Overall Impression When we visited Chinzombo it had just reopened in June 2013, after many years of closure, as a luxury bush camp with six riverfront tents. Meals, beverages and safari activities were included in the daily fees. Geared toward those just dipping their toes into the world of safari and not quite ready to commit to a more remote bush camp experience, the luxury camp offered many of the perks of exclusive accommodations alongside optimal game viewing next to the Luangwa River in Zambia.

We arrived at Chinzombo by traversing the Luangwa River in a small boat, watched by some disconcertingly large crocodiles sunbathing on the river bank. As we crossed the water, we had our first view of the camp’s attractive main bar and dining area, and six luxury villas spread apart in a grove of trees on a bluff above the river. The architecture had a modern feel, with gray and cream steel frames, wooden decks and open fronts facing the river. The decor paid homage to local safari history with authentic luggage trunks, field chairs, brass and leather fittings and in the bar area some paraphernalia belonging to the late Norman Carr. The main area was open, airy and comfortable against the backdrop of beautiful natural surroundings.

The river was a wonderful feature during our stay. Our open-fronted tent allowed us to view, from the comfort of our bed, the first morning sunlight hit the opposite riverbank. We enjoyed watching hippos, impalas and other animals come down to the water’s edge for their first drink of the day. We also spent a lot of time observing hippos from the circular comfortable couch in the common bar and dining area, which had a magnificent view perched above the river. We found hippos hilarious as they jostled and grunted at each other like grumpy old men.

The food at the camp was consistently fresh, delicious and prepared well, from breakfast eggs cooked over an open fire pit to tasty a la carte dinners served with South African wines in the evening. Most of the fruits and vegetables came from a community garden, which helped support the local economy, or from the garden of the of Norman Carr Safaris Kapani Lodge.

Our camp hosts Findlay and Wendy Hunter were exceptional. They were open and friendly with a knack for conversation, which helped guests quickly shift from strangers to friends. We appreciated their efforts, especially since all guests sat at the same table during evening meals. They were so personable that at times it felt as if they were hosting a really fun house-warming party. At the same time they were professional and accommodating, ensuring that all of our needs were met.

Overall, Chinzombo felt more like a modern high-end premier service boutique tent hotel, than a traditional safari camp. This doesn’t mean that it was missing great game viewing and quality safari guides, or that it detracted from the fact we were in the African Bush. Watching hippos walk through the camp and hearing elephants make trumpet-like sounds close to our tent were vivid reminders that we were in the Zambian bush. We liked the camp’s modern design. Creature comforts such as a lovely selection of South African wines, brand new accommodations with state of the art cooling systems, a private deck with plunge pool, and oversized bath tub where we enjoyed hot bubble baths while looking onto the Luangwa River made us feel pampered. Adding to its charm was the rich history of Norman Carr’s legacy of wildlife conservation, which was integrated into the Chinzombo tented camp experience. We would certainly return and highly recommend Chinzombo to our friends and family seeking a contemporary safari experience.

Children Yes. For guests with children too young to go on safari walks in the national park, Chinzombo offered safari walks, with a guide and scout, on their private land just behind the tents.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury oriented tented camp

Connectivity The prepaid Wi-Fi in our room ran out once during our stay. It was reinstated immediately. There were plans to upgrade to a non-prepaid service. The common dining and bar area also had hi-speed Wi-Fi.

General Managers Findlay and Wendy Hunter.

Handicapped Access There were ramps leading to the front door of every tent as well as in the camp common areas. Showers and toilets were big enough for wheelchairs.

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location The camp was located on the bank of the Luangwa River, on private land opposite the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. We arrived on the national park side of the river at the end of a game drive from a previous lodge and were ferried across. Travelers arriving directly to the camp from Lusaka would have to take an hour flight to Mfuwe Airport.

Managed The managing director of Norman Carr Safaris was Dave Wilson.

Owned Norman Carr Safaris, co-owned by Thierry Dalais (main investor) and Adrian Carr (the son of Norman Carr).

Pets No pets were allowed

Size The camp was on a 60-acre private reserve with Luangwa River frontage. There were six tents that could accommodate two people each, and one family tent that could house up to five people. There were 17 employees at the camp.

Year Opened And Date Of Most Recent Renovation Opened in June 2013

Lobby And Common Areas An open bar and dining area, 10 by 25 meters large, looked out over the Luangwa River. The décor was contemporary safari camp style featuring local natural materials such as copper, and leather fittings. Next to the bar, there was a display of Norman Carr books, large photographs and trunks from the original bush safari camps, adding a historic flair to the camp. A dominant feature of the dining area was the observation deck, which extended out towards the edge of the river. It had a plush circular couch and fire pit. The floors in the main area and the tents looked like contemporary grey-toned wooden floors, but were made of Composite, an ecofriendly material made of recycled plastic and wood. The infrastructure of the camp was built with sustainably sourced or recycled materials. We liked the ambiance of the common areas and appreciated them as a space to relax and enjoy the natural environment.

There were some minor details that needed to be worked out since the camp had just opened two weeks prior to our arrival. An example was that the public bathroom was not yet open in the common area. However, based on the quality service and dedication of the staff we’re confident that such little kinks will be worked out in no time at all.

Bathroom Our tent had an open floor plan. The bathroom was towards the end of the rectangular space rather than in a dedicated room. The area, about five square meters large , consisted of a stand-alone shower, water closet, free standing slipper bathtub and double-basin sink section with large mirrors. The oversized bathtub was notable, as it was situated in the middle of the bathroom area and offered fantastic views out onto the Luangwa River. Upon request the staff would run a bath for us. They timed it so that by the time we got back to our tent after finishing sundowners in the bar, the bath water was hot and full of bubbles. We consistently had hot water for showers and baths throughout our stay. The toilet area was discretely curtained off at the very end of the space, though being fabric it wasn’t as private as a walled in toilet room.

Room We stayed in the southernmost tent, Number One, about a two minute walk from the dining and bar area. The tent was about 10 meters from the next unit, situated roughly 10 meters from a five meter-high embankment looking over the river. We were free to walk back and forth along the landscaped gravel path from our tent to the main area during the day, but were escorted at night. Our tent had a deck with couches and four loungers, as well as a private plunge pool. As with the dining area, the décor was contemporary safari. The interior space was about 14 meters by 11 meters. The room had tent like canvas walls over a steel frame, as well as walls made of dried grass.

The color scheme and fittings were light grey, brown, white and copper, all reminiscent of a safari camp with modern touches. Our space was comfortable and relaxing thanks to soothing colors and a thoughtfully designed interior. For lighting, there was a low energy desk lamp, bed lamps, and four main lights, one of which was encased in a beautiful copper lamp shade. The front of the tent was open (though we kept the mosquito net in place). The bed itself was what management referred to as a two and three quarter size, with Egyptian cotton sheets, a bed cover made of raw linen, and synthetic down pillows. We liked the two hot water bottles the staff placed in our bed during turn down service each night. It was a welcome amenity given the chilly African winter nights.

The room included a modern, quiet and energy efficient Evening Breeze cooling system mounted above the bed which lowered the temperature by five to seven degrees without requiring full air conditioning. If greater cooling was required, standard air conditioning could be used also. We never used the cooling system since we visited during Zambia’s winter. In addition to the bed, there was a mini-fridge, wooden desk and chair, a shelving and storage unit with plenty of space for clothes and toiletries, an upholstered plush chair, and a round cushioned bench.

Meals The food was delicious, and it seemed at times we were being continuously fed. Breakfasts were served on the common area deck overlooking the river. Toast and our style of eggs were cooked over an open fire. There was a good selection of cereals, spreads, fruit and yoghurt. There was also a wide variety of coffees available, which guests could also make for themselves if they desired, using a Nespresso machine.

Lunches were fresh and tasty buffets, with a selection of meats, salads (such as lentil, rainbow, cabbage, mango), homemade bread and a variety of oils, dressings and chutneys. Just before leaving for afternoon safari drives, we were served tea and cakes. Dinner was a la carte, typically a choice of three dishes each night (one of which was vegetarian), plus several dessert options. Dishes served while we were there included risotto or chicken liver pate starters, chicken curry, and tilapia in banana leaf with chopped tomatoes in sweet sauce. For dessert there were a number of options such as chocolate or cheese cake and whipped cream. The complimentary house wines were South African and went well with the meals. The staff offered us snacks and beverages during the safari drives. Although the staff invited us to dine on the deck of our tent, we chose to join the other guests in the dining area.

Meals were prepared fresh each day by Jason Njobvu, the head chef, and his team. He had trained with Norman Carr Safaris and received annual training opportunities. We enjoyed the diversity of dishes.

Amenities All food, bar drinks, house wines, game viewing activities and transportation to and from Mfuwe Airport were included in the nightly accommodation fees. In room amenities included complimentary whiskey, raw linen bathrobes, slippers, mosquito spray, blow dryer, and electronic safe. The mini-fridge had complimentary bottled water, soft drinks and beer. Chinzombo offered complimentary daily laundry service. A form had to be filled out for specific laundering needs. The 700 milliliter bottles of shampoo and shower gel were made by Whimsical in Lusaka.

Facilities The bar common area had a small collection of books, mostly safari titles, available to guests. In the future, the camp planned to add exercise and yoga areas.

Pool Our tent had a plunge pool that was 6 by 3 meters wide.

Activities Chinzombo offered a number of activities, including day and night game drives and walking safaris in the South Luangwa National Park, cultural and local village tours, tours to a local community garden, and a visit to Tribal Textiles, an outdoor market where textiles and products by local artists were sold.

We went on morning and night game drives aboard a new open Land Rover as well as a morning walking tour. There were two full-time safari guides at the camp, Shaddy Nkoma and Abraham Banda. Both had years of guiding experience including many years of working with the famed Norman Carr. Shaddy was our personal guide for gaming activities during our stay.

Upon our request, we visited the Kapani School Project, a local school that Norm Carr Safari had been supporting since the 1980s. Relying on funds raised from guests, they had sponsored the education of hundreds of children. We enjoyed our brief visit, especially talking to one of the teachers who explained how the school had expanded over the years thanks to the donations brought by the company. We also visited an innovative community garden aimed at deterring poaching by generating income for local residents. The garden gave away free fruit and vegetable seedlings to local farmers. After learning how to harvest them, the farmers would sell their produce to local safari lodges, including Norman Carr Safaris. We were impressed to hear that the project provided sufficient income for 300 farmers.

Game viewing: We were the only guests on our safari excursions, accompanied by Shaddy and Luis, an armed scout. Shaddy answered any questions we had during the drives while Luis kept a lookout for animals. They both had exceptional eyesight, spotting animals at incredible distances. Shaddy’s easy going personality made him approachable and the safari outings enjoyable. We perceived a sense of family among the staff. The owners referred to Shaddy as “Uncle Shaddy” and such a familiarity set a nice tone for our safari excursions.

My favorite walking safari while in Zambia was during my stay at Chinzombo. Shaddy, Luis and I entered the South Luangwa National Park around 8 a.m. With a water bottle in hand Shaddy clearly explained safety rules during our walk. We came across zebras, giraffes, impalas and elephants within an hour of the walk. Seeing those animals on foot was such a different experience compared to the safari drive from the previous day. It left me with a much better appreciation of the landscape and wildlife than I had before the walk. When we returned to the car, Shaddy, offered us hot tea, coffee and mid-morning cakes.

Though we saw a lot of game, we didn’t see the larger predators such as leopards and lions. On one of the days, Shaddy had spotted a leopard with an impala in its mouth while driving alone back to camp. He rushed to pick us up so we could see the leopard. Even though she was gone by the time we drove back, we appreciated Shaddy’s efforts. We were told that viewing is a lot better during the dry season, when animals are forced to stay close to the river and can be watched from the camp. At the end of the night drive, we pulled up to a scenic spot near the river where the staff served sundowners including alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages and some savory snacks. It was an enjoyable way to watch the sun set.

