Safari Zambia: Authentic wilder­ness safari

On arrival at Kenneth Kaunda International Airport (LUN), after exiting the baggage claims area, you will be warmly greeted by our support staff and assisted with boarding your connecting flight to Lufupa Airstrip. From here an experienced Musekese guide will escort you to your first lodge in the form of a 30-minute transfer. Located on the west bank of the Kafue River in Kafue National Park, Zambia.

This location provides marvelous, picturesque settings where visitors can enjoy game drives, walks, and the tranquility of the area. Leopard, lion, and elephant are just a few of the many sightings one can expect. This area also boasts a prolific range of 20 different antelope including the red lechwe, puku, oribi, Lichtenstein's hartebeest, roan antelope, and the rarely seen sitatunga antelope.

Upon check-in in Museke Camp, you will be escorted to your spacious chalet, featuring wood-framed canvas walls and all the amenities one could expect. Your room features a view overlooking the lagoon, and is fully equipped with mosquito nets and en-suite bathrooms.

Once you are settled, there will be an opportunity for you to take part in one of many suggested activities and for you to get your first experience of the many memories to come! Upon your return to camp, you will be provided with some time to rest and take it all in before joining the rest of the group for a delicious dinner.

Over the next three days, Musekese will be your first home away from home. You can enjoy your mornings with an early morning wake-up and a fuel-filled buffet breakfast featuring a generous range of cereals, fruit salads, and other warm delicacies followed by a morning game drive, boat safari, or even a walking safari if energy levels allow it. Those who prefer a later wake-up can still appreciate the wilderness and wildlife with a visit to the Treehouse Hide, where they can slowly ease into the experience and slow down entirely, as intended.

During your stay at Musekese, you are encouraged to participate in as many activities as possible and experience Kafue in its entirety. The team always ensures that there is a warm and wide selection of local dishes in the form of a buffet and amazing high teas, offering a selection of sweet treats and small finger foods to fuel you for the many activities.

Kafue National Park stands out for its vast size, comparable to the countries of Rwanda and Burundi combined, making it a massive and unexplored wilderness with diverse landscapes and endless opportunities for unforgettable wildlife sightings.

On day 5, you will take a familiar drive back to Lufupa Airstrip. There, you will board a 1-hour flight to Jeki airstrip, near Kutali camp. The camp is on Kutali Island in the Lower Zambezi National Park. From here, a Tusk and Mane Guide will escort you to camp in the form of a 30-minute game drive, giving you an introduction to the area.

Home for the next two days, you will notice a more rustic approach to this camp compared to the previous, but not the absence of luxury and comfort. Kutali and Chula Fly camps feature open wilderness settings with en-suite bathrooms, hot hanging bucket showers, and flushing toilets – life in Zambia's wilderness has never looked better.

Picturesque settings right on the banks of the Zambezi River under winter thorn trees and situated on the small Kulefu Island. The camp has natural backdrops set under indigenous mahogany trees, creating a unique atmosphere. With much to do and lots to explore, the area is rich with buffalo and elephants capitalizing on Zambia's "River of Life" amongst other prolific wildlife such as leopards, lions, wild dogs, hyenas, and plentiful birdlife for avid twitchers.

With wilderness living, comes no shortage of wilderness experiences you can join. The camp offers a wide range of activities including game drives, walking safaris, canoeing safaris, boat trips, fishing, and family-focused activities. Renowned for its beauty and unique location along the Zambezi River as well as its abundant wildlife, you wouldn’t want to miss out on a canoe safari!

Get started with an early morning wake-up from the calls of birds and sounds of life around you. Greeted with a breakfast buffet around the campfire with fruit, freshly baked breads, jams, and porridge followed by the opportunity to experience the area in a variety of different activities, the day is truly yours. Take part in guided walks through the Zambezi wilderness, an extended game drive deeper into the park, or sway in a canoe and appreciate the abundant life around you.

After your morning activity, you can expect to return to camp with a variety filled lunch where you can speak about your experiences and share stories with the camp and guests. Lunches are flexible to provide ample time out in the bush before being followed by an afternoon activity when the temperature drops and guests can enjoy the African sunset. Enjoy a delicious dinner, be mesmerised by the breathtaking scenery, and reconnect with nature in style.

On day 7, after an early morning wake-up and being assisted with your luggage, you will be transferred to your final camp. A myriad of transport begins with a road transfer, followed by a boat transfer taking roughly one and a half to two hours before arriving at Chula Island Camp, also conveniently located in the Lower Zambezi National Park.

Chula Camp will leave you with a perfect example of how light luxury in the wilderness can be when done intentionally as the Camp is based amongst Natal Mahogany Trees, overlooking a lagoon and floodplain off the Zambezi River. Here you can expect many concentrations of wildlife such as hippos, buffalo, crocodiles, fish eagles, and herds of elephants.

Chula Island camp is a humble, tented camp that stuns you with all the luxury one could hope for while still leaving the ethos of a true seasonal bush camp. Exclusive to 10 guests at a time, offering magnificent views of the Zambezi River and equipped with luggage racks. Solar lights hang from the ceiling, and everything you might need from a torch, whistle, mosquito spray and an insulated water flask and glasses on the bedside table. Directors' chairs are placed outside, facing towards the river, a good vantage point for watching the elephants and buffalo often found in front of the camp.

If you have enough time, you can take part in your first activity in the afternoon. At Chula Camp, game drives, bush walks, or canoe safaris are available to you now and the next day. Dinner is a celebratory meal and is served either in the shelter of the main tent or under the stars closer to the river.

Chula Island Camp specializes in walking safaris, offering intimate and immersive experiences to explore the park’s ecosystem. With this being your last day and entirely to your disposal, we would recommend an activity like this before your departure.

If a more serene approach is to your taste, Chula offers unique canoe safaris where you can keep an eye out for crocodiles, hippos, birds, and wildlife along the banks when not getting lost in the view.

The Lower Zambezi is famous for its biodiversity, including elephants, hippos, lions, leopards, and a variety of birds. Chula Island Camp offers an ideal place to relax around the campfire, share stories, and enjoy the view of the majestic Zambezi River while creating lasting memories.

On your last day, you will be greeted with an early morning wake-up and breakfast. Followed by a transfer to Jeki Airstrip and a 35–45-minute flight to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport. Finally, you will be greeted by our representatives after you have claimed your luggage who will then assist you with checking into your international return flight home, or your onward journey.