Chiawa Camp
Still family‑run, the camp is operated by their son Grant and his wife Lynsey, who have helped shape the park’s guiding standards and code of conduct. Over time, the portfolio has grown to include Old Mondoro in the Lower Zambezi and Puku Ridge in South Luangwa, extending the family’s conservation‑led approach across two flagship parks.
Location
Inland, the terrain rises towards the Zambezi Escarpment, shifting from riverine vegetation to grassland, woodland, forest, thicket and Mopane/Miombo savannah on higher ground. This mosaic of habitats supports rich wildlife and gives Chiawa immediate access to some of the Lower Zambezi’s most diverse ecosystems.
Accommodation
Each has an open‑plan bedroom and lounge, a walk‑in mosquito‑net canopy, ceiling fans, a writing desk, and a private veranda with comfortable seating. Bathrooms feature twin sinks, a rain shower, a claw‑foot bath with river views, and an outdoor shower; several tents also include a sunken “wallow” for cooling off.
Chiawa’s communal areas centre on a double‑storey structure of dark wood, reeds and thatch, with lounges, a bar, a small library, and an upper viewing deck with a telescope. A separate dining area overlooks the river, while lunches may be served under the trees or on the motorised pontoon. The camp also features a large swimming pool, a small gym, a shop, hides, and an elevated viewing platform at the Chowe–Zambezi confluence.
Experiences
- Head out on early‑morning game drives in open 4WD vehicles adapted for comfort, stability and close‑range big‑game viewing.
- Set off in late afternoon for relaxed wildlife watching before stopping at a scenic spot for classic Zambezi sundowners.
- Continue into the dark on night drives using filtered spotlights to reveal civets, genets, porcupines and hunting predators.
- Watch lions on a kill or a leopard on the move – sightings that Chiawa’s night drives regularly deliver.
- Join expert guides on walking safaris that focus on spoor, ecology and bush lore while keeping encounters safe and controlled.
- Explore the Zambezi by boat, photographing elephants, hippos, crocodiles and superb birdlife along islands and channels.
- Drift quietly on canoe safaris for close‑up encounters with riverine wildlife in near‑silence, guided by some of Africa’s most experienced river specialists.
Why We Include Chiawa Camp in Our Journeys
Talk to us about designing your journey >
From the Team
“Pairing Chiawa with Old Mondoro gives a wonderfully rounded Lower Zambezi experience: refined comfort and wide‑ranging activities at Chiawa, followed by Old Mondoro’s intimate, wildlife‑rich bush setting. Together they reveal two distinct landscapes, superb guiding continuity and some of Zambia’s most rewarding big‑cat and elephant viewing.”
Why Plan Your Safari with Journeysmiths
Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want your safari to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want your safari to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.
We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.
Great Places to Combine with Chiawa Camp
Chiawa Camp works beautifully as part of a wider journey in Zambia and even Zimbabwe. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.Chiawa Camp works beautifully as part of a wider journey in Zambia and even Zimbabwe. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.
Puku Ridge inhabits a remote world of its own, watching the ancient patterns of life and survival while treating its visitors to enjoyably civilised hospitality. This small and intimate camp is built unobtrusively overlooking a vast floodplain where the Puku antelope after which the camp is named can be seen grazing throughout the day.
Old Mondoro Bushcamp is a family-run camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park that provides an authentic safari experience without compromising on luxury or service. Fantastic views of the Zambezi and unbeatable wildlife encounters await your arrival, as you escape your routine and immerse yourself in the beauty of the Zambezi National Park.
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Very Happy
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Zambia is the path less-travelled, which means that a safari here is always one with guaranteed privacy. It’s also an experience of how African exploration always used to be, with bush camps deep in game-rich territory and walking safaris led by expert guides. Authenticity can still be comfortable, so amazing food and perfectly-placed accommodation are just as Zambian as the wilderness.
Indulge in a luxurious Zambian getaway. Start with the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls, then venture into the wilderness for an exclusive safari, encountering Zambia's diverse wildlife while unwinding in stunning accommodations, creating an unforgettable African adventure.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
Three of Africa’s great rivers set the scene for your Zambia safari. The Zambezi, the Luangwa and the Kafue rivers are all of different character and have national parks named for them.
Whether on foot, canoe or open vehicle - Zambia is the perfect place for a real family safari adventure. You can track elephants and giraffe walking with an expert guide. You can paddle a stable Canadian canoe down the Zambezi watching zebra and antelope drinking at the water’s edge.