6 Tourist Scams in Lusaka

You're walking along Cairo Road when a group of men offers to exchange your US dollars for Zambian ...

You're walking along Cairo Road when a group of men offers to exchange your US dollars for Zambian kwacha at a rate much better than the banks. They fan out a thick bundle of notes and count them in front of you. Everything looks right -- until you get back to your hotel and discover the middle of the stack is filled with blank paper or worthless low-denomination bills. Redditors on r/travel and World Nomads specifically warn about these street exchangers in Lusaka who target tourists with the classic 'paper filler' technique. Some have been known to become aggressive if you try to recount.

You arrive at a checkpoint or government office and an 'official' in uniform or behind a desk ...

You arrive at a checkpoint or government office and an 'official' in uniform or behind a desk demands payment for a fee you've never heard of -- a 'transit levy,' 'tourism contribution,' or 'processing surcharge.' When you ask for a receipt, they say receipts aren't available right now or the machine is broken. Redditors on r/africa note this is common throughout Zambia, where low-paid government workers supplement their income by inventing fees for tourists. The World Nomads safety guide specifically advises that anyone who claims not to issue official receipts is almost certainly running a scam.

You're having coffee at a hotel restaurant when a well-dressed local man strikes up friendly conversation.

He casually mentions his lucrative side business buying gemstones, emeralds, or gold locally and selling them internationally for huge profit. He offers to show you the dealer and split the profits. The 'gems' turn out to be worthless glass or synthetic stones, and you've just paid thousands of dollars for rocks. Police have arrested multiple individuals running this scam in Lusaka, including one case involving $105,000 in fake gold sold to a South African businessman.

You arrive at Lusaka's intercity bus terminus for a journey to Livingstone or Chipata.

Aggressive touts grab your bags and rush you toward their preferred bus company, claiming others are 'full' or 'broken down.' Once your luggage is loaded, the operator demands an excessive luggage fee -- sometimes doubling the ticket price. Redditors on TripAdvisor describe the Lusaka bus station as 'unpleasant by day and horrible at night,' with touts acting as self-appointed agents charging whatever they can for bags. Some travelers report items disappearing from checked luggage stored in cargo holds.

You withdraw cash from an ATM at Manda Hill or a bank on Cairo Road.

Without realizing it, someone inside the bank or loitering nearby has been watching you. They follow you at a distance, waiting until you reach a quieter area -- a parking lot, a side street, or the entrance to your guesthouse. Then they strike, often with a bladed weapon, demanding the cash you just withdrew. Redditors on r/africa and government travel advisories confirm that criminals in Lusaka specifically follow foreigners from banks, hotels, bars, and restaurants to rob them in isolated locations.

You arrive at the Lusaka bus terminal looking for a bus to Livingstone and a man approaches ...

You arrive at the Lusaka bus terminal looking for a bus to Livingstone and a man approaches offering tickets at a good price. He walks you to a 'booking office' that is actually a random shop front, takes your cash, and gives you a handwritten ticket. When you board the bus, the conductor has no record of your booking and demands you pay again. A Reddit user on r/Zambia warned about agents who operate outside the terminal and collect deposits that never make it to the actual bus company. The advice was to insist on meeting the vehicle owner and never hand cash to a middleman.