Zambia Kafue Safari Camps

The small and intimate Busanga Bush Camp lies in the heart of the Busanga Plains, a vast mosaic of expansive grassy seasonal floodplains that extend to the horizon. Thanks to the rising mist off the floodplains as they dry up in winter, you can experience incredible sunrises and sunsets, with the sun a spectacular pink color, while the floodplains and dambos teem with wildlife and birds.

The camp, hidden in a lush vegetated tree-island of sycamore fig trees, can accommodate eight guests in four well-appointed tents. The lounge and bar area is under canvas with an uninterrupted view out over the plains; breakfast is often served here to take in the view of herds of lechwe and puku feeding. A little further back is the dining area, shaded by the canopy of a majestic tree.

The plains provide some of the best lion viewing in Africa. Activities include game drives, walking safaris and night drives, led by qualified guides who are extremely knowledgeable about the area and its wildlife. As the plains dry out, this camp is perfectly situated to see large numbers of plains game such as puku, red lechwe, buffalo and wildebeest, followed by their predators, most notably lion. Cheetah and wild dog are also to be seen, while a special treat is the resident herd of roan antelope. For those interested in birding, the park boasts 491 species, including endemics such as Chaplin's barbet.

Kapinga Camp is situated in the northwest of the vast Busanga Plains of Kafue National Park, one of the largest national parks in Africa. Busanga Plains is one of Zambia's most significant wetland resources, and one of the few areas in the world that remain unspoiled by human development. The camp offers a unique isolated wilderness experience. Surrounded by open floodplains dotted with island with palm and fig trees, wildlife and birdlife here is abundant and diverse.

Kapinga Camp is designed to be in harmony with the environment; natural products have been used as much as possible in its construction. Interiors are spacious and with only four luxury safari tents accommodating a maximum of eight guests, one can be assured of exceptional personal attention. Tents and the main area are all shaded by a canopy of majestic trees and situated on raised wooden platforms to enhance the panoramic view across the plains. The main area includes a lounge, dining area, camp fire and small pool under a shady tree.

Guests can take part in game drives and walking safaris while night drives offer the added excitement of observing the nocturnal wonders of the area. This is a place for the antelope: lechwe, the ubiquitous puku, stately roan antelope as well as the diminutive oribi can be seen. Herds of wildebeest, zebra and buffalo are all commonly seen as well as smaller groups of Lichtenstein's hartebeest. This wealth of game is also a big attraction for predators, including wild dog, cheetah and prides of lion. A birder's special, the Böhm's bee-eater, has made the camp its home.

Lufupa River Camp looks out over the Kafue River where it meets the Lufupa Channel, a spectacular setting in the Kafue National Park. Exploring these sparkling, smooth-flowing waterways provides lively wildlife and birding encounters from the hippo to the African finfoot. This area of the Kafue National Park is recognized as a focal point for prolific animal and birdlife. Situated at the confluence of the Lufupa and Kafue Rivers, this site offers access to productive game viewing areas in the open grassy clearings and woodlands of the northern Kafue.

The newly-built Lufupa River Camp features nine comfortable en-suite tents — two of which are family rooms — on the banks of the Kafue River, on a bed-and-breakfast basis. The vibrant social hub is the Kafue River Café with a bar and restaurant; meals and drinks are served during the day and early evening to guests of Lufupa River Camp and the nearby campsite.

This is not an all-inclusive camp, and activities at extra cost include day and night nature drives exploring prime game viewing areas adjoining the Kafue River and Lufupa Channel. Boat trips reveal the incredible hippo population of the area complemented by a constant array of colorful water birds, reptiles and other life amongst the riverine vegetation. Guided nature walks and fishing excursions are also on offer. Puku, impala, and Defassa waterbuck are common while more unusual species include Lichtenstein's hartebeest. The area is renowned for its leopard viewing, elephant and lion sightings are regular.

At the confluence of the Kafue River and the Lufupa Channel, Lufupa Tented Camp looks out over these rivers, alive with possibilities. Possibly the ultimate in riverine settings, this camp unlocks an area of remote bush and languid waterways in the Kafue National Park, one of the largest national parks in Africa.

This intimate, personal camp comprises nine tented units each with a private bathroom and a wooden deck on which to contemplate the wide river view. A relaxed central area, complete with a boma, fireplace, dining area and small plunge pool, lies on the edge of the broad Kafue River.

Wildlife is prolific with lion and a wide variety of plains game such as zebra, buffalo, greater kudu and impala, as well as the less-seen species of roan, sable antelope and Lichtenstein's hartebeest. Lufupa is renowned for good leopard sightings and elephants are often seen moving through the area. Kafue's birdlife is world-acclaimed, with the Lufupa area sporting well over 400 species, including Pel's fishing owl, African finfoot and half-collared kingfisher. This is not an all-inclusive camp and activities at extra cost include day and night nature drives exploring prime game viewing areas adjoining the Lufupa Channel. Boat trips also reveal the incredible hippo population of the area complemented by a constant array of colorful water birds, reptiles including the Nile crocodile, water monitor and terrapins, and lush riverine vegetation. Guided nature walks are also on offer.

Lunga River Lodge is beautifully situated on the west bank of the pristine Lunga River in the north-eastern region of the vast Kafue National Park. The lodge boasts a unique location in a remote corner of the Park where the Lunga River is the centre of activities: exciting mammal viewing and thrilling birding. The Lunga River is one of the three main arteries of the Kafue and is characterized by a thin, but lush ribbon of riverine woodland flanking its waters. This river is distinctive and offers a thoroughly different atmosphere to many other major river systems within south-central Africa.

Lunga River Lodge lies on the banks of this river and has six spacious thatched rooms with private bathrooms and decks that provide breathtaking views over its deep blue waters. There is a bar with sundeck suspended over the river, a 'termite mound-top' dining area, reading room and boma-enclosed pool.

Activities at Lunga focus on the river from which the camp takes its name, with the opportunity to explore this fantastic system by boat, on foot along its banks, or by vehicle in the fringing woodlands and the open grassy areas. Hippo, crocodile, elephant and leopard are present, while impala, puku and wildebeest are common. A small population of the unusual tree hyrax is resident in the camp at Lunga, their calls echoing through the night. A visit here is an ideal and logical combination with the camps in Busanga Plains.

Shumba Camp is located in the centre of the Busanga Plains, home to hundreds of red lechwe, ubiquitous puku, stately roan and the diminutive oribi. Lichtenstein's hartebeest, herds of wildebeest, zebra and buffalo make for a full set of antelope all of which move onto the plains as the dry season progresses. This wealth of game is a big attraction for predators, including wild dog, cheetah and large prides of lion.

Shumba Camp comprises six spacious luxury safari tents on raised platforms with spectacular views of the surrounding plains. The rooms are large with private bathrooms and both indoor and outdoor showers. The dining and bar area is elevated so as to take in this vista and each morning's sunrise, dinner might be served in the cozy boma. Many meals are prepared and cooked on the fire in front of the guests enhancing the safari experience. A maximum of twelve guests can be accommodated at any one time.

Guests have the option of game drives in and around the plains and night drives provide the added excitement of the nocturnal wonders of the area. The camp is perfectly situated to take advantage of the plains game and predator concentrations of the Busanga Plains, close to permanent water and with an easy access to a mix of seasonal and permanent floodplains. Viewing of species like puku, lechwe and hippo is possible for much of the day from the comfort of your tent or the main deck, while the camp's fig trees ensure both shade and constant bird activity in the canopy above.