10 Visa-Free Countries Zambians can explore in Africa

Did you that not all passports are made equal? This is why I curated a list of 10 visa-free countries Zambians can explore in Africa to help out my fellow Zambians. I remember back in 2006 when I started travelling across Europe, I experienced the pain of applying for the Schengen visa with my Zambian passport. I wish I knew then what I knew now and would have utilized my green passport to visit the 10 visa-free countries Zambians can explore in Africa.

Travelling the world with an African passport can often feel tiring with all the visas applications we have to complete but its not an impossible task. As an African, you need to know which countries you can travel to visa-free or visa on arrival within the continent. For my fellow Zambians, I have compiled a list of 10 visa-free countries Zambians can explore in Africa. I was sad to learn that Morocco is not one of the countries that my fellow countrymen can visit visa-free.

10 Visa-free Countries Zambians can explore in Africa

When we moved to the UK almost 20 years ago now, little did I know of just how weak a Zambian passport is outside of African? A passports power is determined by many factors but more especially on its mobility score – aka how many countries you can visit visa-free or visa on arrival and Zambia in ranked 7th in Africa. This means there is a fair number of countries within and outside Africa that a Zambian passport holder can travel to without the need to apply for a visa beforehand.

I remember as a kid the only countries I thought we could travel to were Malawi (grandparents), Botswana (uncle) and South Africa (extended family) because those are the places my family often visited. Moving to the UK, I almost felt discouraged to travel because every single destination required a visa with stringent requirements. But many years later I learned I just needed to be smarter and understand the rules of every country I wished to travel to especially across Europe.

*Disclaimer – the following information is accurate at the time of publishing this post*

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90-Day Visa-Free Countries

The following countries allow holders of Zambian passports to visit without needing to apply for a visa before hand. For 90-days (3-months), you can visit the following countries and stay for that long before needing to leave or apply for a visa.

• Malawi – a landlocked country in southeast of Africa and some of the best safari parks in Africa. I would recommend the wildlife reserve and national park for the first time visitors
• Tanzania – situated in the east of Africa and known world-wide for Mount Kilimanjaro and the Serengeti national park. If I ever visit, the national park and the beach are high on my list.
• Kenya – country on the east coast of Africa along the Indian Ocean coastline and home to the Nakuru lake a must visit location.
• Mozambique – situated in Southern Africa with a long stretch of the Indian Ocean as its coastline – it is home to the best coral reefs and incredible beaches.
• Uganda – landlocked country in east Africa and home to an impressive wildlife. Lake Victoria is one of the best tourist attractions and a must visit.
• Zimbabwe – a landlocked country in Southern Africa and shares the Victoria falls with Zambia and the Zambezi river from Zambia flows through it too.
• Botswana – another landlocked country in Southern Africa and home to the famous Kalahari dessert. When I was young, it was often said Botswana has more elephants than people.
• Angola – southern African country with the Atlantic coastline boasting some of the best beaches in Africa. With a varied terrain, it offers an amazing landscape thanks to the sub-Saharan desert.
• South Africa – one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in Africa, located in the southern most tip of the African continent.
• Namibia – situated on the south west of the African continent, is home to the namib desert and has one of the largest populations of cheetahs in Africa.

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Visa on Arrival African Countries

The following countries, Zambian passport holders can visit and apply for a visa upon arrival. I recommend researching each of these countries and learn about their requirements before travelling. Some countries might require that you have x-amount of money in your account to spend during x-amount of days. Others might require special documentation like proof of employment and a return ticket to show you don’t intend to stay forever unless you have the right papers.

• Mauritania
• Sierra Leone
• Senegal
• Guinea Bissau
• Ghana
• Togo
• Ethiopia
• Somalia
• Madagascar
• Rwanda

Once it is safe again to travel, I would encourage my fellow Zambians to take the plunge and start travelling, first close to home and then further afield. I know that being able to travel as often as I do is a privilege, one that I do not take for granted, so if an opportunity presents itself, I implore you to take it. If this year has taught me anything is that nothing is guaranteed and nothing lasts forever so take the opportunities as they come.