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A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented camp

Where to stay in Zambia

Zambia Safari Camps & Lodges

Seasonal bush camps, river lodges and island retreats, grouped by area and comfort level. These are the stay styles we plan with; we match specific camps to your dates and the season.

Comfort levels

Four Comfort Levels

  1. ComfortWell-run lodges and classic camps with genuine warmth — excellent guiding without the extras.
  2. PremiumSpacious, characterful camps in prime locations, with exceptional service and food.
  3. LuxuryRefined camps and lodges — often with plunge pools, fine dining and the very best positions.
  4. Ultra-LuxuryExclusive-use reserves and a handful of suites: privacy, space and complete flexibility.
Area
Comfort level
Collection

28 stay styles

Comfort

Lusaka · leafy suburbs

Leafy-Suburb Garden Guesthouse

Boutique hotel

A small, personally run guesthouse behind a garden wall in one of Lusaka’s tree-lined residential suburbs. It makes a calm, practical base for a single night before an early domestic flight, far quieter than the business hotels in the centre.

  • A handful of en-suite rooms around a garden
  • Home-style breakfasts, with dinners on request
  • Transfers timed for connecting flights
  • Close to the city’s restaurants and shops

Ideal for: Families and travelers who want a simple, friendly night between the long-haul flight and the bush

Premium

Lusaka · farmland on the city’s edge

Farm & Game-Ranch Lodge

Farm lodge

Chalets or cottages on a working farm or private game ranch just outside Lusaka, where plains game such as zebra and antelope often wander past the lawns. After a long-haul flight it feels as though the safari has already started, with room for children to run and a pool for the afternoon.

  • Spacious chalets or cottages in farm gardens
  • Game walks, drives or horse riding on the property at some
  • Swimming pool and wide lawns
  • Farm-fresh cooking

Ideal for: Families and couples arriving on a long flight who want a green, gentle first night

Luxury

Lusaka · boutique hotels in the suburbs

Suburban Boutique Hotel

Boutique hotel

A design-led hotel in one of Lusaka’s upmarket suburbs, with a small number of stylish rooms, a good restaurant and a pool set in landscaped gardens. It turns an overnight stop in the capital into a restful pause, with the airport and the best of the city’s dining within easy reach.

  • Individually designed rooms and suites
  • Pool and garden terrace
  • Restaurant serving contemporary Zambian and international food
  • Quiet setting away from the city centre

Ideal for: Couples who want a polished, quiet night in Lusaka before or after the bush

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourComfort

South Luangwa · Mfuwe gate area

Gate-Area River Lodge

Lodge · Several open year-round

Well-run lodges on the Luangwa River near the main Mfuwe gate put you minutes from the park’s most productive game-viewing loops. Rooms or chalets face the water, where elephants and hippos are regular visitors, and several stay open all year, including the green season when the swollen river allows boat trips.

  • River-view chalets or rooms
  • Morning walks plus day and night drives
  • Swimming pool for the midday heat
  • About half an hour from Mfuwe Airport

Ideal for: First-time visitors and families who want dependable game viewing, a pool and easy access from Mfuwe Airport

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campPremium

South Luangwa · central river camps

Classic Riverbank Tented Camp

Tented camp · Most open around April/May–November; a few year-round

The classic Luangwa style: a few large tents or chalets on a bend of the river, a shared deck and fire pit, and experienced guides who switch easily between walking and driving. You alternate dawn walks with afternoon drives that run on into the night in the central area, the part of the valley best known for leopard.

  • A handful of spacious tents or chalets on the riverbank
  • Walking, day drives and night drives
  • Photographic hides at some
  • Small, personal atmosphere

Ideal for: Photographers and first-time Zambia travelers who want walks and drives from a riverside base

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourLuxury

South Luangwa · private riverfront

Private-Riverfront Luxury Lodge

Lodge · Typically April–November; confirm per lodge

Generous suites on a quiet stretch of the Luangwa, many with a private plunge pool and an outdoor shower, look out over the river and its oxbow lagoons. Design, food and wine are polished, yet the guiding keeps the valley’s walking tradition at the centre of every day.

  • Large suites, many with private plunge pools
  • Walks and drives with few guests per vehicle
  • Photographic hides at some
  • Refined food and a considered wine list

Ideal for: Honeymooners and discerning travelers who want top-level comfort without losing the walking-safari spirit

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourUltra-Luxury

South Luangwa · private house with its own guide and vehicle

Exclusive-Use Safari House

Lodge · Typically April–November; confirm per house

A private house on the Luangwa reserved for your party alone, with its own guide, vehicle, chef and staff. You shape each day yourselves, from a dawn walk to a late night drive or a long lunch by the pool, which makes it the most flexible way to experience the valley.

