Takwela Camp

Highlights

• Takwela Camp sits on Remote Africa Safaris' private land at the confluence of the Luangwa and Mwaleshi rivers in North Luangwa National Park
• Just four thatched chalets and a maximum of eight guests
• More than 450 hippos along the confluence stretch in front of camp
• Walking safaris, day and night game drives, and birding across 416 recorded species
• Solar-powered and built from local natural materials by local craftsmen
• Open-fronted chalets with open-air bathrooms and river views
• Wood-fired bush cooking, bread baked in the coals and greens from the Tafika garden

Information

• Lodge type: Classic Walking Camp
• Location: North Luangwa National Park, Zambia
• Lodge size: 4 Thatched Chalets (maximum 8 guests)
• Recommended stay: 3-7 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes – North Luangwa is a malaria area; take prophylaxis
• Getting there: Fly-in only – 40-minute light-aircraft flight from Mfuwe International Airport (30 minutes from Mwanya airstrip) to Mwaleshi airstrip, then a 45-minute game drive and 5-minute canoe crossing

Discover Takwela Camp: Your Gateway To Untouched Wilderness In North Luangwa!

Takwela Camp is Remote Africa Safaris' four-chalet walking camp at the confluence of the Luangwa and Mwaleshi rivers in Zambia's North Luangwa National Park. It is open from 15 June to 31 October. It opened in July 2019 in one of Africa's best-protected and least-visited parks. The park is backed by the Frankfurt Zoological Society and patrolled by a committed team from Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife and the North Luangwa Conservation Project.

Getting in is part of the adventure. A light aircraft flies 40 minutes from Mfuwe, or 30 minutes from Remote Africa's own Mwanya (Lukuzi) airstrip in South Luangwa, low over the river country to Mwaleshi airstrip. A 45-minute game drive and a short canoe crossing of the Luangwa then bring you into camp. From August, a one-hour drive can replace the canoe. Strong walkers have a superb alternative: a 10km morning walk down the Mwaleshi River from sister camp Mwaleshi, the finest camp-to-camp transfer in the Luangwa Valley.

The reward is wilderness at its purest. The camp sits on private land facing a resident hippo pod, with untouched bush on every side and an open 'wafwa' in front where wildlife wanders into view. The floodplain is smaller than in the mid-Luangwa, but this is prime game country. Guests often share the whole park with only a handful of other people, and rarely see them.

Rooms And Suites

Takwela Camp sleeps a maximum of eight guests in four en-suite chalets: three with two double beds each and one with a king-size bed. The king chalet is our pick for honeymooners. True to the Remote Africa way, every chalet is solar-powered and built mainly from local natural materials by local craftsmen.

Each chalet is open-fronted, so the bush is your view from bed, and hippo bellows are your wake-up call. The open-air bathrooms are a highlight, with a flushing toilet, shower and hand basins under the sky. Cotton sheets, large mosquito nets, a USB charging port (square plug) and solar fans keep you comfortable after dark.

Cuisine And Wine

Meals are generous bush cooking done over a wood fire. Bread is baked in the coals, and fresh greens come from Remote Africa's vegetable garden at Tafika. The day starts with breakfast around the campfire before the morning activity, followed by a buffet lunch in camp and tea with freshly baked cakes before the afternoon outing.

Sundowners and snacks are served beside the Luangwa River, and the evening closes with a three-course candlelit dinner. The bar and house wine are included in the rate, and superior wines are available on request. The kitchen caters for dietary requirements despite the remote location, so let us know when you book.

Facilities

Facilities are simple, solar-run and centred on a small thatched guest area that blends into the North Luangwa bush. It holds a lounge with a library of reference books, a bar and the dining area. Batteries charge at a communal 220V solar station, which can't run hairdryers, and at the USB port in each chalet. Wi-Fi is available in the communal area, and laundry is done daily, so pack light.

