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Bush Camp recommendation

My husband and I are considering a walking safari with the Bush Camp Company in the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia in September. Has anyone been there and can you recommend them? They have a lodge and four bush camps. If we have a total of six nights, how would you recommend we split our time? What airport do you recommend we fly into to connect with the on going flight to Mfuwe? This is our first trip to Africa. We will also be spending time in Cape Town.
Thanks.

South Luangwa is a superb destination, though not usually the first place people visit in Africa! It is typically more a destination for aficionados.. however I do highly recommend South Luangwa,and
Bush Camp Company is a very good company, but I wouldn't recommend that you only use their camps for a first trip to Africa. I have stayed at 2 of the Bush Camp camps (Kuyenda and Chendeni--and I also know all 3 of the Robin Pope Safaris (RPS) Camps, and some of Star of Africa's Zambia camps.

Personally, for a first trip I would recommend that you split your time between RPS and BushCamp. Mostly because BushCamp really emphasizes walks-- drives are an option only if the other folks at the camp all agree to drive. (When I was there there was only one guide at each camp, so everyone had to go together). The RPS camps all seam to have multiple guides, so for each activity you can choose whether you want to walk or drive. You may THINK you want to walk all the time now, but there are plenty of reasons you may enjoy the flexibility of a choice later-- photography is absolutely better from a vehicle being the major one, but also blisters, sore feet, or a desire to get away from some of your campmates for a while!

My personal favorites are Tena Tena (RPS tented camp), Nsefu (RPS rondavel camp-- but very open, airy rondavels) and Kulefu (BushCamp Company-- mostly because Phil Berry of Kulefu is a great, experienced guide. (But so is Robin Pope, who still guides at his camps-- but Phil is the ONLY guide at Kulefu, so you have him 100% of your time there!
A travel agent can easily set up an itinerary that mixes these camps. If you have 6 nights, you can do 2 nights at each of the above. (It is only a quick drive--maybe 30-45 minutes between Nsefu and Tena Tena, and a longer drive-- maybe 2 hours-- between these camps and Kulefu. Or split 3 nights in between either Nsefu or TT and 3 nights at Kuyenda. Personally, I enjoy spending 3 nights at each place. The wildlife experiences will be varied in any case...and you can avoid the hassle of repacking and moving camps.

If you have more questions, you can email me at [email protected]

Have a great trip!!

Other Zambia locations I enjoyed: Kulefu on the lower Zambezi (a very remote camp) Kutandala in N. Luangwa(a very, very remote camp-- they do only walking too, but you have the most amazing bush experiences here...but this area doesn't have the density of game that S. Luangwa has) and Lechwe Plains (if you are bird watchers)

To arrive in Mfuwe-- you can fly to Mfuwe from either Lusaka (British Airways flys there from London and Johannesburg, SAA serves out of J'burg) or Lilongwe, Malawi (British Airways flys London to Lilongwe, but only a couple days a week). Check prices and schedules to chose...both are viable. I tend to use Lusaka, but that is because other places in Zambia (like the lower Zambezi) are easier to reach from Lusaka.

Also recommend you do a search for messages posted here by Roccco who visited Luangwa recently and did extensive research into the various operators available.

I believe he posted a long post about this very recently.

And anyway he'll surely stop by this thread soon to help out.

Hi Roccco! :D

Tashak,

Just saw this thread for the first time. Will you please share more about your experience at Kulefu Tented Camp in the Lower Zambezi. I will begin my Zambian stay with four nights at this location prior to moving up to the South Luangwa.

How was the game viewing?

How were the accomodations? They look great on the website, but you never know.

How were the guides?

How was the food?

My one concern with the Lower Zambezi is that there is a concentration of various game lodges all around. I am comforted by reading in your post that Kulefu is in a very remote location.

Originally I had three nights planned at Kulefu but if I want free business class air to Lusaka, as opposed to economy class air at $325 pp, I will need to fly to Lusaka just a couple hours after arriving in Johannesburg. Hmmmm...spend $300 at The Grace in Joburg and another $100 in transfers, food, etc., PLUS $650 in economy air OR spend $400 ($200 pp) at Kulefu and ZERO for BUSINESS class air.

This makes it an 11 night all inclusive Zambian safari in total for $2,440 pp, if the air/road/speedboat transfers stay the same as I expect. That works out to $222 pp per night sharing, and includes all my transfers from JNB-Lusaka-Lower Zambezi-Lusaka-Mfuwe-transfers between four camps in the South Luangwa-Lusaka-JNB.

Anyway, please let me know anything and everything, good, bad amd ugly that you can about your experience at Kulefu Tented Camp. The only other camp that I really liked in the area was Chiawa and the Sausage Tree Camp and they both quoted me $395-$400 pp per night sharing, and the Sausage Tree Camp was fully booked for about two weeks during the time I was going to be in Zambia (although I wouldn't pay double to stay there over Kulefu).

