South Luangwa Lodges
South Luangwa Lodges and Bush Camps — Zambia's Walking Safari Country
Few places feel as wild as South Luangwa National Park. The Luangwa River loops past ebony groves, lagoons and open floodplains, and this is the valley where Norman Carr pioneered the walking safari. Walking is still one of the finest ways to feel this country underfoot, and South Luangwa sits firmly in our own top three safari destinations in Africa.
Our Luangwa collection runs from lodges close to Mfuwe to small, rustic bushcamps deep in the park, plus two remote walking camps in North Luangwa National Park. Days are built around game drives, guided bush walks, bush dinners and star gazing, with leopard, lion, elephant, buffalo and hippo among the sightings that keep guests talking long after they fly home.
Almost all Luangwa safaris start and end at Mfuwe Airport. Tell us how you like to travel — a lodge with every comfort, a rustic bushcamp or days spent almost entirely on foot — and our Zambia team will match you to the right camps and build them into your Zambian safari, alongside other lodges in Zambia. We have been planning safaris like this since 1999.
Safari Camps And Lodges In South And North Luangwa
Big Lagoon Trails Camp
Rates from US$ 610.00 Per person per night
Big Lagoon Trails Camp is a rustic safari camp in South Luangwa National Park, built for guests who want to get out into the wilderness. An authentic, wildlife-led stay with a touch of exclusive charm.
Bilimungwe Bushcamp
Rates from US$ 890.00 Per person per night
Bilimungwe Bushcamp is a small safari hideaway in South Luangwa National Park. Expert guides lead game drives and walks for close-up wildlife encounters, and the nights are spent under a sky full of stars.
Chamilandu Bushcamp
Rates from US$ 890.00 Per person per night
Chamilandu Bushcamp is an exclusive bushcamp in South Luangwa National Park. Days are spent close to the wildlife, and evenings end under African sunsets, with comfort to match the wilderness.
Chichele Presidential Lodge
Rates from US$ 1,625.00 Per person per night
Chichele Presidential Lodge was built as a presidential retreat and sits on elevated ground with views across the surrounding valleys and floodplains. Colonial charm and attentive service in a tranquil, elegant setting.
Chikoko Tree Trails Camp
Rates from US$ 610.00 Per person per night
Chikoko Tree Trails Camp has treehouse chalets that lift you above the ground in South Luangwa National Park. Experienced walking guides lead you along paths less travelled, for guests who want to explore on foot.
Chikunto Safari Lodge
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Chikunto Safari Lodge has a limited number of suites, so the stay stays intimate. Game drives, walking safaris and birdwatching are on offer in South Luangwa National Park, with eco-friendly practices to keep its footprint low.
Chindeni Bushcamp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Chindeni Bushcamp stands on the banks of the Luangwa River in South Luangwa National Park. Adventure and comfort come together in a quiet camp where nature sets the pace of your days.
Chinzombo Safari Camp
Rates from US$ 1,330.00 Per person per night
Chinzombo Safari Camp has six open-fronted villas, each with a deck and private plunge pool, on a private concession on the Luangwa River opposite South Luangwa National Park. Accomplished guides and trackers lead game drives, walking safaris and seasonal boat cruises.
Flatdogs Camp
Rates from US$ 430.00 Per person per night
Flatdogs Camp offers chalets, tented suites and the Jackalberry Treehouse in a warm, welcoming camp in the South Luangwa area. A relaxed, home-from-home base for nature lovers who want to hear the bush all around them.
Kafunta Island Bush Camp
Rates from US$ 655.00 Per person per night
Kafunta Island Bush Camp is a rustic bush camp on an island, with chalets overlooking an oxbow lagoon. Known for walking safaris, game drives and wildlife photography, it lets you explore South Luangwa on foot and by vehicle.
Kafunta River Lodge
Rates from US$ 560.00 Per person per night
Kafunta River Lodge has eight thatched chalets and two luxury suites on raised platforms, on the east bank of the Luangwa just outside South Luangwa National Park. Floodplain views, game drives and rich birdlife suit photographers.
