Country Information

Capital: Lusaka

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 260
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 1 2 25067 / 254798

Tourist information: Zambia National Tourist Board, 2 Palace Gate, London W8 5NF (0171) 589 6343

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except nationals of: Ireland and the UK. Nationals of Commonwealth, dependant and associated states (with the exception of Ghana, India, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka who do need visas). Nationals of Fiji, Norway, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in the Falciparum variety throughout the whole country all year. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. Malaria is endemic and worsens during the rainy season
Yellow Fever: Vaccination is strongly recommended to all travellers. Those arriving from infected areas will require a vaccination certificate
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, and Rabies Outbreaks of cholera and dysentery occur regularly during the rainy season. There is a very high prevalence of AIDS/HIV. Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Drinking water should be filtered and boiled and visitors should avoid eating food purchased from local street vendors. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: Kwacha (K) = 100 ngwee
Exchange: only at authorised banks and bureaux de changes
NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to K100. Currency exchange forms must be shown if purchasing airline tickets in Zambia.
American Express is widely accepted, with other credit cards less so. Travellers cheques are widely accepted. US dollars are the preferred currency.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: High inflation means that prices for tourists tend to be expensive.

Languages: English and over 73 local dialects.

Weather: High altitudes prevents the temperatures becoming too hot. The winter is cool and dry from May – Sept. The weather is hot and dry from Oct – Nov. the hot raining season is Dec – Apr.

Electricity: 220 Volts, AC, 50 Hz.

Post: 7 – 14 days to Europe.

Transport: FLIGHTS: There are over 127 airstrips in the country and several charter companies operate domestic flights. ROADS: A good network exists but they ban be dangerous in the raining season. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is recommended. BUS: Services are often unreliable and can be very overcrowded. RAIL: Trains serve Lusaka; Ndola, Kitwe and Mulobezi. Local services are limited.

Special information: Care and sensible precautions should be taken when travelling in Zambia to minimise the risk of muggings and armed robberies. Non-essential travel to the North-Western areas of Zambia bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola should be avoided due to the increasing violence in these countries. Travellers to rural areas have very limited health facilities. In general travellers to remote areas will be met with curiosity. Particular care should be taken in these areas. African culture and traditions dominate. Traditional dancing is popular throughout the country and many colourful annual ceremonies take place.

Capital: Harare

Time zone: GMT + 2

Telephone services: Country Code: 263
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: General emergencies – 999 Police – 995, Ambulance – 994, Fire – 993

Tourist information: Zimbabwe Tourist Development Corporation (ZTDC), PO Box 8052, corner of Jason Moyo Avenue and Fourth Street, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe Tel: (4) 793 666 Fax: (4) 793 669

Passport information: Valid passport required by all with at least 6 months from date of entry. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure

Visa information: Visa required by all except: nationals of E.U. countries (except nationals of Finland, Portugal and Greece who do need a visa.) Nationals of Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji, French Overseas Territories, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Iceland, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Monaco, Namibia, Nauru, Nepal, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, St Kitts & Nevis, San Marino, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Swaziland, Solomon Islands, Switzerland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa and Zambia. NOTE: Citizens of the former Yugoslavia should contact the Zimbabwean diplomatic representation in order to obtain up to date information on visa requirements

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Exists in certain areas throughout the year in the Falciparum variety. Resistance to chloroquine has been reported
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for travellers arriving from infected areas
Other Health Risks: Bilharzia, Cholera and Rabies. Incidence of AIDS is high, Visitors should seek medical advice before travelling.

Food & drink: Piped water in urban areas is considered drinkable. Normal precautions should be observed with food. In rural areas water is untreated and not safe to drink. All fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: Zimbabwe Dollar (Z$) = 100 cents
Exchange: Major currencies at hotels and banks.. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is limited to Z$500.
American Express, Diners Club and Visa are all widely accepted. Banks and major hotels will exchange Travellers cheques. US dollars are the preferred form of currency.
ATM availability: Over 75 locations.

Cost of living: Lower prices can be found away from the tourist centres if you are willing to live simply.

Languages: English, Shona and Ndebele.

Weather: Set – Oct = Hot, dry season. Rainy season = Nov to Mar. Best time to visit = Apr – May and Aug – Sept

Electricity: 220/240 Volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Up to 1 week to Europe by airmail.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Domestic flights run between the main cities. ROADS: Excellent road network. DOCUMENTATION: IDP is required and vehicle identification. BUS: Services are provided in most parts of the country. NOTE: If you are white and use the rural bus services you may provoke attention. RAIL: Daily between the main cities.

