Ultimate Zambia Safari with private jet

Day notes

Departure arranged with own private Cessna Mustang Jet from Johannesburg Lanseria private airport for onward flight to to Mfuwe, Zambia (clear customs in to Zambia - Check for VISA requirements applicable)

ou will be met at Lusaka Airport and escorted onto your domestic flight to Mfuwe, a flight of just over 1 hour. Your safari guide will meet you at Mfuwe Airport and drive you the lodge to settle in and recover from your journey. In the afternoon you’ll have a game drive and after sundowners you’ll search for nocturnal species such as genet, civet, porcupine and honey-badger, rarely seen in daylight hours. Return to camp at around 7:30pm in time for dinner.

Day notes

Second day will begin with an early morning game drive, giving great opportunities to see the wildlife during the morning light.

Return to camp in time for a sumptuous buffet brunch before having a few hours of 'siesta' time to watch the goings on from your room, take a dip in the pool or have a proper sleep!

In the afternoons enjoy a delicious cake and tea/coffee before heading out on your afternoon activity, where you'll get to see magnificent sunsets, nocturnal animals on the prowl and enjoy a cool drink at a picturesque spot in the Park.

Time Activity

5.30 amWake up call

5.45 amContinental breakfast (tea/coffee/toast/cereals/fruit/hot option around the camp fire)

6.15 amMorning drive or walk

Including morning tea/coffee/cake which is very welcome half way through the morning

10.00-10.30amReturn to camp

Timings really do depend on the temperature and what you see - there is no set time

11.00 amBrunch – usually buffet style, with lots of salads.

After brunchRelax, read, siesta, watch the animal activity at the local water hole from a ‘hide’

3.30 pmAfternoon tea and cake

Then leave for the afternoon game viewing activity (walk or drive)

After sunsetWe have a tradition of stopping for sundowners (a drink while watching the sunset)

Evening drives continue with a spotlight to explore the nocturnal life in most of the camps

7.30 pmReturn to camp for a drink, or refresh before dinner

8.00-8.30 pmDinner is served

Days are often concluded with a nightcap around the fire before your well earned sleep

Day notes

Time Activity

5.30 amWake up call

5.45 amContinental breakfast (tea/coffee/toast/cereals/fruit/hot option around the camp fire)

6.15 amMorning drive or walk

Including morning tea/coffee/cake which is very welcome half way through the morning

10.00-10.30amReturn to camp

Timings really do depend on the temperature and what you see - there is no set time

11.00 amBrunch – usually buffet style, with lots of salads.

After brunchRelax, read, siesta, watch the animal activity at the local water hole from a ‘hide’

3.30 pmAfternoon tea and cake

Then leave for the afternoon game viewing activity (walk or drive)

After sunsetWe have a tradition of stopping for sundowners (a drink while watching the sunset)

Evening drives continue with a spotlight to explore the nocturnal life in most of the camps

7.30 pmReturn to camp for a drink, or refresh before dinner

8.00-8.30 pmDinner is served

Days are often concluded with a nightcap around the fire before your well earned sleep

Day notes

Final safari and breakfast at the lodge.

Private transfer back to Mfuwe Airstrip and continue with private Mustang jet to Royal Airstrip. On arrival met with private 4x4 vehicle for transfer to Chongwe River House, idyllically set on the confluence of the Chongwe and Zambezi Rivers.

Chongwe River House sleeps eight in four spacious ensuite bedrooms, making an ideal safari base for a family or a group of friends wanting a private safari.

It stands on the banks of the magical Chongwe River, close to the Zambezi, and with a sensational view of the dramatic mountainous escarpment beyond.

Many animals come to the Chongwe River to drink and from the deck the game viewing can be as good as any safari activity. The property comes fully staffed

Activities are varied with the choice between fishing, walking, day and night drives or for the more adventurous a canoe trip along one of the many channels off the Zambezi frequented by hippo and elephant.

Day notes

Enjoying safari activities with private vehicles, guides, canoes, a boat and an armed scout for walking safaris are all at your disposal. All activities can be tailored to your individual requirements.

The location of the house is superb. The Chongwe River, a quiet tributary of the Zambezi, borders the Lower Zambezi National Park offering 4000 square kilometres of pristine wilderness that teems with game.

Being on the Zambezi River is a memorable experience... whether canoeing, bird watching along the islands by boat, or taking a fishing trip to do battle with the famous tiger fish.

Time Activity

3.30 pmAfternoon tea and cake

Then leave for the afternoon game viewing activity (walk or drive)

After sunset stopping for sundowners (a drink while watching the sunset)

Evening drives continue with a spotlight to explore the nocturnal life in most of the the house.

