Chikunto Safari Lodge & Camp is ideally located inside South Luangwa National Park, a 50-minute game drive from the National Park's Mfuwe gate, itself just a 40-minute drive from the nearest airport at Mfuwe, which in turn is a 1-hour flight from the capital, Lusaka.
With panoramic views out over the Luangwa River and flanked by rolling plains, plateaus, and miombo vegetation the camp / lodge is located in an area of distinctive natural beauty and in a location renowned for it’s density and variety of wildlife.
The boutique, independent eco-friendly safari camp / lodge at Chikunto has just the 5-x luxury Tented Suites, tastefully combining feelings of intimacy with feelings of space and of connection to the African bush around you.
The property overlooks the meandering Luangwa River on a picturesque bend, on a famous site known as the Big Bend and is recognised as one of the best Safari Lodges in South Luangwa and is an ideal location for your authentic wilderness safari.. The unfenced nature of the property means that the wildlife has freedom of movement throughout the area, providing plenty of opportunities for your game-viewing to start ‘at home’.
For reasons of safety and security, as well as to maximise the stunning panoramic views, the central lodge area as well as the individual Tented Suites, are built on secure raised decks overlooking the Luangwa River.
This main central area comprises of a large, airy space under thatch and a discretely luxurious lounge area in which you can relax, discuss the sightings of the day, read one of the onsite wildlife books or simply take in the uninterrupted views over the Chikunto waterhole and the Luangwa river.
There is even broadband connectivity for those of you who might want to share some images with friends and family - or even send that all-important email.
Beneath the thatch there is also a well-stocked bar, with super-comfortable leather barstools on which to relax.
From the main lounge there is a direct link to an open-air circular deck area , with a large feature fire-pit around which guests can gather for a pre-dinner drink / chat or warm themselves up with a mug of coffee before heading out on an early-morning game drive.
Immediately in front of the lounge area is a saltwater counter-current swimming pool, unique to South Luangwa. You can decide if want to cool off in the pool, maybe with a chilled drink in front of you from the nearby bar or if it is time to get some exercise – with the pump switched to level 2 it is like you are swimming against the tide in a permanent infinity pool.
Directly in front of the swimming pool and deck area there is a waterhole that becomes an increasingly huge draw for a wide range of wildlife as the season progresses, providing an ideal opportunity for onsite bird watching, wildlife viewing and for some amazing wildlife photography opportunities.
Each of the Tented Suites are accessed via wooden walkways from the central area and are built on raised decks with a private veranda looking out over the Luangwa River and the wildlife in the immediate area. These spacious Suites have been designed to maximise your feelings of privacy, and to create a real authentic feel of ‘connection’ with the African bush but to underpin that with feelings of security and comfort.
The countryside in the Luangwa Valley is remarkable. The vegetation is characterized by riverine forest which is wonderfully green all year round. The South Luangwa National Park offers spectacular wildlife viewing and is recognized as one of the best parks in Africa to encounter the elusive leopard. Elephants abound and expansive herds of buffalo are often seen. The Luangwa River is home to crocodile and sizeable pods of hippo.
One of the most well-known endemic species in the Luangwa Valley is the Thorneycroft's Giraffe. Their distinctive pattern consists of large, irregular shaped brown to black patches separated by white to yellow bands.
Zambia, especially the Luangwa Valley, is famous for its incredible walking safaris. Here, guests discover the environment on foot, enjoying eyeopening and exciting sightings.
South Luangwa National Park is widely recognised as one of Africa’s premier National Parks, delivering a wide range of excellent game viewing opportunities throughout the year. The changing seasons are very pronounced, providing visitors with the opportunity to partake in a mixture of the more traditional game drives, walking safaris - for which South Luangwa is justifiably famous - and water-based boat safaris (water levels permitting).
Chikunto Safari Lodge & Camp opens in the middle of February with a combination of game drives and boat drives available until late-April / mid-May and closes in the middle of November as the rainy season begins.
We joined a group from Naturetrek and were treated to an excellent week by the wonderful staff at the Lodge who looked after us all so well. The rangers gave us the chance to see all the animals as well as a great number of birds. Highly recommended, and we are planning to return.
One of the best stays of my life. From the moment we arrived they puty the needs of our family top of their list, making every moment special for us and especially my little girl. The room was beautiful and they created a safari experince that flowed around our needs. This was my 15th visit to South Luangwa and as an experienced safari travller it was great to see how they made our safari special...
Chikhunto and South Lungwe were a stunning experience. The safari experience is breath taking with varied landscapes and amazing safari. Sometimes the guides tracked down animals, sometimes you turned a corner and....wow! I won't repeat the comments people have already written. The quality of our experience here significantly contributed to us rating our trip to Zambia as the best ever travelli...
Stunning place to stay! The staff were incredible - especially Irene as she was a ray of sunshine! The food was also delicious and we had some fabulous game drives. Manny was our guide with a trainee called Harry and they were both true professionals that made the trip very fun and very informative. We saw lions, leopards, elephants and so much more. This place is such a hidden gem.
Chikunto Safari Lodge is definitely a gem in South Luangwa Park. Wonderfully comfortable accommodations, Michelin-worthy meals, a welcoming friendly staff, and some of the best bush guides I've ever met. I have stayed at other safari lodges in Africa at nearly triple the cost and Chikunto easily met those standards. My room was extremely clean and comfortable, the showers were wonderful with amp...
