Taste of Zambia

On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure.

Lusaka, Zambia’s cosmopolitan capital, is a typical modern African city. Set on open plains at the heart of the country, northeast of the capital, the city serves as Zambia’s rapidly developing economic and transport hub with new buildings popping up everywhere and many chain stores and shopping malls springing up all over the sprawling suburbs. Lusaka’s wide, tree-lined boulevards feature a range of tourist facilities including hotels, guest houses, coffee shops, fast food outlets, nightclubs, and pubs.

Visitor attractions include the Henry Tayali Gallery, showcasing local artworks; The National Museum, covering Zambia's colonial history; the Lilayi Elephant Orphanage; and a number of colorful markets. Don’t miss the popular Munda Wanga Environmental Park where you will find a Wildlife Park and Sanctuary, Botanical Gardens, Recreational Village, and an Environmental Education Centre.

Overnight in Lusaka

Today you will be transferred to the airport in time for your scheduled flight to Mfuwe where you will be met by a pilot and transferred by light aircraft to the Luangwa airstrip. This is an approximately 20-25-minute flight and luggage restrictions apply. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to the lodge where you will stay three nights.

Bordering the Luangwa River, the northern and southern Luangwa National Parks contain some of the most breathtaking and untouched wilderness in Africa. As a result of this and the parks’ successful anti-poaching campaigns, the area has developed into a world-renowned wildlife haven. The South Luangwa National Park is renowned for its walking safari, which allows visitors to view elephant, hippos, and even lion close-up under the supervision of professional and knowledgeable armed guides.

Enjoy your included game activities.

Game Drive
A game drive is a wonderful way to explore the area allowing you to get close to sightings while maintaining a minimal presence. At Sungani we value the quality of the area above all else. Each time you board one of Sungani’s custom-built safari vehicles the anticipation is high. Our vehicles have modified suspension, individual luxury seats, comfortable footrests, and nifty spaces and holders for an array of equipment. Each vehicle is equipped with Manfrotto camera rests, and the roof canopy is designed to be easily removed upon request.

Set off from camp in the cool of the early morning to enhance your chances of seeing animals as daylight illuminates the wilderness once again. Our guides will befriend you in a short time as they generously share the skill and passion they have for their craft. Allow yourself to be infected by the anticipation and begin to appreciate and engage in the pace of the African wilderness.

We promise that a cup of local freshly brewed coffee will take on a new meaning as you stop in the shade for a mid-morning break. Your senses are now on high alert for the unexpected sighting or magical moment to take place. Breathe in the sights and sounds and really tune out the rest of the world for a while. Look through the bush and notice shapes and obvious different colors as you begin to really see.

Later in the afternoon set off once again and this time experience the magic of an African sunset with an icy cold drink of choice in hand, surrounded by the fading light. As darkness begins to creep in you will begin to hear an array of new noises and notice your sense of smell sharpen. Adrenaline and anticipation kick in as the spotlight illuminates the night in search of big cats, elusive mongoose, or the charismatic scrub hare.

Bush Meal
Dine along the banks of the Luangwa River taking it all in as our Sungani chefs prepare a meal to remember. Things just taste better in the bush! At Sungani our picnics or brunches are reminiscent of family adventures and time spent around the table.

On the Water
As the first raindrops fall on the dry Luangwa valley the smell of petrichor assails the senses. The sense of anticipation is elevated, and the animal behavior tells a story of its own. The only thing we are sure of is that the mighty free-flowing Luangwa River will flood, and the landscape will be changed once more.

Green takes over and we are finally able to launch the boats, pack the equipment, and set off to drift down the Luangwa River, explore tributaries and enjoy the wildlife from a new perspective. This is an exciting time for birders as migrants fly in for a visit. Mercurial skies, meandering currents, and boundless color…. emerald season truly is a magical time to visit.

Hideout
Capture that once-in-a-lifetime memory in our photographic hides adjacent to a watering hole or up close and personal with the carmine bee-eaters. Sit atop the viewing platform on the lagoon and wait to catch a glimpse of the elusive Roan antelope, watch the hippos frolic, or witness a crocodile capture his next meal.

At Sungani we are constantly adapting and improving our photographic experience to cater to all. Our head guide is a keen photographer himself, and always excited to assist, whether you are a beginner, or just need some help in capturing the perfect shot. Whether you’re after a specific species or are hoping to see it all, we aim to get you close with as little impact on the animals as possible. After all, we are privileged to share this wonderful space with them!

Walking Safari
This is the home of the walking safari, and we are excited to share it with you. Explore the banks of the meandering Luangwa River and the historical floodplains. There is no better way to be totally immersed in mother nature than to see her on foot. Your guide is silently in tune with every sign and sounds walk you through a sensation-filled safari. Experience being up close with wildlife as your senses come alive and you will begin to feel part of the ebb and flow of mother nature.

Our expert guiding team will take you on a journey through their eyes. As skilled naturalists, they will translate the spoor, the signs, and the vegetation giving an insight into the workings of this complex and dynamic ecosystem. The concentration of animals around the Luangwa River and its oxbow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa. The South Luangwa is one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world and remains evocative of safaris of old.

The Lodge team will confirm your departure time from camp today for your transfer to the Airstrip for a short flight to Mfuwe Airport where you will connect to your scheduled flight to Jeki Airstrip in the Lower Zambezi.

On arrival you will be met by your guide from Chiawa Camp who will transfer you to the Camp for your three-night stay.

