On this page we attempt to make available the experience of individual bicycle tourists who travel to Zambia (you can share your experiences here).
Bikes to and in Zambia
I have taken my bike from London to Lusaka about five times with British Airways; the last time was in June of 2005.
At Heathrow terminal 4 I take it to check in desk 61 where they don't usually weigh it or charge any extra. I have flown with the bike about 50 times in the last twenty years and never paid any excess.
Usual request, remove pedals and turn handlebars parallel to cross bar. I always insist that letting the tyres down is totally unnecessary; most times nowadays they leave them inflated.
At Lusaka the bike is always unloaded by hand and lying in the baggage hall ready for me to attach the luggage when it arrives.
In Zambia I cycle on bush tracks where I can cross rivers by dugout canoe where available and where there is no motorised traffic to run into me.
I no longer cycle on main tar roads which are quite dangerous. I never have any difficulty putting the bike on a bus either on the roof or in one of the boots. The bikes cost nearly as much as my fare but that is very reasonable. I have never known a taxi driver refuse to take my bike sticking out of the boot. I always fix it with a couple of luggage elastics.