Mwaleshi Camp

Highlights

• Pure walking safaris in a roadless corner of North Luangwa National Park, following game trails untouched by vehicle tracks
• Just four open-fronted thatched chalets, rebuilt every year from natural materials, each facing the Mwaleshi River
• Set inside the North Luangwa rhino sanctuary, with a real chance of the Big Five and wild dog on foot
• A hotspot for lion, elephant, kudu and the Luangwa Valley's own Cookson's wildebeest
• En-suite bathrooms open to the stars, with open-air safari showers
• Bush cuisine cooked over a wood fire, with bread baked in the coals
• A thatched lounge, bar and dining area above a bend in the river, plus a riverbank firepit for starry evenings
• A day trip to the falls upstream and nights camped out in the bush (both on request)

Information

• Lodge type: Classic Walking Camp
• Location: North Luangwa National Park, Zambia
• Lodge size: 4 thatched chalets (2 twin, 2 king)
• Recommended stay: 3–5 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes – North Luangwa is a malaria area; take prophylaxis on your doctor's advice
• Getting there: Fly-in only – 40 minutes by light aircraft from Mfuwe International Airport (30 minutes from Remote Africa's Mwanya airstrip), then a 15-minute drive from the Mwaleshi airstrip

Experience The Unspoiled Wilderness Of Mwaleshi Camp In North Luangwa

Mwaleshi Camp is a four-chalet walking safari camp run by Remote Africa Safaris in North Luangwa National Park, Zambia. It sits on a bend of the Mwaleshi River, 10 km upstream of its confluence with the Luangwa. The camp opens from 15 June to 31 October and takes no more than eight guests. Nearly everything happens on foot. For anyone who wants Zambia's walking safari in its purest form, with no roads and no game-drive traffic, few places in Africa come close.

Getting in is part of the adventure, and it is fly-in only. Remote Africa's own Cessna flies 40 minutes from Mfuwe International Airport, or 30 minutes from its Mwanya airstrip in South Luangwa, to the Mwaleshi airstrip. From there a 15-minute drive in an open 4x4 brings you to camp. Keen walkers can make the trip from the strip on foot instead, in about four hours. Charter luggage is limited to one 15 kg soft bag plus 5 kg hand luggage per person, camera gear included.

Walks follow existing animal trails through country no vehicle has scarred. Each one is led by an experienced Remote Africa guide and an armed National Park scout, with a tea bearer carrying the flask. The camp vehicle is kept for airstrip runs and longer outings, above all the day trip upstream to the beautiful Mwaleshi Falls.

We recommend three to five nights here. The natural partner is Remote Africa's Takwela Camp on the Luangwa River, also in the North Park, which turns your stay into a superb two-camp walking safari. Add Tafika in South Luangwa if you want game drives on the same Zambia safari.

Rooms And Suites

The camp has four open-fronted thatched chalets, two twin and two king, rebuilt every year from natural materials by local craftsmen. No front wall stands between the bed and the River, so you wake to the river and fall asleep to the night sounds of the Luangwa. Beds are made up with cotton sheets under generous mosquito nets. The en-suite bathrooms are open to the sky, with a basin, toilet and open-air safari shower.

Each chalet has a USB and charging point (square UK-style plug). All four sit only steps from the water. A morning knock on the door with the sun coming up over the river is how every day here begins.

Cuisine And Wine

Every meal is cooked over a wood fire, and the food is far better than a camp this remote has any right to serve. Breakfast is eaten around the fire before the morning walk. Lunch is a buffet with fresh greens from the Tafika vegetable garden, and afternoon tea comes with freshly baked cakes. Dinner is three courses by candlelight. Bread is baked in the ground under hot coals.

The bar is included, with house wines poured at sundowners and dinner, and superior wines are available on request. Dietary requirements are handled with real care despite the location, so let us know when you book.

Facilities

Camp life centres on a thatched sitenje holding a small lounge, a bar and a covered dining area above a bend in the River. Down on the riverbank a firepit and seating area make the perfect spot for sundowners and stargazing. Hammocks fill the midday siesta, and the camp keeps a small library of field guides.

