Wild Luangwa

Experience gourmet dining in Victoria Falls at the top-rated Cassia Restaurant. Centrally located only minutes from the Victoria Falls at Ilala Lodge Hotel, the newly-renamed restaurant offers a delicious breakfast buffet, lunch and al fresco evening dining under the starry African sky.

The Cassia Restaurant delivers an unmatched menu, paired with an extensive wine list comprised of carefully selected wines from South Africa’s top vineyards. The calming and tranquil ambience is further complemented by the gentle rumble of Victoria Falls in the background. A truly unforgettable dining experience not to be missed.

You know what they say about the early bird? If you are a passionate birdwatcher, don’t miss out on this river cruise! Keen bird lovers will delight in marking off their sightings in the birding booklet provided on board while enjoying a delicious continental breakfast including fruit platters, fresh pastries and a variety of cheeses and biscuits. Rare birds such as the African Pitta and the Narina Trogon have been sighted here, as well as hundreds of other bird species. The knowledgeable and experienced guides conduct these early morning river cruises.

Enjoy freshly brewed coffee and a continental breakfast as you cruise up the Zambezi River towards Kandahar Island while enjoying the sounds of the diverse birdlife and the African bush come to life in the early morning. Breakfast includes freshly baked pieces of bread and pastries, fresh fruit platters, jams, yoghurts and cheeses as well as an assortment of teas and coffee.

Sit back and relax while sipping a cold drink and enjoying a few quiet hours along the banks of the Zambezi River. Our lunch buffet includes cold meats, fresh salads and a wide selection of biscuits and cheeses, all catered by the award-winning Palm Restaurant at Ilala Lodge Hotel. The fully stocked bar is available throughout the cruise and the attentive crew is at your service.

There simply is not a better way to enjoy the dazzling African sunset than from the comfort of a Ra-Ikane boat on a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. Our ever-popular sunset cruise offers a unique way to explore the channels of the river and to get an up-close view of the pristine wilderness and African game along its banks. Enjoy an array of canapés, a full bar and a charming crew who can impart a bit of interesting Victoria Falls history with you on board the Ra-Ikane.

The traditional game drive allows you to explore further and get closer. Offered morning, afternoon and evening, each drive is typically 3.5 - 4 hours in duration and is led by your expert guide as well as a scout or spotter.

Like everything else at Shenton Safaris, Derek and Jules have worked alongside our guiding team to refine the experience, making each drive as comfortable and rewarding as possible.

Our custom built, open game viewers and extensive 120km of graded roads and viewing loops, offer a smooth drive with less of the bumping around.

We don’t put more than 4 guests on a vehicle to ensure everyone has plenty of space and excellent vantage points. Of course, if there are more of you in a group or family, each vehicle has 3 benches so there is plenty of room should you all want to head out together.

Photographers of all levels will appreciate our camera rests, super-clamp stabilisers, dust covers and our guides expertise in positioning, timing and helping you get the best possible photo opportunities.

Nothing quite beats the thrill and feeling of connection you get from exploring the bush on foot.

Zambia is the birthplace of the walking safari in Africa and that proud heritage is demonstrated in the expertise, knowledge and passion of our professional walking guides

In groups of no more than 6, your guide and an armed scout will safely escort you across a variety of terrains and beautiful walking routes, sharing the secrets of tracking wildlife, Luangwa’s extraordinary flora and the smaller creatures that might be overlooked on a vehicle.

Walks are offered in the morning and usually last 3 – 3.5 hours including a tea and biscuit break. Shorter, afternoon walks can also be arranged and combined with a hide visit or evening drive.

We are extremely proud of our wildlife hides and the unique experiences and special moments they afford us and our guests

With each location carefully chosen after years of observation, the hides offer phenomenal game viewing, photographic opportunities and the chance to simply just sit comfortably and quietly enjoy the moment.

At any one time across the season, we can have up to 6 hides available. Previously used for filming by the BBC, Africa Geographic and the Discovery Channel, these include our hippo hide, carmine bee-eater hide and the ever active, ‘Last Waterhole’ Mwamba Hide.

Situated at the confluence of the Luangwa and Mwamba rivers, Kaingo's Hippo Hide allows you to safely get close to hippo, crocodile, elephant and general game visiting the river.

Throughout the season, hundreds of hippos congregate here in both bachelor and breeding pods. Carved into the actual banks of the river, the Hippo Hide offers its hidden inhabitants a breath-taking, eye-level perspective of the action.

