Botswana to Zambia – Kazungula Border
13/11/2021
Easy border quite a bit of annoying hassle from the money/insurance guys.
STEP 1
First you need a PCR test. Of course you do. You need this to both leave Botswana and enter Zambia. Cheapest place is the government testing lab at the weighbridge in Kazungula. This is on the right on the hill as you decend into Kazungula pretty much opposite side of the road to the shopping precinct with Liquorama and Choppies. However until you pay you don’t need to go there. So you go to the Botswana/Zimbabwe Border and pay for the test at BURS Cashier and pay there. Just go to the window and say you want to pay for a covid test. Get your receipt and go to the weighbridge testing office. Test results available next morning at 8am. The cost 500Pula.
STEP 2
Armed with your test go across the new Kazungula bridge to the other side of the river. Nothing needs to be done on the Botswana side. Go straight over. One you reach the gate to the terminal stop and exit the vehicle. Go to the back middle between the two arches and hand over your test. Get your temperature taken and sprayed with some magic vapour, head to foot you are sprayed.
STEP 3
Proceed right to the unified passenger terminal on the Zambia side and park up. The hassle starts now. Insurance is required for Zambia but just say you have a yellow card and ignore them. If you get stopped by the police say you are buying insurance in town. The cost in town is only 170K for 3 months. Its much more expensive here and you might get a fake. You can buy it online before entry. Your choice.
STEP 4
Enter the passenger terminal and go left. Start at Botswana Immigration (exit) then Customs (exit) the port health (Zam) at the back of the hall. Immigration and port health will want to see the PCR.
Next window pay your $20 USD Road Fund you will need this at each toll gate where you also pay another 20K.
STEP 5
Switch to the right hand side of the hall. Go to Immigration and pay for a visa. Theres two options. A combined Zim / Zam visa and a Zam only. We opted for the Zam only. $50USD for 1 month but extendable up to 2 times with 30 days more each time for free at the home affairs office in most towns. Easy.
Now up to customs but first you need to go to Interpol for clearance. Thats outside to the left. Go out turn left under the covered walkway and the little building at the end is Interpol. Take your car! See pictures. If you have a carnet he stamps the back of the carnet page you are using and you return to customs to get the carnet done. If you are doing a TIP i would ask customs if you need to go to interpol first.
Nearly there. Go to the last window in the hall near the exit on the Zam side and pay your bridge toll ($20usd is the cheapest option and currency) and your carbon tax. Carbon tax is in two versions, transit or not transit. If you are entering Zam and leaving via the same border its cheaper. If you are entering Zam and leaving via a different border its Transit and for us was 480K (normal is 240K).
STEP 5
Leave….stop at the exit gate in the middle of the road. Don’t block the arch. Exit vehicle and show the guy in the office your Toll, Carbon Tax and Carnet or TIP.
You’re done….