During our safari outings we saw: African elephant, African buffalo, greater kudu, common waterbuck, impala, puku, bushbuck, hippopotamus, spotted hyena, large spotted genet, crawshay’s zebra, thornicroft’s giraffe, four-toed elephant shrew, tree squirrel, slender mongoose, warthog, yellow baboon, and vervet monkey.

In terms of birds, we saw: bateleur, African fish eagle, martial eagle, hooded vulture, lappet-faced vulture, white-backed vulture, cattle egret, Egyptian goose, spur-winged goose, hamerkop, black-headed heron, grey heron, African sacred ibis, hadeda ibis, openbill, African spoonbill, marabou stork, saddle-billed stork, wooly-necked stork, yellow-billed stork, African Jacana, white-crowned lapwing, helmeted guineafowl, red-necked spurfowl, Swainson’s spurfowl, little bee-eater, white-fronted bee-eater, lilac-breasted roller, African grey hornbill, red-billed hornbill, cape turtle dove, emerald-spotted wood dove, laughing dove, red-eyed dove, grey go-away bird, square-tailed night jar, African palm swift, tropical boubou, red-billed oxpecker, yellow-billed oxpecker, greater blue-eared starling, Meve’s starling, arrow-marked babbler, redbilled firefinch, blue waxbill, white-browed sparrow-weaver and red-billed buffalo weaver.

Other The camp had 220 volt electricity, as well as a back-up generator system. They had to use the generator once during our stay. It was a quiet and seamless transition. As guests, it did not affect us at all. The tents had diverse electrical outlets that could accommodate British three prong plugs or American two-prong plugs.

The water was filtered and we were able to brush our teeth using sink water. They offered us bottled water as well mainly because if we poured water in a bottle, the minerals in the water turned it a slightly pink hue.

Since its inception, Norman Carr Safaris strived to be at the forefront of safari innovation. In their early years, they were among the first in the Luangwa Valley to offer safari camps, walking safaris, and to integrate community-based projects into their operation. In more recent times, they were the first to include a Zambian female guide. Fast forward to Chinzombo, which was constructed in such a way to minimize its green footprint. The infrastructure was built with recycled materials. The rooftop of the bar and dining area was built so that it would collect rainwater, and the insulation panels were designed to reduce the need for cooling and heating systems.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Visit June 2013

Reviewers Article by Laura Scheiber

Photos by Matthew James Harris

Service The service was excellent. Our hosts, Wendy and Findlay, were young, energetic and engaging, always striving to ensure everything was to our liking. They responded immediately if there were any issues. Waiters were attentive and cleaning staff were fast, efficient and thorough. Our tent was pristine every time we returned to it. The porters who walked us from the bar and dining area to our tent each night took their job of protecting us from hippos and elephants seriously. They also had had years of experience working in more remote bush camps, which made us feel safe since they knew the bush well. There was a night guard, who stood about 30 feet from our tent throughout the evening. Staff received formal training on an annual basis through certified short courses, as well as refresher courses for chefs, waiters, housekeepers, guides, and trainee guides.

Would You Stay Again? Yes

Overall Impression My husband and I were delighted with our stay at the Luangwa Safari House, a private four-bedroom bush-style home with dedicated staff near one of Zambia’s best known national parks. Situated in the bush on private land the property had an estimated value of nearly one million dollars. The house was a 15-minute drive to the main entrance of the South Luangwa National Park and a five-minute drive to an alternative entrance via a pontoon crossing. The close proximity to the South Luangwa National Park facilitated safari activities within it. Staying at the House provided us plenty of opportunities to see hundreds of animals, in the national park and from the comfort of the House. Our head safari guide Jacob Shawa shared his wealth of knowledge, clear explanations of the animals we encountered, and a genuine enthusiasm for the bush. He went above and beyond the call of duty to heighten our chances of seeing animals during our bush excursions, making him our favorite guide during our 12-day stay in Zambia.

Covering a generous floor space of 300 square meters and 12 meters in height, the design of the two-story house complemented its natural setting in a unique and luxurious way. Tastefully built with local materials, the house featured whitewashed walls, a massive thatched roof with rounded corners, and leadwood trees that served as the main frame. My favorite feature of the house was its open back wall that offered outstanding unobstructed views from all the rooms. The common areas were open and comfortable with plenty of places to relax and enjoy the natural surroundings.

Because the house was strategically built next to a large watering hole, we enjoyed many game viewing opportunities from the comfort of its rooms. The theater of nature enthralled us as herds of elephants, giraffes, baboons and impalas often passed by the property. On the day of our arrival, an elephant walked right up to the open front door, curiously studying the strange creatures (us) on the other side. At nighttime, we heard elephants munching on tree branches not 15 feet from our bedroom, while birds awoke us with song at sunrise. It gave us the sense of being immersed in the natural cycles of the bush (though admittedly with more cakes and sundowners). The outstanding service complemented the quiet setting and made our visit extra special.

A staff of eight was dedicated to looking after my husband and me, and they did so with care and attention. At any given hour, someone was attending to us. Sometimes it was Christobel Phiri, the house hostess, asking if our room was to our liking and when we wanted our next meal, or Jacob inquiring about our preferences for the following day. Their decisions were based on our needs and interests, including how long the safari walks and drives lasted. We were almost never alone and the staff was a class act of impeccable manners, big smiles and easygoing conversations. We appreciated that the entire staff was Zambian and seemed to genuinely enjoy their work.

We were sad to leave the Luangwa Safari House but grateful for so many memories to last a lifetime. With such unique architecture and accommodations, creature comforts, game viewing and outstanding service, the Luangwa Safari House was everything we envisioned a luxury safari experience to be and more. We thoroughly enjoyed the exclusive use of the spacious house, the meticulous service of the staff assigned solely to us, and numerous opportunities to view four of the Big Five game animals (minus the rhinoceros).

Children Anyone over seven years of age was welcome.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury private safari house

Connectivity Upon request, Internet access was available at the Robin Pope main office about a kilometer away from the House.

Handicapped Access Guests in wheelchairs could stay in one of the two bedrooms on the lower floor, and any additional requirements could be addressed as best as possible on an as-needs basis.

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location The Luangwa Safari House was just outside the South Luangwa National Park. The main entrance of the park could be reached by car in 15 minutes, or a five-minute drive to an alternative entrance via a pontoon crossing. The house was about 40 minutes from the Mfuwe Airport.

Manager Jacob Shawa

Owned And Managed Robin Pope Safaris

Pets Allowed No

Size The House spanned 300 square meters and was on 300 hectares of private land. With four private bedrooms and bathrooms, it could accommodate up to eight guests. There were eight staff members working at the property during our stay.

Transportation Daily flights were available from Lusaka. Our flight was approximately one hour, while flights from Lilongwe, Malawi were about one hour. Robin Pope Safaris provided direct transportation to and from the airport. We were picked up in a covered Toyota Land Cruiser and drove about 30 minutes on a tarmac road, followed by 15 minutes on a dirt road. En route to the House we saw baboons, elephants and impalas.

Year Open-Renovated The House opened in 2005 and is renovated for maintenance on an annual basis. The last major renovation was in March of 2013, when they redid the kitchen and replaced all of the floors.

Common Areas My husband and I found the Luangwa Safari House, designed by Neil Rocher, a world-renowned architect who specializes in eco-friendly high-end safari and beach accommodations, to be the epitome of a luxury safari house. The infrastructure was built with natural resources from the surrounding area including 25 vertical supports made of leadwood trees, (none of which was cut down, they had already died from natural causes), a thatched roof and an impressive red mahogany front door towering three meters. The entrance was one of many details that made the house a unique and elegant haven in the African bush.

The common area, an open-spaced structure with a thatched high ceiling and white-washed walls, included a kitchen, bar, dining area and living room. A long marble dining table for eight people was in the entryway. A sizable iron chandelier hung above the dining table. Just behind it were three plush couches positioned in a u-shape and facing the back end of the House. The house was decorated in neutral colors that complimented the wooden door frames, house beams and coffee tables. The overall effect was classic safari elegance. On either side of the massive front door were two wooden staircases leading to bedrooms. A well-stocked bar was in the kitchen immediately to the side of the entryway. Plenty of books on the wooden coffee table and bookshelves were available.

The most striking aspect of the common areas was the open back end, which offered outstanding views of the expansive watering hole visited by elephants, baboons, giraffes, impalas and other animals. At nighttime, the staff closed up the house to keep animals out by covering the open space with a drop-down canvas wall. Just beyond the sitting area was a round plunge pool that could accommodate eight guests with ease. A long wooden deck roughly 20 feet long jutted out towards the watering hole. Near the edge farthest from the house sat a weathered leather plush couch, a perfect spot to watch animals amble on by and appreciate the quiet of the surrounding area.

Bathroom Our 15-square meter bathroom was separated from the sleeping area by a wood door. There were two sinks, a large mirror and a glass-less window covered with mesh. The salient feature of the bathroom was the shower set-up. Instead of a separate designated area, there were two showerheads opposite one another. When they were in use the entire bathroom transformed into a single spacious shower. In the middle of the shower area there was a leadwood tree stump that served as a table and held soap, shampoos and shower gel. We had hot and cold water throughout our entire stay, though one of the showerheads was more consistent with the hot water than the other.

The bathroom’s brown and neutral colors aligned with the house’s natural setting. The large mirror that hung above the double sinks was big enough to span the entire marble countertop. Like the rest of the house, the floor was made of cemcrete, a cement-based material with oxides that gave the earth tone floor a polished finish. The bathroom’s minimal furnishings meant there was plenty of room to move around and added to its bush charm.

Room Picking a bedroom was no small feat, as each room was wonderful in its own unique way. The Copper Room was inviting because of the oversized copper bathtub. The Glass Room had two beds and was decorated in shades of blue, which created a soothing ambience. Being on the second floor with a suspended wooden veranda that looked out onto the seasonal watering hole, this room had a fantastic vantage point in terms of game viewing. The Metal Room offered peripheral views that were not as accessible in the main area.

In the end we chose the 50-square meter Sand Room on the first floor. We couldn’t resist the king-sized bed that sat in the middle of the room and faced the natural scenery behind the house. Like the other rooms, the entire back wall was open during the day, and thanks to the circular shape of the room, the open area offered fabulous landscape views from numerous angles. Shortly after unpacking, we watched baboons on the grassy lawn immediately outside our bedroom.

The décor was simple yet tasteful, with off-white walls, wooden accents and a beige bed cover with a rectangular pattern that complimented the style of the room. The bed was most comfortable, so much so that we often fell into a deep sleep within minutes of lying down at night. An off-white upholstered chair was in the corner and faced out onto the landscape. Just outside of the bedroom were two wooden director-style chairs with cloth seating, ideal for relaxing while enjoying the scenery. I liked that the room had minimal furniture because it complemented the natural surroundings.

A wooden ceiling fan was directly above the bed, along with a standing fan in the corner. Our bed was fully covered with a mosquito net and had Egyptian cotton linens. There was a small wooden ottoman at the foot of the bed. The wall was aligned with a handful of wooden shelves to store personal items. An attractive brightly colored painting took up a good portion of the wall closest to the bathroom. While the staff welcomed us to try out other rooms, we opted to stay put.

Meals The food, geared toward a western palate, was consistently plentiful and tasty. Dishes were made from scratch and on site in the chef’s kitchen next to the House. The House had a dedicated Zambian chef who had learned to cook on the job with various chefs. He participated in annual in-house chef training programs, including some conducted occasionally by consultants for specific courses.

Each morning a large pot of yummy porridge awaited us, along with fresh fruit, juice, coffee, tea, and a variety of jams, peanut butter, honey, and marmite to spread on freshly baked warm bread. During the late morning, we had freshly baked mini-cakes, tea and coffee on safari drives and walks. This was the only safari lodge we stayed at that included a tea bearer on the safari walk so we could enjoy morning teas and cakes while on the walk.

