Stuff you need backpacking around Zambia

Thanks to its former colonial status, English is one of Zambia's eight official languages and the language most often spoken in schools, on the radio, in government offices, etc. However, there are over 70 different Bantu dialects spoken throughout the country, the most important of which are Bemba, spoken in Lusaka, the Copperbelt and the north, and Nyanja (Chewa), spoken in the east as well as in Lusaka and Livingstone. Many urban Zambians will speak at least passable English. As you move into the rural areas, though, expect communication to become more difficult. Nevertheless, do not be surprised to find a rural Zambian that speaks flawless English. The most important thing to remember when speaking to Zambians is to greet them. When you first approach a Zambian, always begin by asking, "How are you?" ("Muli Bwanji?" is the most recognized form, or "Muli Shani?") even if you do not care. They will consider you very respectful.

Nsima with three relishes: rape and peanut (top left), cabbage (bottom left) and kapenta (bottom right) Traditional Zambian food revolves around one staple, maize, served in one form, nsima (n'SHEE-ma). Nsima is basically a type of thick porridge, rolled into balls with your right hand and dipped into a variety of stews known as relishes. Those who can afford them eat relishes of beef, chicken or fish, but the many who can't make do with beans, tiny dried fish (kapenta), pumpkin leaves (chibwabwa) and other vegetables. At breakfast, nsima can be served watered down into a soup, maybe with a little sugar. Local restaurants will serve nsima and relish for less than 5000K ($1). Western food has also made major inroads, particularly in major cities, and in Lusaka or Livingstone you can find almost any food you like. Fast food — including burgers, pizza, and fried chicken — is very popular in Zambia. Bakeries making cheap fresh bread are a common sight in towns, and rice from Chama provides an alternative staple if all the maize starts to get to you. For sit-down meals, ethnic eateries (thanks to a significant ex-pat population) are popular. In Lusaka, especially noteworthy is the Sunday brunch at The Intercontinental; and if you like Indian food, be sure to hit The Dil. Of course, game parks often cater to wealthy — usually foreign — visitors; therefore, high-quality Western meals can be found easily. Along the major roadways, you will find "tuck shops" featuring packaged cookies or take-away meals — meat pies or sausage rolls, for instance — which may or may not satisfy you. Finally, in terms of hygiene outside the major cities, you are unlikely to find a proper washroom with running water. You will probably be given a bowl of water, a piece of soap, and a (damp) towel. Therefore, some travelers bring small bottles of anti-bacterial hand soap with them.

Tap water in Zambia is generally not drinkable, at least unless boiled. Bottled water is widely available in cities, but not necessarily in rural areas.

Soft drinks

A traditional local drink worth trying is maheu, a somewhat gritty and vaguely yogurty but refreshing beverage made from maize meal. Factory-produced maheu is sweet, comes in plastic bottles and is available in a variety of flavors including banana, chocolate and orange, while homemade versions are usually unflavored and less sweet. Coke products are accessible and cheap at less than a quarter a bottle, but beware of the deposit system: in rural areas, you may have to return an empty bottle before they'll sell you a new one!

Beer

Zambia's best-known brew is Mosi, a clear 4% lager available everywhere. Eagle has more taste and more kick at 5.5%, while Zambezi Lager is a microbrew worth sampling if you run into it. The South African brand Castle is also bottled locally, and all of the above run around $0.35 in a store or $1-2 in a bar. If you are near the borders, you are likely to find Carlsberg (good, from Malawi), Simba (excellent, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Kilimanjaro (nice lager, from Tanzania), and Tusker (strong, from Kenya). Other imports can be found in larger markets but will also cost more.

Local alcohol

The locals' drink of choice is masese (muh-SE-say) or ucwala (uch-WALA), also known as Chibuku after the biggest brand, made from maize, millet, or cassava and resembling sour porridge in texture and taste. If you want to try this, it's best to look out for the factory-made kind in milk-carton-like containers. In rural areas, there are opportunities to drink local "homebrews." A wide variety of homebrews exist in Zambia, from beers made from honey (in the Southern province of the country), to wine made from tea leaves (in the Eastern portion of the country). Finally, there is cachasu (cuh-CHA-suh) a spirit distilled from anything Zambians can get their hands on — including battery acid and fertilizer. For obvious reasons, therefore, it is better to avoid this moonshine. On a final note, most men at bars are relaxing, while many women at bars are working. Therefore, if you are a single woman in a Zambian bar, be aware that you might be approached and offered the opportunity to do something you did not intend to do.

