Chirundu Border Crossing, Customs & Travel Information

chirundu border crossing credit Michael Jefferies flickr

Chirundu One Stop Border Post is a crossing on Zambezi River 67 km  north of Kariba Dam between Zimbabwe and Zambia.  It has a visa and immigration service. There are also border clearing agents. Huge haulage trucks and buses are allowed to cross the bridges. Here you find two bridges used mainly for road traffic between Lusaka and Harare. The area is a popular tiger fishing destination with a lot of wild elephants and other big game found in nearby safaris and national parks. It is also known for fishing lodges, crocodile and bream farms.

Important Information

Chirundu Border Post Opening Time: 6am to 6pm

Contact details for Zambia Customs: +260 21 1 515 031

Immigration: +260 21 1 515 075

Zimbabwe Contact Information:  Post address Postal Bag 6 Chirundu  Telephone +263 637 616  Fax +263 637 646 Weather: Based on reports and forecasts this area is like many places on the Zambezi. The place is very dry and a lot hotter than many places you may find in Zimbabwe. The temperatures are around 20 degrees Celsius in winter months from July to August. Any other time they are above 30degrees Celsius.

Chirundu border location on Zimbabwe Zambia map

Location: You may ask—Where is Chirundu? As shown on map it is found in Zimbabwe and Zambia.  It is smaller in the former and a big town in the later. A reverse set up of Victoria Falls!

The Otto Beit Bridge: Chirundu has twin road bridge crossings built across the Zambezi. The Otto Beit Bridge was constructed first in 1938. It is close to 400 metres long. Here we see part of the Great North Road running from South Africa to Harare, then Harare to Lusaka en route to East Africa. To reduce congestion a second Chirundu Bridge was added in 2002 just 85 metres from the Otto Beit Bridge.

Distances:

• Harare to Chirundu driving distance is 354 km
• Distance between Chirundu and Lusaka is 142 km
• Distance between Chirundu and Chinhoyi is 239 km
• Distance from Beitbridge to Chirundu is 897 km
• Distance between Chirundu and Tunduma is 1158 km
• Distance between Chirundu and Nakonde is 1152 km
• Kariba Dam is 67 km from Chirundu

 Accommodation: There is plenty of accommodation offered on both sides of the river. It comes in the form of lodges, guest houses and hotels.

Attractions: Lake Kariba  is the nearest attraction. Down the river we have a beautiful World Heritage Site, Mana Pools National Park.