  • Exclusive use for your group
  • Dedicated guide, vehicle and chef
  • Private pool and living areas
  • Activities and meals on your timetable

Ideal for: Families, multi-generational groups and couples who want complete privacy and their own schedule

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campPremium

South Luangwa · Nsefu, Luwi or southern-sector bush country

Seasonal Walking Bush Camp

Bush camp · Typically June–October (a few from late May to early November)

A small camp in one of South Luangwa’s quiet sectors, built from local materials each dry season and gone again before the rains. Walking is the reason to stay, guest numbers are tiny and, after dark, the valley’s sounds come right up to your door; comforts are simple but well considered, often with open-air bathrooms.

  • A few reed, thatch or canvas rooms, each en suite
  • Morning walks with a guide and an armed scout
  • Camp-to-camp walking where routes allow
  • No other camps in sight

Ideal for: Walkers who want quiet, few people and a closer connection to the bush

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campLuxury

South Luangwa · remote riverside bush camps

Luxury Riverside Bush Camp

Bush camp · Typically June–October

The same remote walking country with more polish: a few spacious rooms facing a lagoon or riverbank, stylish open-air bathrooms and excellent cooking, while keeping the lightness of a seasonal camp. Walks remain the heart of each day, with drives and hides filling the afternoons.

  • Only a handful of rooms, often facing a lagoon
  • Open-air bathrooms and fine finishes
  • Walks, hides and game drives
  • Private dining in the bush

Ideal for: Couples and experienced travelers who want remote walking with a touch of luxury

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campPremium

North Luangwa · Mwaleshi River

North Luangwa Wilderness Walking Camp

Bush camp · Typically mid-June–October

A small, simple camp on a riverbank in a park with almost no roads and very few visitors. Comfort is basic but sound, with good beds, hot showers and home cooking, and the setting is the whole point: days are spent on foot with a guide and an armed scout.

  • A handful of simple chalets or tents by the river
  • Walking-led days, with some drives
  • A short light-aircraft flight from Mfuwe
  • No other camps nearby

Ideal for: Experienced safari-goers and keen walkers who value wilderness over comfort

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourComfort

Lower Zambezi · Chiawa GMA, west of the park

Upstream Riverside Lodge

Lodge · Most open around April–November; a few longer

A friendly riverside lodge in the game management area upstream of the national park, where communities live alongside wildlife. Days revolve around the water, with boat trips, canoeing and fishing, and outings into the park itself mean a longer drive or boat ride downstream.

  • Riverfront rooms or chalets
  • Boat trips, canoeing and fishing
  • Game drives into the park downstream
  • Family-friendly atmosphere

Ideal for: Families and anglers who want a relaxed river stay at a more modest price level

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campPremium

Lower Zambezi · Chongwe and park-edge riverfront

Park-Edge River Camp

Tented camp · Typically April–mid-November

Tented camps along the park boundary, near where the Chongwe River meets the Zambezi, combine the river with walking. Rules just outside the national park can differ from those inside, which can make walks and fishing simpler to arrange, while the park’s wildlife moves freely across the boundary.

  • Spacious tents facing the Zambezi
  • Canoeing, boating, walks and drives
  • Fishing in the open season
  • Family tents at some

Ideal for: Families and active travelers who want canoeing, walking and drives from one camp

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campLuxury

Lower Zambezi · inside the national park

Luxury In-Park Tented Camp

Tented camp · Typically April–mid-November

Tented suites inside the national park, shaded by big winterthorn and mahogany trees on the bank, face the blue hills of Zimbabwe across the water. Being in the park puts you close to the floodplain’s richest game areas, and elephants often wander between the tents.

  • Large tented suites with river views
  • Canoeing, boating, walks, drives and night drives
  • Private dining on the riverbank
  • Inside the national park boundary

Ideal for: Couples and wildlife enthusiasts who want to wake up in the heart of the park

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campUltra-Luxury

Lower Zambezi · riverfront suites with private plunge pools

Plunge-Pool River Suites

Tented camp · Typically April–mid-November

The Lower Zambezi’s most exclusive style: a few large, beautifully finished riverfront suites, each with a private plunge pool and deck, and a high ratio of guides and staff to guests. Activities are arranged around you, from a private canoe outing to a boat trip timed for the last light.