Originally, the Kwacha — meaning "sunrise," so-named to celebrate Zambia's independence — was tied to the US dollar, so conversion was simple. However, in the late-90's, the kwacha was floated and devalued rapidly. Since mid 2005 the Kwacha re-appreciated very strong, due to the international debt-relief and the boost of the copper prices, now the Kwacha is hovering around $1 = 4000ZMK, 1€ = 5300ZMK Dollars are still commonly used for larger purchases (although it's illegal) and will be accepted by anybody in a pinch. NOTE: If you bring US$, in Zambia only the "big heads" (new notes) are accepted in banks and bureau's de change, small heads are not accepted (if you are lucky you can change them in Livingstone). 50 US$ and 100 US$ notes are the best to bring, for smaller nominations you will get a poorer rate at the bureau's (5-10% less). Changing EURO's is a difficult thing to do especially up country, bureau's are giving a very poor rate (25% less then the market rate!). International banks will accept, but with commission charge. Finance Bank, Arcades shopping Centre Lusaka, is known to accept Euro's at a good rate and without commission charge. Bureau's and Banks will only change a maximum of 1000 US$ (or equivalent) per person per day! Watch the rates as they can change overnight, fluctuations of 3-5% per day are common. If you want to sound like a local, refer to 1000 kwacha as a pin, so for example 10,000K is "ten pin". In the '90's, the kwacha devalued so rapidly that the government didn't have time to produce new, larger bank notes. To pay for things, Zambians often had to bundle — or "pin" together — large numbers of small bills. Notes are now available in denominations of up to 50,000K, but hang on to small change if you can because there are occasional shortages. ATMs may be found in major cities, but you should not depend on them to be functional. Most of the ATM's accept international credit cards (VISA and MASTERCARD, AMEX is a problem).Some shops and restaurants might accept debit or credit cards, as do practically all high-end hotels and safari lodges, but surcharges of 5-10% are common. Although using forms of payment other than cash is growing in popularity, you should not depend on credit to get around the country. Traveler's cheques are almost impossible to process in Zambia, most chance you will have in the Lusaka international banks (Stanbic, Standard Chartered), but even then you will get a very poor rate, a high commission charge and it will take you a couple of hours, if you are lucky. If you prefer to take the risk and use Traveller's cheques, the only ones who will be accepted (if you are lucky) are the ones from American Express (Thomas Cook's are currently not accepted!). Most shopkeepers advertise fixed prices and are unwilling to negotiate, but this is not a given. On the other hand, most "freelance" salesmen — vendors selling curios; taxi drivers; etc. — who do not post their prices are usually willing to negotiate. As a (very) general rule of thumb, assume the first price they mention is at least double the amount they will accept. You should not be afraid to barter — after all, Zambians bargain among themselves — but try not to get carried away with saving a few pennies. Tipping is not required — indeed, it was at one point illegal — but often expected. Porters expect US$0.50 or so per bag, and better restaurants typically add in a 10% service charge or expect an equivalent tip. Finally, keep in mind the Zambian custom of mbasela (em-buh-SAY-la) — giving a freebie when more than one item is purchased. If you buy a few small items, do not be shy about asking for your mbasela.

Costs

Zambia is a little expensive compared to its neighbors. A bare-bones budget traveler will be looking at a minimum of US$20/day just for a bed and three meals, and transport is (again, comparatively) expensive, in part due to the great distances involved. At the other end of the spectrum, all-inclusive safari lodges or Lusaka/Livingstone's five-star hotels will take care of all your needs but charge US$200/day and up for the privilege. Finding a middle ground between these two extremes can be difficult but there are safari operators who will offer 'DIY' camping for around US$5 to $95 and above - it pays to look around (see below). Zambian safaris are amongst the best available in Africa; they offer top quality viewing experiences with the continent's top guides. Zambia's national parks are not 'commercialised' as in other countries (e.g. Kenya and South Africa) and one will not see the ridiculous zebra striped game viewing buses, Land Cruisers etc.