reservations team if you would like more information regarding the group size for a particular trip.

Yes. On our overland camping and accommodated tours in Zambia, you will be fully escorted by a professional safari crew of either two or three, including a tour leader and a driver. For some excursions, such as those in the Serengeti National Park, you will also enjoy the services of local guides. Details can be found in the inclusions section for each of our tours.

According to the 2022 LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index, Zambia scores an F rating for LGBTQ+ traveller safety, ranking 181st out of 203 countries.

Same sex marriage is illegal and there are no constitutional or worker protections in place for the LGBTQ+ community, although there is limited criminalization of violence against LGBTQ+ individuals. 0 - 25% of consulted citizens consider Zambia a good place to live for gay and lesbian people. Any acts of homosexuality are liable to imprisonment for up to 7 years.

This does not mean members of the LGBTQ+ community shouldn’t visit Zambia, but precautions should be taken when travelling. As long as you use common sense, travelling in Zambia shouldn’t be a problem.

The LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index is designed to provide a good overall picture of attitudes towards the LGBTQ+ community in each country and may not reflect the experience of foreign travellers to the country.

You should not drink the tap water in Zambia, particularly in rural areas. It may make you unwell. If you do need to drink the water for any reason, make sure it is boiled first. We strongly recommend sticking to sealed bottled water. Drinks outside major hotel chains should be purchased without ice, and be wary of eating fresh salads that may have been washed in the tap water.

On our overland camping and accommodated tours in Zambia, solo travellers will be matched up with another solo traveller of the same sex, with whom they will share a tent. If there is no other solo traveller of the same sex on the tour, you will have a tent to yourself at no extra cost.

As a United Kingdom-based company, we follow the latest up to date travel advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCDO). You can see the latest travel advice and local laws for Zambia here.