7.30 pmReturn to camp for a drink, or refresh before dinner

8.00-8.30 pmDinner is served

Days are often concluded with a nightcap around the fire before your well earned sleep

Day notes

Enjoying another day of activities

Game Drives

Driving safaris are all conducted in open 4X4 vehicles (Land Cruiser or Land Rover) with either two or three 'rows' of seats. We generally have 4, with no more than 6, people on a vehicle ensuring everyone has a 'window' seat.

Night drives are generally an extension of your afternoon game drive, canoe or walking safari. As the sun begins to set we stop to watch the day come to a close and as dusk falls set off to explore as the nocturnal animals start to emerge.

The best chance of seeing genets, civets, elephant shrew, porcupine and the fierce honey-badger is after sunset and the large predators, with the exception of wild dog, are most active at night. Night time birding can be very rewarding with nightjars, owls great and small, dikkop, bat hawk and coursers are all abundant.

The Africa night sky is simply magnificent and it’s worth coming all this way just to experience its vastness and splendour. The Milky Way seems 100 times brighter in the Luangwa Valley where there is no light pollution. We’re watched over by the Southern Cross, Orion and Scorpio amongst an infinite number of others and memories of sitting in awed silence listening to the distant call of lions, cicadas and a million tree frogs under the crescent of an African moon will live with you forever.

Walking Safaris

There is little to compare to the thrill of a walking safari, and we are fortunate to have some of the best terrain for exploring on foot in the Lower Zambezi valley right on our doorstep. Walking is the only way you really become intimate with Africa, learning about the small, seemingly irrelevant plants and animals which are often overlooked on a game drive.

We walk accompanied by an armed scout, and your safari guide will show you an amazing secret world of tiny wonders as he leads you slowly through the bush along ancient animal pathways, examining plants, trees and insects along the way.

Canoeing

One of the most leisurely ways to experience the sights and sounds of the Lower Zambezi valley is on a canoe safari. Our canoes seat two guests and a guide in comfort, with ample room for cameras and binoculars.

Canoeing offers you a completely different perspective as you glide gently along either the Zambezi and its beautiful channels or the Chongwe River, allowing you to fully appreciate the magical beauty of this incredible area and the creatures and plants that inhabit it.

It truly is a special experience for the nature lover using only the safest of routes where previous canoeing experience is not necessary, and lifejackets are provided. All you need to do is sit back, relax and watch Africa slip by!

Fishing

Chongwe is tiger country! The Lower Zambezi is home to the tiger fish, nicknamed the “water dog,” whose sharp teeth are matched only by its fighting spirit and reputation as one of the world’s top game fish.

At Chongwe River Camp they offer the chance to head out onto the river in search of this formidable combatant, operating a strict catch-and-release policy in order to preserve stocks of this incredible fish. You can fish with both fly and popper.

Alternatively, you can try your hand at bream fishing on the Chongwe river itself, where a limited catch can be brought back to camp and served up with a delicious lemon butter sauce!

Fishing can be combined with game activities and all equipment is provided, with both conventional tackle and entry level fly rods available. We recommend serious fly fisherman should bring their own tackle. Please contact us for specifications and recommendations.

Cultural Villge Visit

The Chiawa Cultural Village was born of a partnership between conservation organizations (with Africa Wildlife Foundation as a key strategic partner), Lower Zambezi Lodges and the Goba people of Chiawa, championing a cultural tourism enterprise prototype that empowers local people to benefit directly from the tourism trade generated by the profusion of wildlife in the region. It is owned by the Chiawa community through the Tsika Development Company.

At the Chiawa Cultural Village, visitors will embark on a guided tour where they will learn about the lives of the Goba people, their traditions, trades, tools, edifices and arts including dance, song and handiwork of local craftspeople.

Boat Cruises

The Zambezi River offers a variety of additional activities that few, if any, other destinations can offer. One such activity is a river safari which offers both morning and afternoon opportunities to view game from the comfort of a luxury boat.

Sit back and relax as your guide leisurely navigates the islands and main channels of the mighty Zambezi. Cruise the river looking at game, birds and enjoy some of the most spectacular sunsets you are ever likely to see. All without the bumps and dust of game drives.

Morning coffee or evening sundowners can be enjoyed from either the boat or from your own island in the middle of the Zambezi River!

Day notes

Final safari and breakfast.

Transfer in private 4x4 back to Royal Airstrip.

Continue to Livingstone Airport in private Mustang jet to clear custom and immigration out of Zambia.

Continue to Johannesburg Lanseria Airport.

END OF SERVICES.