Chinzombo Safari Camp

Highlights

• Stay in one of only six villas on a curve of the Luangwa River
• Cool off in your own private pool on a deck facing the national park
• Head out with Time + Tide's award-winning guides on day and night drives
• Walk the valley where the walking safari was born
• Watch from wildlife hides and sleep out under the stars
• Dine on Zambian-inspired cuisine around the campfire
• Bird the green season, when the migrants arrive from November
• Book a spa treatment without leaving your villa
• Stay any month of the year — the camp is open all year

Information

• Lodge type: Luxury Safari Camp
• Location: Luangwa River, South Luangwa, Zambia
• Lodge size: 6 Luxury Villas
• Recommended stay: 3-7 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes — South Luangwa is a malaria area; take anti-malaria medication
• Getting there: Fly Lusaka to Mfuwe Airport (70–80 minutes by scheduled light aircraft), then 1–1.5 hours by road to the camp

Unveiling Chinzombo Safari Camp: Where Luxury Meets Extraordinary Wildlife In The Luangwa Valley

Chinzombo Safari Camp is the most stylish address in the South Luangwa: six private villas on a sweeping bend of the Luangwa River, each with its own pool, looking straight across the water into South Luangwa National Park. Run by Time + Tide, the camp pairs award-winning riverfront design with some of the finest guiding in Zambia — and it stays open twelve months of the year.

The setting does the heavy lifting. Elephants wade the shallows below the decks, hippos grunt through the night and leopard, the valley's great speciality, are found here as reliably as anywhere in Africa. For all the polished canvas and timber, Chinzombo never loses the feel of a proper bush camp: the sounds, the campfire, the river.

Pair it with a few nights in the remote north of the park or at Victoria Falls, and you have one of the best safaris in Southern Africa.

Rooms and Suites

The camp has six villas: five one-bedroom villas and one two-bedroom family villa with two bathrooms. Every villa is enormous — a sunken lounge, an open-fronted bedroom with a feathertop bed (double or twin), and a bathroom with a free-standing soaking tub looking out over the river. Outside, a wide verandah holds a private pool and loungers, the best seat in the house for the afternoon elephant parade.

Villa amenities include:

• Mains power with multi-adaptor plugs
• Fans and eco-cooling in the sleeping area
• Wi-Fi in the villa
• Minibar
• Tea and coffee station

Cuisine and Wine

Food at Chinzombo is modern, generous and rooted in Zambia, built on local produce and the country's culinary heritage. Breakfast after the morning activity, lunch on the deck and dinner under the stars or around the campfire make up the rhythm of the day. Most dietary requirements are catered for with advance notice.

Facilities

The main lodge is an open-fronted space with a dining area, lounge, bar, campfire and a riverfront deck facing the national park. The design is contemporary and uncluttered, the service warm and quietly attentive. Wi-Fi is in the villas only, not the main area, and phone signal is limited — no great loss when the view is this good.

Activities

Activities at Chinzombo are day and night game drives and walking safaris, all led by Time + Tide's award-winning guides. Night drives are a highlight of any South Luangwa safari, with leopard, hyena, genet and civet all regulars after dark. Walking here carries real pedigree: the walking safari was pioneered in this valley, and a morning on foot with a guide and armed scout is the most intimate way to read the bush.

• Morning and afternoon game drives in South Luangwa National Park
• Night drives
• Guided walking safaris
• Wildlife hides
• Sleepout under the stars (supplementary charge)

The South Luangwa is equally rewarding for birders, with more than 400 species recorded and the summer migrants arriving with the rains.

Child Friendly

Children of all ages are welcome at the camp, and the two-bedroom family villa is made for families travelling together. Walking safaris are restricted to older children under Zambian park rules, so plan game drives as the core activity for younger guests. Speak to us before booking and we'll match the activities to your children's ages.

Spa and Wellness

Spa treatments are brought to you, in the privacy of your villa or on its deck, so there is no spa building to walk to. Choose from massages and other treatments between game activities; treatments carry a supplementary charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Chinzombo Safari Camp?

Time + Tide Chinzombo sits on a curve of the Luangwa River in Zambia's South Luangwa, looking across the water into South Luangwa National Park. Guests fly from Lusaka to Mfuwe Airport, a scheduled light-aircraft flight of 70–80 minutes, then transfer by road for 1–1.5 hours. Uyaphi.com arranges the flights and transfers as part of a tailor-made Zambia safari.

How many villas does Chinzombo Safari Camp have?

Time + Tide Chinzombo has six villas: five one-bedroom villas and one two-bedroom family villa with two bathrooms. Each villa has a private pool on a riverfront deck, a sunken lounge, an open-fronted bedroom cooled by fans and eco-cooling, and a free-standing soaking tub with river views. With a maximum of six villas, the camp stays small, quiet and personal.

What activities does Chinzombo Safari Camp offer?

Time + Tide Chinzombo in South Luangwa offers morning and afternoon game drives, night drives, guided walking safaris, wildlife hides and a sleepout under the stars, which carries a supplementary charge. All activities are led by Time + Tide's award-winning guides. Night drives are a South Luangwa speciality, with leopard, hyena and civet regularly seen after dark. In-villa spa treatments are also available at extra cost.

Is Chinzombo Safari Camp suitable for children?

Yes. Time + Tide Chinzombo in Zambia welcomes children of all ages, and its two-bedroom, two-bathroom family villa suits families well. Walking safaris are restricted to older children under Zambian national park rules, so game drives are the main activity for younger guests. Uyaphi.com can plan a family itinerary around your children's ages before you book.

When is the best time to visit Chinzombo Safari Camp?

Time + Tide Chinzombo in South Luangwa is open all year. May to October is the dry season, when wildlife gathers along the Luangwa River and game viewing peaks from August. November to April is the green season, with lush landscapes, newborn animals, migrant birds and quieter camps. Both seasons deliver excellent safaris; choose by whether you prioritise game density or birding and scenery.

Is there malaria at Chinzombo Safari Camp?

Yes. Time + Tide Chinzombo lies in South Luangwa, Zambia, which is a malaria area all year. Travellers should take anti-malaria medication prescribed by a doctor or travel clinic, and use insect repellent, long sleeves and trousers in the evenings. Speak to your doctor six to eight weeks before you travel.

Chinzombo Safari Camp is the South Luangwa stay to book when you want superb wildlife and real luxury in equal measure. Six villas, six private pools and a riverfront view straight into one of Africa's great national parks make for a camp that never feels crowded, and Time + Tide's guides turn every drive and walk into an education.

Come in the dry season, May to October, for the densest game along the river, or in the green season for birds, newborns and quieter camps. Three nights is the minimum to do the valley justice; four or five lets you add night drives, a walk and a sleepout without rushing. Fly Lusaka to Mfuwe, and the camp is a short road transfer away.

Uyaphi.com has been planning African safaris from Cape Town since 1999 — 27 years of matching travellers to the right camp, the right season and the right route. Tell us when you'd like to travel and who's coming, and we'll build a Zambia safari around Chinzombo, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges.