Chamilandu Bushcamp

Highlights

• Chamilandu Bushcamp has just three stilted, open-fronted chalets for a maximum of six guests
• A towering ebony grove on the Luangwa River, looking across to the Chindeni Hills
• Morning walking safaris in South Luangwa, the birthplace of the walking safari
• Day and night game drives through riverine forest, mopane woodland and open floodplain
• Seven oxbow lagoons close to camp pull game in to drink through the dry season
• A photographic hide on a waterhole, the best seat in camp during siesta
• Walk between sister camps Kuyenda, Chindeni and Bilimungwe
• Run by The Bushcamp Company, South Luangwa's largest photographic safari operator

Information

• Lodge type: Small intimate bushcamp
• Location: Southern sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
• Lodge size: 3 stilted chalets (maximum 6 guests)
• Recommended stay: 2–3 nights, ideally as part of a Bushcamp Company circuit
• Malaria risk: Yes — South Luangwa is a malaria area; take antimalarial prophylaxis
• Getting there: Scheduled light-aircraft flight Lusaka to Mfuwe Airport, about 1 hour 10 minutes; then roughly 3 hours by road via Mfuwe Lodge, driven at game-viewing speed through the park

Experience Unparalleled Serenity And The Beauty Of Wild Zambia At Chamilandu Bushcamp

Chamilandu Bushcamp is a three-chalet walking safari camp in the remote southern sector of South Luangwa National Park, raised on stilts in a towering ebony grove on the banks of the Luangwa River. The Chindeni Hills rise across the water. Behind camp, seven oxbow lagoons draw elephant, buffalo, hippo and antelope through the dry months. With six guests at most, it is the smallest camp in The Bushcamp Company's collection and one of the most private places to stay in the Luangwa Valley.

The camp belongs to The Bushcamp Company, the largest photographic safari operator inside South Luangwa. The company runs six bushcamps across a 140,000-acre exclusive wilderness area in the south of the park, with Mfuwe Lodge as the gateway. That remoteness is the draw. There are few vehicles, no queues at sightings, and the guiding is rooted in walking. Guests here are expected to want to explore on foot, and the guides are among the most experienced in Zambia.

Rooms And Suites

Each of Chamilandu's three chalets stands about two metres off the ground on wooden stilts, open-fronted beneath reed and thatch, so nothing comes between the bed and the river. The chalets are set well apart along the bank. Each has its own raised veranda for the heat of the day, a front-row seat for elephant crossing the Luangwa or monkeys working through the ebony canopy overhead.

Bathrooms are en-suite, with twin washbasins and twin showers open to the sky, and the hot water is solar-powered. The camp is unfenced and the chalets are fully open to the bush, so wildlife moves freely through camp. Staff escort guests to and from their chalets after dark.

Cuisine And Wine

Food at Chamilandu is fresh, imaginative home cooking built around locally sourced produce. Breakfast comes before the morning walk, and lunch or afternoon tea is often taken in the hide while elephants bathe at the waterhole. Dinner is served on the deck under the stars, with the river below and the sounds of the night bush all round.

The bar is included in the rate, house wines among it, while premium wines are charged separately. A sundowner on the riverbank, watching the wildlife come down to drink at the same hour, is one of the camp's quiet rituals.

Facilities

Chamilandu keeps its facilities simple and well chosen. Guests have a thatched lounge, bar and dining area on the riverbank, a sala for afternoon rest and a photographic hide on a nearby waterhole. The camp runs on solar power, with lighting by solar lamps and a limited number of charging points. A complimentary limited laundry service is included.

Safety is well covered for a remote camp. There is 24-hour radio contact with the sister camps and with Mfuwe Lodge, where a doctor is based, and links to a flying-doctor service for serious emergencies.

Activities

Activities at Chamilandu Bushcamp are a morning walking safari or game drive, then an afternoon game drive every day that continues after sunset as a spotlit night drive. Walks are led by a specialist guide with an armed park scout. They cover riverine forest, mopane woodland, open floodplain and the seven oxbow lagoons, so one morning can take in several habitats.