Located on the Zimbabwean border in the southern reaches of Zambia, the Lower Zambezi region is best known as the home to the Lower Zambezi National Park which features exceptional, undeveloped wildlife areas. It is renowned for its abundant game - hippos, buffalo, crocodiles, fish eagles, and herds of elephants can be spotted, among other species. The landscape is characterized by the rugged, unspoiled wilderness of vast floodplains, scattered with indigenous woodlands. Visitors can look forward to an array of wonderful activities along the Zambezi including game drives, walking safaris, canoe trips, and excellent tiger fishing.

Enjoy your included game activities.

Game drives
This is the safest and most effective way to view big game. Drives are conducted in open 4wd vehicles that have been specially adapted for safari use with comfy seats, pockets to stow your gear and bean bags to steady your camera for those all-important photos. Usually departing in the early morning, drives can last anywhere from 2 to 4 hours depending on what's seen and the requirements of the guests. In the late afternoon drives set off for an hour or so before stopping at a scenic point for sundowners.

Once the sun has set, night drives commence. Zambia is one of the few countries that permit night drives, perhaps the most interesting of all safari activities.

Using filtered spotlights, which do not interfere with the wellbeing and behaviour of the subject and which make it much easier on your eyes too, this is an opportunity to see nocturnal creatures such as civet, porcupine, genet, and also to see some of the larger predators on the move. It is not uncommon to see a pride of lions on a kill or a leopard stalking through the bush. These drives last as long as they need to.

Bush walks
Pioneered in Zambia, bush walks are essentially a "micro-safari". An armed ranger and qualified and experienced pro guide will guide you through the wilderness on foot, interpreting spoor, identifying the various flora and fauna, and highlighting conservation issues. However, elephants and buffalo are seen on most walks and sometimes big cats, so expect anything at any time. The pace is leisurely, and the duration is determined by guests' requirements – and what is seen on the walk. Typically, a few hours are sufficient.

River safaris
One of the great aspects of a visit to Chiawa Camp is the variety of activities offered by virtue of our presence on the Zambezi River. This is one of the few camps permitted to conduct waterborne safaris within the National Park, and our custom-built, motorized pontoons are ideal to take advantage of this.

Enjoy morning or afternoon cruises exploring numerous channels and viewing hippo, buffalo, elephant, and prolific bird life. Also on offer are sunset and sundowner cruises, often completed with a night drive back to camp.

Canoeing
Although the Zambezi offers many activities, perhaps it is best known for canoeing - nowhere else is there such a combination of breathtaking scenery, varied wildlife, and such interesting channels to paddle through. Six-meter-long Canadian canoes are used, and these trips may last anywhere from 1 hour to 1 day.

Our most popular canoe safari is 90 minutes long where guests paddle (always downstream!) from the lodge to "Sunset Strip" for sundowners and then a night drive back to Chiawa Camp. Tranquil yet exciting, these trips can be longer, and may drift through the likes of the Waterbuck Island and Chifungulu Channels, an excellent way to enjoy another aspect of the Zambezi River.

Fishing
Chiawa Camp is internationally acclaimed as one of the world’s leading fishing destinations. Recommended by authoritative anglers and in publications such as The Best Fly-Fishing Trips Money Can Buy and Forbes Traveler, expert guides are on hand to assist you in finding the notorious tigerfish (camp record 10.1kg, average 2kg) which are caught on the fly or conventional tackle.

Star Drift & Star Bed sleepout experience
Start your evening with a 4-course dinner served whilst drifting on the Zambezi River. After dinner, spend the night in the star bed tower where a bath will have been drawn and crisp bubbly on ice awaits.

Zambia’s most romantic and luxurious sleep out is located just downstream of camp, perfectly positioned on the banks of the Zambezi River and over-looking “Scout’s Hollow”, an inlet off the Zambezi River where all types of wildlife drink, day and night.
The star bed tower is about 4m high with views to die for and has a sumptuous Queen size bed under mosquito netting, a bathtub, loo, wash basin and mirror. The side tables have red-filtered flashlights to see what's around and a 2-way radio for just in case. After a night under the stars, coffee/tea and continental breakfast will be delivered at a wake up time of your choosing.

Top tip: the ground floor boasts a superb photographic hide, perfect to just sit and watch whatever wildlife comes down for a drink.

The camp team will advise you what time your transfer to Jeki Airstrip for your flight to Livingstone Airport via Lusaka.

On arrival at Livingstone Airport, you will be met by your pilot for a spectacular scenic helicopter flight over the Falls, and the gorge before continuing to Mukwa River Lodge where you will spend your final 3 nights.

Situated along the southern border of Zambia, Victoria Falls is a spectacular sight of awe-inspiring beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River. It forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and stretches across almost two kilometres into a gorge over one hundred metres below - making it one of the world’s widest waterfalls.

Dubbed ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ by locals, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a popular tourist destination for those visiting Zambia. It is world-renowned for its sheer beauty and offers visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in spectacular landscapes inhabited by abundant wildlife.

Visitors can look forward to a wide range of adventure sports such as kayaking, white-water rafting, ziplining, bungee jumping and bridge swinging; and those looking for more relaxation can enjoy a sunset boat cruise, game viewing, or browsing through the vibrant local Livingstone Market.

Enjoy some of the amazing activities included at your lodge.

Activities include:
Sunrise/sunset river activities, Zambian Victoria Falls guided tour, Picnic lunches in various locations, Livingstone town tour including markets and museums, Breakfast, lunch, and high tea river experiences, A tour of the Mukwa organic garden where you can also meet the chickens, Zambian cooking class and dining experience, Tiger fishing (seasonal), Guided birding walks, Mountain biking, Local foraging walks (seasonal), Village cultural tour (School and Creative Centre visits also available)

Today your arrangements conclude with a transfer to Livingstone Airport in time for your flight.