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| Tips on what to pack for a trip to Zambia, posted by real travelers and Zambia locals. Map |
 | Zambia Packing Lists | Tips 1 - 10 of 16 |  |
Because of its ~4000 foot elevation, Zambia has a very pleasant climate. There is no humidity to speak of and the daytime temperatures are great year-round (hotter than usual in October-November). In the winter months of June-July, it can get down to freezing at night. Photo of the beach at Samfya on Lake Bangweulu in northern Zambia, not far from where Dr. David Livingstone died. Leave a Comment
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If you are small like me, bring something to sit on to get a better view.
The collar full of air that I have around my neck is very good, it prevents my head from dropping to the side when I fall asleep!
My mother put this picture on her Zimbabwe page, but I am sure it was taken after we crossed into Zambia!
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Most likely you'll go in the summer so bring the usual summer gear.. shorts, tshirts. If you go during the rainy season, bring a good rain jacket. When it rains in Zambia, it pours!
You most likely won't see the same type of toiletries there that you are used to from wherever you are. So make sure you bring enough of your own stuff. Same thing with medical supplies. And yes, bring mosquito repellant. I hope you got all the necessary shots, you don't want to get malaria. Its not a good experience... trust me.
Bring the necessary converters if you have a digital camera that needs to be charged. The voltage is most likely different from your own country.
If you going camping... bring all ur stuff. Camping should be fun here. Bring a mosquito net too. Leave a Comment
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Books for game- and bird watching. There are small ones, like 'Southern African Birds' by Ian Sinclair, and 'Southern, Central and East African Mammals' by Chris and Tilde Stuart.
A good and complete guide for bird watching is Newman's Birds of Southern Africa.
Binoculars are a 'must' too!
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Take only what you can carry
Adventure Travel
Anti - mosquito tablets
If you're going into the bush, take everything you might need with you from home - batteries, films, etc.There are no power points in the bush!
Not applicable -Zzambia is a land-locked country. But do take good sun creams and insect repellants.
My first night in camp in Luangwa game park: after a lovely meal under a star-lit sky such as i have never seen before, to bed to the deafening sound of the buzz of Africa. Bed is in a camp in a bamboo hut. Sleep. Wake up to a thrashing noise, seems close by. Get out of bed, walk to the door of the hut. Look up. Can't see anything, no stars. Noises, very close. A bit of sky appears.Then some more. More noises, very close by. As your eyes adjust to the darkness you begin to realise that there's something alive, moving out there, and its very close by. Now the game park thing starts to work - fear versus excitement. You realise its an elephant, right outside your hut. (i could have taken a step forward and touched it if i wasn't shaking so much) . There's several - in your camp, feeding on the trees by your hut, pulling the fruits of the sausage trees (like salamis) down onto your roof (gets pretty loud). Its a very special, peaceful experience - at one with nature. You will find on a walking safari that you begin to appreciate how insignificant we are in such an the animal's environment. Sometimes other animals wander thru camp - lions, hyena, snakes. I'd love to go back there.
Tip: do not get into a sleeping bag without turning it inside-out first, there are scorpions about. And shake out your shoes in the morning too. Its all part of the experience, you'll enjoy it. Leave a Comment
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Any time of the year you will want to bring shorts and sandals. Between November and March is the rainy season - bring rain gear.
1 - Malaria pills - of which there are may different brands. The net has a lot of information to read up on this subject. Check - http://www.pol-it.org/malaria.htm.
Larium, which is apparently good a prophalaxis has numerous side affects which I have been warned about. I took a proguanil - chloroquine combo - did the trick.
My girlfriend, who grew up in Zambia, and her family, don't take any perventative medication - they also get malaria frequently.
Also bringing some good mosquito repellent can save you from getting bitten in the first place. Check the 'DEET' % on the bottle, the higher the deet level, the better the protection.
High UV protection sunscreen and a hat are also a good idea - especially for the fair skinned.
It is probably best not to get any of your photos developed in Zambia. The processing chemicals are often old and as a result the quality of the negatives and the prints will not be great. The negs may also fade over time, so wait until you get home before developing. Athough it will be possible to find standard 35mm film in any large town, it is a good idea to bring all your film with you - incase they dont have the brand or ASA you are looking for.
For obvious reasons, it is always a good idea to carry your photographic equipment in a bag that doesn't look like it is carrying expensive photographic equipment.
Don't worry too much about bringing your camera out in public places, just be smart.
Upon landing at the airport, they will ask you to register your expensive equipment. It's not a bad idea to undervalue its worth on the form. The more money you seem to have the more chance you will find somebody asking for some sort of a customs tax.