A perfect midday activity, the shaded hide offers comfortable temperatures and is a great place to relax after brunch. Alternatively, guests can choose to visit the hide during their morning activity or even leave camp a little earlier in the afternoon, taking a packed tea to enjoy from the hide before heading off on drive

The Hippo Hide is available for guests staying at Kaingo Camp

Our towering Elephant hide is nestled between the shade of Ebony and Sausage trees overlooking an ancient elephant crossing point on the river.

For hundreds of years elders have led juvenile members of the herd to this beautiful spot where they gather for drinking, mud-bathing, socialising and to cross the river.

Game viewing opportunities from the hide are flexible and spontaneous. Just a 2 minute drive from the camp, guests can be whisked to the hide whenever we see the elephants approaching the crossing. The high platform provides an amazing vantage point to watch and photograph the endearing and playful interactions between these gentle giants.

Guests can also opt to enjoy this breezy and serene spot for general game viewing, calling by for a morning coffee break or in-between the main morning and afternoon activities

The Ele hide is available for guests staying at Kaingo Camp

An absolute must for birders, photographers and anyone who loves nature! The Carmine Bee-Eater Hide is available from early September once the Carmines have established their nesting sites.

Each year huge colonies of these beautiful, vibrant birds flock to the Luangwa bringing colour to the drying bush as they busily burrow, deep into the riverbanks to nest.

Every season the hide is modified and located at the best nesting site to allow you to get close and experience the noisy chatter and magnificent displays of colour as they swoop and soar across the skies.

The birds are usually most active in the mornings and afternoon so a trip to the hide will be incorporated into your game drive. Your guide and scout will escort you from the vehicle and into the hide which is typically anchored to our boat in front of the colony. Depending on the nesting site they’ve chosen, socks and shoes may need to be removed for a short wade through shallow waters!

The Carmine Hide is available to guests staying at both Kaingo and Mwamba

The Wild Dog Lagoon hide is so named on account of the incredible dog sightings we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy here. While the nature and habits of these elusive animals means we can’t guarantee you’ll see dogs, this busy lagoon welcomes a host of different species throughout the day and is particularly productive from May until August after which time the water begins to dry up.

This hide is a great spot to visit as one of your mid-day activities with an array of plains game gathering to quench their thirst. Birders will enjoy the variety of wallowers found here and its also a favoured place for elephant and buffalo to enjoy a good old mud bath.

The Wild Dog Lagoon Hide is available to guests staying at both Kaingo and Mwamba

Our sleepouts have been designed to offer you the ultimate wilderness experience. Head out into the bush and spend the night under a canopy of crystal-clear stars, a full moon so bright its like someone left a light on, or a moody night sky.

With nothing but a mosquito net between you and mother nature, this truly is an awe-inspiring addition to your safari, allowing you to connect with Africa in way few others are lucky enough to experience.

Imagine drifting off to sleep, safely and comfortably tucked away, high in the treetops at our Elephant Hide. To wake to bird song and the river glimmering from the rising sun. Watch and listen as the bush comes to life around you as you sip your morning coffee.

Mike Unwin, acclaimed author of the Bradt guide to Southern African Wildlife, described his night as one of his most memorable and exciting he’d ever spent in Africa.

You are offered the chance to experience your very own night of adventure when staying a Kaingo. After dinner at the camp, you will be driven to the hide which is set with a full size bed, mosquito net and all the amenities needed for the evening and morning ahead.

A magical experience you will cherish forever

Led by your experienced guide and an armed scout, your adventure begins with a trek deep into the heart of the valley, experiencing the remoteness, wildlife and varied landscapes on foot.

Arriving at the site, camp will be set-up and dinner prepared on the open fire as you enjoy a well-deserved sundowner and chance to reflect back on the afternoons events.

There is something spectacularly raw about spending the night under the African sky like this. Going to sleep under just a mosquito net, curling up and listening to the crackling fire and distant whoops of hyena or saw-like grunts of a leopard.

The ultimate wilderness adventure

The traditional game drive allows you to explore further and get closer. Offered morning, afternoon and evening, each drive is typically 3.5 - 4 hours in duration and is led by your expert guide as well as a scout or spotter.

Like everything else at Shenton Safaris, Derek and Jules have worked alongside our guiding team to refine the experience, making each drive as comfortable and rewarding as possible.

Our custom built, open game viewers and extensive 120km of graded roads and viewing loops, offer a smooth drive with less of the bumping around.

We don’t put more than 4 guests on a vehicle to ensure everyone has plenty of space and excellent vantage points. Of course, if there are more of you in a group or family, each vehicle has 3 benches so there is plenty of room should you all want to head out together.

Photographers of all levels will appreciate our camera rests, super-clamp stabilisers, dust covers and our guides expertise in positioning, timing and helping you get the best possible photo opportunities.

