What to bring Generally, comfortable casual clothing is suitable throughout the year, the most practical items to pack for safari are:

Khaki, brown, green and beige colours Light cotton tops and cotton trousers Shirts with long sleeves (even in summer, they will protect you from the sun and from mosquitoes) T-shirts Shorts or a light skirt Jeans or safari trousers for evenings and cooler days Sweater or fleece for game drives (especially during the winter months) Socks Comfortable walking shoes/boots Sun block, sunglasses and insect repellent are essential Hat Torch (when staying at bush camp) Light, compact raincoat during the rainy months

Hints Layers are most practical for the fluctuating day/night temperatures of Zambia. Dull and/or neutral colours are more suitable for safari; white is definitely not practical. Don't bring too much - laundry is available in the camp - and there is a strict 15Kg limit for baggage on light planes. It is best to pack hardy, durable clothing in a soft bag rather than a suitcase. Soft bags are also essential on light planes.

Do not forget

• Cameras
• Plenty of spare film or digital memory, spare camera batteries and recharger; the camp has an inverter, so recharging in the evening from the generator is possible
• Binoculars

Climate

• Zambia's elevation on a plateau gives it a moderate to tropical climate with three distinct seasons:
• December to April is warm and wet,
• May to August (winter): cool and dry,
• September to November: hot and dry.
• Average summer temperatures range from 25 to 35C and winter from 6 to 24C

Air Travel

• There are a number of airlines serving Zambia through Lusaka International Airport.
• International visitors will probably want to use the British Airways service from London or the British Airways and South African Airways services from Johannesburg.
• From Lusaka travel to the Valley (or any of the other areas worth visiting) can be arranged with a Zambian charter company.
• Visas are needed for most visitors. Please see the Zambian Immigration Department web site for information and fees.
• International ($25) and Domestic ($8) Departure Taxes are also levied.

Currency

• The official currency is the Kwacha. It is fully tradable and there are no currency restrictions. Because the exchange rate varies so much, the US $ is used extensively in trade and most Government levies are also quoted in US $. Do not expect to be able to use credit cards extensively, and furthermore we are unable to accept credit cards in our camp or office.

Health Requirements

• Visitors should carry an adequate supply of personal medicines and first aid accessories with them, chemists are few and far between.
• The Zambezi Valley is a malaria area. Visitors are strongly advised to bring prophylactic medicine, but please seek advice from your doctor first.
• Please bring copies of prescriptions for sleeping pills or other controlled substances.

Communications

• There is minimal in the Valley. No cell phone coverage, and no fax, but there is access to e-mail. Don't worry, Chongwe Camp has both a satellite phone and radios for communication with the outside world in case of emergency.

Time

• Zambia is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, 7 hours ahead of Eastern USA time and 10 hours ahead of Pacific and Western time.

Zambia Learn a lot more about Zambia from the online Zambia travel guide – a comprehensive version of Bradt’s Zambia guidebook

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