Chiawa Safaris - Puku Ridge

Puku Ridge sits on a ridge inside South Luangwa National Park, looking out over a floodplain lagoon where elephant, giraffe, buffalo, zebra, lion, leopard, and puku antelope — the species the camp is named for — move through the view. The camp was rebuilt entirely in 2019, and holds eight tented rooms in canvas and thatch, each on a curved deck above the floodplain.

Every room has a super-king bed under a mosquito net — split into two three-quarter singles if needed — a lounge area, tea and coffee station, air conditioning, overhead fan, bath, indoor and outdoor shower, and a private plunge pool. A star-bed tower sits above each deck for sleeping outside under open sky.

South Luangwa is where the walking safari was developed as a form of wildlife guiding, and Puku Ridge runs guided walks into the surrounding bush. Experienced guides read spoor and sign to reconstruct what moved through before dawn. Game drives go out by day and at night — night drives give access to leopard, genet, and honey badger that rarely show in daylight. The Luangwa River, a short distance from camp, holds one of the largest hippo populations on the continent.

The camp is a collaboration between Chichele Safaris and Chiawa Safaris, the operator behind Chiawa Camp in the Lower Zambezi. The bar and restaurant sit in the main area of camp; the kitchen also accommodates vegetarian diets. Complimentary laundry and Wi-Fi are included in the stay.