Shumba Camp

Highlights

• Shumba Camp sits on a fig-tree island in the Busanga Plains, the remote northern floodplain of Kafue National Park
• Only 6 tented suites and a maximum of 12 guests, run by Wilderness
• Busanga lion prides, red lechwe, puku, roan and sable on the open plains
• Guided night drives of about 3 hours, when the nocturnal predators come out
• Specialist birding drives of about 3 hours across the wetland edges
• Full-day excursions with a hammock lunch out on the plains
• Dry-season camp: closed every year from 1 November to 31 May while the plains flood

Information

• Lodge type: Luxury Tented Camp
• Location: Busanga Plains, Kafue National Park, Zambia
• Lodge size: 6 Tented Suites
• Recommended stay: 3-7 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes — Kafue National Park is a malaria area; take prophylaxis on your doctor's advice
• Getting there: Fly-in. Light aircraft about 90 minutes from Lusaka or 105 minutes from Livingstone to Busanga Airstrip, then a short transfer to camp

Explore The Kafue National Park At Shumba Camp: A Safari On The Busanga Plains

Shumba Camp is a six-tent luxury safari camp run by Wilderness on the Busanga Plains, in the far north of Zambia's Kafue National Park. Kafue covers 22,400 km² and is Zambia's largest national park. The Busanga Plains are its wildest and most remote corner: a vast seasonal floodplain that only opens to guests once the water drops each June. "Shumba" means lion, and the name is earned. The Busanga lion prides are the reason most guests make the flight north.

Shumba Camp stands on a small island of towering fig trees in the middle of the plains. That gives every tent and the main deck an uninterrupted, almost horizon-to-horizon view of grazing red lechwe, puku and the predators that follow them. With only twelve guests in camp, it is one of the most intimate ways to see what is, for our money, some of the finest open-plains game viewing in Zambia.

Shumba Camp combines classic game drives, night drives, specialist birding, swamp-boat trips and short guided walks, all within the Kafue National Park. It is a superb partner to a stay in the Lower Zambezi or South Luangwa, and a world away from the busier circuits.

Rooms and Suites

Shumba Camp has six luxury tented suites, each on a wooden platform raised about two metres off the ground, with 180° views over the Busanga Plains. The suites are generously sized wood-and-canvas rooms with en-suite bathrooms and outdoor showers, so you can rinse off under the fig trees with the plains stretching out in front of you. One suite can be arranged for families.

Shumba Camp's raised design does more than frame the view: from your own deck, lechwe and puku graze within sight of the tent, and lions are regularly heard calling across the floodplain at night.

Cuisine and Wine

Shumba Camp serves all meals in a shaded dining and bar area beneath the island's fig trees, looking straight out over the plains. Much of the cooking is done in front of guests, which turns mealtimes into part of the experience. Lunches are often taken out on the plains, from a hammock lunch on full-day excursions to brunch on the deck. Local drinks are included in the rate; premium imported brands are charged extra.

Facilities

Shumba Camp's main area has a lounge, dining area, bar and reference library, all built from natural materials and set on a split-level wooden deck under the fig canopy. There is a small plunge pool for the heat of the day and a sunken firepit for sundowners and stories after the night drive. The deck faces the plains, so game viewing carries on from your chair at breakfast and over evening drinks.

• Lounge with reference library
• Dining area and bar
• Plunge pool
• Sunken firepit on the deck
• Laundry service (included)
• First-aid trained guides, with emergency air evacuation to Lusaka

Activities

Shumba Camp's core activities are guided game drives at dawn and late afternoon across the open Busanga Plains. This is prime territory for lion, cheetah and leopard hunting red lechwe, puku, roan and sable. Wilderness guides at Shumba are among the best in Zambia, and their knowledge of individual prides and territories makes the difference on these vast plains.

