King Lewanika Lodge

Highlights

• King Lewanika Lodge is the only permanent camp in Liuwa Plain National Park, Western Province, Zambia.
• Six safari suites: five one-bedroom tents and one two-bedroom, two-bathroom family tent.
• Every suite has a private verandah facing Liuwa Plain, indoor and outdoor showers, and solar-powered electricity.
• Day and night game drives, walking safaris, seasonal canoeing, birdwatching and cultural visits are all on offer, with an optional Sleepout Under the Stars.
• Liuwa Plain holds vast wildebeest herds, a growing cheetah population and lions, on open grassland with no safari crowds.
• Traditional Zambian dishes with contemporary cooking, built on local seasonal produce.
• Solar-powered and built from locally sourced materials.
• Rates at King Lewanika Lodge are per person per night sharing, in US dollars, and include all meals, standard bar drinks, activities, laundry and road transfers.

Information

• Lodge type: Safari Lodge
• Location: Liuwa Plain National Park, Western Province, Zambia
• Lodge size: 6 Safari Suites
• Recommended stay: 3-7 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes, year-round. Liuwa Plain is a malaria area, so ask your doctor about prophylaxis.
• Getting there: Fly Lusaka to Kalabo Airstrip by light aircraft (about 2.5 hours; seasonal scheduled flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays), then a optional 15-minute helicopter transfer to King Lewanika Lodge. By road, Lusaka to Kalabo is about 670 km via Mongu, with a 4×4 and a river pontoon needed to enter the park.

King Lewanika Lodge: A Luxurious Gateway To The Liuwa Plain National Park

King Lewanika Lodge is a six-suite safari lodge on the Liuwa Plain in western Zambia, inside a park first protected by King Lewanika of the Lozi people in the 1880s, which makes it one of Africa's earliest designated game reserves. The plain is flat, open grassland, so wildlife can be seen from a long way off. Lily-filled lagoons draw birds, and the herds move across country that has barely changed in a century.

King Lewanika Lodge builds on that setting rather than competing with it. The tented suites and the central guest area take their colours from the golden grass, with vintage leather, polished metal and motifs inspired by Lozi culture.

At the end of the day the campfire becomes the focus, and the soundtrack is wind in the grass and the whoop of hyenas.

Because King Lewanika Lodge has only six suites and is the only permanent camp in the park, you share Liuwa Plain with very few other guests. That sets it apart from the busier safari circuits.

Rooms And Suites

King Lewanika Lodge has six tented suites: five one-bedroom tents and one two-bedroom, two-bathroom family tent. Each is built from locally sourced materials and powered by the sun. The furniture, in vintage leather, cotton and canvas, echoes old-world Zambian safaris.

Every suite includes:

• A private bathroom, with both an indoor and an outdoor shower
• A private verandah with views across the plain, plus a spacious lounge
• Double or twin beds and bedroom fans
• Solar-powered electricity with British 3-pin plugs
• Limited wifi and no phone signal

Cuisine And Wine

King Lewanika Lodge serves traditional Zambian dishes with a contemporary twist, cooked from local, seasonal produce. That includes light al fresco lunches after the morning game drive and dinners under the stars. Buying locally also supports the surrounding community.

The wine list leans on South African labels, with a few international bottles. Standard bar drinks are included in the rate, while reserve wine, spirits and champagne are charged extra.

Facilities

The central guest area at King Lewanika Lodge is a thatch-and-reed building, open-fronted to Liuwa Plain and facing a waterhole that draws wildlife throughout the day. It holds a dining area, a bar and a lounge, with a small library of reference books on the local flora, fauna and culture.

A wooden deck runs out to a firepit. It is the place for coffee at sunrise and evening drinks under the stars.

Activities

King Lewanika Lodge offers day and night game drives, walking safaris, seasonal canoeing, birdwatching and cultural visits in Liuwa Plain National Park. The plain is known for vast wildebeest herds, a growing cheetah population, lions and a wide range of birds.

Photographers get a great deal to work with: open grassland, annual floodwaters, wildflower blooms and big thunderstorms.

• Day and night game drives
• Walking safaris
• Canoeing safaris (seasonal)
• Birdwatching excursions
• Cultural visits
• Optional Sleepout Under the Stars (additional cost, extra night required)

Frequently Asked Questions About King Lewanika Lodge

Where is King Lewanika Lodge?

King Lewanika Lodge is in Liuwa Plain National Park, Western Province, Zambia. King Lewanika Lodge has six safari suites and is the only permanent camp inside the park. The surrounding Liuwa Plain is open grassland with seasonal floodwater, lily-filled lagoons and large wildebeest herds.

How many suites does King Lewanika Lodge have?

King Lewanika Lodge has six tented suites: five one-bedroom tents and one two-bedroom, two-bathroom family tent. Every suite has a private verandah facing Liuwa Plain, indoor and outdoor showers, bedroom fans and either double or twin beds. Power is solar with British three-pin plugs, wifi is limited and there is no phone signal.

What activities does King Lewanika Lodge offer?

King Lewanika Lodge rates include day and night game drives, walking safaris, cultural visits and seasonal canoeing in Liuwa Plain National Park. Birdwatching excursions are also offered. The Sleepout Under the Stars is optional, costs extra and needs an extra night. Liuwa Plain's wildlife includes wildebeest herds, cheetah and lions.

How do I get to King Lewanika Lodge?

King Lewanika Lodge is reached by flying from Lusaka to Kalabo Airstrip in western Zambia, about 2.5 hours by light aircraft, followed by a optional 15-minute helicopter transfer to camp. Scheduled flights to Kalabo are seasonal and run on Wednesdays and Saturdays; charters can be arranged on other days. Uyaphi.com books the flights and connections as part of a Zambia safari itinerary.

What do King Lewanika Lodge rates include?

King Lewanika Lodge rates are in US dollars, per person per night sharing, and vary by season. They include accommodation, all meals, standard bar drinks, game-viewing activities, laundry, service charge and road transfers to and from the local airport. They exclude entry visas, reserve wine, spirits, champagne, flights, optional transfers, travel insurance, gratuities and personal items.

Is King Lewanika Lodge in a malaria area?

King Lewanika Lodge is in a malaria area, with a year-round risk in Liuwa Plain National Park, Western Province, Zambia. Travellers should ask a doctor or travel clinic about antimalarial tablets well before departure, and use repellent and cover up at dusk and dawn.

In Conclusion

King Lewanika Lodge is the lodge to book if you want Liuwa Plain with almost no one else on it. It has six suites and is the only permanent camp in the park. You get wildebeest herds, cheetah and lions on open grassland, with game drives, walking safaris and seasonal canoeing included in the rate.

Uyaphi.com has been arranging African safaris since 1999. That is 27 years, close to three decades, and it is the experience you need for a remote destination like western Zambia. We are owner-run, charge no booking fees or credit card surcharges, and build each trip around you, including flights, transfers and any other Zambian lodges you want to pair with it.

Send us your dates, group size and budget, and we will put together a tailor-made itinerary with the lodge and the logistics sorted. Plan early, because six suites fill quickly.