Luangwa River Camp — Hotel in Eastern Province

This was an exceptional experience, not least because I was the only guest in camp for the 3 nights I visited here! I felt like royalty! The staff went above and beyond with their welcome, friendliness and attentiveness for my stay as if they had a full camp. ||My chalet was absolutely huge and very comfortable with various appliances operating from solar/batteries in the event of loadshedding. The bar / lounge / restaurant area was well set out next to a pond and grove of banana trees and plunge pool with a view through the trees of the river. Laundry and all drinks were included and WiFi available in the lounge area. We crossed the river each day by driving along a causeway made of sandbags with bamboo poles demarcating the route. These made very good perches for the kingfishers as well! ||The variety of wildlife was amazing with elephants, sparring giraffes and zebra, birdlife (including ground hornbills and hammerkops), a python being mobbed by birds and tree squirrels; Julius was my guide and Emmanuel was the spotter who was able to show me a couple of bushbabies including one sighting made in the torrential rain once we had crossed the river and were entering the camp one evening. One of the key sightings made by Julius was locating Lucy, a well known leopard in the area, along with her cubs in a tree on a kill she had stashed there earlier in the day. On another occasion, we watched her cubs playing in the tussocks of grass at the bottom of that tree… magical! ||Bessie was the camp host and Boniface assisted with meal and drink service and always with a friendly smile to greet me each day. The nightwatchman would escort me to my room in the evenings and again in the morning to the restaurant area – as an open camp, there would be the occasional visit from an elephant or hippo. A really appreciated touch was that either Bessie or Julius would have meals with me which meant we could continue our conversations from earlier in the day or game drives. ||The passion and skill that Julius and Emmanuel demonstrated in the dark or in the middle of the intense storm was astounding; whilst I could hear hyenas calling at night, I only saw one spotted hyena on my entire trip to Zambia and this was when we had to make a “James Bond” dash back to camp before fallen trees blocked our way.. but Julius and Emmanuel saw and pointed it out to me. I would love to visit Luangwa River Camp with its unique location and exceptional...

From arrival to departure, we had a special time at the Luangwa River Camp. It’s a pity we only stayed two nights. Bar the first evening we were the only guests, so we had the full run of the place. The staff are wonderful and looked after us brilliantly. The location is superb, right on the banks of the Luangwa River, which was at a low level as we stayed in dry season and must be some sight after the rains have been. We arrived at the camp by fording the river, memorable. Hippos were nearby. The wildlife close to the camp is extensive, and our superb guide Daniel helped us to see lions, leopards, elephants, kudu, impala, puku, hippos, hyena, zebra, giraffe, warthog, crocodile and baboons. ||The chalet we had, No. 1, with a lovely, thatched roof was very comfortable. With tea and coffee making facilities, vanity mirror, fan, armchairs, safe, wardrobe, indoor shower, a separate toilet, bath and twin sinks it had everything we needed. The hot water took a little time to come through but was a good temperature when it did. There are lots of sockets with USB ports. The double bed was very comfortable and there was a mosquito net. The housekeeping was first rate. The main building a short stroll away, has a modern feel, with Wi-Fi, which can be a little slow in the evenings, seating areas, dining area, bar and a small selection of local goods for sale. There is a spotter scope to aid your enjoyment of the birds and animals by the riverbank. The hospitality is superb, with a choice of three course dinners, two course lunches, afternoon tea and fireside breakfasts including porridge, eggs and toast made on the fire and other food. It was all delicious. There is a full choice of beverages to rival any city bar. You can move around the camp freely during the day, at night you need an escort as wildlife moves around the site. On our last evening there was an elephant by our chalet, so this is essential. We had a relaxing and equally active time at the camp viewing the extensive game in the area. My only regret is that I did not stay longer, it’s a spectacular...

Luangwa River Camp is such beautiful camp situated along the luangwa river. We had the most amazing time here on our 2 night stay and wished we could stay longer. Our room was spacious and clean with lovely interiors. Exceptional service from the staff, which catered to all our needs. Special thanks to Sarel, the camp manager who took great care of us. |The food was delicious and fresh and always looked forward to what would be served. Our dietary requirements were also well taken care of. We would have lunch and dinner together with the other guests at the camp, along with the guides and share our stories of sightings which made for a great conversation.|The game park is right across the camp, and we would just drive across the river to get into the park as the river water levels were low. This is much faster than having to enter from the parks main gate.|The game drives were the highlight of the trip with guides Daniel and Julius. They had thorough knowledge of the flora and fauna of the park and we saw some spectacular sightings. Daniel tracked the lions and leopards for us, which we saw on all our game drives. Plus the beautiful sightings of elephants, hyneas, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, impalas, pukus, birds, baboons, vervet monkeys, buffalos and hippos. 4 of the Big 5 spotted. It was truly a delight! |Can't wait to...