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Crossing the Zambezi between Botswana and Zambia by bridge, with 24-hour operation announced in February 2026.
Kazungula Bridge Border: Botswana to Zambia Crossing Guide: History & Culture
Updated 13 October 2026.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Countries | Botswana (Kazungula, near Kasane) and Zambia (Kazungula, on the Livingstone side). The Zambezi River forms the border. |
| Also known as | Kazungula Bridge, Kazungula One Stop Border Post (OSBP), Kazungula Border. The old crossing was a pontoon ferry. |
| Roads | A33 (Botswana) and M19 (Zambia) |
| Hours | The Botswana government announced 24-hour operation on 24 February 2026 (checked 13 October 2026). An older KAZA guide still lists 06:00 to 20:00, so confirm before a late or early crossing. |
| Festive-season hours | No separate festive hours published |
| One-stop border post | Yes. The Botswana government calls it the Kazungula One Stop Border Post. |
| Who can cross | Vehicles, and people on foot along the bridge’s pedestrian walkways. The bridge carries one traffic lane each way. |
| Nearest towns | Kasane and Kazungula village (Botswana), Kazungula village and Livingstone (Zambia) |
| Last checked | 13 October 2026 |
Not to be confused with: Kazungula Road, a separate road post. This guide covers the bridge between Botswana and Zambia.
The crossing sits on the Zambezi River, where Botswana and Zambia meet, close to the point where Zimbabwe and Namibia nearly meet them too. The Kazungula Bridge opened to traffic on 10 May 2021 and replaced the old ferry. It is 923 m long and 18.5 m wide, with one traffic lane each way, pedestrian walkways and a single railway line (checked 13 October 2026, Wikipedia). Its coordinates are 17.7911°S 25.2625°E.
Road distances, from the OpenStreetMap route planner (OSRM), checked 13 October 2026:
These are driving times without queues at the border.
| Period | Botswana side | Zambia side | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal | 24 hours, as announced | 24 hours, as announced (the post is operated as a one-stop post) | Botswana government news service (dailynews.gov.bw, 24 February 2026), also reported by allAfrica | 13 October 2026 |
The announcement was made by President Duma Boko at the joint Botswana and Zambia launch of the Kazungula Bridge Authority on 24 February 2026. The article says the post “will start to operate on a 24-hour basis” and gives no start date, and neither country’s border agency notice was available to us. The KAZA Univisa guide at kaza.org lists 06:00 to 20:00 and is undated. If you plan to cross late at night or very early, check before you travel with the Botswana and Zambian border and immigration authorities.
Follow the same order in reverse: leave Zambia, then enter Botswana. The Zambia Department of Immigration lists the KAZA Univisa as covering day trips into Botswana through Kazungula.
The bridge has pedestrian walkways. Plan for open sun and carry water.
Truck queues are better documented than car queues. The Kweli Corridor Network (updated 17 August 2026) reports truck waits of 3 to 6 hours on quiet weekdays and 12 to 24 hours at peak for Zambia to Botswana. Those figures are for trucks, not cars.
| Document | Who needs it | Source, checked 13 October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Passport valid for at least 6 months from the date you arrive, with at least 3 blank pages | Everyone entering Zambia | Zambia Department of Immigration, Arriving and Departing |
| Passport valid for at least 6 months from the date you arrive | Everyone entering Botswana (UK government wording for British travellers) | GOV.UK Botswana entry requirements |
| No visa for Zambia | Citizens of South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the United Kingdom and the United States are on Zambia’s no-visa list. Land arrivals must show enough funds for their stay and departure. | Zambia Department of Immigration, nationals who do not require a visa |
| No visa for Botswana, up to 90 days | British citizens | GOV.UK Botswana entry requirements |
| KAZA Univisa | Eligible nationals who need a visa. US$50, valid up to 30 days in any 12 months, obtainable at Kazungula, covers Zambia and Zimbabwe and day trips to Botswana via Kazungula. | Zambia Department of Immigration, KAZA Univisa |
Other nationalities should check their own visa position with the Zambia Department of Immigration and the Botswana Department of Immigration before they travel. If you are driving a rental or financed vehicle, ask the owner or finance company for written permission to cross before you leave, and ask the revenue authorities in both countries what vehicle papers and charges apply to your car.
Our own stays near the crossing, all within about an hour’s drive:
The Botswana government announced 24-hour operation on 24 February 2026 (checked 13 October 2026). Its article gives no start date and an older KAZA guide lists 06:00 to 20:00, so check before a late or early crossing.
No. Kazungula Road is a separate road post. This guide covers the bridge between Botswana and Zambia.
Citizens of South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, the United Kingdom and the United States are on Zambia’s no-visa list. Other nationals may use the KAZA Univisa (US$50, up to 30 days in any 12 months) if they are eligible. Checked 13 October 2026.
The bridge has pedestrian walkways. Carry water and allow time in the sun.
Yes. The Botswana government calls it the Kazungula One Stop Border Post.
About 20 km from Kasane and about 71 km from Livingstone by road (OpenStreetMap route planner, checked 13 October 2026).
Zambia asks for at least six months from the date of entry and three blank pages. Botswana asks British travellers for six months too (GOV.UK, checked 13 October 2026).
Kasane and Kazungula village are nearest on the Botswana side. Kazungula village and Livingstone are nearest on the Zambian side.
Truck queues of 3 to 24 hours are reported depending on the day (Kweli, updated 17 August 2026). We have no published waiting times for private cars.
Last checked 13 October 2026.
Photo: Matthias Hille (Matthias-Tf), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
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