  • Riverfront suites with private plunge pools
  • Private activities on request
  • Excellent food and wine
  • Only a few suites per camp

Ideal for: Honeymooners and travelers who want the most private, polished stay on the Zambezi

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campPremium

Kafue · Busanga Plains

Floodplain Seasonal Tented Camp

Tented camp · Typically July–October, set by the floodwater

A seasonal tented camp on the edge of the Busanga floodplain, put up once the water drops and packed away before the rains. The plains run right up to the tents, and drives start from camp into lion, cheetah and lechwe country with hardly another vehicle about.

  • Classic canvas tents with en-suite bathrooms
  • Game drives across the open plains
  • Walks where the ground allows
  • Reached by light aircraft

Ideal for: Photographers and adventurous travelers who want open landscapes and few vehicles

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campLuxury

Kafue · Busanga Plains tree islands

Tree-Island Luxury Camp

Tented camp · Typically June/July–October; confirm per camp

Luxurious tents on a tree island of palms and figs in the middle of the Busanga Plains, with decks looking out over open grassland. It pairs the plains’ remoteness with high-quality design, cooking and guiding, and the view from your bed may include grazing lechwe.

  • Spacious tents with decks over the plains
  • Drives across the floodplain with expert guides
  • Excellent food and wine
  • Light-aircraft access

Ideal for: Couples and photographers who want the Busanga Plains in real comfort

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourPremium

Kafue · central Kafue River

Central Kafue Riverside Lodge

Lodge · Some open most of the year

Chalets on the banks of the Kafue River in the park’s central section, with river views and an easygoing atmosphere. Boat trips, fishing, walks and drives by day and night are all on offer, and some lodges here stay open for most of the year thanks to all-weather roads and nearby year-round airstrips.

  • River-view chalets
  • Boat trips and catch-and-release fishing
  • Walks, drives and night drives
  • Close to the M9 road and year-round airstrips

Ideal for: Families and travelers who want a mix of river and land activities in Kafue

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campLuxury

Kafue · Kafue River, central and northern park

Luxury Tented Suites on the Kafue

Tented camp · Typically May–November

Stylish tented suites on the Kafue River in the central or northern park, with plunge pools or a shared pool, wide river views and high standards of food and guiding. Days alternate between boats, walks and drives, and evenings end around the fire with hippos calling from the water.

  • Tented suites with river decks
  • Plunge pools or a pool with a view
  • Boat trips, walks and night drives
  • Small and personal

Ideal for: Couples who want a luxurious, quiet river stay in Kafue

Comfort

Livingstone · town, a short drive from the falls

Town Boutique Hotel

Boutique hotel

A small boutique hotel or guesthouse in Livingstone town, about 11 km from the falls, with a pool, a shady garden and warm service. Restaurants, the museum and the craft market are close by, and the falls and the airport are each a short drive away.

  • Comfortable rooms around a garden and pool
  • Near town restaurants and the Livingstone Museum
  • Short drive to the falls and the airport
  • Family rooms at some

Ideal for: Families and travelers who want a friendly, well-placed base for the falls

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourPremium

Livingstone · upper Zambezi riverbank

Riverbank Lodge above the Falls

Lodge

Lodges on the bank of the upper Zambezi, upstream of the falls, with chalets facing a broad river of islands and palms. Sunset cruises and canoe trips leave from the lodge jetty, and the falls are a short drive away, yet the setting feels far from the bustle of town.

  • River-view rooms or chalets
  • Pool and riverside decks
  • Boat and canoe trips from the lodge
  • Transfers to the falls and the airport

Ideal for: Families and couples who want a peaceful river setting with easy access to the falls

Luxury

Livingstone · Mosi-oa-Tunya, walking distance of the falls

Falls-Side Heritage Hotel

Heritage hotel

A grand hotel of classic design on the riverbank close to the falls, within walking distance of the entrance. You can watch the spray from the terrace, reach the viewpoints before the day visitors arrive and be back in time for a swim or afternoon tea.

  • Walking distance to the falls
  • Riverfront terraces and pools
  • Several restaurants and bars
  • Spa at some

Ideal for: Families and travelers who want to be as close to the falls as possible, with classic hotel service

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourLuxury

Livingstone · secluded upper Zambezi lodges

Secluded Zambezi Lodge

Lodge

A small luxury lodge on a quiet reach of the upper Zambezi well upstream of town, with a handful of suites, private decks and, at many, a private plunge pool. It feels a world away from the busy falls area, yet a morning at the falls is easy to arrange.

