Getting to Lusaka and Around by Taxi App, Car and Plane

Positioned right in the centre of southern Africa's plateau, Lusaka is the main aviation and highway hub for Zambia. Recent upgrades to the international airport terminal and the widespread adoption of smartphone ride-hailing apps have made arriving and moving between Lusaka's leafy suburbs much simpler than a decade ago.

Arriving at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN)

Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN) sits 25 kilometres north-east of central Lusaka off the Great East Road. International airlines link Lusaka directly with Addis Ababa, Johannesburg, Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Harare, Lilongwe, Kigali and Dubai, while domestic carriers (Proflight Zambia and Zambia Airways) operate daily flights from LUN to Livingstone (for Victoria Falls), Mfuwe (for South Luangwa National Park), Royal / Jeki (in the Lower Zambezi), Ndola and Solwezi. Zambia has waived visa requirements for citizens of many countries (including the UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia and regional SADC neighbours); check current eligibility or the KAZA Univisa option before flying. From the arrivals hall, pre-booked hotel shuttles and official airport taxis reach EastPark, Roma or Kabulonga in 30 to 40 minutes.

Overland buses and regional rail

Long-distance Intercape and domestic coaches operate out of the Intercity Bus Terminus off Dedan Kimathi Road near Kamwala, linking Lusaka north to the Copperbelt, east along the Great East Road to Chipata and the Malawi border near Lilongwe, south-west to Livingstone, and south across the Chirundu bridge to Harare. Note that the historic TAZARA passenger railway to Dar es Salaam starts six hours north at Kapiri Mposhi rather than inside Lusaka itself.

Getting around Lusaka: ride-hailing apps, taxis and self-drive

Because Lusaka's sights are spread between Kabwata and the National Museum in the centre and Lilayi and Chaminuka on the rural fringes, plan your transport around two tiers:

• Ride-hailing apps (Yango and Ulendo) for suburb-to-suburb hops: work well across Kabulonga, Longacres, Rhodes Park and EastPark for fixed Kwacha fares without haggling.
• Hired driver or self-drive 4x4 for game parks: ride-hailing drivers rarely wait at bush reserves, so hire a car (driving is on the left) or arrange a half-day taxi through your lodge for Lilayi, Lusaka National Park and Chaminuka. Blue-and-white shared minibuses are best left to commuters.