Tena Tena Camp

Highlights

• Walking safaris in Zambia at their finest, led by specialist guides with an armed park scout
• Day and night game drives in open Toyota Land Cruisers, with a window seat for every guest
• An in-camp viewing hide, plus a riverbank hippo hide from late August to October
• Just eight widely spaced tents, each with its own view of the Luangwa River
• Superb birding around the lagoon system behind camp, with carmine bee-eaters nesting from September
• The original Robin Pope Safaris camp, from an operator now in its 40th year in Zambia
• Kawaza Village, Tribal Textiles and the Wildlife Education Centre on request

Information

• Lodge type: Classic tented bush camp
• Location: Nsefu Sector, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
• Lodge size: 8 safari tents (maximum 16 guests)
• Recommended stay: 3–7 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes. South Luangwa is a malaria area; take prophylaxis on your doctor's advice
• Getting there: 1 hour 15 minutes by road from Mfuwe Airport; Mfuwe is a 1-hour scheduled flight from Lusaka or Lilongwe

Discover The Serene Oasis: Tena Tena Camp In Zambia's South Luangwa National Park

Tena Tena Camp is an intimate eight-tent safari camp run by Robin Pope Safaris on the banks of the Luangwa River, in the remote Nsefu Sector of Zambia's South Luangwa National Park. "Tena Tena" means "temporary home" in the local language. It was the very first camp Robin Pope Safaris opened, and it remains one of the most loved in the valley. The camp is open from 22 May to 31 October and never hosts more than 16 guests at a time.

The setting is the star. The camp sits on a double-tiered riverbank beneath a magnificent grove of mahogany trees, between the Luangwa and a complex lagoon system. That natural corridor brings elephant, buffalo, puku and the valley's big cats right past the tents. Hippos grunt below the bank all night, and the resident hyenas and leopard make the walk back to your tent after dinner an event in itself. Add an experienced, passionate team whose warmth guests rave about, and it is no surprise that so many come back again and again.

Rooms and Suites

The camp has eight spacious safari tents, one double and seven twins, set well apart along the riverbank. Each is placed for privacy and has its own long view of the Luangwa. Every tent has an enclosed en-suite bathroom with an outdoor shower open to the elements, perfect for rinsing off the morning dust under a big Zambian sky. A shaded verandah with comfortable seating looks straight onto the river, with hippos wallowing below and lions on the prowl.

Comfort is thoughtful rather than showy:

• Evening Breeze air conditioning cools the air inside your mosquito net on hot October nights.
• The camp runs on solar power with a backup generator.
• Charging uses three-pin square plugs, and adapters are available.
• There is a honeymoon tent for couples celebrating something special.

Wi-Fi is limited to the main area and cellphone reception is very patchy. The river does the entertaining here.

Cuisine and Wine

All meals and drinks are included, served beneath the mahogany canopy that shades the whole camp. Mornings begin around the campfire with coffee and toast as the bush wakes up. Lunch and dinner are served al fresco, and the bar sits under its own tree a few paces from the water. Between activities, the armchairs and sofas lined along the bank make the best hide in camp. Settle in with a cold drink while elephants feed below and, in season, carmine bee-eaters flash past in a blaze of colour.

The kitchen happily caters for most dietary requests. It cannot guarantee a nut-free environment, though, so guests with severe nut allergies should raise this before booking.

Activities

Game drives and walking safaris are the heart of every stay, with night drives, two hides and community visits adding wonderful variety. The Nsefu Sector is one of the richest corners of South Luangwa. The park is known as the "valley of the leopard", yet lions are actually seen even more often. Thornicroft's giraffe and Cookson's wildebeest, both unique to the Luangwa Valley, share the plains with Crawshay's zebra and big herds of buffalo and elephant. Activities include:

• Game drives: morning and afternoon outings in open Toyota Land Cruisers, with a window seat and a clear 360-degree view for every guest.
• Night drives: spotlit drives after dark in search of leopard, hyena and the valley's nocturnal species.
• Walking safaris: led by expert guides and escorted by an armed National Park scout, reading tracks and signs on foot in the home of the African walking safari.
• Viewing hide: right in camp, giving a completely fresh angle on the wildlife.
• Seasonal hippo hide: on the riverbank above a hippo pod and a busy drinking spot, from late August to October.
• Private guide and vehicle: available at extra cost for your own pace and schedule.
• Kawaza Village and school visits: the fee goes directly to the community.
• Other excursions: a Tribal Textiles workshop visit, plus the Wildlife Education Centre and a mobile spa, both at extra cost.

