Kazungula Bridge Border Post (ZAM/BOTS) 06h00-22h00

The Kazungula Ferry was replaced by the Kazungula Bridge in October 2020.

This will replace the Kazungula Ferry and together with a planned one-stop border post (OSBP) expedite the flow of traffic between the two countries. It’s planned to relocate the ferries, one to Kashiba Border Post, on the Luapula River (border with DRC), and one to Luangwa Border Post, on the Zambezi (border with Mozambique and Zimbabwe).

At Kazungula, on the Zambian side there’s a bank, an ATM (visa only) and some reasonably clean guest houses but your night’s slumber may be disturbed by festivities at nearby pubs and nightclubs. Behind the queue of trucks you’ll find a small informal market where you can buy fresh vegetables, bread and basic commodities. While fuel is cheaper in Botswana and is available at Kazungula, Botswana; it’s not available in Kazungula, Zambia. Accommodation on the Botswana side is spread along the Chobe River and surrounds, and is much more tourist orientated.

If you’re travelling from Zambia to Botswana, please remember that no meat, fruit or vegetables may be taken from Zambia into Botswana; this, to prevent the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, and fruit fly.

As of 1 August 2019, all Botswana border posts will only accept Botswana pula as payment, no foreign currencies. Although some Botswana border posts do have credit card machines, there’s no guarantee that these are actually working, so it’s best to have pula with you. There is no ATM on the Botswana side of the border, and if you come unprepared you will have to change money with a street vendor (not recommended).

06:00-22:00 (GMT+2) Time Guideline

CASH:
All payments are made in Cash. There is a bank with an ATM where visitors can withdraw cash using their Visa Cards. There is also a bureau de change for foreign currency exchange.

CUSTOMS:
It’s illegal to have any of the following goods in your possession:
Narcotic, habit-forming drugs and related substances in any form.
Pirated or counterfeit goods
Firearms, ammunition and explosives.
Indecent and obscene material such as pornographic books, magazines, films, videos, DVDs & software.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED WHEN TRAVELLING BY VEHICLE:
A valid passport with a minimum of six months remaining validity before expiry, from the end date of your intended trip.

A valid visa.

International driving permit (IDP) if your driver’s license is issued in a language other than English.

Original vehicle registration certificate (a certified copy is acceptable). Drivers whose vehicles are still financed by a bank won’t have the original vehicle registration document so will have to use the vehicle licence papers (from which the renewal disc is cut out annually), or a copy of the vehicle registration certificate, which must be certified.

If the car registration number on your registration papers is not the same as on the vehicle number plate (for instance if it was pre-owned) you must also present the registration paper from which your license disc was cut out.

If you’re not the registered owner of the vehicle (i.e. it’s still being financed by the bank, you are renting a vehicle or you are driving a friend’s vehicle), you must have an affidavit certified by a commissioner of oaths, from the financial institution, company or friend giving you authorization to take the vehicle across the border. This letter must stipulate dates for which you are allowed to take the vehicle out of the country and must also be signed by the owner and a Commissioner of Oaths.

Proof of vehicle insurance.

A yellow fever certificate is required if you’ve lived in / travelled from / travelled via a country where this disease is prevalent.

FOOD RESTRICTIONS:
No bans on the importation of personal supplies of meat or fresh produce to Zambia. This may change from time to time.

HEALTHCARE:
There is a clinic - The Kazungula Weigh Bridge Clinic.

POLICE CLEARANCE OR VERIFICATION CERTIFICATE FOR YOUR VEHICLE:
At some border posts, some officials may ask for such a document but it is rare and it must be said that this document is NOT required for foreign-registered vehicles. There is a Zambian law which states that Zambian-registered vehicles must have an InterPol clearance if you want to take it through a Zambian border. This requirement is ONLY applicable to Zambian-registered vehicles but some officials try to enforce this on foreign-registered vehicles as well.

In over a decade of travel to Zambia we have only been asked for this document once; it happened at Kazungula and in that instance we were able to reassure the official that it was not required. The Chirundu border post is notorious for insisting on this document but we understand this to be a means to solicit a bribe. It is for you to decide if you will play along with this game but our experience is that you do not require this document.

What’s more, if you go to your local police station for such clearance be very careful that your request is not misunderstood to mean that you want to export your vehicle permanently. This would result in your vehicle being removed from the register which will cause you all sorts of problems!

PROCESS FOR ENTERING ZAMBIA:
The fun starts on the Zambian side. First, you have to find parking, between trucks as the border post buildings are not far from the ferry landing site. You then enter a small building on the right-hand side of the road, stepping down two or three steps into the Immigration Hall.

After getting your passport stamped, you are handed a Police Clearance Form by the Custom counter on your left. This where local knowledge came in handy - you then exit the building and walk towards a shed on the western side of the road (opposite the Hall). A number of Police officers wait there - note that they are not always in uniform.
One of them then escort you to your vehicle and looks for the chassis number. If satisfied, he will walk you back into the Immigration Hall, take you around the back of the counters you stamped your passports at and sign off the Form.

You now leave this building and walk to another (small) building at the back, via a courtyard. Here you wait until a chair becomes available on the inside of the Customs Import building - there are only 3-4 chairs available. The officials are all friendly and courteous. When you have shuffled from chair 4 to chair 1, you get to sit at a table where you complete a form for importing your vehicle.

After a while, the official returns the form that you have completed and you fill in a register at the same table, with (once again) all the details of your vehicle. The outcome of all this is a Customs Import Permit, issued free of charge. You also get given a Notice to Motorists which clearly indicates what the next steps will be. You also get a sheet with the vehicle fees payable at the Border Post, kindly marked up by the same official.

In the same building you pay Carbon Tax, at a counter in the same room, in Kwachas. For a Cruiser, that amounted to ZMK275 (about ZAR320), for which you get given a receipt. You then leave the building via the courtyard, exiting on the south and head towards another small building where you have to pay Road Toll Fees. This is fixed for South Africans at USD20 (US Dollars). Other countries pay more: Namibia USD38, Botswana USD48 etc. You receive quite an impressive Road Transport and Safety Agency certificate stating the distance you will be travelling in Zambia (so have your itinerary with you or memorised).

So far so good - the CIP process took the longest, about 40 minutes. (2019).

Next you move to a small building to the south of where you paid Toll Fees, to pay the Council Levy. The musical chairs method applies again – you can only enter when chair 4 becomes available, and only pay when you get up from chair 1. In Kwachas, for 4X4's you pay ZMK30. Cars ZMK20, light trucks ZMK40 and so on. Once you have paid, you write up your particulars in a register.

This is where you need to be careful - a helper then sends somebody off with all the documentation to obtain your Third Party Insurance. This is private sector, not government. The information sheet given in the CIP room indicates what all the vehicle fees will amount to, and the kind officials may warn you against paying more than the ZMK162 indicated for 3rd Party insurance. You pay your helper, who does help you save some time. The whole process can be done without assistance as long as you know where to go.

Upon exiting the border post, you hand in another of these small pieces of paper stating your registration number. The 3rd Party people await you on the other side of this gate. (2019).

VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS:
Red warning triangle (2, with fold-out feet).
Red and white reflective tape (two small white rectangular strips on either side of front bumper, same on rear bumper but red).
Red and white T-sign (if towing a trailer, white sticker applied to front right side of trailer, and red to rear left side of trailer).
Fire extinguisher (if carrying fuel in jerrycans).

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