Zambia in summer 2024, self-sufficient trip
Summary:
To explain why I chose to visit Zambia, a quick recap of my three previous trips to Southern Africa might help.
Kenya: Organized trip with a driver-guide, staying in hotels (with the kids, who were young at the time)
Namibia: Self-drive tour alternating between rooftop camping and lodges
Botswana: Camping but with staff handling everything for us
This time, we wanted to manage on our own, but given our old bones, we preferred staying in lodges or equipped tents.
Accommodations: That worked out really well, despite a few hesitations. We were often alone, so the managers spoiled us rotten. Price-wise, it was nothing like Namibia, for example. We’re really happy with our strategy.
Transportation: Regarding flights, everything’s been said about Rwandair—it’s an airline to avoid. For the 4x4, Hemingways (based in Livingstone) was reliable from start to finish and very accommodating. Zambian roads are terrible. I’m no 4x4 expert, but since we were traveling completely on our own, I took a training course before leaving, and it really helped me get a feel for the driving. I’d made a detailed roadbook using a Tracks 4 Africa map, and my travel-time calculations were spot-on. Generally, Google Maps estimated 20% less time, and I won’t even mention Garmin—it was off by 35%. That said, we never got lost; the GPS was reliable. Just know there are no signs on the tracks. Gas is roughly 1 € per liter. You’ll find stations easily on the main roads, but nothing on the tracks. We had a 150 L tank, so we never worried about running out.
Food: Stocking up at Shoprite in Lusaka at the start was a winning strategy. We barely had to buy anything else. True, we ate out whenever we could if meals weren’t included in the room. Our food budget was really low.
Sightseeing: When you come to Southern Africa, it’s usually to see animals. South Luangwa delivers on that, but the other parks we visited didn’t. (I’ll note that I went to Victoria Falls via Zimbabwe, a major Zambian attraction.) For a first trip to this part of Africa, I’d advise against Zambia. Kenya (or Tanzania) are wildlife sanctuaries but super touristy, Namibia has stunning landscapes and plenty of animals, and Botswana is entirely dedicated to wildlife—it’s like one big national park. When I chose Zambia, I knew the national parks wouldn’t be as impressive, even though we saw endemic species in each. My only real disappointment—and I didn’t realize this beforehand—was that unlike the other three countries, we didn’t see any animals during the drives. The bushfires, rampant poaching, and sheer number of villages probably explain that.
On the other hand, I had a cultural shock visiting this country. I’ve been to poor countries before, but this was the first time I’d visited a *poor* country. The state is poor, corruption is massive. Lack of electricity, lack of water (or rather, infrastructure to deliver it), limited transportation, few healthcare facilities, few places to shop—so much is missing that a state should provide for its people. Zambians are very kind and helpful, but you can feel a sense of resignation, fatalism. Several times—and it made us uncomfortable—when we were served in restaurants, we felt like the evil white people. The servers kept their heads down and seemed submissive. We had the feeling of being in *Tintin in the Congo*! We’d sensed something similar in Namibia, but only in relations between bosses (South Africans) and employees (Namibians), never toward us. I’m not sure this country will develop for tourism—it’s really not a priority. When I went to Namibia, I felt the country was about to boom as a tourist destination. Here, I’m less optimistic, even worried. This country seems like easy prey for extremists in the near or distant future, like other African countries, unfortunately. I hope I’m wrong.
So, it was a trip I enjoyed, but one that left a deep mark on me. See you soon for more adventures.
Accommodations: That worked out really well, despite a few hesitations. We were often alone, so the managers spoiled us rotten. Price-wise, it was nothing like Namibia, for example. We’re really happy with our strategy.
Transportation: Regarding flights, everything’s been said about Rwandair—it’s an airline to avoid. For the 4x4, Hemingways (based in Livingstone) was reliable from start to finish and very accommodating. Zambian roads are terrible. I’m no 4x4 expert, but since we were traveling completely on our own, I took a training course before leaving, and it really helped me get a feel for the driving. I’d made a detailed roadbook using a Tracks 4 Africa map, and my travel-time calculations were spot-on. Generally, Google Maps estimated 20% less time, and I won’t even mention Garmin—it was off by 35%. That said, we never got lost; the GPS was reliable. Just know there are no signs on the tracks. Gas is roughly 1 € per liter. You’ll find stations easily on the main roads, but nothing on the tracks. We had a 150 L tank, so we never worried about running out.
Food: Stocking up at Shoprite in Lusaka at the start was a winning strategy. We barely had to buy anything else. True, we ate out whenever we could if meals weren’t included in the room. Our food budget was really low.
Sightseeing: When you come to Southern Africa, it’s usually to see animals. South Luangwa delivers on that, but the other parks we visited didn’t. (I’ll note that I went to Victoria Falls via Zimbabwe, a major Zambian attraction.) For a first trip to this part of Africa, I’d advise against Zambia. Kenya (or Tanzania) are wildlife sanctuaries but super touristy, Namibia has stunning landscapes and plenty of animals, and Botswana is entirely dedicated to wildlife—it’s like one big national park. When I chose Zambia, I knew the national parks wouldn’t be as impressive, even though we saw endemic species in each. My only real disappointment—and I didn’t realize this beforehand—was that unlike the other three countries, we didn’t see any animals during the drives. The bushfires, rampant poaching, and sheer number of villages probably explain that.
On the other hand, I had a cultural shock visiting this country. I’ve been to poor countries before, but this was the first time I’d visited a *poor* country. The state is poor, corruption is massive. Lack of electricity, lack of water (or rather, infrastructure to deliver it), limited transportation, few healthcare facilities, few places to shop—so much is missing that a state should provide for its people. Zambians are very kind and helpful, but you can feel a sense of resignation, fatalism. Several times—and it made us uncomfortable—when we were served in restaurants, we felt like the evil white people. The servers kept their heads down and seemed submissive. We had the feeling of being in *Tintin in the Congo*! We’d sensed something similar in Namibia, but only in relations between bosses (South Africans) and employees (Namibians), never toward us. I’m not sure this country will develop for tourism—it’s really not a priority. When I went to Namibia, I felt the country was about to boom as a tourist destination. Here, I’m less optimistic, even worried. This country seems like easy prey for extremists in the near or distant future, like other African countries, unfortunately. I hope I’m wrong.
So, it was a trip I enjoyed, but one that left a deep mark on me. See you soon for more adventures.