On safari in Zambia: join us for a privately guided, bespoke Zambia safari tour

Wild Wonderful World founder and private guide, Michelle Pengilly, takes us with her on her most recent trip to Zambia’s Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa.  

This August, I guided one of my favourite families on safari. This trip continued a 12-year annual tradition, one that I missed last year as I welcomed my daughter into our wild and wonderful world! It was great to get back into the safari saddle, and our destination this year was Zambia. We split our time between Lower Zambezi and South Luangwa, two of Zambia's leading wildlife hotspots.

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Key Takeaways

• Lower Zambezi & South Luangwa are Zambia’s safari gems – offering world-class game viewing, luxury lodges, and authentic wilderness.
• Lolebezi Lodge: riverfront luxury, abundant wildlife, wellness focus, and a strong sustainability ethos.
• South Luangwa – Valley of the Leopard: renowned for big cats, endemic species, and Zambia’s best walking safaris.
• Chichele Presidential Lodge: historic luxury reimagined, with grand design, private plunge pools, and superb dining.
• Unique wildlife highlights: elephant on hind legs in the Winter Thorn forest, multiple leopard sightings, wild dogs on the hunt, and vibrant carmine bee eaters.
• Sustainability & community focus: solar-powered camps, no single-use plastics, and female guide mentorship programs show Zambia’s conservation-first ethos.
• Luxury meets adventure: from fishing on the Zambezi to walking safaris in Luangwa, Zambia blends thrill, exclusivity, and high-end comfort.

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Lower Zambezi: Lolebezi Lodge

A wildlife wonderland from the get-go

A short drive from Jeki Airstrip gave us a first glimpse of the famous Winter Thorn forest as we headed to Lolebezi Lodge, our home for the next 4 days. Set on a kilometer of private river frontage, every part of Lolebezi makes the most of the beautiful Zambezi River views. Elephants, buffalo, hippo and antelope move openly through camp and the incredible birdlife means game viewing here is 24/7.  

A lively song from the staff, followed by a refreshing drink and hand massage (!) made for a brilliant welcome – not to mention the leopard, 50 + elephants and many more animals we saw on our short 10 minute drive from the airstrip to the lodge! Indeed, Lower Zambezi was living up to its name right from the get-go.

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From game-drives to fishing, activities a-plenty!

Each of our drives and boat cruises were superb, we saw 5 different leopards in 4 days, wild dogs on the hunt and the sight we were all waiting for – a mighty elephant stretching up on its hind legs to reach the highest of branches, with soft golden light filtering down through the Winter Thorn forest.  

We tested our fishing skills on the Zambezi hoping for some Tigerfish – we didn't get lucky but will put that down to our subpar fishing skills – the energetic bites we had told us most certainly that Tigerfish are abound in the Zambezi River.

Sustainability at the forefront of safari camp life

I can't rave more about the camp itself – the rooms were huge and luxurious, all the staff were super friendly, hospitable and nothing was too much. Lolebezi markets itself as a wellness destination and it feels like it – a health shot delivered daily to your door in the morning, a superb gym, yoga deck and spa on site - it's not just marketing jargon but the real deal.  

The food, wines and cocktails were also fantastic, and everything from early morning snacks around the firepit, bush breakfast to a private dinner set up for us on the upper deck were memorable.  

I also was impressed by the lodge's commitment to sustainability. The whole camp ran on solar power. You could clearly see conscious effort being made to operate sustainably, making use of recycled materials, no single use plastics, etc.  

As a female guide, I LOVED hearing about their female guide mentorship program and indeed we had a young Zambian female guide who joined us on all our drives as part of her 3-year training program. It was great to see firsthand the efforts that local camps are making in their contribution to the sustainable development of the tourism industry in Zambia.  

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Other luxury safari camps in Lower Zambezi

Lodges such as Kutali Camp, Chula Island Camp and Old Mondoro offer extraordinary, off-the-beaten-path game viewing. Kutali Camp, meaning "far-away place", lives up to its name: located in the Winter  Thorn forests, it offers exclusive-use accommodation for those looking to escape.  

Located on Katengahumba Island, Chula Island Camp is separated from the mainland by the famed canoeing area, the ‘Discovery’ channel. This secretive and private island gives unparalleled views over the Zambezi River, and the wilderness experience and wildlife viewing are second to none.

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South Luangwa: Chichele Presential

South Luangwa: the leopard Mecca of Zambia

The South Luangwa National Park, thanks to some of the pioneers mentioned above, is renowned as the traditional home of the modern walking safari. Much of the wildlife congregates along a 150km stretch of the meandering, seasonal Luangwa River – a major tributary of the Zambezi River which flows strongly in the rainy season, drying out to a series of oxbow lagoons and pools in the dry season, boasting the highest concentrations of hippo in Africa.

