Zambia?

[SCUBA Patrol]

Hi Guys,

Have any one had experience of overlanding in Zambia? I'm planning a 3 week trip there next year and info is very scares! Any assistance or trip reports will be welcomed!

Phillip

[Russ Kellermann]

No personal experience besides the trip i did with my folks when i was young (10yrs old - 20 years ago), ....although we did do back road driving, anything more than that can be dodgy in the wet season apparently. Stories of hectic black cotton mud and what not,....which is cool,and fun,for a while,.... but there are also rivers and streams that become in-passable and throw spanners in the works. There was a detailed story in SA 4x4 about a year ago, all on this subject.

[Jules]

Hi Phillip

Have a look in the March 2011 edition of Leisure Wheels

Shalom
Jules

[Pieter du Toit]

Jules

Is jy al afgetree my maat - want wragtig ek wet nie hoe jy dit regkry of waar jy die tyd kry om al die tydskrifte te lees nie. As iemand n vraag op die forum het het jy gewoonlik n antwoord of aanduiding waar hulle kan gaan soek - knap gedaan!! En as jy afgetree is en dus baie tyd het deel met my ook jou geheim asb - ek kan doen daarmee!!

Groete

[Kagiso II]

We've just been there 2-weeks ago. It was a short visit so we only had chance to visit PukuPan & surround.
The latest GETAWAY also has an article - including Puku Pan, but I find their article very negative biased [and a couple of wrong info]
We found the Zambia experience fantastic and the friendliness of its people an eye opener [other countries can learn from them]
The roads? The tar roads are good to excellent. The gravel roads suffered from the heavy rains - and the larger game reserves are closed till April [mostly impassable]
Crime is low - and no where did we feel unsafe, even on the back roads.
Great country - we aim to go again but for much longer.
Currency is Zambian Kwatsha. the rate was 600 Kwatsha to the Rand.
Best if you take US $ - do the calculations beforehand. At the market even our Nigerian Naira was accepted.
STICK TO THE SPEED LIMITS ...
When in the rural areas & "bush" - keep your windows closed: Tsetse fly will suck you dry. When you stop, stay in the car - keep everything CLOSED - wait at least 5-minutes .. die vliee f*** vanself as die voertuig nie beweeg nie .
Mix Dettol & Citronella oil in one of these "squirt" [spray] bottels - them flies dont like the Dettol and they "shoo" off [you have to repeat often though [dettol evaporates quick]
You can buy a sim-card & starter pack 'over the counter' - the call rates are high, but its better than roaming costs. Coverage? helll, ek weet nie, ek het net gebel terwyl ons in Lusaka was.

[SCUBA Patrol]

Dankie julle,

Ons beplan om Kasane oor te gaan van uit Bots, dan Vic-Valle, Kariba meer, veral die dam wal en dan as tyd ons toelaat Lusaka en dan terug. Op die LC forum is daar heelwat geskryf en ouens het groot gegaan daar maar niks regtig oor waar om te bly ens.nie. So ons, dis nou ek my swaer en pa, probeer orals soveel moontlik kennis bymekaar maak. (Ingenieurs is nou maar so)

Oom Max dankie vir al die goeie raad, het sommer ook lekker gelag vir die tetsevlieg storie, die hele kantoor wil weet hoekom lag ek so lekker! Maar ons sal oom se raad voel, ek dink die twee jonges van my Sus sal dit waardeer, hulle is muskiet kos enigeplek! Ons het gelukkg sateliet foon so koms is nie 'n probleem nie. Alle geval vlug ek juis van die fone af weg!

Ons het ook al die Getaway se atrikel geraadpleeg, maar dit se nie veel nie. Ons is nie bang vir 4x4 nie, die groep gaan 'n patrol 3l diesel, hardbody VG30 en 'n LC trooper diesel wees. So ons sal nie sukkel nie, beslis nie die Nissans nie. (Ja ek moes my pa ooreed om saam te gaan met die vg30 want iemand moet 'n betroubare 4x4 he!)

Ek sal julle gereeld op hoogte hou van wat aan gaan en hoe die beplanning lyk!

Dankei weer eens en laat die inligting kom as julle iets opspoor!

Jules, Thanks will have a look in the March edition!

Groetnis

Phillip

[Kagiso II]

Hmmmm - just remeber - while OUTSIDE RSA borders - try to only fill with TOTAL [at least they have quality control] DO NOT BUY FUEL FROM THE CANISTER NEXT TO ROADS [yes, i am shouting coz yu guys forget and then you suffer dead engines & blown diesels]

If you go up that far - then do bother to take the 6 hour [mostly tarroad] to PukuPan Lodge [you WONT regret] Puku Pan is right on Kafue river and no fence between Puku & Kafue reserve [we paid USD$ 20 per day for the furnisehd tent (under thatched roof)
Again - See the Travel Doctor month or longer before you depart [moenie vergeet nie!!!!]

[Ross]

Phillip,

Have you checked the Zambia forum on the 4x4 Community site? There are some very informative trip reports posted, if you hunt around a bit.

http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/for ... .php?f=171

I remember reading some very useful reports posted by Tony Weaver when we were doing planning for our 2009 trip. There are also a couple of lodge owners/managers in Zambia who post road info fairly regularly on that site. Road conditions are very variable depending on where you`re planning to go, and what time of year.

We spent some time in Northern Kafue at Mc Brides Camp on our 2009 trip, what an awesome spot!!! Zambia is an great country, everyone we met was friendly and we felt safe. Can`t wait to return and do some further exploration.

Cheers,

Ross

[Wilfred Moore]

Hi Phillip, check out my trip report on the forum. I visited Zambia and Tanzania last year June/July. All the detail regarding Carnets and ensurance is there.

Please do not cross at Kasane (Kazungula) It is extremely expensive. Rather take the route through Zim, follow the road through the Zambezi National Park and cross at Vic Falls. It was a breeze, just watch out for the baboons (Real ones) We crossed at the border into Zim at Padamatenga, more south.

If you want, I can send you the report via mail, just PM me.

Wilfred

[SCUBA Patrol]

Thanks Guys, you are helping me emensly!