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African Safaris and Tours
Kafue National Park Lodges
Safari Lodges And Camps In Zambia's Oldest And Largest National Park, The Kafue
Proclaimed in 1950 and covering some 22,400 km², Kafue National Park is Zambia's oldest and largest national park, and its camps sit in two wonderfully different worlds. In the far north, the Busanga Plains open into vast floodplain grazed by red lechwe and puku and patrolled by lion prides. Further south, the Kafue River winds past riverine forest, lagoons and miombo woodland, with hippo pods, crocodiles and leopard in the thickets.
Lion, leopard, cheetah and wild dog are the headline predators, backed by a supporting cast of side-striped jackal, civet, genet and several mongoose species. Elephant, buffalo, sable and roan move through the woodland. Activities vary by camp:
- Game drives by day and by night
- Guided walks
- Boat cruises and canoeing on the Kafue River
- Bush picnics and dinners under the stars
- Hot-air balloon flights over the Busanga Plains
Most guests fly into the Kafue by light aircraft, and those transfers are built into your safari itinerary rather than the lodge rate. Every property below is priced as part of a Zambia safari and sits within our wider Zambia lodges collection. Tell us whether the plains, the river or both appeal, and we'll shape your Kafue stay around it.
Zambia Safari Camps and Lodges In The Utterly Amazing Kafue
Busanga Bush Camp
Rates from US$ 1,448.00 Per person per night
Busanga Bush Camp puts you right on the Busanga Plains in the far north of Kafue National Park, with herds of puku and red lechwe grazing in front of camp. It is a small, comfortable tented bush camp built around the wildlife: game drives across the floodplain by day, night drives to find the plains' nocturnal side, and birding that rewards anyone who packs binoculars.
Busanga Plains Camp
Rates from US$ 1,050.00 Per person per night
Busanga Plains Camp is a small, intimate tented camp out on the vast Busanga Plains in northern Kafue National Park. The floodplain around it carries red lechwe and puku, and the predators that follow them, so game drives are rarely short of drama. Sister camp to Mukambi Safari Lodge and Fig Tree Bush Camp, it pairs beautifully with a river stay further south.
Chisa Busanga Camp
Rates from US$ 1,160.00 Per person per night
Chisa Busanga Camp brings bold design to the Busanga Plains in northern Kafue National Park. Its rooms are shaped like weaver-bird nests, the camp runs on solar power and game drives use electric vehicles, so you glide across the plains with little more than birdsong for company. Choose it when architecture and a light footprint matter as much as the wildlife outside.
Fig Tree Bush Camp
Rates from US$ 610.00 Per person per night
Fig Tree Bush Camp is an intimate four-tent camp on the Shishamba River in central Kafue National Park, named for the giant fig that shades its dining boma. Each tent stands on a platform about 3 m high, looking over a sandy lagoon on one side and open grassland on the other. Expect game drives, guided walks and campfire dinners under the stars. Sister camp to Mukambi Safari Lodge.
Ila Safari Lodge
Rates from US$ 600.00 Per person per night
Ila Safari Lodge sits on the banks of the Kafue River inside Kafue National Park, a riverside base for exploring one of Zambia's great wildernesses. Wake to hippo calling from the water, head out on game drives through woodland and dambos, and return to a lodge built with sustainability at its core. A superb choice for the river half of a Kafue safari.
Kaingu Lodge
Rates from US$ 510.00 Per person per night
Kaingu Lodge is an owner-run lodge on a remote stretch of the Kafue River in the Namwala Game Management Area, directly opposite Kafue National Park. A ten-minute boat ride takes you across to game drives in the park, while the lodge side of the river offers boat cruises, canoeing, fishing, birding and walks among the channels, rapids and islands.
Mukambi Safari Lodge
Rates from US$ 395.00 Per person per night
Mukambi Safari Lodge sits on the banks of the Kafue River in Kafue National Park, a relaxed base where the river is as much a part of the safari as the bush. Choose between game drives, guided walks and sunset boat cruises, then unwind with an open-air bath under the stars. Sister lodge to Fig Tree Bush Camp and Busanga Plains Camp, it links easily with a stay deeper in the park.
Shumba Camp
Rates from US$ 1,761.00 Per person per night
Shumba Camp stands on a tree island in the middle of the Busanga Plains, in the far north of Kafue National Park, and takes its name from the lion prides that hunt the plains. Six tents raised on wooden platforms sit beneath fig trees with sweeping views, and a pool cools the heat of the day. Game drives, night drives, boat trips when water lies on the plains, and hot-air balloon flights round out the activities.
Choosing A Kafue Lodge Or Camp
Where are the Kafue lodges and camps?
Kafue's camps fall into two areas. Busanga Bush Camp, Busanga Plains Camp, Chisa Busanga Camp and Shumba Camp sit on the Busanga Plains in the far north of the park. Ila Safari Lodge, Kaingu Lodge and Mukambi Safari Lodge line the Kafue River further south, and Fig Tree Bush Camp overlooks the Shishamba River in central Kafue.
Should I stay on the Busanga Plains or on the Kafue River?
Choose the Busanga Plains for open floodplain, herds of red lechwe and puku, and the lion prides that follow them. Choose the Kafue River for boat cruises, fishing, riverine forest and woodland game drives. The plains camps are the more remote of the two, and a split stay gives you both habitats on one safari.
Can I combine a Busanga Plains camp with a river lodge?
Yes, and it is an easy pairing to arrange. Mukambi Safari Lodge, Fig Tree Bush Camp and Busanga Plains Camp are sister properties, so a river lodge, a central bush camp and a plains camp link together naturally. We build the transfers between camps into your itinerary, so moving from one to the next is part of the plan.
Which Kafue camp offers hot-air balloon flights?
Balloon flights over the Busanga Plains are offered from Shumba Camp, which stands on a tree island in the middle of the plains. Flights lift off around sunrise, when the air is calmest, and float over the lechwe and puku herds. Every flight depends on wind and weather, so treat it as a bonus rather than a certainty.
Which Kafue camp has nest-shaped rooms?
Chisa Busanga Camp's rooms are shaped like weaver-bird nests, set out on the Busanga Plains. The camp runs on solar power and uses electric vehicles for near-silent game drives, so you hear the plains rather than an engine. Choose it if striking design and a light footprint matter to you as much as the game viewing does.
Is Kaingu Lodge inside Kafue National Park?
No. Kaingu Lodge sits on the Kafue River in the Namwala Game Management Area, directly across the water from the national park. Game drives cross into the park after a ten-minute boat ride, while the lodge side of the river gives you boat cruises, canoeing and walks along its own quiet, rocky stretch of the Kafue.
Map of Lodges in and around Kafue National Park, Zambia
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