Baines' River Camp | Lower Zambezi
24 Jun 2025 - 27 Jun 2025
Set under Jackalberry and Tamarind trees on the banks of the Zambezi River, you will find Baines', River Lodge. Combining the tradition of an era gone past with modern world luxury, Baines' is the ultimate escape for the refined traveler.
Located outside the national park has a few advantages and disadvantages - while you are not in the park, plenty of wildlife is around as it is in a conservancy. Core game viewing is however a 45 minute drive away however you are right on the Zambezi River so it has equal access to that with freedom to offer additional activities. The price for a camp of this quality is much better than those inside the park - and yo uhave access to experiences like village visits etc.
Baines River Camp can accommodate 20 people in 8 Explorer Suites and a Family Suite. Each luxurious, freestanding suite offers an atmosphere of elegance and privacy, boasting spectacular views over the Zambezi River. The suites are equipped with air-conditioning, Ceiling fans, minibars, personal safes, king-size beds, and spacious bathrooms.
The Camp location in the Lower Zambezi means guests are never far from exceptional wildlife and river experiences. Activities include game drives and walks in the Lower Zambezi National Park. Alternatively, explore the Zambezi River by motorboat and canoe or have a chance at catching a tigerfish.
Conservation Safari Company recommends Baines for it's quality accommodation, homely style and excellent value. Guides are top notch too!
Rates are fully inclusive of meals, drinks and safari activities along with transfers to local airstrips and laundry.
- Information
- Suites
- Facilities
- Activities and Services
Your Stay
3 Nights
Full Board Plus - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch and Activities
Your Rooms
1x Luxury suite
Fast Facts
4 Stars
Other
Spoken Languages: English
No. Rooms: 9
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Fishing, Leisure, Nature, Relaxation, Wildlife
Our beautifully appointed Family Cottage offers a spacious and tranquil retreat, thoughtfully designed to combine understated luxury with comfort and privacy. It provides an inviting setting for families to relax, reconnect and enjoy an unforgettable safari experience.
Bedrooms & Living Space
The Family Cottage features two generously proportioned bedrooms, each furnished with a king-size bed (convertible to twin beds upon request). The main bedroom boasts the added convenience of an en-suite bathroom, while the welcoming living area offers ample space and comfort for the whole family to unwind and spend quality time together.
Bathrooms & Dressing Areas
The well-appointed bathrooms are designed with comfort and convenience in mind, featuring basins, generous walk-in showers and separate toilet facilities.
Private River-Facing Veranda
Step onto your private veranda and enjoy the tranquil river views and surrounding wilderness. Furnished with comfortable outdoor seating, including a sofa, occasional chair and coffee table, it offers the perfect setting to relax, enjoy the scenery and embrace the peaceful rhythm of camp life.
In-Cottage Amenities
For your comfort and convenience, the Family Cottage is equipped with:
Air-conditioning and ceiling fans
Tea and coffee-making facilities
Hairdryer and personal safe
Luxury bathroom amenities
Personal insect repellent
Torch
Emergency whistle to alert the camp watchman should assistance be required
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Bath Towels, Bed Linen, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Electrical Outlets, Fan, Fridge, Fridge/Freezer, Internet Access (Complimentary), Safe, Verandah, Wardrobe
Our beautifully appointed Suites offer a spacious and tranquil retreat, combining understated luxury with the comfort of thoughtful design and stunning river views.
Bedroom & Living Space
Each Suite features a spacious bedroom with a king-size bed (convertible to twin beds upon request), a writing desk and a comfortable leather occasional chair with matching footstool.
Bathroom & Dressing Area
The well-appointed bathroom includes one or more basins, a generous walk-in shower and a separate toilet.
Private River-Facing Veranda
Enjoy the peaceful surroundings from your private veranda, overlooking the river and furnished with a sofa, occasional chair and coffee table – the perfect spot to relax and take in the views.
A Special Touch
Two of our Suites feature the added luxury of a private outdoor shower. These are generally allocated to honeymooners and guests celebrating a special occasion, subject to availability.