On the day of our arrival, we had an unforgettable lunch served on a dock that jutted out towards the watering hole. A massive ebony tree shaded our dining table. A delicious buffet of quiche, chicken, pasta with pesto, salad and warm fresh bread awaited us. Emanuel Mumba, our waiter, and Edward Karia, our room attendant, served us with smiles and attentive care. While the food was delicious, what made this lunch unforgettable was the wildlife that surrounded us. Baboons jumped from branch to branch in the tree above us. A family of elephants meandered not 20 feet from the deck and splashed around in a small pond. A giraffe eyed us carefully as he walked past.

Prior to dinner, we were served appetizers such as mini-corn cakes with chutney and potato flat mini-pancakes with mascarpone cheese and chives. For dinner, we enjoyed a candlelit three-course meal with a choice of South African Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, or mixed drinks from the bar. Coffee or tea were available during dessert.

Amenities Game viewing activities, local village tours, and meals and beverages were included in the nightly rate. Creature comforts we appreciated included a well-stocked bar, refreshing washcloths handed to us by the staff anytime we returned from an activity, blankets to keep us warm during drives, delicious appetizers and sundowners, and a head guide and tracker or spotter on every game drive and walk.

In the bathroom, there were 700 milliliter bottles of insect repellent lotion, shower gel and shampoo. The brand of toiletries was Skin. They were produced in a farm outside of Lusaka. There were two bathrobes made of a cotton and calico blend, two large bath towels, and two wash cloths. Additional amenities included: complimentary daily laundry service, flashlight, and game-viewing booklet to mark the animals we saw during bush activities (not all of the safari houses we visited in Zambia offered these booklets).

The full-size refrigerator in the kitchen had two types of South African white wines, champagne, water, juice, and a variety of domestic and international beers. The bar was stocked with spirits, South African red wine and a variety of teas. We could help ourselves anytime to the goodies. On game drives there was a mini bean-bag that served as an effective impromptu camera tripod. We were served tea, coffee and cakes for a mid-morning snack and sundowners on evening drives. On our departure we received a complimentary Robin Pope Safaris branded water canteen as a souvenir.

Pool A circular plunge pool three meters wide and one and a half meters deep was just outside the living room area overlooking the watering hole. There were a number of wooden chairs with cotton cushions surrounding the tiled pool deck, as well as two oversized pillows.

Activities It was possible to go on day and night game drives and walking safaris in the South Luangwa National Park or on the private land where the house was situated. We also had the option of meals served in the bush within the land adjacent to the house. Activities were customized to our interests and requests. We were also welcome to visit the local market, partake in cultural and village tours in neighboring rural areas, and visit Tribal Textiles, a company of local artists selling hand-painted textiles.

We took advantage of the day and night game drives in the national park, as well as a walking safari (see below). We also visited a local village school following which we were treated to a typical Zambian meal of chicken, boiled pumpkin leaves and n’shima, a maize-based staple of the Zambian diet. The visit ended with a festive performance of live music and a series of traditional dances by some of the villagers.

For safari drives, we were transported in a Toyota open Land Cruiser. Even if the Luangwa Safari House were at full capacity, the game drive policy was no more than four guests per car. The car easily handled all sorts of terrain, including, dirt roads, sandy riverbeds and pontoon river crossings. It was comfortable enough for my husband, who at 6 feet tall, had plenty of space between his knees and the seat in front of him.

Game viewing: Jacob was a native of Zambia and had worked as a guide for over fifteen years. Each year Robin Pope Safaris provided in-house refresher guide courses for him. During the day game drive and safari walk, we were also accompanied by Kefis, a scouter with five years of experience. Each day was a new adventure. Our longest and most memorable drive was a 12-hour journey that started with a 5:30 a.m. wakeup call affectionately known as a “knock-knock.” We left the House at 6 a.m. and returned at 6 p.m. Because the morning temperatures were chilly we wrapped ourselves up in blankets that were folded neatly on our seats.

On the day of our arrival, we went on an evening game drive in the South Luangwa National Park for an hour and half. Jacob and John, our spotter, sat in the front of the open land cruiser utilized exclusively for House guests. On full alert for nocturnal animals, Jacob noticed, within minutes of entering the national park, a herd of impalas tensely staring in the same direction. He took this as a sign that a predator was nearby. Sure enough, after driving in the direction that the impalas had stared, we spotted a female leopard about fifteen feet from the car leisurely guarding her territory. Throughout the drive, Jacob jovially chatted with us and offered interesting tidbits of information about our surroundings.

Jacob stole the show in terms of outstanding service thanks to his authentic enthusiasm, vast knowledge about the bush, and easy-to-understand explanations of the animals we encountered. He also had some unexpected tricks up his sleeve such as expertise in photography after years of guiding guests who were professional photographers. Much to our liking, he provided excellent photography advice specific to the context of the national park and didn’t think twice about stopping the car during game drives when he noticed a particularly good shot with ideal lighting. Concerned about maximizing our time during our four-day stay, Jacob took us on a 12-hour day drive through the national park to “cover as much country as possible.” Typical drives were four to six hours. We were rewarded with wonderful views of the park’s diverse landscape and saw hundreds of animals. Two particularly memorable moments were observing lions mating about 15 feet away from our land cruiser and a leopard enjoying its impala kill in a tree. Jacob always carefully positioned the car to give us the best view possible without disturbing the animals.

Because it was a private safari tour we stopped anytime we saw something of interest. What was so impressive about the landscape was how much it changed from one area of the park to another. One moment we were watching hippos lounging in lush green pools surrounded by trees and the next moment we were observing elephants and zebras feeding from trees in dried grassy terrain. We needn’t be concerned about going hungry, as Jacob had packed plenty of food and drink for us. We took a mid-morning hot beverage and mini cakes break along a riverbed. For lunch, Jacob arranged a picnic buffet of tasty chicken, fish, pasta and cheese and tomato sandwiches. Jacob had made the excellent suggestion of bringing lunch with us so we could maximize our time in the national park. After eating to our hearts’ content, Jacob laid down a blanket with two massive pillows under a tree so my husband and I could take an hour nap.

The highlights of the drive, not surprisingly, were the animals. While we saw hundreds, an unforgettable highlight was coming across two sleeping lions that, as Jacob predicted, started mating 15 minutes after we found them. Another special sight was a leopard in a tree eating its impala kill. To top off an already wonderful day, we had sundowners at an idyllic spot along the river as we watched the splendid African sun slip into the horizon, treating us to a vibrant sunset.

On the morning of our departure, we went on a two-hour safari walk in the national park. The purpose, Jacob explained, was to immerse ourselves in the surroundings and study the micro-details of the bush that were impossible to experience from a car. We started walking around 8 a.m. Every few minutes Jacob would stop to explain the importance of a tree, animal prints, animal dung or a massive termite mound. As always, his descriptions were clear and fascinating. We took a break on a hillside about an hour and a half later to enjoy morning tea, coffee and cakes. We were accompanied by Kefis, the scout, and Axon, the tea bearer.

We sighted: African elephants, African buffalo, lions, leopards, greater kudus, common waterbucks, impalas, pukus, bushbucks, hippopotamuses, Crawshay’s zebras, thornicroft’s giraffes, a four-toed elephant shrew, tree squirrels, warthogs, yellow baboons and vervet monkeys.

Birds included: Bateleurs, African fish eagles, Martial eagles, brown snake eagles, hooded vultures, lappet-faced vultures, white-backed vultures, African darters, cattle egrets, great white egrets, little egrets, Egyptian geese, hamerkops, black-headed herons, goliath herons, grey herons, squacco herons, African-sacred ibis, hadeda ibis, openbill storks, African spoonbills, marabou storks, saddle-billed storks, wooly-necked storks, yellow-billed storks, red-billed oxpeckers, and Meve’s longtailed starlings.

Other The House ran on 220 volt electricity from a main power grid and had three-pin square wall socket British style plugs. Tap water was from a borehole and filtered so it was safe to drink. Bottled water was also provided.

The property was Overall Winner and Best Poverty Reduction Award winner of the 2011 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards.

Since 1989, Robin Pope Safaris had supported the education of children from the local Nsefu village. Thanks to donations from guests, the company had been able to build classrooms and sponsored the school fees of hundreds of children. The social project, managed by Project Luangwa, an umbrella organization, was run in partnership with local villagers and designed to also support the needs of the village community.

We visited the Kawaza Basic School and were impressed by the staff’s dedication to high quality education. Despite the numerous challenges that many of the students faced, (the headmaster estimated that 200 of the students were orphans), the school had bragging rights to noticeably higher pass rates compared to neighboring schools. The headmaster also described a number of students who had graduated, thanks to the sponsorships, and were successfully employed as accountants and other professionals in Lusaka. We were treated to the students’ choir rehearsal, during which they sang, beautifully, a traditional call and response song while marching in rhythm in a circle. Visiting the school offered us an enriching opportunity to get a taste of everyday life in Kawaza Village.

We appreciated the company’s responsible tourism practices. Examples were that house employees were Zambian; in building the house, the owners used wood from fallen trees instead of chopping down live ones; guests had the option of staying in Kawaza Village in one of the traditional huts, which generated income for the community; and in addition to sponsoring children at the school we visited, Robin Pope Safaris initiated a project called the Luwanga Project, which aims to support 20 schools in the area that lack resources due to geographic isolation. Because the initial school that Robin Safari supported had performed well compared to neighboring schools, they decided to expand the project to the entire area. To cut down on waste, leftover food not consumed by guests was placed in an employee community pantry. Employees could help themselves and share it with their families. Leftover motor oil used to repair the property’s safari vehicles was available to the local community. That was a particularly welcome benefit because oil was expensive and hard to come by in that rural area.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Visit June 2013

Reviewers Article by Laura Scheiber

Photos by Matthew James Harris

Service The eight staff members at the House during our stay were: house hostess, chef, room attendant, grounds man, kitchen assistant, two watchmen, waiter, and head guide. Our room was serviced twice a day. The service was outstanding and became a measuring stick by which we gauged high quality safari service for the rest of our stay in Zambia.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression My visit to Luwi was an exciting safari back in time! This remote bush camp located deep in the wilderness of the South Luangwa National Park consisted of four reed and thatch huts with polished mud floor and a small bar area nestled under a canopy of venerable Natal mahoganies. Luwi was a seasonal camp open only during the dry months of June through October. There were virtually no roads in this far-flung area of the park; activities were mainly on foot, lead by long-time Luwi guide Sam Nkhoma, accompanied by an armed scout. At this property, the emphasis was on identifying and following fresh tracks, as well as bird and plant identification.

It was a special thrill on one of our morning walks to track a lion across the dry sands of the nearby Lubi River. Even though we didn’t catch up with it at that time, we did view the solitary male later that day. Shortly after that a large bull elephant caught up with us on our sunset walk. We stood entranced as he wandered across the clearing, stopping to snack on the leaves of mopane trees, unconcerned by the frantic staccato clicks of our cameras. We then concluded our walk in the dry river bed. In a space surrounded by paraffin lanterns, the staff had prepared a camp fire complete with camp chairs, an old-fashioned portable bar and freshly baked hors d’oeuvres. We enjoyed our sundowners while learning to single out and identify the various sounds of the bush. The next night we ended our walk with a sundowner at a hippo hide high on the bank of the permanent lagoon within five minutes from the camp. Just below us, in a pod thirty strong, hippos were arguing over wallowing rights under the watchful eyes of a daunting line of yawning crocodiles. The discussion that night was on hippo behavior.

For all its closeness with a landscape unchanged for millennia and its rough-hewed old-fashioned bush camp feel, Luwi did not compromise on modern comforts. Under a walk-in mosquito net, the high-count cotton cover of the cloud-like duvet on my king-size bed was freshly pressed. Turn-down service included a hot water bottle thoughtfully slipped under the covers in anticipation of a chilly night (I visited in early July, the coolest time of year in this part of the southern hemisphere). With its emphasis on walking and learning in the heart of the African wilderness, Luwi provided visitors a rare opportunity to experience one of the last traditional bush camps as envisioned by the late great conservationist and guide Norman Carr.

