Zambia & Malawi: Luxurious Waters

King Lewanika is far from the beaten track in an incredibly remote location, but you can appreciate Zambia’s diverse wildlife at your own pace in this unique haven, enjoying the comfort of secluded, luxurious accommodation.

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.

The Royal Livingstone is a five-star hotel on the Zambian side of Victoria Falls and brings a new level of luxury and sophistication to this world-famous region.

Impeccably luxurious and with a prime location for encountering the wildlife wonders of the lower Zambezi Valley, Sausage Tree Camp was deservedly included by the BBC in a programme on the world’s ten best luxury destinations.

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.

Whether you’re looking for a relaxing retreat, or an action-packed safari experience, Chiawa Camp has it all.

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.

In the South Luangwa National Park, make charming Tafika Camp your base. This romantic camp offers seclusion and tranquility on the banks of the Luangwa River. Tafika is a place where you can escape it all and relish a slower pace, soaking up the wondrous riverine landscape.

This former presidential holiday home has been transformed into a cluster of superb lodges offering seclusion and luxury right at the heart of one of Africa’s great national parks.

There are few tented camps in Africa that can claim to be as up-to-date in terms of facilities and ethos, particularly in such a remote and spectacular location. Kafufe River Tented Camp will proudly open from early 2025.

Desirably remote and authentically low-key, Kutali Camp is consciously a true safari camp in the best tradition of African exploration. This doesn’t mean it has no frills or comforts, but the priority is most definitely the exceptional wildlife experience.

Accessible in the drier months between July and October, this intimate bush camp is in the heart of a fertile and incredibly diverse ecosystem. From here, game viewing opportunities are spectacular.

Inaugurated in 2025, this camp within Zambia’s most unfrequented and primal area of wilderness is a place for safari purists. It’s an isolated, intimate, low-impact camp with amazing guides.

There are no fences at Lion Camp, so elephant, buffalo, and antelope come and go as they please. You can watch them from your private deck or the board walk, and they may well be watching you as you swim in the pool. The camp prides itself on its support for conservation and local community development initiatives, including Conservation South Luangwa and the Chipembele Wildlife Education Centre.

The South Luangwa National Park is one of the finest walking safari locations in all of Africa. As it should be, perhaps, seeing as the concept was born in this very park.

Established in 1950, Kafue National Park is Zambia’s oldest. It’s also the largest, spanning an area that is roughly the same size as the state of Massachusetts.

Victoria Falls is nothing short of a spectacle. Spanning a mile across and standing 350 feet high, Victoria Falls is one one of the world’s largest waterfalls and can be viewed from both Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The Lower Zambezi National Park is home to a wealth of wildlife. From the Zambezi River, the park extends across a range of escarpments, offering much-needed respite from the dry season.

North Luangwa National Park sees far fewer visitors than its sister to the south, which is great for privacy and feeling like you’re in the wild, but animals can be shy.

Liuwa Plain National Park is a special place. Wildlife here was nearly eradicated due to poaching and hunting, but the area has been protected since 2003 and nature is bouncing back.

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.

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.

Situated under a canopy of Albida thorn trees Chongwe River Camp is family owned and managed and benefits from a friendly and informal atmosphere.

Mchenja, meaning "the ebony tree", is set beneath a magnificent grove of these trees on the banks of the Luangwa River. It is the most luxurious of the Norman Carr tented camps yet it is also designed to combine excellently with other more rustic bush camps.

Shumba Camp boasts breathtaking views from a tree covered island in the middle of the Busanga Plains.

Welcome to Busanga Bush Camp, the perfect place to unplug and wind down in the heart of the Busanga Plains.

Check in to the prestigious Royal Chundu Private Island Lodge, the only Relais & Châteaux property in Zambia, which is situated on an island in the Zambezi.

A far cry from the clutch of tents that it started out as, Tongabezi Lodge has been listed by Conde Nast as one of the top 20 hotels in the world. Within easy reach of Victoria Falls yet far enough away for peaceful seclusion, this place is a luxury gem.

Islands of Siankaba is a luxurious way to enjoy Zambia away from the crowds of Victoria Falls.

The birthplace of the walking safari.

Simply designed, with a relaxing ‘back-to-the-bush’ ambience, this safari camp’s focus is to provide an authentic, intimate safari that concentrates on the wildlife and bush experience without forgoing any creature comforts or service.