• Solar-powered communal charging station (220 V) – no hairdryers
• USB and charging point in each chalet
• No fans and no Wi-Fi
• Limited laundry service included
• Built with natural materials and local skills

Activities

Walking is the main event here. Each day brings a four-hour morning walk at a relaxed pace with a tea stop, then a 2.5- to 3-hour afternoon walk that returns before sunset. The camp lies inside the North Luangwa rhino sanctuary, one of the very few places in Zambia where you can track the Big Five and wild dog on foot.

The area is a hotspot for lion, kudu, elephant, buffalo, wild dog and Cookson's wildebeest, a subspecies found only in the Luangwa Valley. North Luangwa also records more than 400 bird species, and every Remote Africa guide is a passionate birder. Wear neutral browns and tans on walks, as white and bright colours are not allowed.

• Morning and afternoon walking safaris with a guide and armed scout
• Day trip to Mwaleshi Falls (on request)
• Nights camped out in the bush (on request)
• Swimming and wallowing in the shallows of the River
• Birding along the river and floodplain

Timing shapes the experience. June and July bring crisp mornings around 10°C and easy walking. September and October deliver the finest game viewing, as outlying water dries up and animals crowd the rivers, with afternoons climbing towards 40°C by October.

Frequently Asked Questions About Mwaleshi Camp

When is Mwaleshi Camp open, and when is the best time to visit?

Remote Africa Safaris' walking camp in North Luangwa National Park opens for the dry season only, from 15 June to 31 October. June and July bring cool mornings of around 10°C and comfortable walking. September and October are the peak months for game, because outlying water dries up and wildlife concentrates along the rivers. Expect afternoon temperatures close to 40°C by October.

How do you get to Mwaleshi Camp?

This North Luangwa camp is reached by light aircraft only. Remote Africa Safaris flies guests 40 minutes from Mfuwe International Airport, or 30 minutes from its own Mwanya airstrip, to the camp’s airstrip. A 15-minute drive in an open 4x4 completes the journey. Scheduled domestic flights connect Lusaka and Mfuwe. Charter luggage is limited to a 15 kg soft bag plus 5 kg hand luggage per person.

Can children stay at Mwaleshi Camp?

Guests must be at least 12 years old to stay at this walking safari camp in North Luangwa National Park, Zambia. Every activity happens on foot in big-game country, led by a guide and an armed National Park scout, so the age limit is a safety rule. Families with children aged 12 and over are welcome. With only four chalets, a family or small group can take up most of the camp.

What wildlife can you see on foot at Mwaleshi Camp?

Remote Africa's camp on the Mwaleshi River sits inside the North Luangwa rhino sanctuary, so walkers have a chance of seeing the Big Five and African wild dog on foot. Lion, elephant, buffalo and kudu are regular sightings, along with Cookson's wildebeest, a subspecies found only in Zambia's Luangwa Valley. More than 400 bird species have been recorded in North Luangwa National Park.

Is there malaria at Mwaleshi Camp?

Yes. North Luangwa National Park in Zambia is a malaria area, as is the rest of the Luangwa Valley. See a travel doctor before you leave; most visitors take anti-malaria prophylaxis before, during and after the trip. The camp's chalets have large mosquito nets. Even in the dry season, use insect repellent and wear long sleeves at dusk.

How many nights should you spend at Mwaleshi Camp?

Three to five nights is the recommended stay at this four-chalet walking camp in North Luangwa National Park. That allows six to ten walks, plus time for the Mwaleshi Falls trip or a night camped out in the bush. Remote Africa Safaris suggests combining it with Takwela Camp, also in the North Park. Stays of three nights or more qualify for discounted RASair charter flights.

In Conclusion

Mwaleshi Camp is the walking safari we recommend to travellers who have done the game drives and now want Africa on its own terms: on foot, in silence, inside a rhino sanctuary, with only eight guests in camp. Why go? The setting is roadless, the guiding is first-class and the wildlife is wild and seldom seen by other visitors. How? Fly in from Mfuwe, then pair three to five nights here with Takwela in the North Park, or with Tafika for game drives in the south. When? Any time between 15 June and 31 October, with September and October the pick for game.

Uyaphi.com has been planning African safaris since 1999, which means 27 years of matching the right camp to the right traveller and the right season. We'll put the flights, the camp combination and the timing together for you, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Tell us your dates and we'll build your North Luangwa walking safari around them.