Activities

Takwela Camp offers walking safaris, day and night game drives, birding and visits to the huge natural springs near camp. Morning activities run about four hours with a tea stop in the bush. Walks are led by a Remote Africa guide with an armed National Park scout and a tea bearer, and are open to guests aged 12 and over. Afternoon walks of two and a half to three hours return before sunset. Game drives use open vehicles with a maximum of four guests and strict radio silence. Night drives pause for a sundowner, then switch to a spotlight in search of genets, civets, hyena and leopard on the move.

North Luangwa holds a highly successful black rhino sanctuary and healthy populations of lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, hyena and wild dog. Kudu, waterbuck and Cookson's wildebeest are also common, the last a Luangwa speciality found almost nowhere else. Birders have 416 recorded species to work through, and the confluence in front of camp holds more than 450 hippos.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Takwela Camp open?

Takwela, Remote Africa Safaris' camp in Zambia's North Luangwa National Park, opens from 15 June to 31 October each year. This is the heart of the dry season, when the bush thins and wildlife concentrates along the Luangwa and Mwaleshi rivers. June and July bring cool mornings around 10°C. September and October are hotter, up to 40°C, and usually give the strongest game viewing as water dries up elsewhere.

How do you get to Takwela Camp?

Takwela is fly-in only. Guests reach Mfuwe International Airport on scheduled flights from Lusaka or Livingstone, then take a 40-minute light-aircraft charter to Mwaleshi airstrip in North Luangwa National Park. From there it is a 45-minute game drive and a five-minute canoe crossing of the Luangwa River into camp. From Remote Africa's Mwanya (Lukuzi) airstrip in South Luangwa, the flight takes 30 minutes. Charter luggage is limited to 15kg in a soft bag, plus 5kg hand luggage.

Is Takwela Camp in a malaria area?

Yes. Takwela lies in the Luangwa Valley in eastern Zambia, which is a malaria area. Remote Africa Safaris advises every guest to consult a doctor or travel clinic before departure, and most travellers take antimalarial prophylaxis before and during their safari. Large mosquito nets over every bed, long sleeves at dusk and a good insect repellent add further protection in camp and on evening activities.

What safari activities does Takwela Camp offer?

Takwela Camp in North Luangwa offers walking safaris with a guide and armed scout, open-vehicle game drives limited to four guests, night drives with a spotlight, and specialist birding across 416 recorded species. Guests also visit the huge natural springs near camp. Strong walkers can arrive on foot via a 10km morning walk along the Mwaleshi River from sister camp Mwaleshi. Lion, leopard, elephant, wild dog and Cookson's wildebeest all occur in the area.

Can children stay at Takwela Camp?

Takwela accepts children from 8 years old, but walking safaris are limited to guests aged 12 and over. The camp has only four chalets, three with two double beds and one with a king, so a family can take most or all of it. That makes Takwela a strong fit for families with older children who want a remote, private North Luangwa safari built around game drives and time in camp.

In Conclusion

Takwela Camp is the stay to choose when you want North Luangwa as it truly is: four chalets, a river confluence crowded with hippos, and a national park you share with almost nobody. Few camps anywhere in Zambia offer this much wilderness for this few guests, and the walking here is among the purest in Africa.

Plan at least three nights, and ideally pair Takwela with sister camp Mwaleshi. The 10km river walk between them is a highlight in its own right. For a longer Luangwa circuit, add Tafika or Chikoko Tree in South Luangwa, linked by Remote Africa's own Cessna on a 30-minute hop. Go in June or July for cool walking weather, or in September and October for the hottest days and the most concentrated game. Book early: with only four chalets and a season of four and a half months, space is scarce.

Uyaphi.com has been planning tailor-made safaris since 1999. Those 27 years in African travel mean we handle the details that make or break a fly-in camp: scheduled flights into Mfuwe, charter seats, the 15kg soft-bag limit and the timing between camps. We charge no booking fees or credit card surcharges. Start your Zambia safari with us and we'll check Takwela's availability for your dates.