• Game drives: morning and afternoon drives in open 4x4 vehicles
• Night drives: about 3 hours, for genets, servals, hyena and hunting lions
• Specialist birding drives: along the wetland edges, with wattled cranes and a long list of water birds
• Seasonal boating: skimming the shallow channels of the floodplain, water levels permitting
• Guided walks: short walks of 30–40 minutes focused on tracks and the smaller details
• Full-day excursions: deeper into the plains, with a hammock lunch
• Hot air ballooning: seasonal sunrise flights over the plains, at extra cost

Shumba Camp's balloon flights, where available, are one of the few ways to grasp the true scale of the Busanga Plains. Combined with safaris in Zambia's other great parks, a stay here makes for an outstanding wilderness itinerary.

Shumba Camp FAQs

Where is Shumba Camp in Zambia?

Shumba Camp is in the Busanga Plains, the remote northern section of Kafue National Park in western Zambia. The camp stands on a tree-covered island of fig trees in the middle of the floodplain. Kafue National Park covers 22,400 km² and is Zambia's largest national park, and the Busanga Plains are its most famous wildlife area, known for lions and red lechwe.

How do you get to Shumba Camp?

Shumba Camp is a fly-in safari camp. Light-aircraft flights take about 90 minutes from Lusaka or about 105 minutes from Livingstone to Busanga Airstrip. From the airstrip, a road transfer of about 20 minutes reaches the camp, and it usually turns into a game drive. Most guests connect through Lusaka's international airport, or combine Shumba Camp with Victoria Falls via Livingstone.

When is Shumba Camp open?

Shumba Camp is a seasonal dry-season camp, closed every year from 1 December to 31 May while the rains flood the Busanga Plains. The camp reopens in June as the water recedes. The later months of the season bring shorter grass, concentrated game and excellent predator viewing. Early-season visits offer greener plains and outstanding birding around the remaining water.

Is Shumba Camp in a malaria area?

Yes. Shumba Camp lies in Kafue National Park, which is a malaria area, as is most of Zambia. Guests visiting Shumba Camp should take anti-malarial prophylaxis on the advice of a doctor or travel clinic. They should also cover up and use insect repellent at dawn and dusk. The dry-season months, when the camp is open, carry a lower mosquito load than the wet season.

What wildlife can you see at Shumba Camp?

Shumba Camp is best known for the lion prides of the Busanga Plains. Shumba means lion, and the open floodplain makes sightings unusually visible. The plains also hold large herds of red lechwe and puku, as well as roan, sable, buffalo, cheetah, leopard and hyena. Birding at Shumba Camp is exceptional, with wattled cranes and a wide range of wetland and floodplain species.

What is included in the Shumba Camp rate?

Shumba Camp rates are per person per night sharing, in US dollars, and are booked as part of a Zambia safari itinerary. The Shumba Camp rate includes accommodation, all meals, twice-daily scheduled activities, laundry, park fees and local drinks. Flights, premium imported drinks, travel insurance, optional activities such as ballooning, gratuities and personal items are excluded.

In Conclusion

Shumba Camp is the place to stay if you want the Busanga Plains at their wildest. It has six tents on a fig-tree island, twelve guests at most, and lions on a floodplain that only opens for half the year. It suits travellers who have done the classic circuits and want something more remote, more exclusive and far less visited. It also suits keen photographers and birders who want open horizons rather than thick bush.

Shumba Camp works best as the centrepiece of a 3–7 night Kafue stay. It pairs beautifully with the Lower Zambezi, South Luangwa or Victoria Falls, linked by light-aircraft flights from Lusaka or Livingstone. Plan your visit between June and the end of the season. With so few tents and a short operating window, the peak months book out early, so it pays to secure space well in advance.

Uyaphi.com has been planning tailor-made African safaris since 1999. That is 27 years of building itineraries across Zambia and the rest of Africa, and of knowing which camps, routes and seasons deliver. We will put Shumba Camp in the right place in your trip, handle the flights and connections, and give you straight advice on timing, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Contact our team today and let us plan your Busanga Plains safari.