Known for its elephant, buffalo and high population of lion and leopard, the South Luangwa is also home to the endemic Crawshay’s zebra and Thornicroft’s giraffe. South Luangwa National Park comes with its own nickname – it’ called the “Valley of the Leopard”.

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Welcome to Chichele Presidential

An hour and a half flight from the Lower Zambezi had us land at Mfuwe Airport (an international airport, by the way!). We enjoyed a 45-minute drive through local communities, which is always insightful, with the colourful shop names being the highlight of our drive to the park gate.  “Kaduko World Trade Centre”, “Famished Stationary Supplier”, "Happy in time Ago Dealer” and “One Sister Groceries” were some of our favourites. In the Park, an early sighting of Thornicrofts giraffe got us excited, and soon we reached Chichele Presidential, our next lodge.  

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History reimagined, luxury guaranteed

Originally built in 1972 as a personal retreat for Zambia's founding president, Kenneth Kaunda, Chichele Presidential underwent a 7 year rebuild and opened in April 2025, quickly becoming widely one of Southern Africa's most luxurious safari properties. The lodge itself has retained some of the old relics and design from the presidential days – we loved browsing the old photographs on the wall and the stately presidential chair and grand piano were awesome to see. Overall, a fantastic blend of old and new.  

The lodge itself definitely lived up to its luxurious reputation, with enormous rooms each with a private plunge pool, looking out over the vast South Luangwa plains below. A state-of-the-art gym, lap pool and spa meant in addition to all the safari activities on offer there was little time for rest! As for the food, Chichele does Zambia proud, we had some fantastic meals during our stay, and the chef was only too accommodating with special requests and personalised menus.  

Superb game viewing & birding during the emerald season in South Luangwa

Our guide John was one of the best I've ever had the pleasure to guide with – he was extremely considerate, an excellent driver and had super knowledge. Naturally many of our sightings centred around the Lunagwa River with lions feeding on a deceased hippo being one of the highlights! A special one for me too was spending time with one of the carmine bee eater colonies, watching the vibrantly coloured birds hunting & zooming in and out of their sand cliff nests.  

For the non-birders in the group, a well-placed drinks stop overlooking the river meant that everyone was happy. Admittedly, South Luangwa was quite a bit busier in terms of vehicle traffic than Lower Zambezi, but our guide did a great job getting us into sightings when there were minimal vehicles, and staying in the park itself meant you had the place to yourself early in the morning and later at night.  

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Safari Inspiration: What your Zambia luxury safari could look like

• Read our latest blog about everything you need to know for a Zambian safari.
• Read more about the lodges Michelle visited in August 2025, combining the best of South Africa with the best of Zambia. ‍
• The Wilds of Zambia: A watery wonderland mix of experiences, from the Busanga swamps in Kafue, to the mighty Zambezi River and Winter Thorn forests in Lower Zambezi - this is an action-packed safari full of exquisite animals and superb mix of game viewing opportunities. ‍
• Browse overview of our favourite Zambia luxury lodges.

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FAQs About a Zambia Safari

Q: Why choose a safari in Zambia over other destinations?
A: Nowadays, Zambia offers the same level of luxury as Botswana or Kenya but with far fewer crowds, great value-for-money, and a pioneering tradition of walking safaris.

Q: What makes the Lower Zambezi special?
A: Its spectacular riverfront setting, boat and canoe safaris, leopards, wild dogs, and elephants feeding in the Winter Thorn forests make it one of Africa’s most scenic parks.

Q: Why is South Luangwa called the “Valley of the Leopard”?
A: South Luangwa has one of the highest densities of leopards in Africa, along with excellent lion and wild dog sightings, plus endemic species like Thornicroft’s giraffe.

Q: What are Zambia’s best luxury safari lodges?
A: Lolebezi in Lower Zambezi and Chichele Presidential in South Luangwa top the list, but Kutali Camp, Chula Island Camp, and Old Mondoro also offer incredible luxury-with-wilderness stays. Browse our favourite lodges here.

Q: Is Zambia a sustainable safari destination?
A: Yes. Many lodges are solar-powered, plastic-free, and actively support conservation and community initiatives, including mentorship programs for female guides.

Q: When is the best time to visit Zambia for safari?
A: The dry season (June–October) is best for game viewing. December-March: Emerald Season, with lush landscapes, fewer visitors, and excellent birdwatching in South Luangwa. November brings the wildebeest migration in Liuwa and the bat migration in Kasanka.

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Are you interested in discovering Zambia? Get in touch today and we'll help you plan your dream African safari.  

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Written by Michelle Pengilly