Trip readiness checklist for Zambia

What to pack

Zambia is Victoria Falls from the Livingstone side, walking safaris in South Luangwa and a lot of dusty road between them. Pack neutral, pack warm for winter mornings, and leave anything camouflage at home.

• Neutral-coloured clothing, nothing camouflage

  Khaki, olive and tan for the bush, because bright colours spook game and tsetse flies love blue and black. Camouflage print is illegal for civilians in Zambia.

• A fleece and a beanie

  June to August is winter: game drives start at dawn in near-freezing air and the open vehicles have no heating. By ten it is shorts weather.

• A poncho and a dry bag for the Falls

  From February to May the spray on the Knife-Edge bridge is a vertical rainstorm. Phone and passport ride in the dry bag.

• Long sleeves and trousers for the evening

  Malaria mosquitoes come out at dusk. Cover up, use repellent, and sort the prophylaxis on the Health card before you fly.

When to go

May to October is the dry season and peak, with August to October the best game viewing as animals crowd the water; it is also hot by October. The Falls are fullest from February to May and can dry to a trickle on the Zambian side by October and November, when the Zimbabwean side still flows. November to April is the green season: cheaper, lush, with some camps closed.

Money & getting around

Zambia uses the kwacha (ZMW), but safari lodges, park fees and activities are priced in US dollars and often paid that way; bring clean, post-2013 bills. Cards work in Lusaka and Livingstone's lodges; markets and villages are cash. Tipping is 10 percent in restaurants and around $10 a day for guides, given at the end. Livingstone is the Falls base; the KAZA Univisa, when available, covers Zambia and Zimbabwe for 30 days so you can see both sides.

Local quirks worth knowing

Zambia is unhurried, friendly and formal in its greetings. Learn the handshake and the word for hello, and the rest is wildlife.

• The handshake has a second hand

  Zambians shake with the right hand while the left touches the right forearm, a sign of respect. Copy it and watch the smile.

• Greet before business, every time

  Muli bwanji (how are you) in Nyanja, and wait for the answer. Launching straight into a request is the one real rudeness.

• Camouflage is illegal to wear

  Reserved for the military. It is confiscated at the airport and worse at a checkpoint. Khaki is not camouflage; prints are.

• No photos of government buildings, bridges or uniforms

  Including the Victoria Falls bridge from certain angles and anyone in uniform. Ask before pointing a camera at people, too.

• The Falls change with the calendar

  Full and thunderous in April, a thin curtain on the Zambian side by November. Check the month before you book a Zambia-only view.

A week in Zambia, the list starts here

Quantities scale with your dates, the weather groups arrive once we have your travel days, and your own plans add their gear on Trip Pass.

• Passport & travel documents1
• Phone charger & adapter1
• Wallet, cards & some local cash1
• Toiletries bag1
• Any daily medicationsenough for the trip
• Underwear7
• Socks7
• T-shirts / tops5

• Everything in my carry-on, and why each thing earns its spot
• The packing trick that got me through 3 countries with one carry-on