Travel safety comparison · Africa

Botswana vs Zambia: safety comparison

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Botswana vs Zambia: side-by-side safety comparison. Risk scores, FCDO + US State advisories, drug law, women's safety, LGBTQ+ status.

· How Warnely scores risk →
Botswana and Zambia have very similar overall Warnely composite scores: 24 and 28. The choice between them is unlikely to be driven by the headline number alone. The biggest single category gap is in terrorism, where Botswana scores 1/5 against Zambia's 2/5. The US State Department currently carries a Level 2 advisory on Botswana and a Level 1 on Zambia.
🇧🇼Botswana 🇿🇲Zambia
Warnely composite (0–100, lower is safer) 24 / 100 28 / 100
Risk tier Exercise Normal Caution Exercise Normal Caution
UK FCDO advisory No active advisory No active advisory
US State Department advisory Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions)
Global Peace Index rank #43 #64
Drug law Severe (long sentences) Severe (long sentences)
Women's safety rating Exercise Caution Exercise Caution
LGBTQ+ legal status legal illegal
Tap water n/a n/a
Currency BWP ZMW
Full guide

Is Botswana safe to visit in 2026?
Full guide

Is Zambia safe to visit in 2026?

Botswana vs Zambia: common questions

Is Botswana or Zambia safer to visit?

Botswana has the lower Warnely composite risk score: 24/100 vs 28/100 (lower is safer). Both scores factor in crime, terrorism, natural disasters, health, civil unrest, and infrastructure.

Is Botswana or Zambia safer for solo female travellers?

Botswana is rated Exercise Caution for women's safety; Zambia is rated Exercise Caution. Read the full guides for city-level detail.

What do FCDO and US State Department say about Botswana and Zambia?

Botswana: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 2 (Exercise Increased Caution) (US State). Zambia: No active advisory (FCDO), Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions) (US State).

More comparisons

Botswana vs South Africa · Botswana vs Namibia · Botswana vs Zimbabwe · Botswana vs Eswatini · Zambia vs Zimbabwe · Malawi vs Zambia · Mozambique vs Zambia · Democratic Republic of Congo vs Zambia

Planning the trip? Check Botswana visa requirements and Zambia visa requirements.

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