American Express

Steve Blagus Travel is Zambia's official AMEX representative. Their office is at 24C Nkwazi Road, Lusaka 10101; tel: 238889. They are open Mon–Fri 08.00–16.30 and Sat 08.30–11.30.

Banks

The main banks have their head offices along Cairo Road, but many now have branches with ATMs at Manda Hill shopping centre as well as at the Arcades. Security here is far better than on Cairo Road, where withdrawals from ATMs are not to be recommended. There is also a well-guarded ATM at the Holiday Inn. These are the head offices of the major banks:

Barclays Bank of Zambia Kafue House, Cairo Rd; tel: 228858/66 or 227659/63; fax: 222519

Citibank Citibank House, Chachacha Rd; tel: 229025/28; fax: 226254

Finance Bank Chanik House, Cairo Rd; tel: 229733–42; fax: 227544; email: finance@coppernet.zm

Indo-Zambia Bank Cairo Rd; tel: 224653; fax: 225090; email; izb@zamnet.zm

Stanbic Bank Woodbank House, Cairo Rd; tel: 229285; fax: 225380

Standard Chartered Bank Standard House, Cairo Rd; Tel: 229242; Fax: 222092

Zambia National Commercial Bank Cairo Rd; tel: 221358; fax: 223082

Bureaux de change

As with the banks, bureaux de change were once found only along Cairo Road, but there is now a dealer at Manda Hill; they usually deal only with cash and will not exchange travellers' cheques. Many seem to do little to safeguard the privacy of transactions and hence the security of their customers, but at Manda Hill the security presence is conspicuous. Alternatively most of the larger hotels will change money, including travellers' cheques, though they generally offer poor rates or charge steep commissions – and may insist that you are a guest of the hotel. The best rate of exchange is to be found at Runnymede in Kabulonga, where there's no surcharge for small amounts. The rate at Manda Hill is good, as well, but you can expect a surcharge if you're changing less than US$50. Don't forget to take some ID with you. There is also a bureau de change at the main post office on Cairo Road, open Mon–Fri 08.00–17.00, Sat 08.00–1200.

Changing money on the street is of no advantage, as the rates are the same, but opens you to a much greater risk of being ripped off. Use a bank if you can, or a hotel if you cannot. And when changing travellers' cheques, remember to take the 'proof of purchase' slip that you got when you bought the cheques.