|Places| According to
|Places| According to Nicola Shepherd, founder of The Explorations Company (explorationscompany. com), what’s most remarkable about these new lodges is not only their greener offerings but that a high number of them are owner-managed. “They have a vested interest, so camps have a more intimate quality,” says Shepherd, adding that this creates a more intimate experience, too. After all, it is this understated, informal attitude that attracted people to Zambia in the first place. One of the most polished new openings is African Bush Camps’ Lolebezi (africanbushcamps. com), a property set along the Zambezi river in the Lower Zambezi National Park. Founder Beks Ndlovu, a conservation-minded bush lover who previously worked as a guide and has a strong affinity for local communities, saw an opportunity to bring glam to a destination that’s long attracted a limited market. “The addition of new camps doesn’t take away from the adventure camps, it just means there’s more diversity,” says Ndlovu. Naturally, Lolebezi is rooted in community, and the design team Fox Browne Creative looked to the expertise of local designers and artisans for pieces like the acacia-printed throws and reed curtains. The eight cutting-edge canvas and glass cabins have oval emerald bathtubs and wide decks that overlook the river. One of the most gratifying activities here is walking through the acacia forests with expert guides. “You have a high chance of coming across leopards, wild dogs or lions – it’s exhilarating,” says Ndlovu. In the same park, Chiawa Camp and Old Mondoro – two camps strung along the Zambezi river – were recently overhauled by Chiawa Safaris (chiawa. com), co-owned by Zambian-born Grant Cumings. Staying true to Zambia’s eco-forward tourism mindset, both properties have been reconstructed from natural materials such as thatch and latte poles, and the tents were hand-sewn by local sewers. Despite shiny new additions, the camps both remain pared-back and offer quintessential experiences like walks, vital elements which have long made the country such a draw. Clockwise from top: a sunset game drive through South Luangwa with Sungani; a sleep-out under the stars at Chongwe Camp; a family of elephants traverse the wilderness surrouding Chongwe Camp PHOTOS FROM TOP: © SUNGANI, © TIME + TIDE (2) 14 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM
An intimate dinner along the Zambezi river at Lolebezi PHOTO © AFRICAN BUSH CAMPS Nearby, Time + Tide has recently revamped Chongwe Camp (timeandtideafrica.com), located where the Lower Zambezi, Chongwe and Zambezi rivers converge. The eight tents have been refreshed with bold printed cushions and woven furniture. Formerly Norman Carr Safaris, Time + Tide has become known for its walking safaris with a string of camps in South Luangwa, too. Here, their guides have been walking the wilderness areas for decades and lead guests on multiday expeditions through bushveld and mopani woodlands to luxury lodges, where glasses of chilled bubbly and blazing campfires await. Also in South Luangwa National Park, Green Safaris opened Shawa Luangwa Camp (greensafaris. com), which is named after Jacob Shawa, a legendary guide who helped procure the piece of land on the edge of the national park. The camp is made up of a collection of A-frame standalone tree-house-like tents with flaps that open onto the forest. To access the park, guests whizz across the river by boat, where an electric safari vehicle awaits to take them on daily drives. If they’re lucky, they may get the enthusiastic and gregarious Mr Shawa as their guide. Another new addition to Green Safaris’ portfolio is Chisa Busanga Camp in the Busanga Plains, in the north of Kafue National Park, known for its endless grasslands. Here, guests sleep in idiosyncratic circular cabins, made up of a network of aluminium frames designed to look like weavers’ nests, raised four metres from the ground. The benefit? Superb game-viewing directly from the room. In a far-flung corner of South Luangwa, the Davy family has opened Sungani Lodge and Kulandila Camp (sungani.com) in an attempt to lure people to what was once a tsetse-fly breeding ground, where wildlife was decimated by poachers. After acquiring the site in 2019, the family set about eliminating the flies, restoring wildlife and building two lodges that have custom tents filled with leather and wooden furniture and clawfoot bathtubs. The food here is extraordinary – think harvest tables with Ottolenghi-style salads and homemade cakes and treats. Most recently, they added a small plane, which shuttles guests from the airport in Mfuwe, eliminating the gruelling journey by road. Walks in this part of the park are magical: not only has wildlife grown exponentially (travellers will stumble upon elephants and loads of deer) but you are unlikely to come across another vehicle for miles. It’s also an example of how, despite all these new offerings, Zambia still maintains its wilder side. CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM 15
