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Tented suite bedroom with a canopy bed WITH white netting overlooking palm trees in the Busanga Plains, Zambia.

Wilderness Shumba

Kafue National Park | Zambia
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Seasonal Predator-Rich Camp on the Busanga Plains

Shumba Camp is an exclusive, seasonal lodge set on a tree-island in the heart of the Busanga Plains of northern Kafue National Park. With just six spacious tented suites, expert guiding and access to one of Zambia’s most wildlife-dense areas, it’s a top choice for close-to-nature safaris from June to October.

Price Per Person Sharing From:

USD 1,691 - 2,066
Rating | Exclusive Top-End
Three male lions walking through dry grassy plains with elevated wooden lodges in the distance.

Highlights & What to Expect

  • Open June to October in a remote, exclusive Busanga Plains setting.
  • Six luxury tented suites on raised decks with indoor & outdoor showers.
  • Excellent lion, leopard & cheetah viewing; large herds of red lechwe, puku & buffalo.
  • Morning, afternoon and night game drives; seasonal boat outings early in the season.
  • Lions leaping channels (“flying lions”) are sometimes seen during the dry-down.
  • Short guided walks on the plains, offered early in the season.

Our Tours & Safaris that visit Wilderness Shumba

More Zambia Lodges

Overview of Wilderness Shumba

Flooding submerges the area until May, after which the wet ground dries into flat, cracked clay. Shumba stands on a fig-tree island in the middle of the plains, in the far north of Kafue National Park.

Location & Setting

The camp’s central areas rest beneath ancient fig trees on a tree-island overlooking the vast Busanga Plains. From here guests gaze across seemingly endless grasslands dotted with channels, watching rare antelope and the predators that follow them.

Light aircraft from Lusaka and Livingstone land at Busanga Airstrip, a short drive from camp. August and September are the prime months, when the floodwater has drained and the plains lie open.

Rooms

Shumba Camp consists of six luxurious tented suites built on wooden decks. Each suite is en suite with both indoor and outdoor showers, and spacious viewing decks look out over the plains crisscrossed by seasonal channels.

One larger tent works as a family unit. Children over 9 are welcome, and because the camp is unfenced they stay with an adult at all times.

Facilities

Activities focus on interpretive game drives by day and night in open 4x4 vehicles, with chances to see large herds of buffalo, wildebeest and red lechwe, plus predators like lions, leopards and cheetahs. Early in the season, water levels may allow gentle boat outings. A swimming pool and elevated decks provide relaxed wildlife viewing between activities.

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Nighttime view of an illuminated wooden lodge deck with a sunken lounge and small pool.
Cheetah standing in tall yellow grass near an open game drive vehicle.
Drinks table arranged on a grassy field where guests sit watching a sunset.
Small safari motorboat observing a pod of hippos resting in shallow river waters.
Plush sofa set in the foreground of a tented room with a draped double bed.
Bush campsite seating area with beanbags and oil lanterns at dusk.
Bathroom vanity with two ceramic basin sinks overlooking open grassy plains.
Group sitting on wooden stools around a central campfire inside a reed boma.

Amenities

  • Accommodations

    6

  • Bar & Lounge

  • Restaurant

  • Swimming Pool

  • Laundry Service

  • In-suite Massage

  • In-room Safe

  • Wi-Fi

  • Viewing Deck

  • Private Dining

  • Tea & Coffee

  • Mosquito Net

  • Ceiling Fan

  • Outdoor Shower

  • Private Deck

  • Boma / Fire Pit

Activities

  • Game Drives

  • Night Drives

  • Walking Safari

  • Birdwatching

  • Stargazing

  • Wilderness Dining

Other Area Properties

Shumba is the only Kafue camp on our list, so the nearest alternatives are in Livingstone, the Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa, all linked by light aircraft.

Colonial-style hotel and lawns on the Zambezi at the Royal Livingstone.

Royal Livingstone Hotel by Anantara

Flights from Livingstone reach Busanga in under two hours, and this hotel by the Falls makes a good first night.

Riverside hotel and pool at The David Livingstone Safari Lodge.

The David Livingstone Safari Lodge & Spa

A Livingstone alternative upstream of the Falls, with sunset cruises from the hotel.

Riverside tented suite at Royal Zambezi Lodge.

Royal Zambezi Lodge

Water-based safari on the Lower Zambezi, with canoeing and angling to balance Busanga’s open plains.

Safari tent beneath mahogany trees at Tena Tena Camp.

Tena Tena Camp

A seasonal South Luangwa camp on a similar calendar, open from late May to the end of October.

Last Updated: November 6, 2026 Curated By: Riaan Viljoen