Puku Ridge
Rebuilt entirely in 2019, the camp is now a collaboration between Chichele Safaris and the award‑winning Chiawa Safaris team. The transformation was total: Luxury Frontiers redesigned the camp using lightweight, environmentally sensitive materials, custom furnishings and an elevated structure suspended above the ground, powered by hydropower. The result is a modern, low‑impact camp with exceptional hospitality and guiding.
Location
To the north lies the Mfuwe sector, where game is relaxed but visitor numbers higher; to the south, quieter roads offer more scenic, less‑travelled routes. Set on the southern edge of the park’s all‑weather road network, the camp enjoys both remoteness and a longer season than most.
Accommodation
The bathroom has its own panorama, with a bath set in the window, his‑and‑hers basins, and both indoor and outdoor showers. From the deck, a staircase leads to an elevated observation platform, where a four‑poster star bed under a dark mosquito net lets you sleep – or simply marvel – beneath the Luangwa sky.
For many, the highlight is the Eye‑to‑Eye photographic hide, tucked discreetly beneath the main deck and looking directly onto the waterhole. Elephants, giraffes and plains game visit regularly, with occasional appearances from leopard or lion. It offers close‑up encounters throughout the day and, with gentle lighting, well into the night.
Experiences
- Track lions and leopards through the floodplains and woodlands, often encountering them within minutes of leaving camp.
- Raise a sundowner on the Luangwa River, watching bush babies blink from the trees and plains game graze unbothered as you return to camp under the stars.
- Explore by day and after dark on expertly guided game drives, using Chiawa Safaris’ low‑impact red‑filter spotlight to reveal hyena, civet, porcupine and other nocturnal species.
- Get eye‑level wildlife encounters in the Eye‑to‑Eye photographic hide, where elephants, giraffes, antelope – and occasionally leopard or lion – visit the waterhole.
- Search the fan‑palm woodlands south of camp for the collared palm thrush and follow the resident female leopard as she hunts through dry river channels.
- Visit Kawaza Village, meeting local residents, joining school assemblies, exploring the clinic and learning traditional skills from maize grinding to brewing local beer.
- Tour Tribal Textiles, watching artisans create hand‑drawn, water‑based designs and browsing contemporary African textiles that support local employment and education.
Why We Include Puku Ridge in Our Itineraries
Sightings here are remarkably reliable: lions, hyenas, elephants and giraffes are close to guaranteed, and more than 90% of guests also see leopards and wild dogs.
Talk to us about designing your journey >
From the Team
“Is there a finer evening than the thrill of a night drive, a leopard’s eyes glowing softly in the beam? Perhaps – when you follow it with the hushed magic of the photographic hide, then drift to sleep under the stars on your deck.”
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 Puku Ridge
Puku Ridge works beautifully as part of a wider African journey. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.Puku Ridge works beautifully as part of a wider African journey. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.
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