Chiawa Camp

Please note: Chiawa Camp is seasonal. It is only open in the dry season from mid-April to mid-November.

Overlooking the confluence of the Chowe and Zambezi Rivers, Chiawa Camp has eight luxurious Meru-style tents, all beautifully appointed and set on wooden platforms with large mesh windows that provide superb views. Each en-suite tent is spaced far enough away from the next to ensure privacy and every comfort is provided. This includes free WiFi, king-size beds with lovely linen and private river-facing verandahs. The en-suite bathrooms have hot and cold running water and indoor and outdoor showers.

The first six tents look out over the Zambezi River and are closer to the main lodge. Tents Seven and Eight are slightly larger with thatched roofs that provide extra afternoon shade. Tent Seven overlooks the Zambezi and Chowe Rivers, while Tent Eight looks out onto the Chowe River (often dry).

The Safari Suite

The Safari Suite, ideal for families or honeymooners, is the furthest from the main lodge. It is situated high up on a hill and offers superb views over the Zambezi River and its floodplains. The Safari Suite has a spacious wooden deck with daybeds, a private plunge pool, and an open-air shower. The suite includes a lounge area, a minibar and a guest cloakroom which can be converted into a second bedroom. The bedroom has a four-poster bed and the en-suite bathroom has a freestanding bath, double vanities, and separate shower and toilet cubicles.

Relaxing, cool main area

The double-storey main lodge offers uninterrupted views over the Zambezi River. Built mostly from local materials, it is pleasantly rustic. There's a downstairs bar, two lounges, a mini library and a natural history display. Upstairs, you'll find another comfortable seating area and viewing deck, complete with a telescope. There is also a swimming pool, a small gym, and a shop with locally made curios.

In addition to three hides for close-up animal observation, Chiawa Camp offers a Star Bed Tower sleep-out experience and a Star Drift experience, which includes a four-course dinner on a floating pontoon and a night at the Star Bed.

The food is superb at Chiawa Camp and usually served in the separate dining area overlooking the river, or sometimes enjoyed alfresco under a shady tree, beneath the stars or on the camp's motorised pontoon.

Wonderful range of game-viewing activities

Chiawa has a team of excellent and enthusiastic guides who will go the extra mile to enrich your safari experience. Daily activities range from open vehicle game drives (day and night), walking safaris, canoeing and boat trips. If you're keen on fishing, you can try your hand at catch-and-release.

Game is plentiful in the area and you can expect to see lion, leopard, jackal, wild dog (if you're very lucky) and a host of other plains and lesser creatures. However, giraffe, wildebeest, rhino and cheetah are not resident in the area. Avid twitchers are sure to spy land and water birds such as giant eagle owl, spur-winged geese, kingfishers and many Goliath herons. Of course, the carmine bee-eaters are a sight to behold – usually from September to November.

Active involvement in conservation

Chiawa is a founder member of Conservation Lower Zambezi, an NGO that actively supports measures to reduce poaching and curtail the abuse/misuse of resources in the Lower Zambezi area.

Getting there

By air - Daily flights from Lusaka connect to the nearby Royal Airstrip (35-minute flight). From there, it's a 20-minute 4x4 transfer, followed by a 20-minute boat ride to Chiawa Camp.

Our take on Chiawa Camp

Chiawa is right up there with the favourite, best-run camps in Africa, as their consistently good reviews – and awards – confirm. Their staff are unobtrusive yet intuitive in knowing how to give you the best possible stay. Nothing seems like too much trouble. A combination itinerary with their sister lodge, Old Mondoro, makes for an unforgettable safari experience.