Chiawa Safaris - Chichele Presidential

Set on the highest ground in South Luangwa National Park, Chichele Presidential Lodge looks out over rivers, streams, floodplains and forest in every direction. The site was once the private retreat of Zambian presidents, and the 360-degree view from the ridge explains why they chose it. It has been rebuilt from the ground up, reopening in April 2025 as a ten-suite lodge run by Chiawa Safaris. Each Vista Suite has a private plunge pool, outdoor shower and dining deck, a bed dressed in cotton linen, and a bath with his and hers washbasins. Power comes from hydroelectric supply, which keeps air conditioning and wifi running even this far from town. Two suites can be joined by a shared lounge with its own kitchenette, useful for a family taking over both. Guides lead game drives in custom 4x4 vehicles and walks on foot, and night drives use red-light technology rather than the white beams still common elsewhere. Back at the lodge there is a spa, a gym, a croquet lawn, and a pool deck facing the plain below. Elephant, puku and the predators that follow them move through the floodplain within sight of the terrace. The lodge can be booked in full, all ten rooms, for a private gathering. Check-in runs from 2pm.