If you smoke, you will find that a lot of people will ask for cigarettes. I believe it's a courtesy to oblige people, within reason, so stock up at duty free. Leave a Comment
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A tent is not a must have, but its a good idea. You dont want to get to a backpackers place only to find out all the indoor rooms are full and you have no tent!
any type of warm weather clothing is acceptable. sandels are good when doing short walks.. they are easy to pack.
THIS IS PICTURE IS OF MY ROOMMATE WITH MALARIA (hehehehe...)
well if you are taking your lariam (this means you are american) dont be fooled, you can still get malaria EVEN WHILE TAKING LARIAM! Lariam itself will only protect you against the malarial parasites only if they are in a beggining stage of developement. You CAN get bitten by a mosquito carring an advanced stage parasite and STILL GET MALARIA. (This happened to my roommate, so its first hand information).
but, dont panic! if you do end up getting malaria, the local doctors have thier own medicine that should clean you up in no time!
I reccomend bringing a regular camera, i brought a digital camera when i went, only to find myself getting shot in the foot when it came time to send the pictures home via the net. Internet time in zambia is not cheap, you get charged every 15-30 minutes youa re on a computer. And since thier internet is not the most advanced in the world (35-56k)...i was uploading for a long long time.
if you are camping then bring light blankets. its not really cold at night. A good idea, if you are american, would be to buy a few citronella candles
(5-6) and some 'Off!' spray repelent (2 cans). Bring them outside and share them with your fellow campers... its a quick and easy way to ward of the mosi's and make some friends. Leave a Comment
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Roller suitcase, backpag and bumbag
Strong walking shoes, a colour which won't show up the dust!
Malaria tablets a must! Make sure you have all your injections before you go - there are lots of diseases in Zambia!
Take as much film with you as you can. Because Zambia doesn't have a lot of tourists, you might find out of date film, and expensive.
Take your own towels. Some guest houses supply them - but they might be dirty, worn, or used! Leave a Comment
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A backpack is probably best unless you are doing an organized trip, when a suitcase/holdall should be fine as well..
Again, a waterproof jacket will come in handy as will sturdy shoes/boots if you plan to do the walking safari in South Luangwa NP.
A basic first aid kit, and if you plan to travel extensively into rural areas then an emergency kit, containing syringes would be worth taking, never risk aids/HIV for anything.......!
Outside of Lusaka it can be very hard to find good quality film, and even then it may be ridiculously expensive, it would be very wise to buy what you need before you get here, otherwise stock up in Lusaka.
A mosquito net for camping outdoors, unless doing an organized trip and then you tour company should provide them.
A torch is essential if you will be out in rural areas, but it will proabably come in handy elsewhere too. Leave a Comment
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Nothing fancy. There's no need, and you simply draw attention to yourself. Bring a small padlock, if possible, and keep your valuables with you at all times. I have heard more than one story of having people lose money out of their locked luggage that was locked in their room while they were out and about.
Every day of the 18 months I was in Zambia and other sub-Saharan countries, I wore a pair of water proof, Red Wing boots. Fantastic. Best purchase I made in preparation for this trip. Sunscreen, a broad rimmed hat, and a water proof, inexpensive watch were other unforgettables.
Condoms, malaria prophylaxis, and make sure your yellow fever and other vaccinations are up to date prior to leaving the country. Regarding malaria prophylaxis, note that there is a high rate of chloroquinn-resistant malaria, in both urban and rural areas. Consult a tropical diseases nurse or physician. Lariam (Meflaquin) has some reported side-effects, although for the three months I took it, I experienced none.
If you come to sub-Saharan Africa, you might consider bringing a mosquito net with you for sleeping, but I found after some time that purchasing a fan that could sweep a breeze over me while sleeping was as effective if not more effective.
Get this! A disposable, waterproof or underwater camera for the falls. Being at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe (or in Zambia) is like taking a long, cool shower. Everything on your person will get soaked. You will be ringing your boots out and sitting in the sun to dry. This includes your camera, and after the third time of creative attempts at keeping my camera dry, I finally got smart and bought an underwater, disposable camera. I'll post a few of the resulting photographs -- I think you'll agree you won't sacrifice quality, and you don't have to worry about water! (And for your information, plastic bags over the camera, and/or hiding it in one's rain jacket? Ineffective.)
I brought a tent with me, ten thousand miles to Zambia, and never used it. Not once. The only value was in loaning it to someone to use for a long weekend.
Books and a small short wave radio were the luxury items that I was most pleased to have. I also brought a Swiss army knife with me, one of those that has over 50 different gizmos on it. I managed to use every item on it; it came in handy on several occasions. Leave a Comment
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