Kafunta Three Rivers Camp
Rates from US$ 790.00 Per person per night
Kafunta Three Rivers Camp takes its name from the Luangwa, Kapamba and Lusangazi rivers that meet nearby. A small, distinctive camp with rich wildlife and birdlife for nature lovers and photographers.
Kaingo Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Kaingo Camp offers intimate chalets, exceptional game viewing and immersive safari activities in South Luangwa National Park. A camp for guests who want each day to bring them closer to the wildlife.
Kakuli Bush Camp
Rates from US$ 880.00 Per person per night
Kakuli Bush Camp stands at the confluence of the Luwi and Luangwa rivers. Walking safaris and game drives explore the river or the dry, sandy terrain around camp, and when the river is high the camp is reached by boat.
Kapamba Bushcamp
Rates from US$ 700.00 Per person per night
Kapamba Bushcamp offers seclusion in South Luangwa National Park, with walks through the bush and quiet evenings under starlit skies. A retreat for guests who want to follow wildlife on foot.
Kulandila Camp
Rates from US$ 998.00 Per person per night
Kulandila Camp has tented suites with views over the surrounding wilderness in South Luangwa National Park. An intimate camp for guests who want to be close to nature without giving up comfort.
Kuyenda Bushcamp
Rates from US$ 840.00 Per person per night
Kuyenda Bushcamp keeps things simple, pairing wildlife encounters with traditional hospitality. A place to step back from the pace of modern life and settle into the rhythm of the bush.
Lion Camp
Rates from US$ 1,045.00 Per person per night
Lion Camp has ten luxurious suites with views over the savannah plains of South Luangwa. Luxury and adventure combine in a comfortable base for a wildlife-rich stay in Zambia.
Luangwa River Camp
Rates from US$ 535.00 Per person per night
Luangwa River Camp has five bush suites under an ebony grove on Robin Pope private land, across the river from South Luangwa National Park. Knowledgeable guides and trackers lead the days, with diverse birdlife along the river.
Luwi Bush Camp
Rates from US$ 840.00 Per person per night
Luwi Bush Camp has four chalets in a remote part of South Luangwa National Park. Roads nearby are limited, so daily walking safaris lead, with game drives and a sleep-out under the stars also on offer.
Mchenja Camp
Rates from US$ 880.00 Per person per night
Mchenja Camp has five thatched tents among ebony trees beside the Luangwa River in South Luangwa National Park. Experienced guides lead walking safaris that can link several camps, with leopards, elephants and birdlife to look for.
Mfuwe Lodge
Rates from US$ 580.00 Per person per night
Mfuwe Lodge has thatched chalets set among forest canopy beside a lagoon in South Luangwa National Park. Game drives cross the savannah, and at sunset you can watch the elephant procession.
Mwaleshi Camp
Rates from US$ 610.00 Per person per night
Mwaleshi Camp is an intimate camp in North Luangwa National Park, a remote alternative to South Luangwa. For guests who want to step off the beaten path and explore its unspoiled landscapes.
Mwamba Bush Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Mwamba Bush Camp sits in South Luangwa National Park, where nature sets the rhythm of the day. A bush camp for guests who want a wilderness safari that stays with them long after they leave.
Nkwali Camp
Rates from US$ 560.00 Per person per night
Nkwali Camp has six open-fronted thatched chalets with open-air bathrooms on private land across the Luangwa from the park. Watch elephants cross the river from the bar, built around an ebony tree, and cross by safari pontoon into the park.
Nsefu Camp
Rates from US$ 775.00 Per person per night
Nsefu Camp has whitewashed rondavels with river views, on a bend of the Luangwa in the Nsefu Sector of South Luangwa National Park. Built in 1951, it is the park's oldest camp.
Nsolo Camp
Rates from US$ 840.00 Per person per night
Nsolo Camp has four chalets in a remote part of South Luangwa National Park. Guided walking safaris, night wildlife viewing, local storytelling and birdlife fill the days.
