Zambia Holidays: Victoria Falls, Walking Safaris & Best Time to Visit

T By Thomas · Updated 20 October 2026 · 4 min read

Airports

Lusaka Kenneth Kaunda (LUN), Livingstone (LVI), Mfuwe (MFU)

Flight time

about 11-13h from London to Lusaka, usually with one stop

Best time to go

June-October for dry-season safaris; February-May for Victoria Falls at full flow

Currency

Zambian kwacha (ZMW)

Zambia is Africa's safari for people who have already done the classic circuit, or who simply want fewer vehicles at each sighting. This is where walking safaris were pioneered, in the Luangwa Valley, and the camps are often small, owner-run and properly remote. Add canoeing past hippos on the Lower Zambezi and the thunder of Victoria Falls at Livingstone, and you have one of the most rewarding wildlife trips on the continent.

For UK travellers it is an easy time zone, just one or two hours ahead of the UK depending on the season. Cars drive on the left and most sockets take the same three-pin type G plug as at home. Zambia is not a budget destination once you are in the parks, but it is generally better value than Botswana. This guide, part of our Africa section, covers where to go, when, and what to budget.

Entry requirements

Since 2023 British passport holders have usually been able to visit Zambia visa-free for tourism for up to 90 days in a year. If you plan to cross to the Zimbabwe side of Victoria Falls, the KAZA Univisa has been available at Livingstone and Victoria Falls for multiple crossings, though it has been suspended at times. Your passport should have at least six months' validity and two blank pages. Yellow fever vaccination certificates may be asked for if you arrive from a risk country. Rules change, so check GOV.UK foreign travel advice before booking.

Where to go in Zambia

Livingstone and Victoria Falls

The Zambian side of Victoria Falls gets you close to the spray on the Knife-Edge Bridge, and in low water (roughly September to December) you can swim at Devil's Pool on the lip of the falls with a guide. Livingstone has good lodges along the Zambezi, sunset cruises, white-water rafting and Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, which has rhino. See our Zimbabwe guide for the other side.

South Luangwa

Zambia's most famous park has dense populations of leopard, lion, elephant and endemic Thornicroft's giraffe, plus some of Africa's best walking safaris. Flights land at Mfuwe, and camps range from comfortable lodges near the main gate to seasonal bush camps deep in the valley.

Lower Zambezi

Across the river from Zimbabwe's Mana Pools, the Lower Zambezi is known for canoe safaris, tiger fishing and elephants wading between islands. Most visitors fly in by light aircraft from Lusaka.

Kafue

One of Africa's largest national parks, Kafue is wild and lightly visited, with leopard, cheetah and the Busanga Plains in the north, which flood and green up spectacularly. Access is easier than it used to be, but a fly-in is still the comfortable option.

Liuwa Plain and the far west

For the adventurous, Liuwa Plain hosts Africa's second-largest wildebeest migration in November, along with hyena clans and very few other people.

Best time to visit Zambia

Getting to Zambia from the UK

There are no direct flights from the UK. Most travellers fly from London Heathrow via Johannesburg (South African Airways, British Airways partners or Airlink onwards), Nairobi with Kenya Airways, Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Airlines, or Dubai with Emirates to Lusaka. Expect about 11 to 13 hours including the connection. For Livingstone, connecting via Johannesburg is often the simplest, and some people fly into Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and cross the border by road.

Getting around

Distances are long and many roads are slow, so most safari itineraries use scheduled light aircraft from Lusaka or Livingstone to Mfuwe and the camp airstrips, with luggage limits of about 15-20 kg in soft bags. Self-drive is possible with a well-equipped 4x4 and experience, but it suits seasoned Africa travellers. Within Livingstone, taxis and lodge transfers are easy to arrange.

Money and costs

The currency is the kwacha, and lodges and safari operators usually price in US dollars. Card payments work in towns and most lodges, but carry some cash for tips and markets. All-inclusive safari camps typically cost from about US$400-1,200 per person per night in high season, including meals, activities and park fees. Livingstone is cheaper, with mid-range lodges and activities manageable on about £150-250 per person per day. Tipping guides and camp staff is customary.

We research every guide carefully, but prices, opening times and timetables change. Check them shortly before you travel. Links to our booking partners are affiliate links.