Class Of Accommodation Rustic wilderness bush camp

Communications The camp used two way radio communications. Guests could also use their personal satellite phones.

General Manager Nick Aslin

Handicapped Access Handicapped guests could be accommodated by prior arrangement on a case by case basis.

Length Of Stay Two nights

Luwi camp manager Trish Stevenson

Owners The Potts Family and Nick Aslin. Adrian and Christina Carr remained active participants in the operation of Norman Carr Safaris at the time of my visit.

Power Lighting was provided by paraffin lanterns. Other than a solar panel that provided electricity to recharge camera batteries, there was no electricity at the camp.

Size The camp could accommodate eight guests in its four chalets. The property covered approximately one and a half acres and employed a staff of eight including two game viewing staff.

Transportation Mfuwe could be reached by air from Lusaka and Livingstone. Road transfers to and from the airport were arranged by Norman Carr Safaris.

Year Open-Renovated Originally opened in 1991, the camp is entirely dismantled each November and rebuilt each spring. Reconstruction takes approximately six weeks.

Common Areas A thick thatch roof wedged between two mahogany tree trunks shaded the small open-sided bar and four sturdy wooden bar stools. The stools were usually ignored as guest and staff preferred to gather in the eight teak armchairs with dark green cushions that were arranged in a semi-circle around the camp fire, facing the grassy plain beyond the camp.

Bathroom The bathroom was a 200 foot (19 square meters) open air enclosure adjacent to the bedroom. Seven-foot high grass walls provided complete privacy. The flooring and shower backdrop were made of reed matting. A reed shelf held a stack of washcloths, hand towels and oversized bath towels. Hot water was available. In addition to the shower, bathroom fixtures included a sink and mirror and a flush toilet.

Room My chalet, Number Four, was a 350 square foot (33 square meters) bedroom built exclusively of reed and thatch, with a polished mud floor covered with woven palm mats. In addition to a canopied king-size bed flanked by two wooden end-tables, the furniture included two wooden chairs, built-in reed storage shelves and luggage racks. The bed canopy was outlined by a patchwork border of local cottons; coordinated toss pillows enhanced the natural cotton bed cover. Artfully draped mosquito netting completed the décor and provided insect protection at night. The most striking decorative elements of the room were the trunk and lower branches of a large mahogany tree that occupied the back quarter of the room.

Food The food was delicious, wholesome and remarkably diverse for such a remote location. All supplies were brought fresh from Kapani, the main lodge of Norman Carr Safaris, located in the Game Management Area, near the entrance of the park. Chef Jackson Zulu was an especially talented baker who produced daily the most tempting fresh breads, tea-time snacks and sundowner appetizers in his native mud brick oven. Meals were served at a common table in an open area with a sweeping view of a grassy plain teeming with wildlife; lunch was in the shade and dinner under the stars. Breakfast and evening socializing were laid-back affairs around the camp fire.

Amenities Luwi amenities and services included daily game walks and night drives, all meals and drinks, including mid-morning and sundowner snacks and beverages, and daily laundry service. My chalet was supplied with toiletries (bath soap and gel, shampoo), insect repellant and bottled water.

Game Viewing During my stay at Luwi I saw: elephant, hippo, lion, genet, civet, banded mongoose, bushy-tailed mongoose, Thornicroft’s giraffe, warthog, spotted hyena, vervet monkey, bush baby, impala, bushbuck, puku, Nile crocodile, and helmeted terrapin turtle. Birds included: marabou stork, African jacana, yellow-billed stork, white-fronted plover, yellow-billed oxpecker, and gray heron

Activities Luwi offered morning and sunset walks, and early evening drives in open-top all-wheel drive vehicles using powerful flashlights to view nocturnal animals. Companionable lingering around the camp fire and watching game wandering through the undulating high grass while exchanging safari anecdotes were favorite pastimes at camp.

Other Due to close proximity to wild game, children had to be at least 12 years old to visit.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Last Visit June 2007

ReviewersArticle and photographs by Josette King

Service Excellent. All the staff members I interacted with were friendly, thoughtful and exceptionally attentive to requests from the guests. I indicated on my first evening at camp that I needed to recharge the spare battery for my camera the next day. Trish Stevenson, the camp manager, appeared at my chalet early the next morning. As there was a good possibility that the sky would be overcast, thereby curtailing the efficiency of the solar panel, she proposed to entrust my battery and charger to a driver going back to the main camp. She assured me my battery would come back fully charged with a returning driver later that afternoon, and it did!

Would You Stay Again? Yes

Overall Impression Nkwali was located in the Game Management Area immediately across the river from the South Luangwa National Park, on a prime vantage point of the eastern bank of the Luangwa River. Discretely nestled in a grove of soaring ebony trees, the camp’s six guest chalets and bar area offered a spectacular view of the steep far bank of the river and the acacia forest that constituted the boundary of the park. On the back side of the camp, the dining area was built on a low platform overlooking a small lagoon where a variety of game frequently came to drink. Nkwali successfully coupled the casual atmosphere and intimate proximity to wildlife that only a bush camp can offer with the indulgent amenities of the best safari lodges. From a comfortable lounge chair near the bar, I spent a contented afternoon siesta time watching a herd of elephants wading in the shallow waters of the west bank of the river. I then took their cue and went for a refreshing swim in Nkwali’s swimming pool before teatime.

For all its superb isolation, Nkwali was only 45 minutes away from Mfuwe Airport, half of it on a paved road that ran through lively village scenes before turning into the bush close to the camp. Access to the park was either by boat directly from the camp, via a colorful hand-cranked pontoon or across the Mfuwe Bridge10 kilometers away. Game activity was as intense in the Game Management Area as in the park itself. The ten minute drive from the camp to the pontoon routinely took thirty minutes or more as we paused to watch the antics of a family of vervet monkeys, or a sudden domestic argument erupt from a cluster of hippos sunning themselves on the edge of the river.

My guide, Joseph Nfune, was a first rate professional. In addition to being thoroughly knowledgeable in animal behavior and natural history, he was quietly attentive to the wishes of “his” guests. After I casually mentioned my special desire to see a leopard, I was treated on my second morning drive to a lengthy close up viewing of a leopard, then two separate lion sightings for good measure! Locating the leopard took cooperative efforts from Joseph and one of his colleagues who engaged in an extensive radio dialog to direct us to the appropriate location. They were assisted by the terrorized screeches of a troop of baboons who had apparently just lost one of their own to the superb feline.

At Nkwali, I immediately felt like a welcomed guest in the home of a long lost friend. The staff were unfailingly friendly, attentive to every detail but never obtrusive. The hospitality was flawless; the understated luxury of the accommodations was enhanced by the superior quality of service. What a lovely place to begin a safari!

Class Of Accommodation Luxury bush camp

Communications The camp had cellular phone coverage with a GSM 900/1800 compatible international cell phone. The office featured a satellite internet connection, where guests could check e-mail.

Handicapped Access No

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location Nkwali was located a few miles southeast of Mfuwe on Robin Pope’s private land on the east bank of the Luangwa River, in the Game Management Area across the river from the South Luangwa National Park.

Manager Kiri Phiri

Owners Robin and Jo Pope and Molecaten Africa

Power The entire lodge was on the electrical power grid and ran on 220 Volts/50 Hz power . A NW-135C adapter was necessary to use most electrical outlets (the kind used in the U.K.). However, the bathroom featured a universal socket that accommodated European and U.S. plugs as well as the British ones. Obviously intended for electric razors, it was also ideal to recharge camera and other small electronics batteries.

Size Nkwali was a three-acre enclave in the heart of the 110 acres of Robin Pope’s private land. The six guest chalets, the bar and the dinning area were dotted along 150 yards of the one third of a mile river frontage of the property. The remainder of the property was left in its natural state and offered a densely populated wildlife habitat. The camp could accommodate a maximum of 12 guests. It employed a staff of 54 including a game viewing staff of four guides and trackers.

Transportation Mfuwe could be reached by air from Lusaka and Livingstone. Road transfers to and from the airport were arranged by Robin Pope Safaris, who owned and operated the camp.

Year Open-Renovated Originally opened in 1991, Nkwali was the object of meticulous on-going maintenance and enhancements. Although the region had been the site of devastating floods five months before, the property was pristine throughout by the time I visited.

Common Areas The bar and lounge area offered a sweeping view of the river. They were the hub of all common activities. They were located on a platform of local stone under a soaring thatched roof anchored around the trunk of a massive ebony tree. The structure was furnished with groupings of comfortable mahogany armchairs and sofas upholstered in tan canvas, with pillows of local cotton fabrics in shades of blue and ocher. There was a long table on one side, where breakfast and buffet lunches were served. A large book case held a collection of volumes on the local flora, fauna and history. The dinning room was a separate raised platform of local stone, covered with a thick thatched roof. The evening meals were served on a long, family-style table clothed in crisp white linen.

Bathroom The bathroom included twin sinks set in a thick mahogany slab topped by twin mirrors. A flush toilet was modestly tucked behind a half wall, and a shelf stacked with lush cotton bath towels. This area was sheltered by a thatched overhang, while the large circular double shower was open to the sky. Pump bottles of shower gel and shampoo were provided in the shower area, while soap, body and insect repellant lotions stood by the sinks.

Room My chalet (Number One) was steps away from the main building. It included a spacious 240 square foot (22 square meters) sleeping and sitting area with a steep thatched roof under the shade of a mature Natal mahogany. The floor was made of local stone with grass throw mats. The room occupied about half of the chalet; the other half was a spectacular open air bathroom. The décor was elegantly simple and comfortable. The walls were of immaculate white plaster that beautifully offset the dark wood furniture, including free-form storage shelves hanging on opposite sides of the room. The twin beds were covered with bright coral and white throws of local fabric, and separated by a small table. A luggage bench stood at the foot of each bed. This sleeping area was surrounded by a walk-in mosquito net. Two director’s chairs and a coffee table faced the open front wall of the chalet with its panoramic view of the river. At night, a wrought iron screen kept at bay any visiting wildlife. A small desk and chair completed the décor.

Food The food was outstanding, making chef Lamack Zulu a celebrity at the camp. Lamack was a sixteen-year veteran at Nkwali. Starting as kitchen help, he taught and trained himself, and reached his well deserved current position at the head of a team of the four cooks. His hot lemon soufflé was one of the best I have enjoyed anywhere. All the delicious breads, cakes and quiches were baked daily in his kitchen. Many of the vegetables were grown right at the camp (behind an elephant-proof fence), with the remaining fruit and vegetables supplied by local farmers.

Amenities Nkwali amenities and services included all meals and beverages, and daily laundry service. The chalets were supplied with toiletries (shower gel, shampoo and body lotion), insect repellant, bottled water, a flashlight, a wall mounted lock box, two bathrobes and kikois. The later, three foot by five foot light cotton shawls, could be soaked in water before covering yourself with them, to keep cool during the heat of the day.

Swimming Pool Tucked away in a clearing a short five-minute walk from the bar, this 14 by 45 foot pool went from a depth of four to six feet. It could satisfy even dedicated lap swimmers. It was surrounded by two bamboo and thatch changing huts that held ample supplies of towels. With its six comfortable wooden lounge chairs topped by thick canvas pads, the pool area was a lovely place to while away hot midday hours.

Game Viewing Game viewing vehicles usually included no more than four guests. Tea, coffee, soft drinks and cookies were served during the morning drives. During the afternoon drives we stopped for sundowner drinks, appetizers and a scenic view of the sunset. During my stay at Nkwali, I sighted: elephant, hippo, lion, leopard, genet, banded mongoose, bushy-tailed mongoose, civet, Thornicroft’s giraffe, Crawshay’s zebra, warthog, spotted hyena, vervet monkey, yellow baboon, impala, bushbuck, puku, great kudu, waterbuck, Nile crocodile. Birds included: hammerkop, lilac-breasted roller, double banded sand grouse, red-billed hornbill, sacred ibis, African fish eagle, African jacana, spurwinged goose, crested crane, white-fronted bee-eater, little bee eater, yellow-billed stork, white-fronted plover, yellow-billed oxpecker.

