Sending parcels to Zambia - What you need to know

The landlocked country of Zambia is most known for the dramatic Victoria Falls and wild Zambezi river, as well as for its legendary safaris and friendly people. A country of abundant wildlife, which includes ferocious big cats and enormous hippopotami, Zambia has more natural water supplies than any other southern African country. These sights, combined with the huge expanses of raw wilderness, make it easy to see why a growing number of tourists are visiting.

A generally peaceful, if economically poor nation, Zambia is a long standing member of the Universal Postal Union and the Southern Africa Postal Operators' Association. A former British colony, 2014 saw Zambia celebrating 50 years of independence from the UK.

For businesses, trade with Zambia is picking up, as the UK government makes a conscious effort to encourage more UK investment that can bring jobs and wealth to the Zambian economy. Since the times of the empire the UK has had a strong and established relationship with Zambia that remains today.

All of this means it's likely that the number of parcels whizzing out to Zambia is set to increase, so here's what you'll need to know when shipping your items.

What can't you send?

As with many countries, there are restrictions for certain items, in addition to those already stipulated by ipostparcels. According to the country's postal service Zampost, packages containing bank notes, currency, travellers cheques or other securities will not be accepted unless in registered or insured mail. Certain items may be restricted by value. A full list of prohibited items can be found on the Zampost website.

Customs: be prepared

As part of the African continent, parcels will also need to have the relevant customs forms completed, as is usual for international packages going outside of the EU. It is important to accurately declare the contents of the parcel to prevent any avoidable delays at customs. These forms need to be attached to the outside of the parcel. If you're sending a package with a value higher than £270 then you'll need to fill out the CN23 form. Anything of a smaller value can be recorded on a CN22 form.

It's more than 6,000 miles from London to Zambia's capital of Lusaka, so make sure you pack your parcel up securely for its long journey, padding fragile items well to ensure they arrive at their destination safely. Cover any openings with a strong tape and write the address clearly, with ZAMBIA in capital letters.

When all of this is done your parcel should be ready to go on its cross-continental trip.