Special information: HIGH RISK: There have been serious violent incidents connected with election campaining including attacks on white by-standers and illeagal mass occupation of white owned land by supporters of the ruling party. Some white farmers have been kinapped and murdered; one of them outside a police station; therefore police protection connot be guaranteed. Avoid large crowds and demonstrations as they could turn violent without warning. Avoid rural areas without checking the local situaion. Petty crime is prevalent in Harare. Be careful at ATM machines. Backpackers are at risk in the main tourist areas. Visitors should exercise extreme caution if travelling in eastern and southern areas due to severe flooding damage from January to March.

Capital: Kingstown

Time zone: GMT – 4

Telephone services: Country Code: 1 809 Outgoing Code: 0

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 999

Tourist information: St Vincent and the Grenadines Department of Tourism, PO Box 834, Bay Street, Kingstown, St Vincent Tel: 457 1502 Fax: 456 2610.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all except: Nationals of the UK holding a driver’s licence or birth certificate. Nationals of the USA and Canada holding a driver’s licence, birth certificate or voter’s registration card. Nationals of France holding a national ID card. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact embassy before departure.

Visa information: Not required length of stay decided by immigration authority on arrival. If necessary check with Consulate or High Commission before finalising travel arrangements.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age coming from infected areas.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink.

Currency: Eastern Caribbean Dollar (EC$) = 100 cents. All major credit cards are widely accepted. All major currencies are accepted in travellers cheques.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Caters or all types of budget. Accommodation varies from luxury hotels to rugged log cabins in the interior.

Languages: English

Weather: Tropical climate with trade winds cooling the hottest months, which are June and July.

Electricity: 220/240 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Up to 2 weeks.

Transport: SEA: Yacht chartering is easily arranged and one of the bet ways to explore the Grenadines. ROAD: BUS: Services run regularly throughout St Vincent. TAXI: These are shared and charge standard rates (fixed by the government) CAR HIRE: Easily arranged by a number of national and international firms. DOCUMENTATION: A local licence is required and can be obtained on presentation of a local licence at the airport or the police station in Bay Street, Kingstown.

Special information: Good West Indian cuisine is found on St Vincent.

Capital: Dushanbe

Time zone: GMT + 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 7 (followed by 3772 for Dushanbe) Outgoing Code: International calls have to go through the operator.

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Intourist, Intourist House, 219 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9PD Tel: (020) 7538 8600 Fax: (020) 7538 5967

Passport information: 10-year passport valid for at least 6 months prior to departure required by all. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Reports have indicated there may be a risk of malaria near the Southern border in the vivax variety
Other Health Risks: There is a Diphtheria epidemic. Cholera and Rabies also exist. NOTE: Medical advice should be sought before travelling bearing in mind the potential medical risk when travelling in Tajikistan.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: Rouble Exchange: The preferred hard currency is the US Dollar although others are acceptable. All bills are usually settled in cash. NOTE: The import of local currency is prohibited.
Visa card has limited acceptance in some hotels in the capital. Travellers cheques are not accepted.
ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: High inflation has resulted in lower prices.

Languages: Tajik. Russian and English (by those involved in tourism) are also spoken.

Weather: Temperatures vary between 12ºC min in the winter to 45ºC max in the summer.

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.

Post: Mail can take anything between two weeks and two months to reach Western Europe or the USA.

Transport: ROAD: During poor weather conditions the roads are mainly impassable. During the winter the roads from the capital are often closed because of the snow. TAXI: Agree the fare in advance and use the old and new street names, which have been created since independence. Officially marked taxis are safe but sharing with strangers should be avoided. BUS: There are services between the major towns when the roads are open. DOCUMENTATION: IDP and insurance are required.

Special information: EXTREME RISK NOTE: The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to Tajikistan. Outbursts of fighting continue and the potential for terrorist incidents targeted against the Russian military continue to exist. There is no British mission in Tajikistan. British travellers are advised to check local conditions with the German or US Embassies. Do not travel alone or on foot after dark. Be vigilant and dress down. Shorts are rarely seen and if worn by females they are likely to create unwanted attention from the local men. Do not travel out of Dushanbe or Khojand unless with persons from an international organisation.

