Riaan Zambia Photo Safari

All vehicles are open, comfortable and accommodate only four guests allowing for great photographic moments and plenty of opportunity to ask the guide questions.

Morning drives set off early from camp and are taken at a relaxed pace. A stop is taken at a scenic sight during the morning to enjoy a hot cuppa' and snack.

On afternoon drives, sundowners are taken overlooking the Luangwa River, after which a spotlight is brought into play, revealing Africa's nocturnal wildlife.

All vehicles are open, comfortable and accommodate only four guests allowing for great photographic moments and plenty of opportunity to ask the guide questions.

On afternoon drives, sundowners are taken overlooking the Luangwa River, after which the drive continues in the dark with the help of a spotlight.

Night drives are led by an experienced guide accompanied by a hawk-eyed spotter who controls the spotlight and finds many nocturnal animals rarely seen during the day activities.

On foot guests are given the rare opportunity to become part of nature, to immerse themselves in the wonders that present themselves at every turn. A walking safari is always led by an experienced guide with an armed National Park scout and a tea bearer so their are many eyes ready to spot the Luangwa's wildlife, identify the smallest insect, track last night's lion spoor and identify a possible threat before it really becomes one.

Children under the age of 12 are unfortunately not able to take part in walking safaris at Remote Africa Safaris.

Sitting in a game-viewing vehicle or walking delicately through the African bush may not provide the level of activity craved by more energetic guests. For these guests Tafika offers mountain bike safaris led by an experienced guide who in most cases is the owner, John Coppinger.

The cycling route takes the safari cyclists along the tracks and paths of the Game Management Area, adjacent to Tafika Camp. Mountain bike safaris generally take place in the afternoon. This gives participating guests enough time to finish their ride and meet up with the game drive, just before sunset, giving them the opportunity to enjoy the sights and sounds of a night drive after an hour and a half of cycling.

At Remote Africa Safaris the local village, Mkasanga, kindly invites guests to visit and gives them the opportunity to learn about the lives of the people from the Luangwa Valley.

Highlights of these visits include: a guided tour of the local school - proudly showcased by the teachers, a visit to the village and a local church choir performance where guests experience the perfect harmony of Africa's song

The Tafika camp hide is available to all camp guests and can be accessed any time of the day from the camp. The hide is a dug out seating chamber that looks out over a lagoon behind the camp. Birds, baboons and antelope frequent the lagoon and elephants visit on a daily basis from about August during the hotter time of the year.

A seasonal Carmine bee-eater hide is built annually at Tafika. The hide is built into the banks of the Luangwa river to gain the best view of the carmine colony as they flock around their newly dug breeding holes. This hide is generally available during September and October and visits to the guide are done with a guide.

Tafika guests are also able to visit the Kawere hide during a game drive activity. It is built on the camps private land and overlooks a productive waterhole where elephants and buffalo come to drink and fishing parties frequent towards the end of the season.

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

A game drive is a wonderful way to explore the area allowing you to get close to sightings while maintaining a minimal presence. At Sungani we value the quality of the area above all else. Each time you board one of Sungani’s custom built safari vehicles the anticipation is high. Our vehicles have modified suspension, individual luxury seats, comfortable footrests and nifty spaces and holders for an array of equipment. Each vehicle is equipped with Manfrotto camera rests, and the roof canopy is designed to be easily removed upon request.

Set off from camp in the cool of the early morning to enhance your chances of seeing animals as daylight illuminates the wilderness once again. Our guides will befriend you in a short time as they generously share the skill and passion they have for their craft. Allow yourself to be infected by the anticipation and begin to appreciate and engage in the pace of the African wilderness.

We promise that a cup of local freshly brewed coffee will take on a new meaning as you stop in the shade for a mid-morning break. Your senses are now on high alert for the unexpected sighting or magical moment to take place. Breathe in the sights and sounds and really tune out the rest of the world for a while. Look through the bush and notice shapes and obvious different colours as you begin to really see.

Later in the afternoon set off once again and this time experience the magic of an African sunset with an icy cold drink of choice in hand, surrounded by the fading light. As darkness begins to creep in you will begin to hear an array of new noises and notice your sense of smell sharpen. Adrenaline and anticipation kick in as the spotlight illuminates the night in search of big cats, elusive mongoose, or the charismatic scrub hare.

Sungani Lodge and Kulandila Camp have been designed to be accessible to any level of photographer. Michael Davy, our talented resident photographer and head safari guide, has developed a hide network which showcases a variety of levels and landscapes. Imagine getting eye to eye with hippo or looking up into the mouth of an elephant! You can also experience being elevated on the riverbank and photographing the bright bursts of colour when the Carmine Bee Eaters come to nest.

Our vehicles have modified suspension, individual luxury seats, comfortable footrests and nifty spaces and holders for an array of equipment. Each vehicle is equipped with Manfrotto camera rests and the roof canopy is designed to be easily removed upon request.

You can elevate your safari by making use of our top end camera equipment.

We are proud to feature a full line of the latest Canon RF mirrorless camera bodies and lenses. We have everything from a close up 100m macro shot to a 1200mm bird in flight covered.

If you would like to opt for private guiding, this is something we can assist with (subject to availability). Private guided safaris allow you focus on the technical and creative aspects without interruptions. Your guide has the knowledge to get the vehicle into the right position and will be willing to work with you to get the photo whilst ensuring your safety.

Sungani Lodge features a photographic studio which is a dedicated space equipped with desks and a
casual seating area for guests to edit and process their images. We feature a 27” Apple studio desktop
which is loaded with the latest Adobe software

Hire of photographic equipment is available to both Sungani Lodge and Kulandila Camp guests, while the studio is available to Sungani Lodge guests exclusively.

Dine along the banks of the Luangwa river, taking it all in as our Sungani chefs prepare a meal to remember. Things just taste better in the bush!

At Sungani our picnics or brunches are reminiscent of family adventures and time spent around the table.

On request your guide can arrange an all-day game-drive. What better way to be totally immersed than to see a day through its full turn? With cooler chests packed full of the chef’s treats and pit stops whenever the mood dictates, this is a way to spend quality time exploring an area that is now truly beginning to witness a rebirth.

By the time you arrive back in camp your senses should be totally sated in every way and we would prescribe a long lazy soak in your private tub overlooking the beautiful Sungani lagoon.

Capture that once in a lifetime memory in our photographic hides adjacent to a watering hole or up close and personal with the carmine bee-eaters. Sit atop the viewing platform on the lagoon and wait to catch a glimpse of the elusive Roan antelope, watch the hippos frolic, or witness a crocodile capture his next meal.

At Sungani we are constantly adapting and improving our photographic experience to cater for all. Our head guide is a keen photographer himself, and always excited to assist, whether you are a beginner, or just need some help in capturing the perfect shot. Whether you’re after a specific species or are hoping to see it all, we aim to get you close with as little impact to the animals as possible. After all, we are privileged to share this wonderful space with them!

This is the home of the walking safari and we are excited to share it with you. Explore the banks of the meandering Luangwa river and the historical floodplains. There is no better way to be totally immersed in mother nature than to see her on foot. Your guide is silently in tune with every sign and sound walking you through a sensation filled safari. Experience being up close with wildlife as your senses come alive and you will begin to feel part of the ebb and flow of mother nature.

Our expert guiding team will take you on a journey through their eyes. As skilled naturalists they will translate the spoor, the signs and the vegetation giving an insight into the workings of this complex and dynamic ecosystem. The concentration of animals around the Luangwa River and its oxbow lagoons is among the most intense in Africa. The South Luangwa is one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world and remains evocative of safaris of old.