Zambia

Is Zambia safe to visit?

Yes, for most visitors. Zambia is one of the calmer countries in southern Africa. The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary sits at Level 1, the lowest, and the UK advises against no part of the country. Crime against tourists in Livingstone and the national parks is uncommon. What deserves planning is less dramatic: the roads, where police counted 2,567 deaths in 2025, and disease, with malaria in every province and cholera that CDC describes as widespread. We score Zambia 61, just behind Botswana and Namibia.

Crime: what visitors actually face

The homicide data are old. The last national figure is 5.2 per 100,000 for 2015 (UNODC), and WHO's modelled estimate for 2021 is 5.9, a mid-range rate for the region and well below South Africa's. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary describes travel in the larger cities and the main game parks as generally safe in daylight, but says serious crime can happen.

The pattern it warns about is vehicle crime. Carjackers wait at gateways after dark, and objects are sometimes placed on the road to make drivers stop. Keep windows closed and doors locked in town, ignore anyone flagging you down, and use cars arranged by your hotel or tour operator. In Lusaka, pre-arrange a car rather than walking at night, even short distances.

The 2026 election

Zambia voted on 13 August 2026. Counting was halted for about six hours after reports of violence against polling staff and claims that marked ballots had been stolen; EU observers called the pause disproportionate. A polling agent was killed near Lusaka on election day, Al Jazeera reported. President Hakainde Hichilema was declared re-elected with about 60% of the vote against 38% for Brian Mundubile, according to Reuters. Police arrested several leading opposition figures, accusing them of threatening state security.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says demonstrations occasionally happen in Lusaka and other towns and can turn violent. Do not try to pass protester roadblocks; it is likely to provoke an angry reaction. Zambia ranks 82nd of 163 on the 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary, two places lower than a year earlier. Taking photos of army barracks or government buildings can get you arrested.

Roads are the biggest risk

WHO estimatedWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 20.5 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2019. Police figures are lower but rising: 2,567 deaths in 2025 against 2,199 in 2024, an increase of 368, according to the Zambia Police Service. That is roughly 12 per 100,000.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists the reasons. Many roads are severely potholed, floods in the November to April rains can wash away bridges, vehicles are poorly maintained, and drink-driving and phone use at the wheel are common. After dark, abandoned vehicles, pedestrians, stray animals and cars without lights make rural roads dangerous. Long-distance buses add tired drivers to the mix, and urban minibuses are overcrowded.

If you self-drive to South Luangwa, Kafue or Lower Zambezi, plan each leg to finish before sunset and carry spare tyres. Domestic flights between Lusaka, Livingstone and Mfuwe cut the longest road journeys.

Malaria, cholera and medical care

CDC recommends malaria tablets for all of Zambia, and most cases are the falciparum type that can kill within days. CDC also says active cholera transmission is widespread; the disease is rare in travellers who drink bottled or treated water and eat cooked food. CDC has a Level 2 polio notice that covers Zambia, so check your polio vaccination.

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary adds yellow fever (a certificate is required if you arrive from a risk country), dengue and mpox. In February 2025, a mine waste spill in the Copperbelt released heavy metals into the Chambishi stream and the Mwambashi and Kafue rivers; avoid bathing there or eating local fish from the area. Boiling does not remove heavy metals.

Medical facilities are below UK standards and basic in rural areas. A serious injury in a remote park usually means evacuation to Lusaka or Johannesburg, so carry insurance that covers it. With Ebola declared a public health emergency in neighbouring DRC, Zambia may screen arrivals from affected regions.

Victoria Falls and the bush

The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary warns that adventure sports around Victoria Falls, including bungee jumping and white-water rafting, have caused serious accidents and deaths. Choose established operators and follow their safety briefings. On walking safaris and canoe trips on the Zambezi, wild animals and venomous snakes are the main danger; stay with your guide. The DRC border in the north is not marked in rural areas, so it is possible to cross it by accident.

How to stay safe in Zambia

• Take malaria tablets and use repellent and nets, even in Lusaka.
• Do not drive between towns after dark.
• Drink bottled or treated water and avoid raw food from street stalls.
• Book adventure activities through established operators, and check your insurance covers them.
• Keep away from political rallies and protest roadblocks.
• Carry a copy of your passport and entry stamp; keep the original in a safe.
• In an emergency call 991 (police), 992 (ambulance) or 993 (fire).

How we scored it

Conflict (76) and natural hazards (76) are Zambia's strongest factors: no area is off limits and there are no cyclones or earthquakes. Road safety (45) and health (47) are the weakest, based on WHO's estimate, rising police death counts, malaria and cholera. Violent crime (62) rests on WHO's 2021 estimate of 5.9 homicides per 100,000Homicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary and a 2015 national figure, one reason confidence is medium.