Activities Nkwali offered morning and sunset drives in open-top all-wheel drive vehicles, using powerful flashlights after dusk to view nocturnal animals. Morning walks could also be arranged. With constant game activity on the river, the after-lunch siesta time was also a great opportunity for a lounge-chair safari.

Other Because of the proximity to wild game, children had to be at least eight to visit.

Recent Awards And Recognitions Jo Pope was the recipient off the prestigious 2005 U.K. Responsible Tourism Award, best personal contribution category. This award recognizes significant personal contribution to responsible tourism.

In addition to their unwavering, long time support of sound environmental practices, Jo and Robin Pope observed many of the tenets of sustainable development in their organization. Staff were trained and promoted internally: in addition to Chef Lamack Zulu, another notable success was camp manager Kiri Phiri, who worked his way to his current position through 14 years with Robin Pope Safaris. Jo and Robin were also engaged in a carbon sequestration and a long term reforestation program, Reforest Nsefu. As part of the program, the project leaders worked with schools and villages to reforest a local area with trees for domestic use (fire wood, building materials, fruit trees), while protecting old growth forest and offsetting carbon emissions from the Robin Pope Safaris activities.

Jo Pope was also the leading force behind the development and success of the Kawaza School Fund which supported the refurbishing and expansion of four local schools. Additionally, it sponsored 50 children on to secondary school and subsidized teachers’ salaries to allow for a lower student/teacher ratio.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Last Visit June 2007

ReviewersArticle and photographs by Josette King

Service Excellent! Every member of the staff was consistently friendly, thoughtful and available to fulfill, or occasionally anticipate, all my needs and wishes. This was reflected in their attention to the smallest details, such as welcoming the return of the game drive vehicle on a cold evening with hot towels instead of the traditional iced ones (I visited in late June, the coldest month of the year, when nights do get chilly).

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Chamilandu was the most intimate of all the bush camps I visited inside the South Luangwa National Park. It consisted of three guest chalets perched on eight-foot high platforms. Built in the local style with a contemporary flair, each chalet was composed of three walls sheltered by a peaked thatch roof. The fourth side of each rectangular structure was fully opened to a private deck that offered a startling 180 degree view of the Luangwa River, against the distant backdrop of the Nchendeni Hills. The guest chalets were only a few steps away from the spacious dining and lounging hut that was a welcoming gathering spot for all common activities.

Game viewing on the river was a constantly changing show, in harmony with the rhythm of the day. Even during the languid siesta hours of the early afternoon, elephants were a regular sight, as they made their ponderous way across the river. It was hard to imagine that the Luangwa River, reduced to a lazy ribbon of water when I visited at the end of the dry season, would become a 500-yard wide expanse of churning waters overflowing its banks at the height of the green season. For now, the outer bank outlined a broad sandy beach where spiral-horned great kudus came for an afternoon drink, careful to give a wide berth to a nine-foot long Nile crocodile sunning itself at the edge of the water.

The camp’s privileged location on the river ensured outstanding game viewing on walks and drives nearby, and offered an excellent close-up view of the abundant water-fowl population. The camp’s resident guide played a major role in setting the overall style and quality of experience for the guests. Freya Reder, a native of Southern California who had been a guide in the park for almost a decade, was a soft-spoken woman with broad knowledge of the fauna and flora of the area, which she generously shared at every opportunity. The entire Chamilandu team was equally hospitable. Their attentive and unobtrusive service greatly contributed to my thorough enjoyment of this exceptional camp, where the understated luxury of the accommodations enhanced the exuberant beauty of the site.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury bush camp

Handicapped Access No

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location Chamilandu was located deep inside the Luangwa National Park, in a remote location on the bank of the Luangwa River, a two-and-a-half-hour drive from the Mfuwe entrance to the park.

Manager Georgina Boord

Owners The Bushcamp Company, owned and operated by Andrea Bizzaro and Andy Hogg

Size Chamilandu occupied five acres within the 3,500 square mile South Luangwa National Park. It could accommodate up to six guests in its three guest chalets, and employed a staff of eleven.

Transportation Mfuwe could be reached by air from Lusaka and Livingstone. Road transfers to and from the airport were arranged by the Bushcamp Company, who owned and operated the camp.

Year Open-Renovated Originally opened in 1999, Chamilandu is closed and dismantled each November at the start of the rainy season. It is rebuilt prior to re-opening in May at the start of the green season. Building materials and furniture are replaced or refurbished as needed at that time to ensure that the camp remains in perfect condition.

Common Areas The dining and sitting areas shared a spacious open-walled structure built at ground level and covered by a steep thatched roof. It offered an expansive view of the river. A long mahogany dining table surrounded by matching director’s chairs stretched with white canvas separated the lounge and bar from the more intimate seating corner at the far end of the space. The latter included a bookcase that held the camp’s small collection of reference books on the local environment. The main seating area was furnished with wrought iron couches and armchairs upholstered with plump dark green canvas cushions, arranged around a large square mahogany coffee table. It was the starting point of all the activities at the camp and an inviting place to socialize.

Bathroom The bathroom ran the length of the side wall and was approximately eight feet wide. While its privacy was ensured by eight-foot high reed walls, it was open to the sky and to the river, for the ultimate “shower with a view.” There was a shower with a four-foot square porcelain base, with hot and cold water; double sinks with mirrors; a flushing lavatory and a laundry hamper. There were ceramic pump bottles of biodegradable hair and body care products by the sinks and in the shower area, and a large wrought iron towel rack holding four dark green bath towels. The bathroom, shaded by the overhanging branches of a large ebony tree, offered on-going entertainment: it was home to a colony of yellow baboons that seemed to be in constant state of domestic discord!

Room My chalet (Number One) was an inviting open-fronted contemporary structure of local woods and reeds, sheltered by a thatched roof. Built on a 1,000 square foot wooden platform raised on stilts about eight feet above the bank of the river, it offered a breathtaking panoramic view of the Luangwa River and the Nchendeni Hills beyond. The open side of the room extended toward the river to form an eight-foot wide viewing deck with a double-wide lounge chaise. It was an ideal spot to relax while observing the game that came to the water to drink and bathe. A king-size bed flanked by two bedside tables and draped with mosquito netting was centered on the back wall. A large wooden storage chest and a six-foot tall pillar of shelves fitted with rattan baskets occupied the outer wall that separated the room from the access stairs. The third wall held the doorway to the adjacent private bathroom and a writing desk topped by a large oval mirror that could also serve as a dressing table. A small on-site gas generator produced sufficient electricity to operate the electric outlet that could be used to recharge camera batteries, as well the electric lanterns that provided lighting for the room at night.

Food Meals were timed to accommodate the scheduled game hikes and drives. The food was excellent and varied, with portions generous enough to satisfy the most robust appetite. Early morning breakfast was served in front of the lounge prior to the morning hike. It included hearty home-made breads, toasted on-demand over a coal brazier, muffins, several types of jams, juice, coffee and tea, and a stunning sunrise over the Luangwa River. The two main meals were served at the large common table in the dining area: the midday brunch was buffet-style, offering a variety of salads, quiches, and meat dishes. Dinner was around 8:30 pm, served upon return from the nighttime game drive. It was plated and formally served. In addition to the three main meals, mid-morning tea and home made cookies were served during the morning hike. The sundowner break was a traditional feature of the late afternoon excursion, with a choice of soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and light hors d’oeuvres.

Amenities At Chamilandu, amenities and services included daily laundry. A thermos of hot water was always available in the room, with a complete tea and instant coffee service. There were complimentary bottles of water and spay cans of insect repellent in the room. Freshly brewed coffee and tea, soft drinks, local beers and wines and other alcoholic beverages were available in the common areas.

Game Viewing During my stay at Chamilandu, I saw: elephant, lion, buffalo, hippo, Thornicroft’s giraffe, Crawshay’s zebra, warthog, yellow baboon, honey badger, vervet monkey, impala, puku, kudu, bushbuck, waterbuck, civet, genet, banded mongoose, bushy-tailed mongoose, elephant shrew and Nile crocodile. Bird sightings included: yellow-billed stork, saddle-billed stork, grey heron, crested crane, African spoonbill, marabou stork, sacred ibis, red-billed ox pecker, Cape turtledove, red-billed buffalo weaver, blue waxbill, pied kingfisher, fish eagle, tawny eagle, African hoopoe, lilac-breasted roller, water dikkop, whitebrowed sparrow-weaver and carmine bee-eater.

Activities Chamilandu offered early morning and sunset walks, as well as evening drives in an open-top all-wheel drive vehicle, using a powerful spotlight to view nocturnal animals. Morning and sunset drives could be substituted for the walks by consensus among the guests. In addition to our guide Freya, all excursions were accompanied by one armed ranger and one assistant guide carrying a large backpack (if on foot) with bottled water, beverages and snacks.

Other Due to the proximity to wild game, children had to be at least 12 years old to visit the camp.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Last Visit October 2006

ReviewersArticle and photographs by Josette King

Service Excellent. The staff never failed to be on hand with a warm smile, chilled towels and glasses of cool fruit juice to greet the arrival of the Land Rover, whether it brought arriving guests or returned from an excursion. The room was serviced twice a day. Any laundry left in the basket in the morning was returned freshly laundered and ironed in the evening.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Tucked in the shade of ancient ebony trees at the apex of a permanent oxbow lagoon, Chindeni was a verdant oasis in the parched immensity of the South Luangwa National Park when I visited in the final weeks of the dry season. Everything about the camp exuded welcoming abundance, from the warm reception of the staff to the comfort of the tented accommodations and the profusion of game around the lagoon. Superb vistas of the Nchendeni Hills filled the horizon. The inviting common areas consisted of spacious, thatch-roofed platforms, raised high above the lagoon, and cleverly designed around the trunk of a giant ebony tree that contributed both a sculptural quality and cooling shade to the structure. It included a long viewing deck that was a perfect place to enjoy an early morning breakfast while contemplating the spectacular sunrise over the hills.

Game viewing at and around Chindeni was exceptional, even within a park reputed for the density of its wildlife. This was in part attributable to the resident guide, James Chabbuka. A Tonga tribesman born on the banks of Lake Karriba, James was a quiet, unassuming man with an intuitive knowledge of the bush. He delighted in uncovering for his guests the most astounding sights that the park had to offer. On my first night’s game drive near Chindeni, I was treated to the sight of a rare Pel’s fishing owl diving for its supper, then soaring to a nearby tree-top, a sizeable pray firmly clutched in its implacable talons. Shortly after that, we came upon a young female leopard stealthily on her way to her nightly errands.

Then James pointed up to the tree-tops, where two hundred feet above us, a bushbaby, one of the tiniest of primates, barely the size of a squirrel, was traveling through the branches in acrobatic leaps and bounds. But the most thrilling moment of my Chindeni experience was a sight so unusual that it startled even the otherwise unflappable James: in the heavy late afternoon heat, we came across an entire pride of lions sprawled high in the branches of a huge winter thorn tree, obviously in search of a cooling breeze. We observed them for over a half hour as they gingerly started to stir and contemplate the need to come down from their perch!

Class Of Accommodation Upscale tented camp

Handicapped Access No

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location Chindeni was located in the South Luangwa National Park, a three-hour drive from the Mfuwe entrance to the park, on the bank of a permanent oxbow lake.

Manager John Clark

Owners Bushcamp Company, owned and operated by Andrea Bizzaro and Andy Hogg

Size Chindeni occupied approximately five acres within the 3,500 square mile, South Luangwa National Park. It could accommodate up to eight guests in its four guest tents, and employed a staff of eleven.

Transportation Mfuwe could be reached by air from Lusaka and Livingstone. Road transfers to and from the airport were arranged by the Bushcamp company, who owned and operated the camp.

