Nkwali Camp

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Highlights

• Superb game viewing country
• Intimate camp – only 6 chalets
• Open all year round
• Family friendly option with special activities for children

Nkwali Camp is built on private land overlooking the South Luangwa National Park, on the banks of the Luangwa River. This is superb game-viewing country, famous for leopard and giraffe sightings, with a beautiful area of ebony woodland and open grass plains. This small camp of six thatched en suite chalets has an unusual bar encircling an enormous ebony tree and a dining room overlooking the lagoon. Elephants often cross the Luangwa River to be seen by those at the bar, or they come and frequent the waterhole near the thatched dining room.

The six thatched chalets are cool and spacious. They are comfortably decorated with open windows to the river views. Each has an en suite semi-open bathroom with a large open shower and an enclosed flush toilet under thatch. There’s a honeymoon suite which has a separate sitting room. A short distance away is a secluded swimming pool with changing room, and a little further on is Robin’s Camp, a private homestead which is offered for exclusive use and can sleep 2 adults and up to 3 childen in two en suite bedrooms.

As with other camps in the central area of the South Luangwa National Park, Nkwali is open all year round and access to the park for most of the season is by boat or by their quirky pontoon. As the dry season progresses, the 4x4 game vehicles are able to ford the Luangwa River using a series of sandbags which is always an adrenalin rush. Game activities at Nkwali include game walks, day and night drives and visits to the local Zambian village and school of Kawaza. At Nkwali, you can choose between various activities as you wish, as they have sufficient game vehicles and guides.

The transfer time from Mfuwe Airport is an easy 40 minutes. Most of our guests spend a couple of nights at Nkwali getting used to the bush, before heading north into the wilder areas of the South Luangwa to stay at Nkwali’s sister camps, Tena Tena and Nsefu. Robin Pope Safaris operates these camps and also offers a great ‘Week in the Peak’ offer which is perfect if you don’t mind which camp you want to stay at as they guarantee at least two different camps for 2 nights each in exchange for a great deal!

Families are very welcome at Nkwali. The family suite has an en suite bedroom and a separate sitting room which can sleep two children. There are large lawned areas where the children can play under the shade of huge ebony trees. The staff are fun, friendly and competent and the safari activities will be individually tailored to your family taking your children's ages and temperament into account. You will usually have a safari vehicle and guide to yourself. Particular activities for children include nature walks around the camp to identify and learn about animal spoor, droppings etc.; visits to the local Kawaza school to meet Zambian children; participate at a local workshop making elephant dung paper and greeting cards; visits to Chipembele Wildlife Educational Centre which has been set up to teach local children about the environment. Safari packs are given to each child with quizzes, animal books etc as part of their Zambia Safari. Nkwali also has a large fenced swimming pool for cooling off during the heat of the day. Child minding is on offer and children can eat special children's meals at a time convenient to children. They can also help the camp staff if they wish, making biscuits for afternoon tea or collecting food for lunch from the vegetable garden or eggs from the chickens.

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