A Short History The first European to set foot on Zambian soil was David Livingstone. In 1851 he made his famous exploration of the area, and in 1855 he became the first European to see the magnificent waterfalls on the Zambezi River. He named the falls after Queen Victoria, and the Zambian town near the falls is named after him. Zambia was first colonised by the British South African Company in 1889, but it was not until 1924 that the company ceded administrative control to the British Crown and became the colony of Northern Rhodesia. The British began exploitation of the country's main natural resource, copper, and by the start of World War Two, the colony was producing 15% of the world's copper. In 1953, both Rhodesia's were joined with Nyasaland (now Malawi) to form the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. An election held in 1962, resulted in an African majority in the legislative council, which called for Northern Rhodesia's secession from the federation and demanded full internal self-government and a new constitution. By 1964, the colonial authorities had ceded independence and Northern Rhodesia became the Republic of Zambia. The pre-independence elections were won by the United National Independence Party (UNIP) and Kenneth Kaunda was elected president. The country adopted a presidential system of African socialism - economical policies focused on central planning and nationalisation, and a system of one party rule was put in place. Because of this system, Kaunda remained president until 1991. Despite running a non-democratic government, Kaunda became a major regional statesman. He played a part in the initiatives leading to independence in Namibia and, in the 1990s, chaired both the Organization of African Unity and headed up a group of Southern African states confronting the South African apartheid regime (the ANC exile headquarters were in Lusaka). He was also involved in the settlement of the civil war in Angola. Kaunda's forays abroad tended to lead to neglect of Zambia's domestic agenda and there were demands and protests for a more democratic system of government. Kaunda realised the need for reform and lifted the ban on political parties. Among these, the Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) won elections in 1991 and Frederick Chiluba became president. Politics in the early 1990s were fairly turbulent when the UNIP were accused of planning unrest and mass demonstrations against the new government and a state of emergency was declared. The UNIP boycotted the 1996 elections, which were again won by Chiluba and the MMD, and in 1997 matters escalated when army officers attempted to stage an unsuccessful coup. Chiluba tried to change the constitution so he could stand for a third term in the 2001 elections but was forced to step down after protest. Former vice-president, Levy Mwanawasa, became president and again won the 2006 elections. Climate Zambia is warm all year round, but has three distinct seasons. Between December and April the weather is hot and wet; from May to August it is cooler and dry; between September and November conditions are hot and dry. Average summer temperatures range between 25°C to 35°C, while in winter they can fall as low as 6°C at night, although daytime temperatures average 24°C. On all our tours, it's best to bring warm clothing - raincoat, warm hat, socks etc. - as across Africa wet/dry and hot/cool climatic periods change invariably. Health Matters Yellow fever: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age coming from infected areas. Malaria: A malaria risk, predominantly due to P. falciparum, exists throughout the year in the whole country. P. falciparum is resistant to chloroquine and sulfadoxine - pyrimethamine. Recommended prophylaxis: mefloquine. Precautionary measures to take to prevent contact with mosquitoes include: insect repellent, cover up at sundown, sleep under a mosquito net and wear long sleeve clothing and long trousers in the evenings. Other: Seek advice from your doctor or travel clinic at least six weeks prior to departure about what vaccinations you require. Typically the list includes typhoid, tetanus, polio, hepatitis A and B and meningitis. Untreated water should be considered unsafe to drink. Hospital facilities are generally poor and outside Lusaka medical facilities are limited. Insurance: Health insurance is essential; adequate medical provision is often only provided privately and may require health insurance or a cash payment before admission. It is recommended that visitors carry personal medical supplies with them. Money Guide Currency: Zambian Kwacha (ZKW) Exchange Rates: US$1 = ZKW4,225, GB£1 = ZKW8,250 The following information is provided to assist you in planning the finances you will require for your safari. It is intended as a general guide only and may change with local conditions. African currencies tend to fluctuate more rapidly than your own currencies. There is no real need to convert any of your money to ZKW, as you will only be in Zambia for a short period of time. Campsites readily accept US$ cash for food and beverages ATMs are available at Barclays and Standard Chartered banks but only accept visa-linked accounts and can be unreliable. US$ cash can sometimes be brought in Livingstone through the bureau de changes. Mo Money in Livingstone will also do a US$ cash advance on credit cards but will charge of fee of approximately 7%. If you are flying out of Zambia, you will be charged a US$20 departure tax at the airport. Optional Activities in Zambia include many adrenaline and scenic activities in the Victoria Falls area. These can be paid using US$ and GB£ cash, traveller's cheques and credit card. Credit cards are good to use here as there is no extra fee and the amount is printed in US$ and not converted to Zambian currency. Lake Kariba Houseboats are best paid in US$ cash or Zambian Kwacha. Visa requirements: Visas are issued on the border. Costs are; UK and Canada, US$65; US, US$100; and most other nationalities, US$25. A US$10 day transit visa is available for those transiting through to the airport. A regular single entry visa can be upgraded to a multiple entry visa for a fee of ZKW5000 at Livingstone immigration office. This will allow you to move more freely between Zimbabwe and Zambia to partake in various activities whilst in the Victoria Falls region. Average Costs: Internet access, limited, US$3 per ten minutes. Beer ZKW5000-7000. Bag of laundry, ZKW6000.