In-Suite Amenities
For your comfort and convenience, each Suite is equipped with:
Air-conditioning and ceiling fan
Tea and coffee-making facilities
Hairdryer and personal safe
Luxury bathroom amenities
Personal insect repellent
Torch
Emergency whistle to alert the camp watchman should assistance be required
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Bath Towels, Bed Linen, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, En Suite Bathroom, Ensuite, Fan, Fridge, Fridge/Freezer, Hairdryer, Hand Towels, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mini Bar, Outside Shower, Safe, Shower, Table, Tea / Coffee, Vanity Cabinet, Verandah, Wardrobe
Property Facilities
Accept Credit Cards, Air conditioner, Bar, Battery Charging Facilities, Communal Dining, Conference Centre, Credit Card Facilities, Guided Tours, Internet Access (Complimentary), Internet Access, Laundry Service, Pool, Power Generator , Restaurant, Secure Parking, Vegetarian
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Bath Towels, Bed Linen, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Dressing Gowns, Electrical Outlets, En Suite Bathroom, Ensuite, External Shower, Fan, Fridge, Fridge/Freezer, Hairdryer, Hand Towels, Internet Access (Complimentary), Laundry Service (Complimentary), Mini Bar, Pure Cotton Linen, Queen Bed, Safe, Shower, Tea / Coffee, Twin Bed, Verandah, Wardrobe
Available Services
24-hour Security, Airport Shuttle (Complimentary), Credit Card Facilities, Laundry Service (Complimentary)
Activities on Site
Bird Watching, Canoeing, Catch-and-release Fishing, Fishing, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Game Walks, Night Drives, Safaris, Walks (Guided)
Activities Nearby
Bird Watching, Canoeing, Catch-and-release Fishing, Cultural Tours, Fly Fishing, Game Drives, Game Viewing, Game Walks, Night Drives, River Cruises, Safaris, Walks (Guided)
Experience the thrill of exploring the African wilderness on a guided game drive in one of our open-sided safari vehicles. This offers exceptional opportunities to encounter and photograph the region’s remarkable wildlife, from majestic predators to vast herds of buffalo and other iconic species.
Safari activities are shared with other guests unless a private vehicle and dedicated guide have been booked in advance. For those seeking a more exclusive and personalised experience, private guiding can be arranged, subject to availability.
Best Time to Visit: June to November
Enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Zambezi River, offering a wonderful opportunity for relaxed wildlife viewing, photography and birdwatching. As you drift along the river and explore its many islands, you may encounter baboons, hippos, elephants, crocodiles, waterbuck and, occasionally, buffalo grazing along the riverbanks.
River cruises are shared with other guests unless private guiding has been booked in advance. Please note that this activity is subject to availability.
The Zambezi River is a renowned destination for anglers, particularly those hoping to experience the thrill of catching the formidable Tiger Fish, one of Africa’s most sought-after freshwater game fish. Guests can enjoy both fly fishing and conventional fishing, catering to a variety of angling preferences.
To support the conservation of the river’s remarkable fish populations, a strict catch-and-release policy applies to all fishing activities.
Experience the African wilderness from a completely different perspective on a guided canoe safari along the Zambezi River. Gently drifting along the waterways offers a unique opportunity to appreciate the surrounding scenery, observe wildlife and enjoy the tranquility of the river.
Canoe safaris are shared with other guests unless private guiding has been booked in advance. Please note that this activity is subject to availability.
For those seeking a more immersive bush experience, walking safaris offer a unique opportunity to explore the African wilderness on foot. Not for the faint-hearted, these excursions are best enjoyed during the cooler winter months, with the focus on discovering the finer details of the bush, including animal tracks, vegetation, birdlife and butterflies.
Walking safaris are shared with other guests unless private guiding has been booked in advance. Please note that this activity is subject to availability.