Thanks.

Hi Rocco, Sorry for the late reply...I've been travelling.

How was the game viewing? Kulefu was superb for leopards...we had some of the very best encounters with hunting and relaxed/photogenic leopards ever. Very satisfying. Surprisingly, no lions! There are lion in the area, but this area was underwater in the big floods of 2001, and the lion all headed to higher ground...when they returned, there were no territorial markers left, so it significantly disrupted their territories. Our guide said the lion had still not "settled down" into stable territories. This will happen over time...and I bet this is true in ALL the camps along the lower Zambezi.
Saw all the other usual mammals, and the birds are incredible. Drifting down the Zam in a silent canoe, with hippo, elephants and giraffe is fab...

How were the accomodations? They look great on the website, but you never know. Kulefu was supposed to move their campsite for this season, and the new site looked really nice...probably better than the place I stayed. They were relocating because after the floods the waterfront changed! I bet they got new tents when they did this...and that would be good news. The tents we had were fine...but old and quite small given the growing standards in Zambia. Given what Star has done at Lechwe Plains and Puku Ridge, I bet the put in bigger, more luxurious tents here with the move, but you might want to check...

How were the guides? Excellent...Mark is the main guide and camp manager...so were the other guides. Some guides just show you stuff...these guides really "worked" the territory (that's how they found those amazing leopards).

How was the food? I don't remember the food...which means it was good, but not particularly memorable. I should mention that I am a vegetarian, so my experiences are probably not relevant to you...I find that interesting vegetarian cuisine may be one of the more difficult things for safari camps... (however Star's Lechwe Plains did an EXCEPTIONAL job with veggie meals

OOPs, hit the post button before I finished!

Hope all this helps...I found visiting this area a nice addition a South Luangwa holiday. And I do think this camp is very remote. We didn't see any other vehicles or tourists...except when we were on the river..then only fisherman from the Zim side. And the camp is a good hour or more from the airstrip. Last year, the camp was small...only 4 tents. Wonder if they expanded when they moved sites?

Don't know any of the other camps on the lower Zam...although I've met several people who were at Sausage Tree and they LOVED it. Sausage Tree seems to have a real following, so I'm not surprised that it's full.

Tashak,

Thanks for the very detailed response about Kulefu Tented Camp! :)

Sausage Tree Camp seems to celebrate alcoholism, which would be fine while on holiday if not for all the deadly animals around. ;) It is no surprise that they have built up a following with their festive attitude and beautiful accomodations and grounds.

Since the leopards in South Luangwa seemed to be mostly nocturnal and shied away from the vehicles, I welcome an opportunity to have possibly better viewing in South Luangwa. Although I have had very good luck with leopards in the Sabi Sands, it is always a pleasure to come across one of these beautiful predators.

I can hardly wait to canoe on the Zambezi River, one of the highlights of my March 2002 visit to Matetsi Water Lodge (halfway between Victoria Falls and Chobe). I was amazed at just how much game was seen from a two hour canoe expedition...elephants, eagles, giraffes, elephants, hippos, and even the "Jesus Bird", a very interesting bird that walks upright on water! :)

I really intend to do all the activities I can do on this upcoming trip, from canoeing, to fishing, to microlighting, to game drives and even, hopefully, an all day bush walk.

Unrelated to the safari, but which would make the safari all the much sweeter, is that I may run a marathon the weekend before I leave. Although I am completely out of shape, after completing 16 miles a couple days ago, I see no reason why I cannot do 26 miles within eight weeks, in time for the Palos Verdes Marathon, even if it takes me 5.5 hours to complete.

Anyway, thanks again for the feedback. Four nights in the Lower Zambezi should be the perfect prequel to my seven nights in South Luangwa. :)

Hi Roccco,
Oh, I forgot to mention the fishing... I didn't do it, but another guest did. Apparently the area is very good for tiger fish (?). And it's nice that they arranged to do this after lunch, so you wouldn't miss any game drives.

If you are interested in birds, I'd also recommend Star's Lechwe Plains. No predators, but exceptional birding on the floodplain of the Kafue river. And the rare Kafue lechwe. A beautiful camp with huge, luxurious tents...and my favorite camp chef, who put together amazing veggie meals (after only 5 months of cooking school and a stint with RPS!) When I was there last year I was the only guest. Since this place targets birders, if the birding tours aren't around, they may be willing to cut a nice deal. But you do have to be interested in birds of course!

