Lower Zambezi National Park is one of Africa’s most underrated safari destinations. Set on the Zambian bank of the Zambezi River, it is one of the few parks where activities include day and night drives, bush walks, boat safaris and canoeing. Elephant and hippo viewing is exceptional, while lion, leopard and African wild dog are all pretty common. Lower Zambezi is serviced by many riverside camps and lodges. The accommodations located within the national park generally offer a superior (and more expensive) safari experience than those positioned outside the park’s western boundary.
1. Baines’ River Camp
Baines’ River Camp is an elegant and exclusive lodge with a lovely riverside setting
Enjoy a taste of timeless elegance at this luxurious small camp named after Thomas Baines, an explorer and artist who accompanied the explorer David Livingstone on the Zambezi Expedition of 1858 to 1864. Despite the name, Baines’ is more lodge than camp, comprising eight double chalets and one family unit, all with air conditioning, ceiling fan and private terrace. The chalets are strung out along the Zambezi about 30km/19mi outside the national park, but there’s still plenty of wildlife around, including elephants. Game drives, bush walks, boat safaris and tiger fishing are all on offer, and there’s a swimming pool where you can chill between activities.
2. Anabezi Luxury Tented Camp
Anabezi is a premier tented camp set deep inside the national park
Anabezi is arguably the ultimate Lower Zambezi camp. Combining stylish bush chic and a high level of comfort with a compelling bush atmosphere, it also benefits from lying deep inside the park, at least 50km/31mi past the main entrance gate. The 12 glass-and-canvas suites are spaced out along an 800m/2,600ft stilted wooden walkway overlooking the Zambezi and an associated floodplain. Each suite incorporates a walk-in net large enough to swallow an average-sized hotel room and leads out to a wooden deck with a private plunge pool. Plenty of wildlife can be seen from the lodge, and game drives are rewarding, thanks partly to the abundant wildlife but also to the remote location and low tourist traffic. Boat and canoe trips on the Zambezi are also very enjoyable.
3. Kiambi Safari Lodge
Kiambi is a comfortable and reasonably priced safari lodge with a great riverside setting
Kiambi is a long-standing favorite with Lusaka-based residents thanks to its friendly management, mellow atmosphere and wallet-friendly rates. It boasts a wonderful stretch of Zambezi frontage in a game management area, 50km/31mi outside the national park. The lodge forms a great base for tiger fishing, bird watching and canoeing. Guided game drives take you to the park boundary by boat, a worthwhile adventure in itself. The stilted wood-and-thatch chalets overlook the river, and there are also family cottages and a large campsite.
4. Sausage Tree Camp
Private guides, personal butlers and huge deluxe tents enhance Sausage Tree’s aura of exclusivity
Established in 1996, Sausage Tree Camp is one of the oldest and most luxurious camps situated within Lower Zambezi National Park. Spaced widely along the Zambezi, the camp stands in an area of riverside forest dominated by mature sausage and mahogany trees. The seven customized safari tents have massive interiors decorated in a modern minimalist style, while sliding doors lead out to a private deck with a plunge pool and intimate river view. Common areas include an expansive teak deck and full-size swimming pool that look out to a cluster of reed-covered islands frequented by hippos, elephants and buffalo. Exclusivity is what it’s all about here. Each tent has its own butler, and activities, which include game drives, bush walks and canoeing, are privately guided.
5. Potato Bush Camp
Potato Bush Camp is a family-friendly setup whose four tented units are linked by raised walkways
Family-friendly Potato Bush Camp is under the same management as its near neighbor Sausage Tree Camp. Although slightly less luxurious, it offers a similarly unpackaged experience, comprising just three spacious and well-equipped safari tents and one family house, connected by elevated timber walkways. All units offer a superb Zambezi view, which can be enjoyed from a private plunge pool, outdoor lounge or hammock. The full range of guided activities is on offer, and as with other camps inside the park, you tend to see few other vehicles on game drives.
6. Time + Tide Chongwe Camp
This camp stands on the park’s western boundary where the Chongwe River flows into the Zambezi
This stunning camp has a perfect location at the confluence of the Chongwe River, the national park’s western boundary, and the mighty Zambezi. It comprises eight classic safari tents, all decorated with locally crafted furniture and colorful African fabrics. The tents have a large open-air bathroom and terrace looking over the forest-fringed river. The camp lies immediately outside the national park, on the west bank of the Chongwe, but is well placed for game drives, boat safaris and other activities inside the park. There is also a rewarding photographic hide where a variety of nocturnal creatures might be seen after dark.