Expect elephant, buffalo, hippo, puku and Thornicroft's giraffe, which is found only in the Luangwa Valley. Leopard, lion and wild dog are all possible. Between activities, the photographic hide on the waterhole is the place to spend siesta, camera ready, with elephants often arriving to drink and bathe a few metres away. For the ultimate walking safari, guests can walk between Chamilandu and its sister camps, Kuyenda to the north and Bilimungwe to the south.

Chamilandu Bushcamp FAQs

Where is Chamilandu Bushcamp and how do you get there?

Chamilandu sits on the Luangwa River in the remote southern sector of South Luangwa National Park, eastern Zambia. Guests fly from Lusaka to Mfuwe Airport on a scheduled light-aircraft flight of about 1 hour 10 minutes, then drive roughly three hours to camp via Mfuwe Lodge. The road transfer runs through the national park at game-viewing speed, so it doubles as the first game drive of the safari.

How many guests does Chamilandu Bushcamp take?

Chamilandu takes a maximum of six guests in three stilted, open-fronted chalets, making it the smallest camp run by The Bushcamp Company in South Luangwa National Park. The chalets are spaced well apart along the Luangwa riverbank, each with an en-suite bathroom and a raised veranda. The small size suits couples, friends travelling together and anyone who wants a quiet, personal safari.

Is Chamilandu Bushcamp good for walking safaris?

Yes. South Luangwa National Park is the birthplace of the walking safari, and Chamilandu is built around it. Morning walks with a specialist guide and an armed park scout explore riverine forest, mopane woodland, floodplain and seven nearby oxbow lagoons. Guests can also walk between Chamilandu and its sister camps, Kuyenda to the north and Bilimungwe to the south. Game drives are available for anyone who prefers a vehicle.

Is there malaria at Chamilandu Bushcamp?

Yes. Chamilandu lies in South Luangwa National Park in eastern Zambia, which is a malaria area. Guests should take antimalarial prophylaxis prescribed by a doctor or travel clinic before travelling. The chalets are open-fronted, so long sleeves, long trousers and insect repellent in the evenings add useful protection on top of medication.

Can children stay at Chamilandu Bushcamp?

Chamilandu accepts children aged 12 and older. The camp is unfenced, the chalets are open to the bush, and wildlife walks freely through camp. That makes it best suited to mature older children rather than young families. Families with younger children are better placed at Mfuwe Lodge, The Bushcamp Company's larger lodge in South Luangwa National Park, which caters for family groups.

How long should I stay at Chamilandu Bushcamp?

Two to three nights at Chamilandu is ideal. Most guests combine it with Mfuwe Lodge and one or two sister bushcamps such as Chindeni, Bilimungwe or Kuyenda, building a seven- to ten-night South Luangwa safari. Moving between camps on foot or by game-drive transfer adds habitat variety without long road days. Uyaphi plans the full circuit, including flights from Lusaka to Mfuwe.

In Conclusion

Chamilandu Bushcamp is for travellers who want South Luangwa at its most private: three chalets, six guests, and a riverbank to themselves in the park's remote southern wilderness. The reasons to go are simple. The walking is among the best in Africa, the hide puts elephants at arm's length during siesta, and the open-fronted chalets keep the bush close day and night.

The best way to experience it is as part of a Bushcamp Company circuit. Start with a night at Mfuwe Lodge, then spend two or three nights at Chamilandu before walking or driving on to a sister camp. Chamilandu is a dry-season camp. The best game viewing runs from August to October, when the lagoons and the river become the focus for wildlife across the southern park.

Uyaphi.com has been planning African safaris since 1999. That is 27 years of building itineraries across Zambia and the rest of the continent, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Talk to us about a Zambia safari that includes Chamilandu, and we'll handle the flights, transfers and camp sequence from Lusaka to the riverbank.