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Lion Camp

Our rating

8/10

Price guide

Highlights

- Secluded national park location
- Abundant wildlife in and around camp
- Swimming pool and billiards room

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Overview

Lion Camp is an independent lodge situated in the game rich, secluded northern sector of South Luangwa National Park, eastern Zambia. This stylish camp offers friendly hosting, knowledgeable guiding and well-appointed, competitively priced accommodation, with facilities including a swimming pool and billiard room. A three hour drive from Mfuwe Airport, the lodge sits beside a tranquil lagoon popular with wildlife, and guests can enjoy superb game viewing from the comfort of their own veranda. Elephant, hippo, zebra, baboon, and antelope regularly visit camp, whilst the surrounding grassy plains attract large numbers of lion, leopard, buffalo, and giraffe.

The camp’s airy, thatched main building includes a lounge area with comfortable sofas and vibrant soft furnishings, along with a library, bar, billiards room, and gift shop. Guests enjoy buffet-style lunches and three course plated evening meals in the communal dining area. Outside is a lovely swimming pool with sun loungers and fantastic views of the floodplain, and a central courtyard with a fire pit, perfect for relaxing with an after dinner drink.

Activities focus on day and night game drives, and guided walks with qualified, enthusiastic guides. Regular lion sightings, including the famed ‘Hollywood’ pride featured in numerous BBC documentaries, are a highlight. The camp operates from June to October, and visitors during October should come prepared for the very high temperatures which coincide with the area’s peak wildlife density. The lodge is located well away from the national park’s main Mfuwe gate, meaning that guests rarely encounter other vehicles during game drives.

The camp accommodates up to 18 guests in nine wood and canvas chalets with thatched ceilings. Constructed on raised platforms and connected by a wooden boardwalk, each spacious chalet sleeps two in double or twin bed formation. All units have fans and electrical charging sockets, but due to the remote location, mobile phone reception and Wi-Fi are not available. The ensuite bathrooms comprise WC, washbasin, and shower. Outside is a fabulous private veranda with seating, perfect for relaxing and enjoying the wonderful views.

Children over 7 years are welcome in camp, subject to arrangement, and younger children can be accommodated if the camp is booked for exclusive group use. A discount is offered for guests under 18 years when sharing with an adult, and one extra bed can be provided in chalets on request. Note that there is a minimum age of 16 years for guided walks. The camp is unfenced and animals do regularly wander through, and while it is highly unlikely that wildlife would approach chalets or people, parents are reminded that children must be supervised at all times.

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What customers are saying after travelling with Tourdust

Average Rating

based on 536 reviews

(5.00/5)

  • Trip was great and all the arrangements were excellent so thank you for all the help!

    Drivers and transfers were all good - on time and very good service on each trip.

    Accommodation was lovely - Douar Samra was amazing (weather could have been better but lovely regardless). Riad in Marrakesh was also great!

    All in all a great trip and we loved the variety of the mountains, Marrakesh and the coast.

    Thanks you once again!

    MissingHardeep S reviewing Boutique Marrakech & Atlas Mountains on 15 April 2024

  • I was also just about to email you to thank you and the team for arranging yet again, another wonderful experience.

    Mount Kenya was spectacular and wild - I think I prefer it to Kili in many ways. The entire support team was professional, friendly and all round fantastic in making sure that we were safe, well fed and well looked after. In particular, we would commend Peter the guide as well as Paul one of the porters who doubled-up as his deputy on summit day. Our route was often shrouded in mist and rain that rapidly gathered in the valleys and moorlands, and we were very impressed at how Peter managed to navigate us safely through all of that notwithstanding. In addition, we loved learning about the history of Mount Kenya from him in the evenings. And ofcourse, I was blown away by the lovely birthday surprise at the end complete with balloons and a delicious cake that had journeyed with us from day 1. One thing we might recommend because of the sudden change in weather (it would sometimes get extremely cold and wet) is for the equipment list to be a little bit more detailed in terms of its recommendations e.g. layers to be moisture-wicking, walking boots be waterproof, doubling up on socks to avoid blisters etc.

    El Karama is a beautiful conservancy and the lodge a true labour of love. Great hospitality in a relaxed environment. Delicious, fresh food. We enjoyed the drives, even if we didn't see much wildlife as the heavens opened on us for the last two outings. However, since it was very much geared towards families, I am not sure if I would stay again without kids. That said, I think it was perfect for a 3d/2n stay post mountain, and a much better choice than flying to the masai mara given the limited time we had.

    Our transits were smooth. Samuel the driver was always on time, drove safely and kept the vehicle clean.

    So it was a brilliant experience and one which I certainly will cherish for some time to come. It was great to work with you for a third time, and I certainly hope it won't be the last

    MissingJuhae C reviewing Mount Kenya Sirimon Naro Moru Trek on 01 March 2024

  • Thank you, we had an absolute wonderful time, and everything was well-planned and as described. Carla was crying on the day of our departure from Ants Nest, she didn’t want to go home and for it all to end, and when I asked how much longer she would want to stay, she responded “four weeks”

    MissingLars B reviewing Best of South Africa for Families on 01 March 2024

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