Year Open-Renovated Originally opened in 1998, Chindeni is closed and dismantled each November at the start of the green season. It is rebuilt prior to re-opening in May at the start of the dry season. Building materials and furniture are replaced or refurbished as needed at that time to ensure that the camp remains in perfect condition.

Common Areas The common areas were located in a multi-leveled, thatch-roofed structure built on stilts high above the edge of the water. It included a circular dining space centered on a large round dining room table that could comfortably accommodate eight to ten people. A small bar was tucked to the side. Slightly sloping wooden walkways on either side led to the seating area a few feet to the right and to a long viewing deck to the left. Both offered a panoramic view of the lagoon and the active game population it attracted.

Bathroom The private bathroom occupied the rear quarter of the tent. There was a mirrored vanity with double sinks, a flushing lavatory and a roomy shower stall with hot and cold running water. There were ceramic pump bottles of biodegradable hair and body care products by the sinks and in the shower area, four large dark green bath towels on a wrought iron stand and a laundry hamper.

Room My tent (Number One) was a comfortable 260 square foot walk-in tent built on a hardwood platform, with a front balcony overhanging the bank of the lagoon. Three large screened openings on either side of the tent supplemented the floor-to-ceiling screened opening to the balcony to provide a cooling cross ventilation. A beautifully crafted mahogany partition with built-in storage including an open wardrobe on one side and a dressing table on the other side separated the sleeping area from the private bathroom at the rear of the tent. Other furniture included two queen-size beds canopied with mosquito netting, separated by a bedside table and a large storage chest. The balcony featured a writing desk, two sturdy white director’s chairs, and a rocking chair. A small on-site gas generator produced sufficient electricity to operate an electric outlet that could be used to recharge camera batteries as well the electric lanterns that provided lighting inside the tent at night.

Food Meals were timed to accommodate the scheduled game hikes and drives. The food was excellent and varied, with portions generous enough to satisfy the most robust appetite. Early morning breakfast was served on the observation deck prior to the morning hike. It included hearty home-made breads, toasted on-demand over a coal brazier, muffins, several types of jams, juice, coffee and tea. The two main meals were served at the large common table in the dining area: the midday brunch was buffet-style, offering a variety of salads, quiches, and meat dishes. Dinner was around 8:30 pm, served upon return from the nighttime game drive. It was plated and formally served. In addition to the three main meals, mid-morning tea and home made cookies were a welcome break during the morning hike. The sundowner break was a traditional feature of the late afternoon excursions, with a choice of soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and light hors d’oeuvres.

Amenities Chindeni amenities and services included daily laundry. A thermos of hot water and a complete tea and instant coffee service were always available in the room. There were complimentary bottles of water, smoke coils and spay cans of insect repellent in the room. Freshly brewed coffee and tea, soft drinks, local beers and wines and other alcoholic beverages were available in the common areas.

Game Viewing During my stay at Chindeni, I saw: elephant, buffalo, leopard, hippo, Thornicroft’s giraffe, Crawshay’s zebra, warthog, spotted hyena, yellow baboon, vervet monkey, bushbaby, impala, puku, great kudu, waterbuck, civet, genet, banded mongoose, bushy-tailed mongoose, slender mongoose, Nile crocodile and that amazing pride of tree-climbing lions! Bird sightings included: yellow-billed stork, saddle-billed stork, grey heron, crested crane, red-billed ox pecker, Cape turtledove, red-billed buffalo weaver, Egyptian goose, fish eagle, tawny eagle, Pelt’s fishing owl, African hoopoe and black-headed oriole.

Activities Chindeni offered early morning and sunset walks, as well as evening drives in an open-top all-wheel drive vehicle, using a powerful spotlight to view nocturnal animals. Morning and sunset drives could be substituted for the walks by consensus among the guests. In addition to our guide James, all excursion were accompanied by one armed ranger and one assistant carrying a large backpack (if on foot) with bottled water, beverages and snacks.

Other Due to the proximity to wild game, children had to be at least 12 years old to visit the camp.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Last Visit October 2006

ReviewersArticle and photographs by Josette King

Service Excellent. The staff never failed to be on hand with a warm smile, chilled towels and glasses of cool fruit juice to greet the arrival of the Land Rover, whether it brought arriving guests or returned from an excursion. The room was serviced twice a day. Any laundry left in the basket in the morning was returned freshly laundered and ironed in the evening.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression It was already well into the evening when I arrived at Kuyenda, a remote bush camp in the South Luangwa National Park. It was my first destination in the park, at the end of a lengthy journey from the United States, and the start of my maiden safari. I immediately felt transported to a timeless Africa I had expected to be long vanished, other than in my imagination! The camp was nestled in a grove of giant trees, facing a grassy meadow that gently sloped down about three hundred feet to the edge of the Manzi River. It consisted of four spacious guest rondavels, traditional South African circular huts built entirely of local wood, reed and thatch. They were clustered around a thatch-roofed, open-wall dining and lounge area. The entire camp was bathed in the soft glow of oil lanterns, as was the long dinner table invitingly set at the edge of the dry riverbed. The darkness echoed with a rich cacophony of sounds that hinted at abundant wildlife nearby.

My anticipation was more than satisfied the next day, once I got over the disappointment of hearing that an elephant cow and her calf had visited the camp at length during the night, and I had slept through it all! During the course of my first three-hour morning excursion, I was able to view, often at very close range, over half of the varieties of game I had hoped to see during my entire visit; including several elephants, small herds of giraffes, zebras and buffalos, multiple varieties of gazelles, warthogs, crocodiles, mongooses, and birds too numerous to record.

But Kuyenda was more than a comfortable camp in a rustic setting, surrounded by spectacular scenery teaming with wild game. What made this bush camp truly unique was its host and guide, Phil Berry. A native of Great Britain, Phil was a passionate conservationist who had lived in the valley for over forty years. As Kuyenda’s host, Phil was a quintessential old-school English gentleman, self-effacing and thoughtful, who made each guest feel at ease and personally welcome. As a guide, he was widely acknowledged as the senior statesman of the Luangwa Valley. He was respected not only for his knowledge, but also for his meticulous record-keeping of the fauna and flora of the park, and as a noted rhino conservationist. I felt privileged to receive from him my first introduction to the breathtaking environment of the park.

During my stay, there were two to four other guests at any given time, each following their own itinerary between the various camps. Tellingly, the majority of these guests were return visitors to Kuyenda.

Camp Manager Babette Alfieri

Class Of Accommodation Upscale rustic bush camp

Handicapped Access No

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location Kuyenda was located deep inside the South Luangwa National Park, on the bank of the Manzi River (a tributary of the Luangwa River), a two-hour drive from the Mfuwe entrance to the park.

Owners Bushcamp Company, owned and operated by Andrea Bizzaro and Andy Hogg

Size Kuyenda had a three-acre footprint in the heart of the 3,500 square mile South Luangwa National Park. It could accommodate up to eight guests in its four chalets, as the rondavels were called, and employed a staff of eleven.

Transportation Mfuwe could be reached by air from Lusaka and Livingstone. Road transfers to and from the airport were arranged by the Bushcamp company, who owned and operated the camp.

Year Open-Renovated Originally opened in 1992, Kuyenda is closed and dismantled each November at the start of the rainy season. It is rebuilt prior to re-opening in May at the start of the dry season. Building materials and furniture are replaced or refurbished as needed at that time to ensure that the camp remains in perfect condition.

Common Areas The main dining and sitting area, including a small bar, was an open-walled structure under a thickly thatched roof. It was the starting point for all activities at the camp. The furniture was made of local mahogany, beautifully crafted and polished to a satin sheen. In the sitting area, sturdy folding lounge chairs of black canvas stretched on mahogany frames were gathered in a semi-circle around a large round coffee table. Cushions covered with local earth-tone batik and a patchwork wall-hanging completed the décor. Next to the bar, a small bookcase contained the camp’s library of reference books on the local flora and fauna.

Bathroom The private bathroom was next to the bedroom, following the outer curve of the rondavel for a quarter of its circumference. It was seven feet wide. The reed walls surrounding it were about eight feet tall. The floor was made of soft, neatly raked river sand. The whole bathroom was open to the sky, under the protective umbrella of a huge sausage tree. The bathroom had a mirrored vanity with a double sink, a flushing lavatory and a shower base made of flagstones set in concrete. There were ceramic pump bottles of biodegradable hair and body care products by the sinks and in the shower area, and four large dark green bath towels hanging on a bamboo rod within arm’s reach. Hot water for the shower was available on demand. It was delivered in a large overhead tank within minutes of request. However, when I visited at the end of the dry season, this service was superfluous. The air-temperature water available on an on-going basis provided a refreshing shower.

Room My chalet (Number Four) was a spacious rondavel, 23 feet in diameter. A comfortable king-size bed flanked by two bedside tables and swathed in mosquito netting was located in the center of the room. It was covered with a patchwork spread of local textiles. A large chest of drawers marked the foot of the bed. Two wooden chairs separated by a small table provided seating. Two storage chests and a tall laundry basket completed the décor. The concrete floor was covered by several brown and tan circular rugs of braided palm fronds. My chalet was the closest of the four guest rondavels to the common area, a mere twenty feet away. A six-foot high thatch fence ensured privacy. A solar lantern provided lighting in the evening, supplemented by two oil lamps.

Food Meals were timed to accommodate the scheduled game hikes and drives. The food was excellent, an imaginative fusion of western dishes and local ingredients. The three meals were served at the large common table in the dining area. An early morning continental breakfast buffet was served prior to the morning excursion. It had an unmistakable British flair, including freshly made hot porridge as well as home-baked bread and muffins, several types of jams, juice, coffee and tea. The hearty midday brunch was served family style. Dinner was around 8:30 pm, upon return from the evening game drive. It was plated and formally served. In addition to these three main meals, mid-morning tea and home made cookies were served during the morning hike. The sundowner break was a constant feature of the late afternoon excursion, with a choice of soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and light hors d’oeuvres.

Amenities Kuyenda amenities and services included daily laundry. A thermos of hot water was always available in the room, with a complete tea and instant coffee service. There were complimentary bottles of water, smoke coils and spay cans of insect repellent in the room. Freshly brewed coffee and tea, soft drinks, local beers and wines and other alcoholic beverages were available in the common areas. The daily wake up call was at 5:30 am. Along with it, a large basin of hot water was placed on a stand next to the front door of the chalet for early morning ablutions.

Game Viewing While at Kuyenda, I saw: elephant, lion, buffalo, hippo, Thornicroft’s giraffe, Crawshay’s zebra, warthog, spotted hyena, yellow baboon, vervet monkey, impala, puku, great kudu, bushbuck, civet, genet, banded mongoose, bushy-tailed mongoose, slender mongoose, porcupine, elephant shrew and Nile crocodile. Bird sightings included: yellow-billed stork, saddle-billed stork, grey heron, grand hornbill, crested crane, red-billed ox pecker, Cape turtledove, red-billed buffalo weaver, blue waxbill, bateleur eagle, fish eagle, tawny eagle, African hoopoe, lilac-breasted roller, hamerkop, carmine bee-eater, red-necked francolin, Lillian’s lovebird and grey lourie.

Activities Kuyenda offered early morning and sunset game walks, as well as evening game drives in an open-top all-wheel drive vehicle, using a powerful spotlight for an excellent view of nocturnal animals. Morning and sunset drives could be substituted for the walks by consensus among the guests. In addition to our guide Phil, all excursions were accompanied by one armed ranger and one assistant carrying a large backpack (if on foot) with bottled water as well as the beverages and snacks.

Other Due to the proximity to wild game, children had to be at least 12 years old to visit the camp.

While there was no electricity in the chalets, portable solar panels outside the common area provided sufficient electricity to recharge camera batteries.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Last Visit October 2006

ReviewersArticle and photographs by Josette King

Service Discretely attentive, friendly, and overall excellent. The staff never failed to be on hand with a warm smile, chilled towels and glasses of cool fruit juice to greet the arrival of the Land Rover, whether it brought arriving guests or returned from an excursion. The room was serviced twice a day. Any laundry left in the basket in the morning was returned freshly laundered and ironed in the evening.