Flatdogs Camp | South Luangwa National Park
27 Jun 2025 - 30 Jun 2025
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Flatdogs camp is a charming, owner run lodge on the banks of the Luangwa River, the ideal launchpad into the South Luangwa National Park - one of the great wildlife parks in Africa. The park is nine thousand square kilometers (3,475 square miles) of pristine wilderness in Zambia’s Eastern Province and offers a safari experience unmatched by many other destination, allowing year round access, open game viewing vehicles, walking safaris and night game drives.
Their safari guides are of the highest standard, having passed the challenging South Luangwa Guide Exam, and they are ready to show you the incredible diversity of Zambian mammals, both large and small, as well as our trees, birds, insects, tracks, spoor and even fish if you ask them to!
Accommodation options include cool and spacious Chalet Rooms, the unique Jackalberry Tree House, en suite Safari Tents with stunning views and the Crocodile Nest.
There are no set meals or meal times in camp – guests can order what they’d like to eat, when they’d like to eat it, and sit either inside under the thatch, or at tables in the courtyard or in the garden area overlooking the river.
Flatdogs is heavily involved with the local life of Mfuwe village; they buy vegetables, use the shops, organise supply runs and it’s where all their staff live.So in between drives, the pool and reading your book, take a trip into the village to get a taste of local life and to see some of the community projects that we are working on.
Conservation Safari Company recommends Flatdogs for its value, authentic experience and high standard of hospitality - along with its easy access to the Luangwa's great viewing areas.
Rates include accommodation, all meals, two game-viewing activities per day, Park entry fees, LCCF, laundry service and Mfuwe airport transfers.
- Information
- Rooms
- Units
- Facilities
- Activities and Services
- Restaurants
- The good we do
Your Stay
3 Nights
Full Board Plus - Dinner, Bed, Breakfast, Lunch and Activities
Your Rooms
Fast Facts
4 Stars
Lodge
Spoken Languages: English, French, Italian, Spanish
No. Rooms: 20
Special Interests: Adventure, Birding, Flora, Gourmet, History & Culture, Indigenous Culture / Art, Nature, Relaxation, Star Gazing, Wildlife
There are four main chalet buildings, each of which has two separate guest bedrooms; the downstairs room is a double room with ensuite and a verandah, the upstairs room can be a king, twin or triple room with bathroom and verandah downstairs from the bedroom but entirely private. In between the 2 bedrooms is the small "kitchenette" where there is a fridge, kettle and tea/coffee making things. This works as an inter-connecting door for families so that kids can walk through to their parents room without having to go outside.
Furthest from the main area, is the larger family chalet which has three bedrooms in total but just two ensuite bedrooms, both of which are on the ground floor. There is also a kitchen area between the two bedrooms. There is a spiral staircase from the kitchen leading up to the "loft room" and upstairs viewing deck. The viewing deck looks towards the Luangwa river, the perfect place to relax and watch the sun set... The loft room has two more single beds but has no ensuite bathroom, guests sleeping here need to use a bathroom in one of the other bedrooms.
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Room Facilities
Cooking Equipment, Electrical Outlets, Fan, Fridge, Fridge/Freezer, Kitchenette, Microwave, Mosquito Nets, Mosquito Netting, Portable BBQ, Pure Cotton Linen, Safe, Smoke Alarm, Table, Tea / Coffee, Verandah, Wardrobe
There are seven Luxury ensuite safari tents, six of which are pitched permanently on the banks of the Luangwa. These tents have a thatched roof for extra shade, ensuite facilities (hot shower, flush toilet and basin) with a canvas half roof over the bathroom, full-sized king or single beds, large mosquito nets. The tents have electric lights, a fan and universal charging points. There is also a room safe and tea & coffee making facilities. Six of the luxury tents including the family tent look straight out onto the river, one tent (tent 11, the honeymoon tent) has plenty of privacy and looks out onto a pretty lagoon, which attracts plenty of birdlife as well as elephant for their daily mud baths and giraffe and bushbuck when they are thirsty.
The Family Tent (a luxury tent) is a little different to the others, this is a specially designed tent which has space for a king bed and two single beds, with a large bathroom at the back of the tent, shared between the family. The family tent is on the river bank, with lovely views of the river.
