5 Best Luxury Safari Camps in Zambia

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Riaan Viljoen 25-05-2024

With nearly 30% of the country's land classified as protected, Zambia is at the forefront of conservation. South Luangwa and Kafue are two of the more prominent national parks, as are the lush floodplains of Lower Zambezi. Visitors to Zambia are spoilt for choice, with some awe-inspiring destinations away from crowds of tourists.

1

Chinzombo

First on our list is Chinzombo, a modern take on the traditional camp explorers to the area would have set up a few centuries ago. This luxury safari camp is ideal for single travelers, families, and couples to explore the vast expanses of the South Luangwa National Park. Like the Okavango, the park is flooded woodland teaming with life. The lodge offers guests their own secluded unit hidden amongst the trees, overlooking the gentle waters and an endless horizon.

2

Shumba Camp

Shumba Camp is another luxurious getaway. The vast Busanga Plains of the Kafue National Park are a living portrait to be studied and appreciated from each of the lodge's comfortable suites. The camp lies dormant for seven months of the year before opening to receive guests for the wet season, when lions, elephants, and scores of other wildlife flock to the region, making it a safari enthusiast's dream. The park is as dramatic as the scenery and certainly not to be missed. 

3

Royal Zambezi Lodge

The Royal Zambezi Lodge is for the curious, looking to explore the less talked about and seldom seen parts of the Zambezi River and Zambia. The luxury camp is located on the banks of the Zambezi in the Lower Zambezi National Park. It offers a variety of activities, from angling, birding, and canoeing among Africa's gracious wildlife to bush walks and traditional safari game drives. Sunsets are best spent at the bar under the thick sausage tree that anchors this beautiful place in its environment.

4

Mchenja

The camp's name is the local word for ebony, a strong and dark wood found on the site of the lodge's tents overlooking the Luangwa River in the South Luangwa National Park. The park is known for its pioneering role in introducing travelers to walking safaris, a highly recommended experience. The game rangers are all too happy when guiding new faces through the thick bush and spreading the culture of conservation and a love for nature.

5

Tena Tena

Tena Tena is a minimalist and iconic camp in one of the bastions of conservation around the world—the South Luangwa National Park. It is a tented camp that promises guests unparalleled experiences, bringing every part of their stay as close to nature and the natural world as possible without compromising on comfort or luxury. Like many of its peers, Tena Tena is only open five months of the year, and visitors are warned that these adventure-filled five months fill up quicker than one might imagine.