Would You Stay There Again? Yes

Overall Impression Overlooking a tranquil oxbow lagoon, the luxurious Mfuwe Lodge was one of only two permanent, year-round lodges within the 3,500 square miles of pristine wilderness of the South Luangwa National Park. In addition to the large lobby and reception area, the striking open-plan main lodge housed a lounge, bar and dining room under a soaring thatched roof. The space was anchored at both ends by spectacular matching stone fireplaces. A wide boma (timber deck on stone pillars) overlooked the lagoon, as did the swimming pool. Both were ideal spots to enjoy the constant parade of game that visited the lagoon.

On both sides of the main lodge, a paved walkway led to 18 guest chalets strung along the edge of the lagoon, all within an easy five-minute walk from the lodge. Like the common areas, the chalets were built of local stone, timber and thatch. In spite of its expansive size, the complex, which also included a library and a small conference center, each in their dedicated chalet, blended unobtrusively within the surrounding landscape. Since it was frequent for elephants, hippos, warthogs and the occasional predator to wander the grounds, a ranger escort was mandatory after dark to walk between the main lodge and the guest chalets. I stayed at the Mfuwe Lodge at the end my visit to the park. After experiencing for over a week the idyllic seclusion of the remote bush camps, I found the lodge the perfect environment to gently ease myself back into the “outside world.” Guests included families with children and others who wanted to effortlessly enjoy abundant and varied game viewing in luxurious comfort. The lodge was also a favorite residence for the occasional business traveler to the Mfuwe area.

Class Of Accommodation Luxury safari lodge

Handicapped Access The lodge could accommodate handicapped guests on a case-by-case, pre-arranged basis.

Length Of Stay Three nights

Location The Mfuwe Lodge was located two miles from the main entrance to the South Luangwa National Park.

Managers Andrea Bizzaro and Andy Hogg

Owners The Bushcamp Company, owned and operated by Andrea Bizzaro and Andy Hogg

Size The Mfuwe Lodge could accommodate up to 40 guests in its 18 luxury guest chalets. The property covered approximately 25 acres. It had a staff of 60 permanent employees, as well as 40 temporary workers.

Transportation Mfuwe could be reached by air from Lusaka and Livingstone. Road transfers to and from the airport took approximately 45 minutes and were arranged by the Bushcamp Company, who owned and operated the lodge.

Year Open-Renovated Previously owned by the Zambian government, the Mfuwe Lodge was privatized in 1996. It was then fully renovated and re-opened in 1998. According to the camp staff, it has been the object of rigorous on-going maintenance and minor enhancements ever since.

Lobby And Common Areas Everything at the Mfuwe Lodge was built on a grand scale, in traditional African style with contemporary touches. On the right side of the entrance, the reception desk was a 20 foot long undulating ribbon of masonry topped by a slab of polished mahogany. A tray of chilled towels and glasses of local fruit punch were always at the ready in a corner of the counter, to welcome guests as they checked in or returned from a game drive. On the opposite side of the lobby, a display of bold wood carvings of near life-size giraffes surrounded a small seating area. The walls were decorated with wildlife oil and acrylic paintings, water colors and ceramic from local artists.

The walls of the main lodge were covered in apricot-colored stucco. In the center of the common area, a circular bar about twelve feet in diameter surrounded a large pillar of local brick that was a main support of the sharply peaked roof. The bar provided a visual separation between the lounge and the dinning room. The lounge featured several groupings of sofas and armchairs upholstered in earth tone print materials, gathered around wooden coffee tables. The floor was a polished concrete slab, stained to a rich brown. A raised-hearth fireplace occupied the entire end wall. In spite of its imposing scale, the lounge was an inviting place to socialize or relax.

Bathroom The bathroom was seven feet wide and ran the entire side of the bedroom. It ended at the back in a separate water closet with its own sink and mirror. The main part of the bathroom featured a vanity with double sinks and mirrors set against a backsplash of pale green hand-made ceramic tiles, and a laundry hamper. A large sunken bathtub and shower occupied the front of the room. That area was surrounded by floor to ceiling screened windows, so that I didn’t miss a single instant of the intense game activity going on at the water hole outside my window.

Room All chalets were named after local game; mine was Zebra. It was located at the far left end of the property, a five minute walk from the main lodge, in a copse of fig and mahogany trees. Zebra was a striking 1,000 square foot two story suite accessed by a timber ramp that curved around an ancient mahogany to lead to the front door on the second floor. The upstairs foyer faced a 200 square foot sitting room that opened through double screened doors onto a 5 foot by 12 foot balcony with a sweeping view of the lagoon. The sitting room furniture included a queen-size sofa and two armchairs covered with thick cushions upholstered in dark green and beige canvas, a round coffee table and small louvered credenza holding a locally carved wooden lamp. There was a powder room on the left of the entrance foyer. On the right, a staircase led to the downstairs foyer and the main part of the suite.

The bedroom was 20 foot by 20 foot (400 square feet) with a king-size bed tucked in an alcove that was entirely draped off with mosquito netting at night. The bed was flanked by two bedside tables with reading lamps. A large, silent oscillating floor fan was placed in the alcove at night to enhance the air circulation for a comfortable night’s sleep. There was small round table and two brown leather director’s chairs in the center of the room. A writing desk and stool were angled in front of a side window. A large storage credenza with a small refrigerator stocked with fresh drinking water, and a wooden chest that doubled as a luggage rack lined the internal wall separating the bedroom from the bathroom.

The interior walls were covered with bright white rough plaster. Paintings and prints of local scenes hung on the walls. Upstairs flooring was hardwood. Downstairs the flooring was saffron-colored concrete polished to a mat gloss. The furniture was made from polished honey-colored local wood. An eight foot long, floor-to-ceiling wardrobe occupied the back wall of the downstairs foyer.

The front of the bedroom was made of sliding screened doors that opened onto a six foot wide balcony overlooking the lagoon, which was reduced to a string of water holes when I visited at the end of the dry season. One of them, a favorite mud bathing spot for elephants and hippos, was a mere 50 feet away from my balcony.

Food The food served at the Mfuwe Lodge was consistently delicious. The early morning continental breakfast buffet was set in the lounge. It included freshly baked breads and muffins, a variety of jams, coffee, tea and local fruit juices. The two main meals were usually served in the dinning room, at round tables that could accommodate six to eight guests. Brunch was buffet style. There were several choices of salads, meat dished, quiches and dessert. The three-course dinner was formally served.

However, the most memorable meal of my stay at the Mfuwe Lodge occurred at the end of my second morning game drive, when the three guides who were leading tours that morning drove their guests to a shady grove. Under soaring trees that joined high overhead to form cathedral-like arches, we found tables set formally. Over a five foot long wood charcoal grill, several members of the staff were putting the finishing touches to a full English breakfast complete with sausages, grilled tomatoes and fried eggs. This surprise al fresco brunch was apparently organized on a weekly basis. It was my good fortune to have it coincide with my visit.

The following night, we were treated to another exceptional meal. Candlelit dinner tables were set on the boma , the large timber and stone deck that reached over lagoon. Under the brightly starlit sky, we sampled many traditional braai dishes. Our braai , or southern African barbecue, included spicy, marinated beef, pork, chicken and sausages and krummpelpap (crumb porridge) served with the meat.

Amenities Bathroom amenities included an ample supply of thick dark green bath towels, a matching green bath robe, and biodegradable body and hair care products that were located on the sink and on a tray by the bathtub. There were bottles of cold water in the refrigerator and a thermos of hot water with a complete tea and instant coffee service. Also included were daily laundry service, ground airport transfers to and from Mfuwe airport, morning and evening game drives, with drinks and snacks for each, and three meals per day.

Facilities The property boasted a free-standing meeting facility capable of accommodating up to 40 people, and a reference library focused on African fauna, flora and conservation issues. The library was said to contain more than 300 books and videos in its dedicated chalet. Unfortunately, at the time of my visit it was temporarily closed for repairs. A small curio shop was located just off the lounge. It offered a limited array of local textiles, small wood carving and bead jewelry. It also carried a few basic travel necessities such as sunscreen and toothpaste.

Pool The pool was 40 foot long by 20 foot wide, with depths ranging from four to seven feet. The entire length of it overlooked the lagoon, offering an unimpeded view of the constant game activity below. On the other three sides, the pool was surrounded by a wooden deck that held a dozen lounge chairs with natural canvas pads, shaded by beach umbrellas. Beach towels were available on demand.

Game Viewing During my visit at the Mfuwe lodge, I saw: elephant, hippo, lion, buffalo, leopard, Thornicroft’s giraffe, Crawshay’s zebra, warthog, yellow baboon, vervet monkey, impala, puku, great kudu, waterbuck, civet, genet, banded mongoose, bushy-tailed mongoose, slender mongoose, Nile crocodile and spotted hyena. Bird sightings included: yellow-billed stork, saddle-billed stork, grey heron, crested crane, white-back vulture, red-billed ox pecker, lilac-breasted roller, red-billed buffalo weaver, fish eagle, tawny eagle, African hoopoe and crested barbet.

Activities The lodge offered morning and evening game drives in open top all-wheel drive vehicles driven by a guide. Lodge staff assigned a guide to visitors for the duration of their stay. My guide was James Chulou, a Kunda tribesman native of the Mfuwe area, who had been a guide in the park for almost twenty years.

On my second evening drive, when I was the only guest in the vehicle, James treated me to an unforgettable experience. He drove at sunset to a spectacular vantage point overlooking a bend in the Luangwa River. The heavy silence of the bush was filled with sounds of powerful steps and cracking branches, hinting at elephants gathering in the underbrush nearby. After what seemed a very long time, we saw a large bull elephant cautiously start walking down the steep bank of the river. Soon another elephant followed. In the fading light, I stood mesmerized as seventy-six elephants slowly filed across the river and up the other bank, before disappearing into the trees.

Game activity was as bountiful on the lagoon facing the lodge as it was in the surrounding bush, so that game-watching was a main activity of every waking moment. One of my favorite viewing spots was the pool area, where I could swim and sunbath away the early afternoon siesta while observing a herd of zebra stroll by, or an elephant cow initiate her newborn calf to the pleasures of mud bathing.

Other The entire lodge was on the electrical power grid and ran on 220 Volts/50 Hz power. A NW-135C adapter was necessary to use the electrical outlets (the kind used in the U.K.).

The lodge had cellular phone coverage with a GSM 900/1800 compatible international cell phone.

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Last Visit October 2006

ReviewersArticle and photographs by Josette King

Service The staff was unobtrusively attentive, friendly, and overall excellent. The room was serviced twice a day. Any laundry left in the hamper in the morning was returned freshly laundered and ironed by the next morning at the latest.

Would You Stay Again? Yes

Overall Impression The South Luangwa National Park is a 3,500 square mile stretch of pristine wilderness hidden away in the north-eastern corner of Zambia. The eastern border of the park follows the Luangwa River as it makes its convoluted way toward the Zambezi, leaving behind a patchwork of oxbow lakes and lagoons. According to experts, this remote valley, with its ruggedly varied landscape of savanna and forest, has one of the highest concentrations of game in Africa. It is host to approximately 60 animal and 400 bird species, including most of the Big Five.

While elephants, buffalos, lions and leopards abounded in the park, and pods of fifty or more hippos were frequent in the river, rhinos were sadly poached to extinction in the 1980’s. Small herds of several varieties of antelopes ranging from the tiny Sharpe grysbok to the great kudu with its majestic spiral horns, impala, waterbuck, bushbuck, and the honey-colored puku rarely seen outside of the valley, were common; as were the Thornicroft giraffe and Crawshay zebra, both indigenous to the park.

Given the abundance of game roaming this spectacular landscape, it was easy to understand how the famed Zambian “walking safari,” which originated in the park over half a century ago, flourished to become one of the most prized game viewing experiences in southern Africa. This led to the development of a number of small seasonal bush camps in the eastern part of the park, in close proximity to the river. These camps were run by a few of the most reputed safari operators in the country. The camps I visited, most notably Kuyenda, Chamilandu and Chindeni, were memorable for the outstanding expertise of their guides as well as the high quality of their accommodations and warm hospitality.

