Mfuwe Lodge

Highlights

• Watch wild elephant families stroll through reception to the wild mango tree, late October to mid-December
• Look out over two hippo lagoons from your private veranda, the main deck and the pool
• Stay in one of 18 air-conditioned thatched chalets, including two suites and three family rooms
• Head out on day and night game drives in the Valley of the Leopard
• Book a treatment at the Bush Spa, cantilevered over the hippo lagoon
• Walk with expert guides in the birthplace of the walking safari, on request
• Eat fresh produce grown on the Bushcamp Company's own farm in the valley
• Visit local schools, community projects and Tribal Textiles in Mfuwe

Information

• Lodge type: Classic Safari Lodge
• Location: South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
• Lodge size: 18 Thatched Chalets
• Recommended stay: 3-7 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes — South Luangwa is a malaria area; take prophylaxis
• Getting there: Fly Lusaka to Mfuwe Airport (about 450 km, 1 hr 10 min on Proflight Zambia), then a 45-minute game-drive transfer to the lodge

Experience Wildlife Harmony: Mfuwe Lodge In The Heart Of South Luangwa National Park

Mfuwe Lodge is the Bushcamp Company's flagship, set between two oxbow lagoons just inside the main gate of South Luangwa National Park in eastern Zambia, 45 minutes by road from Mfuwe Airport. Its 18 thatched chalets sit in the shade of ebony and mahogany trees. The open-plan main area looks straight over the water, where hippos wallow all day and giraffe, buffalo, antelope and crocodile come down to the banks. It is one of the largest lodges in the park and offers polished, full-service comfort: a spa, a pool, air-conditioning and Wi-Fi throughout.

The lodge works on two levels. On its own it is a superb, easy-going safari stay, open all year, with day and night drives in some of Zambia's richest game country. It is also the gateway to the Bushcamp Company's circuit of six small bushcamps in the remote south of the park. Most guests start or finish here, and the onward transfers run as slow game drives of 75 minutes to four hours.

The headline act arrives each year between late October and mid-December. Whole families of wild elephants stroll through reception to feast on fallen fruit from the large wild mango tree in the courtyard. Nobody herds them and nobody feeds them. They walk in past the front desk and get on with lunch while guests watch from a respectful distance. In our view it is one of the most extraordinary wildlife moments in Africa, and it is the reason so many travellers time their Zambia safari for November.

Rooms And Suites

The 18 chalets are built of timber and thatch, spaced out along the lagoon bank. Each has air-conditioning, ceiling fans, a sitting area and a private veranda facing the water. Bathrooms are en-suite with walk-in showers, and beds can be set up as a king or twins. Every chalet has mosquito nets, a hairdryer and a safe.

• 2x suites: Two-level chalets with a king-size bed, an extra upstairs sitting area with a daybed, and an en-suite bathroom with both bathtub and shower.
• 3x family rooms: Split over two levels with room for two adults and two children: a bedroom upstairs, a daybed in the sitting area below, and an en-suite shower.
• 13x rooms: Twin beds that convert to a king, a private lagoon-facing veranda and an en-suite shower.

Families or friends who want their own space can book The Family House at Mfuwe Lodge. It is a private thatched house in the lodge grounds with two interconnecting en-suite bedrooms, a walled garden, its own pool, a firepit, a pizza oven and a braai area.

Cuisine And Wine

Meals are generous, fresh and served with a view, and much of the produce comes from the Bushcamp Company's own farm in the Luangwa Valley. Days start with a cooked breakfast before or after the morning drive. Lunch is served on the deck above the lagoon, and afternoon tea comes before the evening outing. Dinner blends Zambian and international dishes, sometimes around the boma fire under the stars. The bar pours a well-chosen list of wines and spirits, and the kitchen caters for most dietary requirements if you tell us when you book.

Facilities

Everything at the lodge faces the water. The main area combines reception, lounge, dining room and bar under a high thatch roof with two big chimneys. It opens onto a broad timber deck over the lagoon, where the swimming pool sits and armchair game viewing carries on all day. Hippos are in residence year-round and elephants regularly come down to drink.

Keen photographers have a dedicated photographic studio, and there is a library, an outdoor gym and a curio shop beside reception.

The practical side is easy. There is 24-hour mains electricity (220V, British-style square three-pin sockets) with generator backup and solar-heated hot water. Wi-Fi reaches the whole lodge, laundry is done daily at no charge, and major credit cards are accepted.

