Hostels in Zambia Hostels in Zambia

You are looking for hostels in Zambia? Good news, you have come to the right place.

On this page we list every single city with hostels and other budget accommodations. Hostelz.com helps you to find your Zambia hostel and compare its prices on the major booking sites such as Hostelworld, Hostelsclub and Booking.com. So you can sleep on a budget and save money while backpacking Zambia.

All Cities in Zambia

We list every single hostel in Zambia and the world. In total, we have 3 cities in Zambia for you. Please note that not all cities actually have a hostel to stay in. Below you can filter for cities with hostels and with no hostels-type accommodation, but guesthouses and budget hotels. This will help your planning.

All Zambia hostels on a map

Alright, you are more the visual type? Planning your trip with a map is always handy.

Therefore, this map shows you all cities with hostels in Zambia. It will help you to plan your trip. Just zoom in the map and click your destination for more details. Just so you know: If we do not have a hostel in a city, it is likely that there is no hostel in that city.

Our handwritten guide on Backpacking Zambia

For those traveling Africa north to south, Zambia is the gateway to Southern Africa, and is one of those countries that are easy to travel cheaply using public transport. Although most travelers pass through quite quickly on their way to the world-famous Victoria Falls, there are many, many other attractions in this friendly country and it is rightly well known for its wildlife.

Coming from Malawi, the first stop on any traveler's itinerary should be South Luangwa National Park near the village of Mfuwe. This is accessed from the town of Chipata, which has two excellent backpacker hostels, if you choose to overnight here. Coming from the south, the national park has direct bus services from Lusaka, a ten-hour journey. There are two riverside lodges just outside the national park gate that offer hostel dorm accommodation and self-catering facilities, so this is a fantastic place to spot big game at budget prices.

The center and north of Zambia is rarely visited by backpackers, but offers some wonderful nature in Kasanka National Park and great trekking in the Mutinondo Wilderness. The Great North Road continues up as far as Lake Tanganyika, a beautiful tranquil place to stay a few days. There are direct buses from Lusaka and local taxi boats ferry people along the lake to the many fishing villages on the lake shore.

Lusaka, Zambia's capital, isn't a place to linger, as it doesn't offer much to the foreign visitor. It does, however, have many foreign embassies, if you need visas in advance. There are many Zambia hostels in Lusaka offering dorm accommodation and cheap double and twin rooms. Most of these are located in the central area just east of Levy Park Mall and within easy walking distance from the bus and railway stations. The accommodation is good value, on the whole. If you want to stay a little out of the centre, there are also many Zambia hostel choices in the suburbs, particularly in the northeast of the city around Manda Hill and East Park Malls. Some of these are excellent value for money if you can get to grips with Lusaka's cheap local transport.

Most travelers head for Livingstone and Victoria Falls, which is a must-see for any visitor to Southern Africa. Even in dry periods, it is still a very impressive sight. Livingstone has a large number of Zambia hostels, all of very good quality and all offering a wide variety of trips and activities, particularly for the younger adrenaline fueled crowd. Livingstone is a backpackers' magnet and has a vibrant social scene.

For those wanting to see more of Zambia and at a slightly slower pace, public transport takes you through Kafue National Park in the west, as well as Barotseland which see very few tourists, but is a wonderfully scenic part of rural Zambia, with tarred roads and regular buses. Zambia hostel accommodation is not readily available in the more rural parts of Zambia, but there are many cheap guesthouses in the small towns and there is always the option to camp. Carrying camping equipment also offers up the opportunity to visit some of the national parks and private reserves that are normally only available to the more upmarket traveler. Many of these lodges offer campgrounds at very cheap prices, but with access to the same facilities as the private lodge guests.

The southeast corner of Zambia, near the Zimbabwe border, is home to the mighty Zambezi River. Again, it's easily accessed by public transport and with cheap accommodation available and offers all kinds of trips on the river and the surrounding countryside.

Bird-watchers will have a great time in Zambia, as it accommodates many endemic species only found in Zambia. It is also a crossroads, where East, Central and Southern African species can be spotted and the summer wet season sees many migrants returning. More than seven hundred fifty species have been recorded in Zambia.

Big-game spotters will also love Zambia. The Big Five can be seen in many of the national parks, as well as less-frequently seen animals such as civet cat, caracal, serval, painted hunting dogs, and a bewildering array of different antelope species. Many of the parks and reserves offer night game drives where you might spot very rare species.

Zambia is a great country to visit for budget travelers, if you are resourceful. Cheap public transport covers a large part of the country, giving access to remote, rural areas and getting you close to the major parks and reserves. Accommodation is cheap and plentiful, but carrying a tent gives you access to pretty much everywhere, as Zambia hostel accommodation seems to be focused largely on Lusaka and Livingstone. There are hostels in Chipata and Kabwe, however, and these give one the opportunity to get onward travel information to the lesser-known regions. Zambia rewards those who have the time and initiative to take the roads less traveled.

expert for Zambia hostels

Handwritten by local expert for Zambia hostels LondonroadMa

Travel Tips for Zambia - from the Community

Hey fam! Here are a few more tips from the community, from them to you, and you to them. This space is dedicated for travellers to share their best tips on backpacking Zambia. Have a closer look - the Hostelz community share real hidden gems, insider knowledge and overall impressions of Zambia. Everyone is welcome to add something useful, funny, unexpected and the "absolutely necessary to know before you go" - share, share and then share a little more!

FAQ on Hostels in Zambia

There is a lot of travel planning to do. So let us help you once again by putting together the frequently asked questions:

Finding Hostels and Prices

What hostel booking sites are best to use?

There is several hostel booking sites, such as Hostelworld.com, Hostelsclub.com and Booking.com. While every platform has its pros and cons, there is a universal truth you as a traveler should be aware of: Not a single booking site can always offer the best prices.

This is where Hostelz.com comes in. You can compare all major booking portals with one click.

For you as a traveler, Hostelz.com is the best booking site to actually save money.

How much are hostels in Zambia?

Prices always vary, depending on various factors. Weekends tend to be more expensive, same goes for special holidays. Please also take into account local vaction time.

You can search for exacty hostel prices in Zambia here on Hostelz.com. Pick your destination and pick a date. The system will track down the prices to give an idea of what budget and prices you can expect.

When to book hostels?

If you want to stay at the best hostels, it is a good idea to have your hostel booked around 1 month before you travel. For the regular hostels, booking one week before should be okay. Yet again, this always depends.

We dedicated a full article to the topic of when to book hostels.

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Safety and Packing

Are hostels in Zambia safe?

Generally speaking, hostels are as safe as you make them. We highly recommend always to bring your own padlock, using the lockers and taking care of your belongings. Make sure you pick a safe hostel, offering lockers and a safe location. Please always pay attention to the reviews; they can give you a great insight on what to expect and safety tips.

What to pack when staying in hostels?

There is a few basics you should always pack when staying in hostels.

  1. Padlock
  2. Earplugs
  3. Sleeping Mask
  4. Quick Dry Travel Towel
  5. Head Lamp

There is more actually. We wrote a complete guide with more details. Read our full hostel packing list.

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