Nkwali | South Luangwa National Park Luxury Zambia Safari Safari Lodge

We sit at the bar in the early morning, drinking freshly made coffee and feeling slightly hypnotised by the pre-dawn beauty surrounding us. Though a buffet breakfast will be served by the warmth of the campfire, we’re content to be completely alone, huddled up in our fleece jackets looking over the Luangwa River into South Luangwa National Park. It’s dry season here at Nkwali and the river has dropped to reveal large sandbanks that frequently attract game. As we watch, a troop of baboon scampers past, and we hold our breath in delight as a giraffe, shadowed by a gangly calf, comes to the river’s edge to drink. After breakfast, we cross the river in a pontoon. It’s a thrill to know that there are plenty of hippo and crocodile in the river, but we arrive perfectly safely to the other side, and start our first game drive.

After some spectacular sightings – including a one-eyed lion feeding on an impala in a sausage tree – we return back to our sanctuary at Nkwali, where our open-fronted chalet awaits. We walk inside, immediately noticing how cool it is, probably due the stone floors and high, thatch ceiling, as well as the shade provided by the canopy of mahogany and ebony trees. Although it’s tempting to have a siesta on our huge river-facing bed, or to lounge on our twin armchairs and enjoy the tranquility of our riverside location, we decide to cool off in the double outdoor shower. My partner is besotted with this feature, and it takes a while to get going for lunch! Later, we don our swimsuits and relax by the pool, dozing in the sun’s warm caress until the manager darts up to us with an excited whisper – elephant are splashing across the river towards the bar!

Nkwali’s location in a small game management area on the opposite side of the river to South Luangwa National Park allows you to have great wildlife sightings, without moving a muscle! It was quite an adventure to travel across the hippo-and-croc-choked river by way of a pontoon, and it allowed us early and more exclusive access to the heart of the park. Here, game is at its most relaxed, which ensured intimate encounters. We loved the walking safaris too; accompanied by an armed ranger and our guide, we discovered the park’s diverse habitats – from huge oxbow lagoons to ebony and mahogany groves, grassland and thickets – and ticked off a few of the 450 species of birds found here. I believe you can do five-day walking safaris here too, which must be incredible! Because it’s a small lodge, we felt like part of the family, and nothing was too much trouble. From special dietary requirements to flexible schedules, everything was seamlessly taken care of. The combination of great guiding, fantastic staff and delicious food made Nkwali the safari destination we can’t stop talking about, not least because we had elephant visit us at camp, and watched a leopard stroll casually across the opposite bank! We just loved our time in Zambia. Next time we come here – and there will be a next time! – we’ll try fly camping, before returning to the luxury of Nkwali, of course!

• Intimate safari camp on an island overlooking South Luangwa National Park, with sweeping views over the Luangwa River. There are six open-fronted chalets (including one honeymoon/family suite) and a swimming pool.

• Private land, exclusive boat and pontoon access into the adjacent park and flexible schedules (guest to guide ratio of 4:1).
• Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, seasonal boating, Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust visits (additional cost), local market visits (additional cost) and tribal-textiles tour (additional cost).
• Children aged seven and above are welcome, with one family villa.

• Not only do African safari lodge prices shift with the seasons, they also change based on your length of stay, room type, travel party composition, special offers, if your trip involves stays at sister lodges – and for more reasons besides.
• It’s worth noting that depending on your itinerary, your lodge cost will make up about 75–85% of your total safari trip cost.
• Our safaris are tailor-made to match your personal safari dream, we’d be delighted if you’d allow us to create a bespoke proposal for you.  Simply enquire now – our quotes are complimentary and obligation-free.
• However, to help you get an idea of safari lodge prices we’ve created three safari-lodge categories with various price ranges, to find out more click here.