Potato Bush Camp

Highlights

• Just four units: three luxury safari tents and a two-bedroom Family House
• A private river-view plunge pool and large hammock on every balcony
• Private guiding on every activity – your own guide, vehicle and boat
• Day and night game drives for leopard, lion and elephant
• Canoeing through Zambezi channels and islands, from one to seven hours
• Catch-and-release tigerfish fishing, with one fishing day included
• Sandbank river lunches, bush braai dinners and moonlit island dinners
• Fully solar-powered with 24-hour electricity
• Complimentary return flights for stays of four nights or more

Information

• Lodge type: Luxury Safari Camp
• Location: Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia – on the banks of the Zambezi River
• Lodge size: 3 Luxury Safari Tents and 1 Two-Bedroom Family House
• Recommended stay: 3-7 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes – malaria is present throughout Zambia, including Lower Zambezi National Park. See your doctor about prophylaxis at least six weeks before travel
• Getting there: Lusaka to Royal Airstrip is about 30 minutes by light aircraft, followed by a 20-minute drive and a 30-minute boat transfer to camp. By road from Lusaka allow about 5 hours, including vehicle and boat transfers. Return flights are complimentary for stays of four nights or more

Potato Bush Camp: A Luxurious Wilderness Retreat In The Heart Of Zambia

Potato Bush Camp is a four-unit luxury tented camp on the Zambezi River inside Zambia's 4,092 km² Lower Zambezi National Park, run by Green Safaris since 2023. Three safari tents and a two-bedroom Family House each have a private plunge pool overlooking the river. Wildlife wanders freely through camp, and across the water lies Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park.

Safari pioneer Jason Mott built the camp in 2012 as the family-friendly sister to Sausage Tree Camp, a short walk away. The idea was simple and brilliant: the same superb guiding and kitchen, in a smaller, more personal setting. Every activity is privately guided, and the whole camp can be booked for exclusive use. That makes it a superb choice for families, small groups of friends and couples who want the Zambezi to themselves.

Rooms and Suites

Accommodation at Potato Bush is three luxury safari tents and one two-bedroom Family House, all linked by raised walkways and all facing the Zambezi River. Two of the tents have king-size beds and one is a twin. Every bed sits beneath a large four-poster mosquito net with a fan. The en-suite bathrooms are generous, with twin showers, twin basins and a full-size clawfoot bathtub.

Large folding doors open each tent onto a private balcony with a big hammock and a river-view plunge pool. This is the perfect spot to watch elephants and hippos on the Zambezi through the heat of the afternoon. The camp is fully solar-powered with backup, so lights and charging run 24 hours a day. Wi-Fi is available in the rooms, and there is no cell signal at camp, which most guests count as a blessing.

The Family House stretches 21 metres along the riverbank. Its two en-suite bedrooms sit either side of a central living area with a dining table, lounge, fully stocked bar and fridge. A large private plunge pool and deck look straight over the Zambezi, extra beds can be added to either bedroom, and meals can be served privately in the house. It is ideal for families or a group of four adults.

Cuisine and Wine

Meals at the camp come from the same menu as Sausage Tree Camp, and the dining is as much about where you eat as what you eat. Breakfast, lunch and dinner can be served on your own private deck, in the boma around the fire, or out in the wilderness. The boma seats up to 12 guests.

• Bush meals: picnics during game drives and canoe trips
• River lunches: on handpicked Zambezi sandbanks, which change with the season and river height
• Bush dinner: a braai cooked over the fire and eaten under the stars
• Moonlight dinner: a three-course dinner on an island, arranged for special occasions

Facilities

Facilities at this small Green Safaris camp are built around the river, privacy and complete comfort. Every unit has its own plunge pool and balcony, and vehicles and boats are shared with Sausage Tree Camp. That fleet includes a 90 kW electric pontoon for quiet river cruising.

• Private river-view plunge pool for every tent and the Family House
• Boma seating up to 12 guests
• Raised walkways linking all units
• Fully solar-powered, with 24-hour electricity and charging
• Wi-Fi in the rooms; no cell phone signal at camp
• Complimentary daily laundry, air-dried (allow at least 24 hours)
• Exclusive-use bookings available

Activities

Activities at Potato Bush are privately guided game drives by day and night, walking safaris, canoeing, boat cruises, birding and catch-and-release fishing inside Lower Zambezi National Park. Every activity is private, with your own guide, vehicle or boat. The day is shaped around you rather than a fixed camp schedule.