Puku Ridge Camp
Rates from US$ 1,510.00 Per person per night
Puku Ridge Camp stands on a ridge in South Luangwa National Park. Tented suites have picture windows and private viewing decks over the floodplain, and a photographic hide at the waterhole in front of camp adds to the wildlife viewing.
Shawa Luangwa Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Shawa Luangwa Camp has tented suites in the South Luangwa Valley, with leopards at dusk and star-filled skies at night. A tranquil camp designed around the beauty and rhythms of the valley.
Sungani Lodge
Rates from US$ 1,599.00 Per person per night
Sungani Lodge has tented suites in the Luangwa Valley, with game drives and sunrises over the lagoon. A serene, personal lodge for guests who want comfort alongside the wilderness.
Tafika Camp
Rates from US$ 660.00 Per person per night
Tafika Camp stands beside the Luangwa River in South Luangwa National Park, with rustic elegance and warm local hospitality. A relaxed, intimate base for an up-close safari.
Takwela Camp
Rates from US$ 645.00 Per person per night
Takwela Camp is a classic walking camp in North Luangwa National Park, at the confluence of two rivers. Raw, uncharted wilderness and an intimate connection with nature define the stay.
Tena Tena Camp
Rates from US$ 930.00 Per person per night
Tena Tena Camp is Robin Pope's first camp, in a mahogany grove on a bend of the Luangwa in the Nsefu Sector of South Luangwa National Park. The name means "temporary home", and each tent has a private river view.
Zungulila Bushcamp
Rates from US$ 700.00 Per person per night
Zungulila Bushcamp is tucked away in the southern reaches of South Luangwa National Park, with an intimate setting and a focus on sustainable safaris. Comfort and a lighter footprint in the wilderness.
Choosing a Luangwa Lodge — Your Questions Answered
Should I stay near Mfuwe or in a remote Luangwa bushcamp?
Ideally both. Lodges near Mfuwe, such as Mfuwe Lodge and Kafunta River Lodge, are a short transfer from Mfuwe Airport and make an easy first or last stop. Remote bushcamps like Zungulila in the south of the park or Luwi deep inside it trade that convenience for fewer vehicles and a quieter, walking-led pace.
Which Luangwa camps specialise in walking safaris?
The trails camps and remote bushcamps do. Big Lagoon Trails Camp and Chikoko Tree Trails Camp are built around walking, and Luwi Bush Camp relies on it because roads around the camp are limited. In North Luangwa, Mwaleshi and Takwela both run classic walking safaris. Most other camps offer walks alongside game drives.
How do the North Luangwa camps differ from those in South Luangwa?
They are wilder, smaller and far more remote. Mwaleshi Camp and Takwela Camp sit in North Luangwa National Park, where walking rather than driving shapes every day. Most guests pair a few nights there with a stay in South Luangwa, adding the north as the remote finale to a longer Luangwa safari.
Can I combine several Luangwa camps on one safari?
Yes, and we recommend it. Most Luangwa itineraries pair a lodge near Mfuwe with one or two smaller bushcamps, so you see both the busy river frontage and the quieter interior. Mchenja Camp, for example, is often combined with neighbouring camps for a multi-camp walking safari. We plan every transfer between them for you.
Which Luangwa camps have treehouses or elevated views?
Chikoko Tree Trails Camp sleeps guests in treehouse chalets, and Flatdogs Camp has its Jackalberry Treehouse. For raised views over the floodplain, look at Chichele Presidential Lodge, Kafunta River Lodge and Puku Ridge Camp, where every tented suite has picture windows and a private viewing deck facing the plain below.
Which Luangwa camps sit on the Luangwa River?
Luangwa River Camp, Nsefu Camp, Tafika Camp and Nkwali Camp all lie along the Luangwa River, and at Nkwali you can watch elephants crossing it from the bar. Kafunta Three Rivers Camp sits where the Luangwa meets the Kapamba and Lusangazi rivers. On the river, hippos and crocodiles are never far from view.
Map of Lodges in and around South Luangwa, Zambia
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