Time + Tide Chongwe House

Time + Tide Chongwe House is a privately booked, four-bedroom house on the Chongwe River in the Lower Zambezi — one group of four to eight people takes the whole property. Elephants wade across the river in front of the house regularly enough that you will want a chair facing the water.

The building draws on its surroundings: river pebble runs through the design, and the furniture was carved from a single fallen winterthorn tree. Each of the four bedrooms has its own bathroom, an open-air bath, and a shower fed from above. Rooms also come with verandahs, mosquito nets, fans, and a fireplace for cooler nights. A large pool anchors the deck, with both covered and open seating areas for meals and rest. A resident team of guides and household staff runs the property for the duration of your stay.

Activities go out in open four-wheel-drive vehicles, on foot, by canoe, and by boat on the Zambezi. Tiger fishing — catch-and-release — is a draw; the Lower Zambezi is one of the better places in Africa to find the species. Night drives extend the afternoon session as light fades. A wildlife hide near the house is set up for photography and nocturnal sightings. Three hundred and seventy bird species have been recorded here; fish eagles are audible from inside the house. The Chiawa Cultural Village, a community-owned enterprise run in partnership with the Goba people of Chiawa, is available as an off-site excursion.

Meals are prepared by an in-house culinary team using local and seasonal ingredients, with timing arranged around the group's schedule. A complimentary airport shuttle connects to Lusaka.