  • Private suites with river decks
  • Plunge pools at many
  • Private boat trips and sundowners
  • Spa treatments at some

Ideal for: Honeymooners and couples who want privacy and river views after the safari

Aerial view of a turquoise reef and white-sand island in the Indian OceanUltra-Luxury

Livingstone · private island in the upper Zambezi

Private Zambezi Island Retreat

Private island

An exclusive lodge on an island in the upper Zambezi, reached by boat, with only a few suites and the sound of moving water all around. Everything is private, from breakfast on your own deck to a canoe circuit of the island at dusk, and the falls are a short trip away by road.

  • Island setting reached by boat
  • Only a few suites
  • Private dining and river activities
  • Transfers to the falls and the airport

Ideal for: Honeymooners who want the most private, romantic end to a Zambia safari

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourPremium

Liuwa Plain · park guesthouse on the plains’ edge

Plains-Edge Park Guesthouse

Lodge · Seasonal — confirm dates

A simple, comfortable guesthouse on the edge of the Liuwa Plain, with a few bedrooms, shared living space and long views over open grassland. It puts Liuwa’s wildebeest and hyena within reach for travelers happy to trade polish for a lower price level, with drives run by an experienced guide.

  • A few bedrooms with shared living areas
  • Guided day and night drives
  • Wide views over the plains
  • Meals, guide and vehicle arranged in advance

Ideal for: Adventurous travelers who want Liuwa’s spectacle and are content with simple comforts

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourLuxury

Liuwa Plain · remote villa lodge

Villa-Style Plains Lodge

Lodge · Seasonal; recent seasons have covered the November migration — confirm dates

Spacious villas raised above the edge of the Liuwa Plain to catch the views and the breeze, with excellent food and expert guiding. It is one of very few permanent places to stay in the park, and drives head out to the wildebeest herds and hyena clans by day and after dark.

  • Spacious raised villas
  • Day and night drives
  • Excellent food
  • Light-aircraft access

Ideal for: Photographers and experienced travelers who want to see Liuwa in comfort

Luxury lodge deck with loungers and umbrellas at golden hourPremium

Kasanka · conservation-trust lodge on a lake

Trust-Run Lakeside Lodge

Lodge · Open most of the year; bat season books out early

Simple chalets overlooking a small lake in Kasanka, run by the conservation trust that manages the park, so tourism revenue goes back into protecting it. Puku graze the lakeshore, the birdlife is outstanding, and the bat forest and the sitatunga hide are a drive away.

  • Simple chalets overlooking the lake
  • Guided bat viewing and hides
  • Birding and walks
  • Revenue supports the park

Ideal for: Naturalists and photographers who want their stay to support conservation while they watch the bats

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campPremium

Kasanka · seasonal camp for the bat migration

Bat-Season Bush Camp

Tented camp · Typically late October–early December

A temporary tented camp put up for just a few weeks each year, when the fruit bats fill Kasanka’s swamp forest. Everything revolves around dawn and dusk visits to the roost, with comfortable tents, shared meals and guides focused on the migration.

  • Comfortable canvas tents
  • Dawn and dusk trips to the roost
  • A small number of guests
  • Open only for the bat weeks

Ideal for: Photographers and wildlife lovers who want to be close to the roost at the peak

A canvas safari tent set among trees at a private tented campPremium

Bangweulu · island camp in the swamps

Swamp-Island Tented Camp

Tented camp · Typically from May; closed at high water (around February–April)

A small tented camp on an island in the Bangweulu Wetlands, a community-owned area managed by its residents with African Parks. Days are spent by canoe and on foot through the swamps looking for shoebills, with herds of endemic black lechwe on the surrounding floodplain.

  • A few tents on an island in the swamps
  • Canoe and walking trips in search of shoebills
  • Large herds of black lechwe
  • Shoebills easiest from late May to August

Ideal for: Birders and adventurous travelers who want to look for shoebills in a remote wetland

Where to stay in Zambia

How We Choose Your Camps

  1. We shortlist camps for location first — where the wildlife and experiences will be on your dates.

  2. Then we match the comfort level, room types and atmosphere to your party.

  3. Every property we recommend comes from our vetted partner network.

  4. Your proposal names each camp, with photos, before you confirm anything.

Continue exploring

Hippos in a lagoon beside a bush camp in Kafue

Tell Us When You Can Travel

Share your dates, who is coming and whether you want to walk, paddle or simply watch. A safari specialist will design a private Zambia journey around the seasons, with nothing booked until you approve it.

Plan My Zambia Safari