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There are three “Classic” en-suite safari tents available which are Meru style tents, three windows long with ensuite bathrooms with semi-open shower, toilet and basin. The Classic tents are smaller than the Luxury tents and are even better value. They work well for single travellers or guests who are on a tighter budget. Two of the three classic tents are on the river bank, the other looks directly onto the same water hole as tent 11 (the honeymoon tent) and has more privacy. The classic tents have full beds (one king or two singles), large mosquito nets, Universal charging points and stand up electric fans. The standard tents do not have tea and coffee making facilities or safes and have smaller verandahs than the luxury tents.
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CROCODILE (CROC'S) NEST – 1 private tented house with 3 ensuite bedrooms The main tent has been split into two en-suite tented bedrooms , plus a third bedroom off the main deck towards the river with one king bed inside. All 3 rooms have Evening Breeze solar cooling systems over the beds. The bedrooms in the main tent have semi-open air bathrooms with hot showers, flush toilets and basin. The third bedroom has a fully enclosed bathroom. There is a generous living room/dining area in the Main tent with sofas and a dining table for guests to eat privately at the house. The living room and bedrooms open onto an outside deck and sitting area, with views onto the Luangwa River. There is a private swimming pool built into the deck too, just for Croc's Nest guests, which also looks onto the river. The house has 24/7 power & universal sockets as well as Wifi and a fridge for cold drinks and a mini bar. Guests staying in the Croc's Nest also have a private guide and their own safari vehicle so they can plan their activities depending on their particular interests.
Room Facilities
Air Conditioning, Balcony / Deck, Complimentary Wi-Fi, Drinking Water Filtration System, Electrical Outlets, Family Safari Tent, Fan, Fridge/Freezer, Lounge, Mini Bar, Mosquito Nets, Mosquito Netting, Private Lounge / Sitting Area, Private Pool / Jacuzzi, Pure Cotton Linen, Safe, Sahara Style Tent, Smoke Alarm, Verandah
Set in a private spot away from the rest of camp, the Jackalberry Tree House is a special treat indeed. The “house” is made up by three joined platforms built around three mature Mchenja trees (African Ebony or Jackalberry tree). There are two en-suite bedrooms with an open sitting/dining deck in-between them. The Treehouse is entirely open at the front.
The bedroom platforms have romantic and rustic four poster beds (one queen and one king which can be split into two twin beds), open front walls and uninterrupted views of Africa. Each bedroom has an open air bathroom platform down a short flight of steps with hot shower, flush toilets and basin. A large sofa, armchairs and throw cushions are spread out on the middle deck for relaxing during the heat of the day and watching the game which wanders past the house, oblivious to your presence. There is also a dining table should guests prefer to dine at the house. A fridge and bar are provided in the treehouse as well as tea and coffee-making facilities. A hand-held radio is provided, so that guests can call for a vehicle to bring them to the pool, restaurant or bar, or in case there is a problem of any kind. Their safari guide will otherwise plan with them when they would like collecting from the house and their preferred activities.
The tree-house is on mains electricity, ideal for re-charging cameras or laptops. Giraffe, bushbuck, puku and elephant are commonly found all around the Treehouse and it is wonderful to wake to the sounds of elephant feeding below you or having a mud bath from the waterhole in front of the house.
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Property Facilities
Bar, Battery Charging Facilities, Internet Access (Complimentary), Mobile Connectivity, Pool, Restaurant, Secure Parking, Vegetarian
Room Facilities
Balcony / Deck, Electrical Outlets, Fan, Fridge, Laundry Service (Available), Lounge Area, Mosquito Nets, Pure Cotton Linen, Safe, Shower, Tea / Coffee, Verandah
Available Services
24-hour Security, Airport Shuttle (Available), Credit Card Facilities, Laundry Service (Available), Meal on Request, Private Vehicle (Available)
Activities on Site
Bird Watching, Game Drives, Game Viewing Hide, Game Viewing, Game Walks, Natural History Tours, Night Drives, Safaris, Walks (Guided), Wildlife Tours
Activities Nearby
Child Friendly Activities, Cultural Tours
We leave camp at 0600 after a light early breakfast of toast, cereal, yoghurt, tea and coffee from 0530. We do our safaris in open game viewers so that guests have an all round view of the birds, trees, wildlife and beauty of the Park.
