Win a Victory: Zambia will launch visa-free travel for Russians

Moscow expects that the Zambian side will soon hand over to the Russian Federation a fully signed agreement on the abolition of visa requirements. This was stated to Izvestia by the Ambassador to the republic, Azim Yarakhmedov. The country also expects to launch a direct service within two to three years. Zambia is one of the safest countries in Africa, and the tourist flow from Russia there is gradually growing. Experts believe that the main obstacles will be high prices for flights and lack of access to the sea. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe and Mozambique are preparing a visa-free regime for Russians.

Visa-free regime of the Russian Federation and Zambia

The issue of signing a Russian-Zambian intergovernmental agreement on the abolition of visa requirements for citizens of both countries is currently being discussed, Russian Ambassador to Lusaka Azim Yarakhmedov told Izvestia.

"The parties expressed interest in concluding it," the diplomat said. — The document is currently at the final stage of approval. We expect that the Zambian side will soon hand over a fully signed agreement to the Russian side.

In addition, the republic expects to be able to resume flights in the next two to three years, Tourism Minister Rodney Sikumba said earlier. Previously, there was a direct flight route between Moscow and Lusaka. It was launched in 1977. But in 1991, political cooperation between the countries weakened against the background of the collapse of the USSR and the establishment of a new government in Zambia, where market reforms also took place. In addition, Zambia Airways considered the Russian route unprofitable and closed it. This decision was influenced by the Gulf War: fuel prices rose.

Azim Yarakhmedov stressed that he had personally discussed the possibility of launching flights with the Zambian side.

"I discussed the issue of resuming direct flights between the two capitals with the Minister of Transport and Logistics of Zambia, Frank Tayali," the diplomat added. — For this, as he noted, it will be necessary to conclude an additional agreement with the Russian side, in particular with Aeroflot, to resolve a number of technical issues.

According to him, the issue of the fullness of such flights remains open. According to the Russian Embassy, about 1,000 students from Zambia who study in Russia, more than 200 of our citizens living in the republic, and about 150 people a year as tourists may become potential passengers. However, taking into account the development of relations between the two countries, we can expect an increase in demand for the route, Yarakhmedov concluded.

Why is Zambia interesting to Russian tourists

Currently, flights to Zambia are operated only with transfers. Russians can apply for a visa to the country according to simplified rules: online or on arrival. According to the Minister of Tourism of Zambia, the flow of travelers from the Russian Federation is up to 15 thousand people.

The Republic is investing in a Russian-language service and is focusing on safari. More than 30% of the country's territory is devoted to wildlife, and in one of the main parks, South Luangwe, there is a famous hiking safari. Canoe safaris are also popular. This attracts those who need a more lively, local-inspired travel format.

Safari in Zambia is better than in South Africa, and it is becoming increasingly popular with foreign tourists. Zambians are more open than South Africans — Zambia is sometimes called "the friendliest heart of Africa" on the Internet, a Russian woman who visited both countries told Izvestia. — There is a huge variety of animals in the safari itself, you can get closer to them. In South Africa, mostly animals can be seen from a long distance, driving in a jeep.

Victoria Falls is located 11 km from Livingston on the border with Zimbabwe. It is called the largest in the world, with a width of about 1.7 km. The water is falling in a single front, like a giant "curtain". The waterfall has a local name — "Thundering smoke". The spray rises hundreds of meters, and there is almost constant "rain" around, which creates a local rainforest. In addition, Livingston has the largest and oldest museum in the country.

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To the north is Tanganyika, the longest freshwater lake basin in the world and one of the deepest, as well as Nsumbu National Park with coastline, beaches, coves and cliffs. For lovers of unusual nature, there is the Bangweulu land, a giant seasonally flooded plain that turns almost into an inland sea during the rainy season. This is one of the best places in Africa for bird watching, where the rarest whale-headed, which is called the feathered dinosaur-headed, lives. And Kasanka National Park hosts the largest bat migration in the world every year from October to December. About 10 million mammals fill the sky at once.

The combination of nature and relative privacy attracts the Russian tourist, who is already fed up with classic African destinations, said Mikhail Abasov, CEO of VCP Travel. According to him, visiting cultural villages allows you to touch authentic traditions without a staged gloss. Zambia also positions itself as one of the safest countries in Africa, and the absence of crowds typical of Kenya or Tanzania allows us to talk about a real exclusive, the expert noted.

Due to the lack of direct flights, Russians most often fly to Zambia via the UAE, Ethiopia, Qatar and Turkey. The fastest transfer route in Dubai takes over 15 hours. A ticket for one person will cost from 110 thousand rubles. There is a wide variation in the cost of hotels in Zambia. In Lusaka, you can find a hotel from 5.5 thousand to 20 thousand rubles per night. Prices are higher in Livingston. A five-star hotel there will cost 92 thousand rubles per day. At Victoria Falls, the cost increases to almost 50 thousand rubles. However, you can find quite budget options for 2-3 thousand rubles.

Abasov also mentioned the risks for tourism. It may be affected by fluctuations in the ruble exchange rate and possible delays in visa negotiations: even a partial tightening of entry rules can reset the momentum gained. Geographical remoteness and seasonality (the best period for safari is from May to October) They also require point marketing to avoid failures in the low season.

One of the key barriers to the development of tourism in the country is the price of jet fuel, which is twice the global average, which does not guarantee stable flight load, said Svetlana Batanova, senior lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.

Zambia is a landlocked country. This increases operational costs and complicates the maintenance of foreign aircraft. Nevertheless, the republic has already proved its ability to increase the overall tourist flow, and provided that direct flights appear, the country has every chance to gain a foothold in the segment of Russian premium tourism as a destination for those who are looking for a real Africa without compromise, concluded Abasov.

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Meanwhile, Mozambique is also preparing a visa-free regime for Russian citizens. In March 2026, the Russian Embassy in the republic announced that the process of agreeing on the mutual cancellation of visa requirements was under consideration by relevant departments in Maputo.

Since May 1, 2023, the country has been operating a regime according to which Russian citizens do not need to obtain visas in advance. You only need to register via eVisa/eTA, which must be completed no later than 48 hours before departure. A fee of about €10 is charged upon arrival.

The main tourist destinations in Mozambique are the Bazaruto and Quirimbas archipelagos, Inaka Island and the beaches of Inhambane province. They fly to the country for the sake of the warm Indian Ocean, diving and the opportunity to temporarily replace the hustle of large cities with the tranquility and regularity of life on the islands.

We are also interested in the influx of Russian tourists to Zimbabwe. Moscow and Harare have yet to coordinate work for cooperation in this area, the Russian Embassy told Izvestia.

"The conclusion of an agreement on the abolition of visa requirements and the launch of direct flights are considered as factors that will accelerate this process," the diplomats noted. — Relevant issues are naturally included in the list of topics included in the agenda of the Russian-Zimbabwean partnership.

In the republic, as in Zambia, you can see the famous Victoria Falls. The second strong trump card is safari. Greater Zimbabwe is the largest medieval stone complex south of the Sahara. It is the main shrine and cult center of the locals. The country can also attract lovers of relaxing holidays. Lake Kariba is one of the largest man—made reservoirs in Africa. Hiking is organized in the Eastern Highlands, where the climate and landscape are completely different than in the south of the country.