Nothing quite beats the thrill and feeling of connection you get from exploring the bush on foot.

Zambia is the birthplace of the walking safari in Africa and that proud heritage is demonstrated in the expertise, knowledge and passion of our professional walking guides

In groups of no more than 6, your guide and an armed scout will safely escort you across a variety of terrains and beautiful walking routes, sharing the secrets of tracking wildlife, Luangwa’s extraordinary flora and the smaller creatures that might be overlooked on a vehicle.

Walks are offered in the morning and usually last 3 – 3.5 hours including a tea and biscuit break. Shorter, afternoon walks can also be arranged and combined with a hide visit or evening drive.

We are extremely proud of our wildlife hides and the unique experiences and special moments they afford us and our guests

With each location carefully chosen after years of observation, the hides offer phenomenal game viewing, photographic opportunities and the chance to simply just sit comfortably and quietly enjoy the moment.

At any one time across the season, we can have up to 6 hides available. Previously used for filming by the BBC, Africa Geographic and the Discovery Channel, these include our carmine bee-eater hide and the ever active, ‘Last Waterhole’ Mwamba Hide.

Just a short walk from the main camp, the last waterhole hide is built into the banks surrounding a permanent and active waterhole.

With several viewing levels, the hide offers its hidden inhabitants a breath-taking, eye-level perspective of the array of birds, mammals and reptiles that visit throughout the day.

An established source of water, the hide welcomes visitors across the season and becomes particularly productive as we head into the hotter summer months and other, in-land water spots dry up.

Exclusive to guests staying at Mwamba Bushcamp, the comfortable and shaded hide is a great spot to spend time between activities. The stage remains constant but the players change throughout the day. Amazingly addictive, many guests will forgo a drive or walk to remain at the hide and quietly enjoy the action!

An absolute must for birders, photographers and anyone who loves nature! The Carmine Bee-Eater Hide is available from early September once the Carmines have established their nesting sites.

Each year huge colonies of these beautiful, vibrant birds flock to the Luangwa bringing colour to the drying bush as they busily burrow, deep into the riverbanks to nest.

Every season the hide is modified and located at the best nesting site to allow you to get close and experience the noisy chatter and magnificent displays of colour as they swoop and soar across the skies.

The birds are usually most active in the mornings and afternoon so a trip to the hide will be incorporated into your game drive. Your guide and scout will escort you from the vehicle and into the hide which is typically anchored to our boat in front of the colony. Depending on the nesting site they’ve chosen, socks and shoes may need to be removed for a short wade through shallow waters!

The Carmine Hide is available to guests staying at both Kaingo and Mwamba

The Wild Dog Lagoon hide is so named on account of the incredible dog sightings we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy here. While the nature and habits of these elusive animals means we can’t guarantee you’ll see dogs, this busy lagoon welcomes a host of different species throughout the day and is particularly productive from May until August after which time the water begins to dry up.

This hide is a great spot to visit as one of your mid-day activities with an array of plains game gathering to quench their thirst. Birders will enjoy the variety of wallowers found here and its also a favoured place for elephant and buffalo to enjoy a good old mud bath.

The Wild Dog Lagoon Hide is available to guests staying at both Kaingo and Mwamba

Our sleepouts have been designed to offer you the ultimate wilderness experience. Head out into the bush and spend the night under a canopy of crystal-clear stars, a full moon so bright its like someone left a light on, or a moody night sky.

With nothing but a mosquito net between you and mother nature, this truly is an awe-inspiring addition to your safari, allowing you to connect with Africa in way few others are lucky enough to experience.

Set on a towering platform, overlooking a vast, open plain our Numbu star bed offers guests the opportunity to spend the night in the wilderness.

Snuggle into the comfortable bed and thick duvet with only a mosquito net between you and the African sky. Enjoy the distant sounds of the bushes nocturnal world, safe and high above the savannah, feeling like the last people on earth.

The experience is offered either as a sleepout enjoyed after dinner at Mwamba or with dinner prepared by your guide and enjoyed at the platform as the sun sets on the day.

A phenomenal addition to your safari offered exclusively to guests staying at Mwamba

Led by your experienced guide and an armed scout, your adventure begins with a trek deep into the heart of the valley, experiencing the remoteness, wildlife and varied landscapes on foot.

Arriving at the site, camp will be set-up and dinner prepared on the open fire as you enjoy a well-deserved sundowner and chance to reflect back on the afternoons events.

There is something spectacularly raw about spending the night under the African sky like this. Going to sleep under just a mosquito net, curling up and listening to the crackling fire and distant whoops of hyena or saw-like grunts of a leopard.

The ultimate wilderness adventure