Flatdogs Jackalberry Treehouse

Set on the banks of the Luangwa River in eastern Zambia, Flatdogs Camp occupies a riparian woodland strip minutes from the Mfuwe gate of South Luangwa National Park. The camp was awarded Fair Trade Tourism certification in recognition of its employment practices, solar power use, water monitoring, and support for local conservation and community projects. Twenty rooms spread across four types of accommodation: four chalet buildings with eight rooms total, seven luxury safari tents, three classic tents, plus two standalone structures. Each chalet building holds two rooms—one downstairs with double bed and veranda, one upstairs configured as king, twin, or triple with a separate bathroom below. A small kitchenette with fridge and kettle sits between them. The luxury tents stand under thatch roofs along the riverbank, fitted with king or single beds, ensuite showers and flush toilets, mosquito nets, fans, and charging points. Classic tents follow a smaller Meru profile with semi-open showers.

The Jackalberry Treehouse rises on three linked platforms built around African ebony trees above a waterhole; two ensuite bedrooms flank an open sitting deck. The Crocodile Nest is a three-bedroom tented house with private pool, dining area, and deck. An à la carte restaurant operates throughout the day without set meal times—menus include gluten-free and vegan options, with bread baked daily and produce sourced from an eight-foot-walled vegetable garden that supplies herbs, tomatoes, spinach, and chillies. Two pools overlook the river. Elephants, puku, impala, bushbuck, and baboons move through camp regularly; hippos and buffalo appear occasionally.

Guides lead morning drives departing at six, afternoon drives at half past three, and night drives that return when the park closes at twenty past eight. Walking safaris last three to four hours or combine with a two-hour drive. The South Luangwa holds around one hundred mammal species and more than four hundred bird species.