Time + Tide Luwi

Luwi sits on the Luwi River inside South Luangwa National Park, with no other camps nearby. The river is ephemeral — it runs seasonally and dries to a sand bed — and that dry bed is part of what you come for. The camp holds four tented suites under a grove of mahogany trees, each with a verandah, private sitting area, en-suite bathroom, outside shower, and a fireplace for cold mornings. The floodplains in front of the camp draw wildlife through the day; hippos are audible from the lagoon nearby.

Game drives run in open four-by-four vehicles, morning and night, with a maximum of six guests per vehicle so everyone has an unobstructed view. Walking safaris are a serious part of the programme here — South Luangwa is where Norman Carr pioneered the guided walking safari in Zambia in the 1950s, and Time + Tide continues that practice with trained guides and trackers reading spoor and behaviour on foot.

The sleep-out is the camp's most singular activity: you spend a night in the dry Luwi river bed on a bedroll under a mosquito net, with no tent overhead. A game-viewing hide is also available on the property for guests who want to watch wildlife from a fixed position. A complimentary airport shuttle connects the camp to the nearest airstrip.