About leopard in South Luangwa-- I'm mystified! Even the game drives from Flatdogs and Wildlife Camp (the budget places in the valley) manage to find at least one on every evening drive, in my experience. Sometimes several! But I've also seen them at midday and in the late afternoon, which makes for easy and exceptional photography. Had to clear this up, cause I wouldn't want people who visit the forum thinking that they might not see a leopard in South Luangwa...they will probably see so many, that it becomes ho-hum after a while (well...not really, these are always incredibly beautiful sightings.)
Funny little story: At Kuyenda, we saw a lovely and relaxed female leopard lolling around in a tree at about 4:30 pm. Got really close, so I managed to get some amazingly good photos. Recently I showed one of the photos to a guide from RPS. He said, "I know her!" and he proceeded to tell me exactly where the photo was taken, and a bit more about this particular leopard. I asked if she had ever had cubs. "But she has cubs now." He had seen her with them several times... and after accounting for the age the cubs, we figured out that she was VERY pregnant when I took the photos (didn't show) and she probably had the cubs the next week or so!

Hey Rocco-
Help me here please. You have stated very strongly in the past that you only wanted to stay at camps that include drinks and now the comments about Sausage Tree "celebrating alcoholism" and their "festive attitude" confuse me. I too like to stay at camps that include local wines because I have a glass at dinner and you cannot buy a decent single glass from an already opened bottle. My husband doesn't share my liking of a glass of wine with dinner.
I am considering Sausage Tree Camp on our next trip but the comments you made put a new slant on things. Thanks.

Liz,

My comments are largely in reaction to a very funny guest comment that I read on The Sausage Tree's website:

>>Gorgeous location. Excellent activities. Tremendous hospitality. But this is the worst detox camp I've ever been to! Seriously, you have made such an exceptional and memorable stay. Thank you so very much for everything.

Liz, it looks like a very beautiful camp. If money is not an object I would definitely choose between Sausage Tree Camp and Chiawa, perhaps leaning ever so slightly towards Chiawa. But, I am getting Kulefu for $200 pppns, and that is too good a deal to pass up, considering that Sausage Tree and Chiawa are about $400 pppns.

Don't pay my alcoholism comment too much attention. It was completely in jest. :)

Tashak,

Regarding the leopard sightings in South Luangwa, it probably also has to do with the season, the area of the park visited and whether or not one is going on mostly game drives or is doing a combo of walks and drives.

I was only in the South Luangwa for five nights last year and for two of my nights I was at Kafunta Island Bush Camp, doing only bush walks, and for my very first night, I arrived late, missing my game drive. So, really, I only got two full days of game viewing.
This year, I should get at least 6 full days of game viewing in my 7 nights and hope to have better encounters with the leopards while somehow steering clear of the hippos (I'll get plenty of them in the Lower Zambezi and will be glad to spend three of my seven South Luangwa nights inland at Chichele and Puku Ridge, although they may really cozy up to me while I am at Mwamba on the banks of the Mwamba River! ;)

>>So, really, I only got two full days of game viewing.

That should read that I really only got two full days of game drives, since two nights were spent at Kafunta Island Bush Camp doing bush walks.

Rocco- Thanks for clarifying the comments on Sausage Tree. If you watch e-gnu.com, they have low season rates at Tongabezi and Sausage Tree each year from Nov-Mar. If you stay three nights at Sausage Tree, its $280 a night pps. Tongabezi is $337 for each of three nights. That sounds like a good length of time to rest up and enjoy things. Even Chief's Camp in Botswana has their green season rates posted each year for $213 a night if you stay 4 nights at any of their three camps. Since the rate goes to something like $695pps a night otherwise, I think 4 nights at Chief's Camp sounds good. I don't really care about Chobe or Stanley's Camp, so we would spend the 4 nights just a ways from Mombo at a very good rate. I think we'll skip South Luangwa and go to Lechwe Plains for the birds (thanks Tashak) and then possibly 3 nights in Namibia, and that will be enough for one trip for us. Of course this isn't the order of the camps, but I like the mix and will get to complete the things I really MUST see before we quit going to Africa, if one ever really admits to such a thing. Anything else though will just be catch as catch can. Since we'll have enough miles to go first class on the next trip, I think we could take it in 2005. Liz

Liz,

If you go to Lechwe Plains (Star Of Africa), I suggest you contact Star Of Africa directly to enquire about a discount. Low season prices are listed as $300 pppns, but I am getting Puku Ridge and Chichele Presidential Lodge for 1/3 less, and I am going at the beginning of high season.

If you are going to Tongabezi, I also suggest that you contact them directly. I know another person that is going there and paying an even lower rate than the one listed and this is for an April visit. You should be able to get a flight, even if it is a small plane, directly from Livingstone to Lochinvar (Lechwe Plains).

