The FCDO's read is that travel in Zambia's larger cities and major game parks is generally safe during daylight hours, but that serious crimes do happen: it advises pre-arranging transport so you are not walking at night, staying aware of your surroundings especially after dark, and using only cars arranged for you by a hotel or tour operator (FCDO Zambia, retrieved 2026-09-19). Its vehicle-crime precautions are worth following on every transfer — keep windows closed and doors locked while travelling, ignore hitchhikers or anyone trying to flag you down, and watch for carjackers when approaching locked gateways at night or where an object has been placed to block the road (FCDO Zambia, retrieved 2026-09-19). Volunteer placements in Lusaka and Livingstone are workable; smaller provincial towns have less developed infrastructure for solo travelers. Verify that your provider has pre-arranged transport for airport transfers and any after-dark movement. On dress: Zambian towns and rural village placements are conservative-leaning, modest dress — covered shoulders and knees — is the norm, it is observed less strictly in the resort zones around Livingstone and Victoria Falls, and community expectations of female volunteers in rural placements run more conservative than urban ones. That paragraph is our own editorial read of the destination, not official guidance.

Same-sex activity is criminalised under Zambian law with significant penalties. The political climate has tightened in recent years. Real legal and social risk. Verify with current FCDO / US State Department guidance — this is one of the destinations where the visibility-choice in our LGBTQ+ guide is most consequential.