Because of its remote location, the South Luangwa National Park was not as readily accessible from North America and Europe as other better known southern Africa safari destinations. This isolation limited the number of visitors, which further enhanced my thrill of feeling transported to an Africa that time had forgotten. Judging by the astonishing ratio of return visitors I came across during my visit, I suspected the Luangwa walking safari experience to be highly addictive!

Climate The climate of the Luangwa Valley was tropical, with two very pronounced seasons: dry from May to November, and green from December to April when the seasonal rain fall averaged around 130 cm (50 inches). I visited in October, one of the hottest months, when the temperature could rise over 40 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in the middle of the day, but cooled off comfortably after sunset. The outlying water sources were dry, forcing great concentrations of game to congregate by the river.

Cost Of Visiting Reasonable

Currency The currency of Zambia, the kwacha, had an exchange rate of approximately 4000 kwachas for one U.S. dollar at the time of my visit.

Electrical Current 220 Volts/50 Hz. A NW-135C adapter was necessary when using electrical outlets (the kind used in the U.K.).

Health And Vaccinations There were no mandatory inoculations for travel to Zambia at the time of my visit. My local health clinic, following the Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, recommended an up-to-date inoculation schedule for meningitis, hepatitis, rabies, sleeping sickness, tetanus and typhoid fever; as well as visitor precautions for AIDS and preventive medication for malaria. Because I visited Zambia at the end of the dry season, I found that mosquito repellant was usually not necessary. However, in this tropical climate, high protection sunscreen was a daily necessity.

Location The South Luangwa National Park was located in the north eastern corner of Zambia, near the borders of Malawi and Mozambique. Mfuwe, the main entrance to the Park, was approximately 400 kilometers (250 miles) north east of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia.

Measures Metric system

Money Issues All prices in areas that catered to tourists, including airport taxes and park fees were quoted in U.S. dollars, alleviating the need to exchange currency. Because I couldn’t anticipate whether change could be made in U.S. dollars, I brought all the funds for incidentals, tips and souvenirs, in small U.S. denominations (mainly $1, $5 and $10). This ensured that I didn’t accumulate local currency along the way.

Technology All the lodges and camps offered running water. Electricity was permanently available at the lodges and on a limited basis at the camps. Cellular phone service and Internet access were available at the lodges. In the camps, the only available option was satellite phone.

Time GMT/UTC plus two hours (e.g. Continental European time)

Transportation The only way to get around in the Park was by all-wheel drive vehicles or on foot.

When To Visit The remote bush camps operated from May through October. They were closed during the green season when the saturated dirt paths became impassable bogs. The two permanent lodges operating in the park, the Mfuwe Lodge and the Chichele Presidential Lodge located within one hour’s drive from the Mfuwe entrance, remained open all year; catering mainly to birdwatchers during the green season, when migrant birds were said to visit in droves.

How To Get There South African Airways (SAA) offered daily flights from Washington and New York to Johannesburg, South Africa. Several European airlines also offered daily flights to Johannesburg from various European gateways. From Johannesburg, SAA and Air Zambia operated daily flights to Lusaka. British Airways had one daily flight between London and Lusaka. From Lusaka, Zambia Airways offered daily connecting flights to Mfuwe. Many of the lodges operating in the park provided road transfers to and from the airport. At the time of my visit, there was an airport departure tax of $8 for domestic flights and $25 for international flights. A tourist visa valid for one entry could be obtained at passport control in Lusaka for $25.

Facilities There were no shopping, dining or healthcare facilities in or near the Park. The closest town where basic necessities were available was Chipata, 80 miles away (approximately 3 hours by road).

Shopping And Souvenirs The lodges and camps had some very limited souvenir shops, stocked mainly with locally decorated textiles and some woodcarvings.

Tourism Highlights The combination of game hikes and drives offered an incomparable safari experience, joining the intimacy of eye-level discovery with the broader perspective that could only achieved from the safety of an open-top Land Rover. It was intensely satisfying to quietly walk single-file in the early morning sun behind an armed ranger and a guide, observing game tracks; and to listen to the complex sounds of the bush before finally catching sight of a five-ton bull elephant browsing with relish on mopane leaves; or a hippo on a determined trek to a nearby mud hole. However, when on foot, it was necessary to maintain a respectful distance from the animals. Standing near a pride of lions or returning the malevolent stare of a buffalo were best done from the back of a sturdy vehicle. In addition to these daytime excursions, the camps where I stayed offered nightly game drives in open top all-wheel drive vehicles equipped with powerful spotlights to view leopards, lions, hyenas and small nocturnal predators such as genets and civets.

Bird watching was equally outstanding, especially along the river where large flocks of waterfowl, such as yellow-billed and saddle-billed storks, crested cranes and great marabous, congregated. Meanwhile some of the steep banks appeared to be literally blooming with colonies of carmine bee-eaters.

Date Of Latest Visit October 2006

ReviewersArticle and photographs by Josette King

Would You Visit This Destination Again? Yes

Overall Impression The common areas at the Chichele Presidential Lodge were beautifully appointed, combining European flair with classic African design. They were open, airy spaces overlooking the African bush that undulates over rolling hills finally giving way to a river in the distance. Chichele is located on a hilltop above the Luangwa river bottoms, which are teaming with wildlife. Evening meals were exceptional, served out under the stars on a patio situated near the swimming pool. The patio provided a quiet, private, and intimate setting. We especially enjoyed the candle light dinner for two with a dedicated waiter who served our table only. On our second night, the evening meal was an excellent Bra i (barbeque) served at a banquet style table. The service was attentive, helpful and gracious.

Decorated in an elegant Victorian style, the rooms at Chichele were understated and romantic.

There was air conditioning in our room, which was a nice way to escape the sometimes oppressive heat during the day. The rooms, of a solid walled construction, were more sound proof than traditional tented bush camps, providing a quiet place where we could get a good night’s sleep.

Even though the Lodge is located in a wilderness region of a national park, we still had many modern amenities like utility power, a refrigerator, hair dryer and air conditioning. South Luangwa National Park stands out as a wonderful game-viewing destination. Although it is in a fairly remote, undeveloped region in Zambia, we felt it was worth the extra effort to get there.

Class Of Accommodation Elegant Victorian style lodges built along the edge of the hillside, each giving guests a private panoramic view.

General Managers Deon and Cyrstal Cuyler

Handicapped Access No. But Chichele was located on the ground level and the lodge was willing to accommodate handicapped individuals by providing staff assistance.

Length Of Stay Two nights

Location In the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia. The closest town is Mfuwe and the closest large town is Chipata. The distance from Mfuwe airport to the lodge was approximately 45 kilometers.

Owned And Managed Star of Africa Ltd.

Size There were 10 elegant Victorian rooms called lodges that accommodate up to 20 guests on the 20 acre property. The Chichele property is located inside the park boundaries of the South Luangwa National Park, a 9050 square kilometer park. The lodge has 30 employees.

Year Opened-Renovated Chichele opened in 1960 as a presidential lodge. It was later sold as a hotel. The most recent renovation was in 1998.

Lobby And Common Areas The style was colonial with traditional African art. Common areas had masks, skulls and paintings on the walls. We noticed that some of the art prints hanging on the walls were from local wild life artists.

Bathroom The bathroom had his and hers sinks, a toilet, a bath tub and a separate shower with a glass door and a white tiled interior. There was a bath tub with a small table next to it with soaps, shampoo, and towels. One wall had wildlife art prints of local birds.

Room We stayed in room #10, which faced the side of the lodge with the entrance. Our room was 30 feet by 20 feet (600 square feet). The floor of our room was terracotta colored concrete. The room colors were soft brown and tan. There were two air conditioning units. The construction of the room had a very solid feel and provided a cool and quiet sanctuary where we escaped the heat of the day.

Furniture, mostly of dark hardwoods, included: Two double beds with mosquito netting; a bedside table with two lamps; a small hanging clothes closet; two luggage tables, a sitting area with two chairs, and a small table with a brandy service and a lamp; a dressing table with two lamps, hair dryer and mirror; and a refrigerator with tea and coffee makers. Our small porch had two chairs and a small table. It looked out on a wildlife plains area where animals would occasionally walk by.

Food Meal times varied somewhat depending on game drive times. All meals were table d’hôte with a wide selection of dishes. Meal venues varied from the luxurious in-door dining room to the scenic verandahs and boma (open) area outside. Port and cigars were served after dinner. The three meals a day included soft drinks, beers, selected imported wines, spirits and cigars.

Continental breakfast consisted of tea or coffee, toast made of homemade bread, fresh juice, breakfast cereals, and homemade muffins. At the continental breakfast waiters served drinks.

Lunch was buffet style. We enjoyed spaghetti and meatballs, beets, homemade bread, sliced beef, ham, quail, sliced cheese, pasta, vegetable salad with cheese and olives, and shima (ground corn) during our stay. For dinner we had tomato basil soup, dinga (sable), pork chops, baked potato (scalloped potatoes), green beans, butternut squash, and caramel cream custard.

Amenities Our room had a hot water maker, tea, coffee, creamer, sugar, tea cups with spoons, glasses, a refrigerator stocked with Sprite, Coca Cola, Fanta Orange, and bottled water, bathrobes, slippers, shampoo, hand lotion, bar soap, soft soap (generic), hair dryer, candle with matches, and a bottle of brandy with clean glasses. Included were ground airport transfers to and from Mfuwe International Airport, three meals a day, two game viewing activities per day, park entry fees, soft drinks, beers, selected imported wines, spirits and cigars.

Facilities Amenities included an outdoor swimming pool, a curio shop, and conference facilities.

Pool The outdoor swimming pool was 30 by 15 feet wide and 4 to 5 feet deep. The water was clean. Water for the pool and shower was pumped from bore holes (well water) and contained natural mineral salts. There were lounge chairs and umbrellas along one side of the pool.

Game Viewing We participated in two game drives per day. On our morning game drives we would stop for a short break; on evening game drives we would stop for sundown drinks and to watch the sunset. Our guide was very knowledgeable, courteous and helpful throughout. During the day we had one guide who drove the vehicle, and on the evening drives we had an additional spotter who would operate a spotlight. Thanks to the South Luangwa National Park’s abundance of wildlife we found the game viewing really exciting.

Animals we saw: Genet, civet, pennant winged night jar, water dikkop, scrub hare, blacksmith plover, spar winged goose, double banded san grouse, lions, wart hogs, hooded vulture, water bottle bird, white-tailed mongoose, spotted hyena, porcupine, white-bellied stork (Abdim Stork), puku, impala, white-backed vulture, white-hooded vulture, lappet faced vulture, slender mongoose, giraffe, thorny croft, African spoonbill, sand pipers, bushbaby, brown house snake, elephant, tawny eagle, saddle billed stork, bushbuck, black hooded heron, Crawshay’s zebras a subspecies of Burchell zebras, and African spoonbills

Activities Chichele offered a broad range of game drives in the South Luangwa National Park using open 4 x 4 vehicles. Each vehicle was driven by a qualified certified guide. The lodge was full during our visit due to a conference, but we were the only guests in our game drive vehicle. Night drives using spotlights enabled us to see nocturnal animals. Game walks were conducted by a guide and an armed national parks scout.

Curio Shop The curio shop was located just off the main lobby. There were African fabrics, African wildlife books, clothes, and travel supplies like sunscreen

Children under six years were only accepted by prior arrangement with management.

The rooms ran on utility power. Our room had 220 VAC power at 50 Hz with NW-135C adapters. It was possible to access the Internet via satellite after 5 p.m. using a lodge computer in the main office.

Check-In-Check-Out Easy

Cleanliness Excellent

Date Of Last Visit November 2005

Reviewers Article by Chester Godsy

Photos by Joni Johnson-Godsy

Would You Stay Again? Yes