Timing shapes the experience:

• July to September (peak season): buffalo herds move in and drying lagoons turn into feeding frenzies for waterbirds. In September, bull elephants cross the river just south of camp.
• May, June and October (shoulder months): lower rates. October is fiercely hot but delivers phenomenal game viewing at the last remaining water.

Planning Your Stay: Frequently Asked Questions

When is Tena Tena Camp open?

Tena Tena opens each year from 22 May to 31 October and closes during the summer rains. July to September is peak season, when wildlife concentrates near the Luangwa River as the bush dries out. May, June and October are shoulder months with lower rates. October is the hottest month of the year but delivers some of South Luangwa's most dramatic game viewing.

How do you get to Tena Tena Camp?

Most guests fly into Mfuwe Airport, the gateway to South Luangwa National Park, on a one-hour scheduled flight from Lusaka in Zambia or Lilongwe in Malawi. From Mfuwe, Tena Tena is a road transfer of about 1 hour 15 minutes into the remote Nsefu Sector. Uyaphi rates include return transfers between Mfuwe Airport and camp. Pack soft bags rather than hard suitcases.

Is Tena Tena Camp in a malaria area?

Yes. Tena Tena is in South Luangwa National Park, a malaria area, and anti-malaria prophylaxis is recommended for every guest. See your doctor or a travel clinic before you travel. The camp opens only in the drier months from late May to October, and every bed has a mosquito net. Long sleeves at dusk and a good insect repellent are still essential.

Can children stay at Tena Tena Camp?

Tena Tena welcomes children aged 12 and over. This suits a camp built around walking safaris on an unfenced riverbank, where elephants, hippos and predators move freely through camp. Families with teenagers can book a private guide and vehicle at extra cost to set their own pace. For younger children, Uyaphi can recommend family-friendly alternatives elsewhere in South Luangwa.

What activities are offered at Tena Tena Camp?

Tena Tena offers morning and afternoon game drives in open Toyota Land Cruisers, spotlit night drives, and walking safaris led by expert guides with an armed National Park scout. There is a viewing hide in camp and a seasonal hippo hide from late August to October. Kawaza Village visits, Tribal Textiles, a mobile spa and a private guide and vehicle can be arranged, some at extra cost.

Is there Wi-Fi at Tena Tena Camp?

Tena Tena has limited Wi-Fi in the main area only, and cellphone reception on local networks is very weak, so expect to be largely offline. The camp runs on solar power with a backup generator, and batteries can be charged on three-pin square plugs, with adapters available. Most guests find the disconnection is a large part of the appeal.

In conclusion

Tena Tena Camp is South Luangwa as it should be: eight tents, a river full of hippos, outstanding guiding on foot and by vehicle, and only canvas between you and the Nsefu Sector's wildlife. It is the camp where Robin Pope Safaris began, and four decades on it still sets the standard for an intimate, wildlife-first Zambian safari.

Uyaphi has been planning African safaris since 1999. That is 27 years of matching travellers to the right camp, in the right season, at the right pace. The key decisions for a stay here are:

• When: come between July and September for peak game viewing, or May, June and October for quieter camps and lower rates.
• How long: stay three to seven nights to give the walking safaris time to work their magic.
• What to pair it with: Lower Zambezi, Victoria Falls or Lake Malawi make natural partners.
• When to book: with only 16 beds, peak dates go early.

Our owner-run team handles the flights, transfers and every detail in between, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Start planning your Tena Tena safari with us today.