Capital: Ashgabat

Time zone: GMT + 5

Telephone services: Country Code: 7 (3632 for Ashgabat).
Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: All services – 03

Tourist information: Intourist, 219 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9PD Tel: (0171) 538 8600 Fax: (0171) 538 5967.

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.

Visa information: Required by all except holders of valid passports of CIS countries. Visas should be obtained well in advance of intended travel and be specifially valid for ‘travel throughout Turkmenistan if you intend to leave Ashgabat. Visitors are usually asked to produce hotel bookings or a letter of invitation if on business.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Has been reported
Other Health Risks: Cholera is a particular risk in Turkmenistan, medical advice is recommended. Diphtheria and Rabies are also potential dangers.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: 1 Manat = 100 tenge
Exchange: The preferred hard currency is US Dollars. Visitors may find it hard to change other currencies. A cash only economy exists.
NOTE: Import of local currency is prohibited.
Credit cards are not accepted. Only travellers cheques drawn on banks with special arrangements with the Turkmen National Bank are accepted. ATM availability: Unavailable.

Cost of living: Exploitative for the traveller.

Languages: Turkmen. Russian is also spoken.

Weather: Extreme Continental climate. Summers are very hot and dry and winters are very cold.

Electricity: 20 volts AC, 50 Hz. Plugs are usually the round 2 pin type.

Post: Mail to the USA and Western Europe can take anything from two weeks to two months.

Transport: ROAD: Roads outside of the cities are in poor condition. BUS: Services are available to all major towns. TAXI: They can be found in all major towns. Many are unlicensed and fares should be agreed in advance. As many of the street names have changed since independence it is advisable to use both old and new names. DOCUMENTATION: When car hire is available an IDP will be required.

Special information: Carry your passport at all times. Bread should never be placed upside down. Shoes must be removed on entering someone’s home. Shorts are rarely seen. If worn by women they may attract unwelcome attention. In common with other Moslem countries drunkeness is not approved of and could be punished.

Capital: Tunis

Time zone: GMT + 1

Telephone services: Country Code: 216 Outgoing Code: 00

Emergency telephone numbers: Not present

Tourist information: Tunisian National Tourist Office, 77a Wigmore Street, London, W1H 9LJ Tel: (020) 7224 5561 Fax: (020) 7224 4053

Passport information: Valid passport required by all. Return Ticket Required. Requirements may change at short notice. Contact the embassy before departure.

Visa information: Visa required by all except nationals of Australia, Algeria, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahrain, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brunei, Bulgaria, Chile, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Dominica, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Gilbert Islands, Guernsey, Guinea Republic, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Kiribati, South Korea, Kuwait, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Former Yugoslavia, Republic of Macedonia, Malaysia, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Monaco, Montserrat, Morocco, Niger, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Romania, St Helena, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Grenadines, San Marino, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vatican City.

Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended.
Malaria: Not present.
Yellow Fever: A vaccination certificate is required for visitors over one year of age travelling from infected areas.
Other Health Risks: Rabies.

Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.

Currency: Tunisian Dinar (TD) = 1000 millimes
Exchange: All banks and most 3 star and above hotels. NOTE: Import and export of local currency is prohibited.
All major credit cards are widely accepted. Travellers cheques are accepted in major international currencies.
ATM availability: Over 35 locations.

Cost of living: Tourists can expect to pay more then locals but bargains can be found at the Souks. Traditionally Tunisia has been considered inexpensive, but large hotels are now comparable with Southern Mediterranean prices.

Languages: Arabic, English and French are widely spoken.

Weather: Warm climate throughout the year with higher temperatures inland which can be very hot. Winter has the highest rainfall.

Electricity: 220 Volts AC 50Hz. Plugs: 2 pin continental.

Post: 3-5 days airmail to Europe. Poste Restante operates in the main cities.

Transport: FLIGHTS: Regular daily domestic flights operate. ROAD: Extensive road network. The Garde Nationale will assist breakdowns free of charge. It is forbidden to drive in the Sahara without first contacting the Garde Nationale. DOCUMENTATION: log books, valid national driving licence and green cards are required. RAIL: Regular trains operate between Tunis and the major cities. Tickets must be purchased before the journey or double far will be charged.

Special information: Because of the situation of global and regional insecurity at present, travellers should exercise extreme
caution and make only necessary journeys to this country. If you intend to travel depite this advice you should be aware that dress can be informal but Islam conventions must be respected when visiting religious monuments. PHOTOGRAPHY: Do not take photos of military installations.