International Schools in Zambia
Combined Curriculum’sSchool Profile Pages
Please click on the school below to access the school profile page*.
- Baobab College
- Lusaka International Community College
- The American International School
- The International School of Lusaka
Please let us know if schools details need updating.
The information on this page has been gathered by the Leopardfish team. However staff, websites and contract benefits change regularly. If you discover one of these changes please let us know by emailing us at roger@leopardfish.
* Leopardfish takes no responsibility for the accuracy of this data, All data is provided in good faith.
Leopardfish – Country Guide
Lifestyle
Expats moving to Zambia with the right attitude are in for a real treat. Zambia is a beautiful country with varied wildlife and abundant natural wonders, including the magnificent Victoria Falls and Zambezi River. It’s sparsely populated, with most of the country’s population living in the capital of Lusaka, the mineral-rich Copperbelt region or in Livingstone, the second largest city and a popular tourist hub. Those who are unwilling to give up some of their modern luxuries and necessities may struggle to adjust to living in Zambia. Poor infrastructure, poverty, a limited selection of goods, poor healthcare and local diseases are some of the real, but largely manageable, challenges faced by the Zambia expat.
Cost of Living
Like anywhere else, the cost of visiting Zambia varies with the style in which you travel, and the places where you spend your time. However, unlike many countries, Zambia’s lack of infrastructure leads to a polarisation of travelling styles. If you plan a couple of weeks to visit the parks, staying at small private safari camps, then it’s not a cheap destination. You will probably need the odd small charter flight, and an average US$270–450/£150–250 per day, including basically everything, would be expected. This is actually quite good value for an exclusive safari in a pristine and remote corner of Africa – the kind of trip at which Zambia excels. At the other end of the spectrum, if you travel through Zambia on local buses, camping and staying in the occasional local (sometimes seedy) resthouse, then Zambia is not expensive. A budget of US$36–54/£20–30 per day for food, accommodation and transport would suffice. However, most backpackers who undertake such trips are simply ‘in transit’ between Malawi and Zimbabwe. They see little of Zambia’s wildlife or its national parks, missing out on even its cheaper attractions. Finding a trip of medium expenditure, between these two extremes, is difficult. One possibility is to make use of the odd medium-priced safari camp. Lufupa/ Shumba in northern Kafue, and the Wildlife Camp in South Luangwa, are obvious options, as is Kasanka – especially if four or five people are travelling together. Hiring a vehicle is another possibility, as then you can buy food, camp and drive yourself around. However it requires driving expertise and lots of planning; it isn’t something to undertake lightly. Creatively using these options, being prepared to pay where necessary, you might spend only US$180/£100 per day whilst seeing some of the very best that the country has to offer.
Climate
The general height of the land gives Zambia a more pleasant climate than that experienced in most tropical countries. There are three seasons – cool and dry from May to August, hot and dry from September to November, and warm and wet from December to April. Only in the Valleys of the Zambezi and Luangwa is there excessive heat, particularly in October and, in the wet season, a high humidity. In the warm wet season, frequent heavy showers and thunderstorms occur, followed by spells of bright sunshine. Plants grow profusely and rivers and streams fill up almost overnight. During the cool dry season, night frosts may occur in places sheltered from the wind. The countryside dries up gradually and grass fires, fanned by high winds are a feature of this time of the year. In depressions, frost can occur on cloudless nights. Temperatures rise high during the hot, dry season but new leaves appear on the trees before the start of the rains and new grass brightens the countryside. The main growing period of woody vegetation is between August and November.
Find out more at the World Travel Guide
Safety and Security
The political and security status of countries around the world are constantly changing, to keep up with the current situation in any country please monitor the relevant Government websites and international news. The links below also provide useful indicators for prospective travelers: The UK Foreign Office US State Department BBC World News