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Tourism
Banks
Operational hours are 0815 to 1430 hours Mondays through to Fridays and 0815 to 1030 hours on 1st and last Saturdays of the month. Some banks also operate on Saturday mornings.
Business hours
Government offices are open from 08h00 to 17h00, Monday to Friday. Closed from 13h00 to 14h00. Bank hours vary from bank to bank but most are open from 08h30 - 14h30 Monday to Friday. Only some are open on Saturdays. Shops are generally open from 08h00 to 17h00, Monday to Friday although some stay open until 19h00 and on Saturdays from 08h00 to 13h00 although some stay open til 17h00.
Currency
The Kwacha has denominations of 50, 100, 500, 1000, 5000 and 10 000, 20 000 and 50 000 kwacha notes.
Currency regulations
There is no limit to the importation of foreign currency, provided it is declared on arrival through a currency declaration form.
Credit Cards
Most hotels, restaurants, travel agencies and the bigger shops will take credit cards. Most of the bigger banks will advance local currency against a credit card. Standard Chartered, Stanbic and Barclays Banks have ATM's which accept Visa cards for cash.
Chemists / pharmacies
Travellers should carry an adequate supply of their prescribed medicines with them although chemists in the major centres now carry a wide range of medicines and first aid accessories. There are some emergency chemists open after hours or Sundays in Lusaka.
Communications
Postal services are fairly well organised in Zambia and you should have no problem sending or receiving letters. Telegrams are less certain. There are two commercial Internet servers in Lusaka and another on the Copperbelt.
E-mail: There are several Internet Cafes in Livingstone and Lusaka and time on line is very reasonable. A popular one in Lusaka is at the Kilimanjaro Coffee shop at the Manda Hill Shopping Centre with several computers, a hotspot connections and great food! Arcades shopping centre also has a large Internet Centre and there are several in Cairo Rd.
Public telephones are available in most public buildings, ie. post offices, and most use tokens. International calls can also be made from a private home or large hotel. (Note the surcharge at hotels is quite high). Direct dialling to neighbouring countries requires 4 sets of numbers: first the international prefix 00, then the country code, the city code, then the number. Incoming calls usually cost less than outgoing calls from Zambia. To book an operator assisted international call, dial 090 or 093. Local directory assistance is 103. There are secretarial services along Cairo Rd in Lusaka that offer telephone, fax and telex and email facilities for a fee.
Drivers Licence
Visiting drivers must hold an International Drivers Licence. Drivers licences from other countries are not valid except SADC countries. New residents are required to pass a driving test. A person driving into the country on business can have their car admitted without having to pay duty, provided they will not use it for hire or commercial purposes. They will also have to show that the car is owned by themselves or by their company.
Health Requirements
Visitors from or passing through a yellow fever and cholera zone (most of tropical Africa and South America) must be able to produce a valid International Certificate of Vaccination. Air travellers who only pass through the airports of such a zone are exempt from the requirement. See Health International/ MARS, and Speciality Emergency Services for Medical Rescue Services.
Language
There are over 73 dialects spoken in Zambia, but the official language is English. All media and business is in English and most Zambians speak it fairly well. Bemba is the next most commonly understood language, followed by Nyanja Tonga, Luvale, Lozi, Mambwe and Tumbuka.
Medical services
Medical services are underdeveloped and only in Lusaka, Ndola and Livingstone can you find anything resembling western standards. There are a number of small clinics in Lusaka which are better than the general hospitals, but the clinics in the rural areas have little more than quinine, aspirin and band aids.
Religion
There is freedom of worship in Zambia with over 15 different churches. Christianity is followed by over 60% of the population.
Security
Petty theft is as common as any major city where unemployment is high. Be very awake when walking around carrying anything of value, there are master pickpockets here and there. Never leave your vehicle unlocked and never change money on the streets. For the most part, however, Zambians are very friendly and helpful.
Time
Zambia is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, one hour ahead of Central European Time, seven hours ahead of Eastern USA time and ten hours ahead of Western USA time.
Tipping
In some establishments service charge is on your bill. But if it is not, please tip 10% for good service.
