Ultimate Trekker Safari

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.

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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.

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River Song has been thoughtfully designed to celebrate its spectacular setting along the banks of the Luangwa River. Tucked away from the main camp and surrounded by riverine woodland, the experience combines complete immersion in nature with the comfort and attention to detail for which Shenton Safaris is renowned.
The experience unfolds across two levels:
Lower Deck: A private riverside retreat featuring comfortable seating and uninterrupted views across the Luangwa River – the perfect place to relax over a wonderful private dinner as the colours of sunset reflect across the water.
Upper Deck: An elevated open-air bedroom where guests sleep beneath a canopy of stars, protected by a flowing mosquito net and accompanied by the sounds of the African night. Added luxuries include a private bathroom, vanity and a freestanding outdoor bathtub overlooking the river.
With uninterrupted views stretching across the riverfront, River Song offers a sensory-rich wilderness experience unlike any other.
For guest safety and peace of mind, an armed scout and guide remain nearby throughout the night, with radio contact available at all times.
The River Song Star Bed is offered exclusively to guests staying at Kaingo Camp.

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River Song Star Bed Credit: Shenton Safaris

River Song Star Bed bath Credit: Shenton Safaris

River Song Star Bed Credit: Shenton Safaris

River Song Star Bed bathroom Credit: Shenton Safaris

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

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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

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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

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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

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Mana Pools National Park is just over 200 square kilometres and life here is governed by the rhythm of its seasons. During a game drive, you will have a chance to see a variety of terrain and wildlife - an ever-changing feast for the eyes, and food for the soul! We also offer night game drives within our own private Vundu concession.

Vehicles are open-aired, which allow for comfortable photography and game viewing. Private vehicles can be arranged when making your booking.

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One of the best ways to see Mana Pools is not by a vehicle as you would assume, but by taking a walk on the wide side instead with a walking safari.

It’s the slow and natural pace of a walk that connects you to the ground; it’s the sounds of the bush as you pause and listen; it’s the ability to stop at a moment’s notice and look at a footprint and decide what animal left it there and where it was heading. It also enables a photographer the opportunity for some incredible close encounters with rare animals that haven’t been scared away by the sound of vehicles.

The Bushlife Safaris Team won Best Walking Safari in 2019 in Zimbabwe. In essence, there’s simply no better way to see the wilds of Africa like you can on foot with our team!

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Canoeing down the Zambezi River offers a wonderful rare opportunity to experience game viewing from a different perspective. A truly memorable chance to slow down, enjoy the wide-open spaces of Mana Pools and appreciate the beauty of the wildlife that lives there. Our guests often comment canoeing is one of their most favourite activities with us.

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Mana Pools is one of a kind. It has a distinctive landscape of floodplains, acacia forests, islands, pans and pools on the south banks of the Zambezi River. Mana means "four" in Shona - the local dialect in Zimbabwe - for the four permanent pools in the Lower Zambezi Valley.

Game viewing is, of course, one of the main reasons for visiting this paradise - often termed as Magical Mana for good reason. Hippos splashing and snort in the rivers, elephants stand on their hind legs to reach branches, zebra and large herds of buffalo drink at waterholes and predators are many - leopard, lion and of course Africa's most efficient hunters - the painted wolf. Mana Pools is home to the famous painted wolf packs of the BBC Earth Dynasties Painted Wolf series, on which Nick Murray was the lead guide. A truly extraordinary destination with plentiful game viewing every day!

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With almost 400 bird species recorded, Mana Pools is any birder's dream destination. The range of habitats includes woodland, riverine and savannah. There are many predatory birds, as well as an abundance of waterbirds that can be found along the shore of the Zambezi River.

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Fishing on the Zambezi River is fun! You can look forward to catching chessa, tilapia, catfish and nkupi. Of course, there is the legendary Tiger Fish too - it is an excellent sports fish that puts up a great fight and makes for memorable stories if you are lucky enough to land one. We have a catch and release policy.

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Bushlife Safaris - Fishing on Pontoon Credit: Bushlife Safaris

Bushlife Safaris - Fishing on the Zambezi River Credit: Bushlife Safaris

Bushlife Safaris - Sunset Fishing on the Zambezi River Credit: Bushlife Safaris

Bushlife Safaris - Tiger Time on the Zambezi River Credit: Bushlife Safaris