Activities

Game drives in open-sided 4x4s are the heart of a stay. The afternoon drive rolls on after sundowners into a night drive. This area of South Luangwa National Park is famous for leopard, and night drives are one of the park's great draws: few African national parks allow them. By day, expect elephant, buffalo, giraffe, hippo, wild dog in good years, and lions working the riverbanks. Because the lodge is close to the main gate, you will sometimes share a sighting with other vehicles. The guides handle it with calm good manners, and the payoff is game-rich country within minutes of breakfast.

Extras and on-request activities:

• Guided walking safaris in the birthplace of the walking safari (on request, ages 12 and over)
• Bush Spa treatments
• Complimentary community visits to local schools and projects
• Trips to Tribal Textiles, Kawaza Village and the Chipembele Wildlife Education Trust (fees may apply)
• A specially modified photographic vehicle with open sides and custom seating (on request)
• An in-house professional photographer for hire
• Private guide and vehicle

Spa And Wellness

The Bush Spa is cantilevered over the hippo lagoon, and the setting does half the work before any treatment begins. You lie listening to hippos grunting below and birdsong in the trees, with no road noise and no phone signal in your head. Massages and wellness treatments slot neatly into the hot midday hours between drives. A long journey into the valley, or a few days of dusty bushcamp walking, ends especially well here.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do the elephants walk through Mfuwe Lodge?

Wild elephant families walk through the reception of the Bushcamp Company's flagship lodge in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia, every year between late October and mid-December. They come for the fallen fruit of a large wild mango tree in the lodge courtyard, and November is usually the most reliable month. The elephants are completely wild, so no visit is guaranteed, but few lodges in Africa offer anything comparable.

How do you get to Mfuwe Lodge?

Most guests fly from Lusaka to Mfuwe Airport on Proflight Zambia's daily scheduled service, a flight of about 1 hour 10 minutes, with seasonal links to Lilongwe in Malawi. From Mfuwe Airport, the transfer to the lodge just inside South Luangwa National Park takes 45 minutes in an open game-viewing vehicle, so the safari begins on the road in. Scheduled flights allow 23 kg of soft-sided luggage per person.

Is Mfuwe Lodge in a malaria area?

Yes. South Luangwa National Park in eastern Zambia, where the lodge stands, is a malaria area, and antimalarial prophylaxis is recommended for every guest. See a doctor or travel clinic six to eight weeks before departure. Chalets have mosquito nets and air-conditioning, and long sleeves and insect repellent in the evenings reduce bites further. Comprehensive travel insurance with medical evacuation cover is strongly advised.

Is Mfuwe Lodge good for families with children?

Yes. The Bushcamp Company's South Luangwa lodge welcomes children of all ages and has three two-level family rooms sleeping two adults and two children. Larger families can book The Family House, a private two-bedroom thatched house in the lodge grounds with its own pool, garden and pizza oven. Walking safaris are generally limited to children aged 12 and over, but game drives suit every age.

Does Mfuwe Lodge offer night drives and walking safaris?

Yes. Game drives in open 4x4 vehicles are the main activity at this South Luangwa lodge, and the afternoon drive continues after sundowners as a spotlit night drive. South Luangwa is one of the few African national parks that permits them, and it is renowned for leopard. Guided walking safaris, in the valley where walking safaris began, are available from the lodge on request for guests aged 12 and over.

Is Mfuwe Lodge open all year?

Yes. The Bushcamp Company keeps its South Luangwa flagship open year-round. Mid-June to October is the dry season, when game crowds the lagoons and river and viewing peaks. Late October to mid-December brings the elephants through reception. December to April is the green season, with lush landscapes, superb birding, newborn animals, far fewer visitors and the lowest rates of the year.

In Conclusion

Mfuwe Lodge is our first choice for travellers who want big-game South Luangwa without giving up a single comfort, and it has been a favourite on our Zambia itineraries for years. Why? Few places in Africa combine a hippo-filled lagoon on the doorstep, night drives in the Valley of the Leopard, a spa over the water and wild elephants walking through reception every November.

How — Fly Lusaka to Mfuwe and you are on a game drive within the hour. We usually pair two or three nights at the lodge with a stretch on the Bushcamp Company's walking circuit deeper in the park. Many clients add Victoria Falls or the Lower Zambezi via Lusaka to make a complete Zambia safari.

When — Come between July and October for the most concentrated game viewing, or between late October and mid-December for the elephants. For lush scenery, birdlife and the year's best rates, the December-to-April green season is outstanding value.

Uyaphi.com has been planning African safaris since 1999. That is 27 years of building Zambia itineraries, with flight timings, transfers, seasons and lodge pairings worked out on real trips. We are owner-run, charge no booking fees and add no credit card surcharges. Tell us your dates and we will put Mfuwe Lodge at the heart of a South Luangwa safari built around you.