Lastly, just in case you didn't catch this on Star Of Africa's website, here is an article/press release about Lechwe Plains:

Lechwe Plains Tented Camp ? sheer luxury in the midst of abundant bird and animal life

Bird enthusiasts fall in love with Lechwe Plains Tented Camp the moment they arrive at this unique and increasingly popular wilderness destination in the heart of the Zambian bush.

A total of 428 bird species have been recorded in this area, a wetland paradise for birds as well as various plains game. The abundance of the massive variety of birds gives visitors endless opportunities to spot and enjoy them during a relaxing and enjoyable stay. But it?s not only bird lovers who thrive in this remote and peaceful haven; visitors wanting to experience the real Africa from a range of perspectives are finding this camp particularly rewarding.

The camp is situated in the Lochinvar National Park, once a cattle ranch but given to the nation in 1904 to become a wildlife estate. A key feature of the area is the unique and astounding nature of the environment and wildlife in and around the park, which is situated on the Kafue River flood plain in south-central Zambia, about half-way between the capital Lusaka and the tourism centre of Livingstone. This uniqueness led to the park becoming a World Heritage Wetlands site and a place which once held the world record for the most number of bird species spotted in one day.

The Lechwe Plains Tented Camp is named for the Kafue Lechwe, an aquatic antelope of grace and beauty that is highly attractive for photo-safari visitors and which can be found in herds of up to 1000 in Lochinvar, its last stronghold.

Here then is a superb site for a luxury accommodation venue that complements the surrounds and in no way interferes with or stands out from the area itself. Thus has been born Lechwe Plains Tented Camp, Star of Africa?s special creation in this wild wonderland. The camp is situated on the edge of the waters of the Chunga Lagoon and its spectacular siting gives visitors unrivalled access to the thousands of Kafue Lechwe and the many other bird and animal species living in the channels and islands of the area.

Other large animal populations here include blue wildebeest, buffalo, zebra, kudu, bushbuck, oribi, hippo, jackal, reedbuck and waterbuck. As far as birdlife is concerned, in recent months flocks of up to 200 crowned crane and 180 wattle cranes ? a highly endangered species ? have been seen around Lechwe.

The development is a joint effort involving local and international wildlife and conservation bodies- including the Worldwide Fund for Nature ? as well as Star of Africa. Surrounding communities benefit from the project and this has helped eradicate poaching, until fairly recently a major problem in the area. Other short-term projects include roads upgrading, creation of a permanent airstrip and setting up of a visitors? educational centre.

In recent months the WWF has upgraded the entire park road network and work is now in progress on the educational centre. Re-introduction of animal species such as cheetah, sitatunga and Roan antelope is being planned. Long term objectives include research and control of exotic plant species, the reintroduction of suitable predators and the renovation of the historical Lochinvar Farmhouse by Star of Africa.

NORAD is also showing a keen interest in the area and is working on assistance programmes for the local anti-poaching unit.

Bringing the local community into the tourism orbit has created a remarkable opportunity for the villagers of nearby Nyimba fishing village and for visitors alike. Guests at Lechwe Plains take a trip to the village to see how they live and work, enhancing the cultural aspect of the camp?s many offerings. The village is on an island in the water ways and the interaction with visitors is proving useful to them ? and stimulating their interest in wildlife conservation.

The tented camp itself is a luxurious accommodation venue that blends in well with the surroundings and has been designed and developed along the strictest of eco-friendly lines. It consists of six very spacious double units on teak decks under canvas, surrounded by acacia trees and perched on the edge of the lagoon. A maximum of 12 people can stay at any one time, making the camp both visitor-friendly and unobtrusive.

In addition to viewing game and birds by 4x4 vehicles, on canoe excursions or during guided walks, visitors can also go fishing, see ancient archaeological sites, visit Nyimba Fishing village by banana boat, visit local hot springs or simply relax in the deep African bush.

Lechwe?s present and future success depends entirely on the ability of the team of people involved to maintain the correct balance of meeting tourism and environmental needs. Its continued success will be an example for other lodges to follow, not only in Zambia but also in other African countries and across the developing world.

ENDS

Thanks Rocco-
You really gave me a lot of valuable info here. I've printed it out and thanks for your efforts. Lechwe Plains sounds soooo wonderful. I had heard of it before, but I just didn't get the full impact of it until Tashak went and you printed out the history of the area. Liz

Hi Liz... Sounds like a great trip...when are you going? One of the other things I enjoyed about Lechwe Plains is that birdwatching there is a bit more relaxing that game drives. You don't stay out after dark...and drifting on the water is so tranquil after bumping around on dusty game drives. I think you'll really enjoy LP! What's your plan for Namibia?

Hey Rocco that place sounds great.
We got quite into the birding side of viewing on the last trip and have therefore incorporated time into this itinerary in St Lucia Wetlands and in Ndumo, both known for birding.

Lechwe Plains does sound wonderful!