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African Safaris and Tours
Lower Zambezi Lodges
Lower Zambezi Lodges and Camps – River Safaris in Zambia's Zambezi Valley
The Lower Zambezi is canoe country. Camps and lodges line the Zambian bank of the Zambezi, some inside the Lower Zambezi National Park and others just beyond its western boundary near the Chongwe River, with Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park across the water from the park. Game drives, walks, boat trips and canoe outings mean a Zambia safari here spends as much time on the river as off it.
Elephant, lion, Cape buffalo, hippo and Nile crocodile are the headline sightings, and the long river frontage gives photographers a working day from vehicle and boat alike. Birders do well here too, with the riverbanks and floodplain adding plenty to the list.
Most guests fly in from Lusaka. Air transfers beat the road into the valley every time. From there, the choice runs from classic tented camps and reed-and-canvas bush camps to riverside lodges and a private villa. We've planned Zambia safaris since 1999 and will match a Lower Zambezi camp to your trip and budget — browse the camps below or see all our Zambia lodges.
Zambia Safari Lodges In The Lower Zambezi
Amanzi Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Amanzi Camp is a secluded camp in the Lower Zambezi, built for guests who want a quiet base in the wilderness. Days split between game drives and canoe outings on the Zambezi, with the kind of unhurried hospitality that makes a small camp worth seeking out.
Anabezi Luxury Tented Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Anabezi Luxury Tented Camp takes its name from the ana trees (Faidherbia albida) that shade its grounds. Guests stay in private tented suites and explore the Lower Zambezi National Park from a camp that pairs real comfort with a proper bush setting.
Chiawa Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Chiawa Camp opened in 1989 as the first camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park and is still run by the Cumings family who founded it. Eight Meru-style tents and one larger safari suite look out over the Zambezi, with game activities by vehicle, on foot and on the river, and sunset cruises to close the day.
Chongwe River Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Time + Tide Chongwe River Camp sits just outside the western boundary of the Lower Zambezi National Park, near where the Chongwe River meets the Zambezi. Tented suites, open-vehicle game drives, birding and night drives make it a lively base with the park right across the Chongwe.
Chongwe River House
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Time + Tide Chongwe River House is a private, exclusive-use villa just outside the Lower Zambezi National Park, near Chongwe River Camp. It's booked by one family or small group of friends at a time, so the house, the pace and the safari are entirely your own.
Chongwe River Suites
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Chongwe River Suites stand where the Chongwe River meets the Zambezi, on the western edge of the Lower Zambezi National Park. Private suites, game activities and sunset cruises on the river make it a secluded base for exploring the valley.
Lolebezi
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Lolebezi Lodge is one of the newer places to stay inside the Lower Zambezi National Park, set on the banks of the Zambezi. It combines stylish lodge accommodation with warm hospitality and the full run of river and bush activities the valley is known for.
Old Mondoro
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Old Mondoro is Chiawa Camp's sister bush camp, set deeper inside the Lower Zambezi National Park with five reed-and-canvas rooms on the Zambezi. Canoe trips with hippos and elephants close by, sunset cruises and guided night drives make it a wild, intimate stay.
Potato Bush Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Potato Bush Camp is the smaller sister camp of Sausage Tree, run by the same team on the Zambezi. Game drives, night drives and canoe trips head out into the Lower Zambezi National Park, with attentive guiding and good food back at camp.
Royal Zambezi Lodge
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Royal Zambezi Lodge sits in the Chiawa game management area, just outside Lower Zambezi National Park, with over 3 km of river frontage on one of the widest stretches of the Zambezi. Every room and main area looks over the Zambezi.
Sausage Tree Camp
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Sausage Tree Camp lies well inside the Lower Zambezi National Park, its spacious safari tents shaded by sausage and mahogany trees on the Zambezi. It pairs polished comfort with excellent personal service, and Potato Bush Camp is its smaller sister nearby.
Zambezi Grande
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Zambezi Grande sits on the Zambezi just outside the Lower Zambezi National Park, overlooking small river islands and a short drive from the park. Spacious suites, morning game drives, sunset boat cruises and spa treatments make it an easy, comfortable base.
Lower Zambezi Lodges: Frequently Asked Questions
Which Lower Zambezi camps are inside the national park?
Chiawa Camp, Old Mondoro, Sausage Tree Camp, Lolebezi, Anabezi and Amanzi Camp sit inside Lower Zambezi National Park, on the Zambian bank of the Zambezi. Chongwe River Camp, Chongwe River Suites, Chongwe River House, Royal Zambezi Lodge and Zambezi Grande lie just outside the park's western boundary.
What is the oldest camp in the Lower Zambezi?
Chiawa Camp. The Cumings family opened it in 1989 as the first camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park, and the family still runs it today. Its sister camp, Old Mondoro, lies deeper into the park with just five rooms on the riverbank, and the two combine well in a single stay.
How do Chongwe River Camp, Chongwe River Suites and Chongwe River House differ?
All three stand near where the Chongwe River joins the Zambezi, on the western edge of the national park. Chongwe River Camp is the tented camp, Chongwe River Suites is the suite option at the confluence, and Chongwe River House is a private villa booked by one family or small group of friends at a time.
Which Lower Zambezi camps offer canoeing?
Old Mondoro, Potato Bush Camp and Amanzi Camp all include canoeing, and they are not the only ones. Paddling the Zambezi puts you at water level with hippos and elephants close by — a quieter, closer way to see the valley than from a vehicle. Tell us it matters to you and we'll plan around it.
Which Lower Zambezi camps offer night drives?
Chongwe River Camp, Old Mondoro and Potato Bush Camp all list night drives among their activities. Heading out after sundowners with a spotlight shows you the valley's nocturnal side, when animals that rest through the heat of the day start moving. We'll confirm each camp's programme when we build your itinerary.
Are there tented camps and lodges in the Lower Zambezi?
Both. Chiawa Camp, Sausage Tree Camp, Anabezi Luxury Tented Camp and Chongwe River Camp are tented camps, and Old Mondoro's rooms are built from reed and canvas. Royal Zambezi Lodge, Lolebezi Lodge and Zambezi Grande are lodges. Which suits you comes down to location and activities more than walls.
Map of Lodges in and around Lower Zambezi, Zambia
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