Midway through the drive there is a tea/cold drink stop so guests can stretch their legs before carrying on, looking for new sightings, or following alarm calls to a predator or a kill.
Morning game drives usually return to camp at around 1000 depending on the season.
We leave camp at 3.30pm for our afternoon safaris, after tea in the courtyard. The safaris head out again after the heat of the day, when animals and birds start to get active again after the midday stupor! Your safari guide will aim to stop at a scenic spot just before sundown, so you can enjoy an infamous African Sundowner! Once the sun has set, you will continue on with a spotlight, operated by your spotter, who looks for interesting nocturnal creatures that you are unlikely to see during daylight hours. There is a chance to see nocturnal birds like night-jars, owls and bathawks as well as nocturnal mammals such as honeybadgers, civet, genet, porcupine, leopard and hyaena.
Afternoon drives return to camp at around 7.30pm depending on what you are seeing but the National Park's gate closes at 8pm.
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The South Luangwa is renowned as the "home of walking safaris", this is where Norman Carr first offered the idea of visitors exploring the Park on foot rather than by vehicle, escaping the noise of the engine and experiencing the thrill and excitement of being at one with the wildlife and habitat at a slower pace. Our safari guides will explain the smaller details of the bush which you can see, hear and smell when on foot, from bird calls to alarm calls to trees and plants which have medicinal uses and tracks of the wild, so you can interpret what you are seeing and hearing with more clarity. Walking is usually enjoyed in the mornings when the temperatures are cooler, but can be enjoyed through the year for longer periods during cooler months. Each walk is usually 3-4 hours long at a gentle pace.
Unlike many "Traditional Village" projects, Chundu Village is really a living working African village where the local residents have agreed amongst themselves to invite visitors to show them their lives. They then use the money raised by visitors & donations to help the disadvantaged and for their co-operative farming programmes. During the visit, guests can see and help villagers preparing maize for meals, collecting water and visiting their nearby school if lessons are not in progress. The day trip including a local style lunch costs $40 per person. Transfers to the village cost US$75 per vehicle for day trips. Overnight stays at Chundu village are also possible, for a more in-depth experience, meeting the villagers and spending the night in a traditional local hut. Overnight stays cost $80 per person per night including all meals (entirely authentic local dishes – you eat what the villagers eat). Transfers for an overnight stay cost $75 per vehicle each way. If the village visit is chosen to be done instead of either a morning or an afternoon game drive, then there is no extra charge for the transfers for groups or four or more.
Flatdogs a la carte restaurant
Guests at Flatdogs camp are treated to an a la carte menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Jess & Ade love their food and source the best local ingredients to make delicious fresh & seasonal dishes with the 10 Flatdogs chefs. From free range eggs & organic chickens to dry aged beef and locally grown vegetables, they use the best of what's available in the Province for the daily specials board. There are full vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menus available as well. For guests booked on our safari package basis, all meals on an a la carte basis are included.
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- The good we do
- Certifications
Project Luangwa
Our Mission
Our aim is to further empower our local Community through the benefits of tourism, by improving education and gender equality in the Luangwa Valley. We also started the Eco-stove programme whereby households can use Project Luangwa knowledge and funding to build an Eco-stove which reduces deforestation, gives women more time, reduces the danger they face while collecting wood and reduces smoke inhalation risk and burn danger for their children.
Our Impact
194 students sponsored through school and university in 2024
4580 Hygiene pads were distributed to vulnerable girls.
16 local artisans supported with a living wage
1200 trees planted
2,964 Fuel Efficient Eco-stoves built for households in local communities
25 schools supported through programmes and infastructure