• Game drives by day: cover ground in search of elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard.
• Night drives: spotlight leopard and the elusive nocturnal species, such as civets and big-eared genets.
• Walking safaris: one of the great joys of safaris in Zambia, focused on tracks, signs, plants and the smaller creatures. Minimum age 15.
• Canoeing: silent paddles through the channels and islands of the Zambezi, from one to seven hours with lunch included. Minimum age 15; water levels permitting.
• Boat cruises: run year-round for hippos, crocodiles and elephants crossing the river, usually with sundowners.
• Birding: around 500 species recorded in Lower Zambezi National Park.
• Fishing: spinning and fly fishing for tigerfish, strictly catch and release. One fishing day is included, then a USD 40 per day angling licence applies, paid in camp. Best from September to December; water levels permitting.

Child Friendly

The camp was built for family safaris, and the two-bedroom Family House is its trump card. Parents and children share a private 21-metre house with its own plunge pool, lounge, bar and dining room, and extra beds can be added to either bedroom. With private guiding on every activity, game drives and boat cruises run at a family's pace, with no other guests to keep happy.

Walking safaris and canoe trips have a minimum age of 15, so younger children enjoy the bush from game drive vehicles, the boat and the riverbank. Plunge pools sit on the balconies and wildlife moves freely through camp, so close supervision of young children is essential. Uyaphi.com confirms the current child age policy with Green Safaris when building every family itinerary.

In Conclusion

Potato Bush is a four-unit luxury tented camp on the Zambezi River in Lower Zambezi National Park, run by Green Safaris, and highly recommended by us at Uyaphi. Private plunge pools, a superb Family House and fully private guiding make it one of the most personal camps in the Zambezi Valley. Activities run from day and night game drives to walks, canoeing, boating and tigerfish fishing.

The camp suits families, small groups and couples who want the Lower Zambezi without the crowds. Combine it with Green Safaris' sister camps in South Luangwa, the Kafue or Victoria Falls for a superb Zambia circuit.

Potato Bush Camp – Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Potato Bush Camp?

Green Safaris' Potato Bush is a luxury tented camp on the Zambezi River inside Lower Zambezi National Park, Zambia. Guests fly from Lusaka to Royal Airstrip in about 30 minutes, then take a 20-minute drive and a 30-minute boat transfer to camp. By road from Lusaka, the journey takes about five hours including transfers.

How many rooms does Potato Bush Camp have?

The camp has four units: three luxury safari tents and one two-bedroom Family House. Two of the tents have king-size beds and one is a twin. Each tent has a river-view plunge pool, a hammock-slung balcony and a bathroom with twin showers and a clawfoot bath. The Family House has its own large plunge pool, lounge and bar.

What activities are offered at Potato Bush Camp?

Activities are privately guided day and night game drives, walking safaris, canoeing, boat cruises, birding and catch-and-release tigerfish fishing in Lower Zambezi National Park. Walking safaris and canoeing have a minimum age of 15. One fishing day is included, after which a USD 40 daily angling licence applies. Canoeing and fishing depend on Zambezi water levels.

Is Potato Bush Camp malaria-free?

No. Malaria is present throughout Zambia, including Lower Zambezi National Park, where the camp lies. Guests should consult a doctor about antimalarial prophylaxis at least six weeks before travelling and cover up at dawn and dusk. Every bed has a four-poster mosquito net, every room has a fan, and insect repellent is provided.

How do the free flights to Potato Bush Camp work?

Green Safaris includes complimentary return flights into Lower Zambezi National Park for guests staying four nights or more. Shorter stays pay for the light-aircraft transfer to Royal Airstrip, a flight of about 30 minutes from Lusaka. The minimum stay is three nights, so a fourth night often pays for itself through the flight saving.

Is Potato Bush Camp suitable for families?

Yes. The camp was built for family safaris and offers a two-bedroom Family House with a private plunge pool, lounge, bar and private dining. Extra beds can be added to either bedroom, and every activity is privately guided at the family's pace. Walking safaris and canoeing have a minimum age of 15. Uyaphi.com confirms the current child policy when planning each family safari.

Book Potato Bush Camp With Uyaphi.com

Potato Bush Camp gives you the Zambezi River on your own terms: four units, a private plunge pool for every one, and a guide, vehicle and boat reserved for your party alone. Few camps in Zambia combine such a range of activities – day and night drives, walks, canoeing, river cruises and tigerfish fishing – with such privacy. That is exactly why we recommend it to families, small groups and couples who want the Lower Zambezi without the crowds.

Plan at least three nights, and stay four to earn complimentary return flights from Lusaka. Anglers should aim for September to December, the best months for tigerfish. The camp also pairs beautifully with Green Safaris' properties in South Luangwa, the Kafue and Victoria Falls for a seamless Zambia circuit.

Uyaphi.com has been planning tailor-made African safaris since 1999 – 27 years and almost three decades of experience across the continent. We arrange your light-aircraft flights, your Royal Airstrip transfer and every connection in between, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Tell us when you'd like to travel and who's coming, and we'll build your Potato Bush safari around you.