Day 1:
On arrival in Lusaka Airport, you will be met and assisted to your fixed-wing, small aircraft flight through to Royal Airstrip. The flight is roughly 35 minutes. Your guide will meet you on the airstrip and transfer you Time + Tide Chongwe Suites in a game viewing vehicle. On arrival at Time + Tide Chongwe, you will be met with a welcome drink where you can take in the sounds and sights of the Lower Zambezi overlooking the Chongwe River.
Flanked by the escarpment on one side and the mighty Zambezi River on the other, Lower Zambezi National Park is an extraordinary wilderness. Lush channels branch from larger rivers and weave through ancient forests, creating a haven for wildlife and birdlife. Wide open pans and tranquil riverbanks create a backdrop for dramatic wildlife action. The region is especially wonderful for large, relaced hers of elephants, diverse birdlife, predator encounters, especially endangered wild dogs and large pods of hippos.
Take some time to settle into your room before departing on your afternoon activity of a canoe experience in the Lower Zambezi.
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. This 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!
As the sun sets, enjoy a sundowner drink in the middle of the Zambian bush. Enjoy a night game drive in search of nocturnal wildlife as you return to camp. Gather for dinner under the stars and a nightcap by the campfire.
Wake-up call just before sunrise and enjoy hot tea or coffee with a continental breakfast at the campfire. Depart for your morning activity of a game walk.
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 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. The pace is leisurely, and the terrain easily manageable and all you need is a stout pair of walking shoes, comfortable clothing, a hat, camera and lots of sun block.
Arrive back in camp after your game walk. Enjoy lunch overlooking the river before heading back to your room where you can have a siesta, read a book, watch the game from your pool or just relax.
Afternoon tea is served before heading out on your afternoon activity of a game drive. Our game drives are designed to completely immerse you in the amazing natural wonders of wild Africa. Our luxury open safari vehicles seat a maximum of six guests, with lots of leg room and ample space for camera equipment. Game drives are conducted day and night in the park. Lion, leopard, buffalo, hippo, and elephant are frequently seen. In between big game sightings, one can expect to see plenty other game such as impala, warthog, waterbuck, kudu, bushbuck, hyena and baboon. The area also has rarer species which guests may be lucky enough to see, like honey badger, porcupine, aardvark and pangolin.
As the sun sets, enjoy a sundowner drink in the middle of the Zambian bush. Enjoy a night game drive in search of nocturnal wildlife as you return to camp. Gather for dinner under the stars and a nightcap by the campfire.
Wake up call just before sunrise and enjoy hot tea or coffee with a continental breakfast at the campfire. Depart for your morning activity of fishing.
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. This is not reserved for the experienced angler only.
Our expert fishing guides will patiently help first timers whose excitement of catching their first fish is always a pleasure, offering our guests the chance to head out onto the river in search of this formidable combatant. We also cater for the serious angler with our local knowledge and a lifetime of angling experience. There is a strict catch and release policy on Tiger fish and Vundu in order to preserve stocks of these incredible fish. Fishing can be combined with game activities and all equipment is provided, with both reel and fly rods available.
Arrive back in camp after fishing. Enjoy lunch overlooking the river before heading back to your room where you can have a siesta, read a book, watch the game from your pool or just relax.
Afternoon tea is served before heading out on your afternoon activity. Take a leisurely cruise up the Zambezi where you can see wildlife come down to drink, spot hippo and crocodiles cruising along. Maybe even see an entire herd of elephant crossing the river with just their trunks sticking above the water! The Zambezi River offers a variety of additional activities that few if any other destination can offer. You can opt for a river safari, viewing game from a boat as you leisurely navigate the islands and main channels of the mighty Zambezi. Simply cruising around the river amongst the islands looking at game, birds and sunsets from the river are spectacular but without the bumps and dust of game drives.
As the sun sets, enjoy a sundowner drink in the middle of the Zambian bush. Enjoy a night game drive in search of nocturnal wildlife as you return to camp. Gather for dinner under the stars and a nightcap by the campfire.
Depending on how early your flight out is, either go out on an early morning game drive or sleep in and then leisurely pack and get ready to depart. Enjoy hot tea or coffee with a continental breakfast at the campfire.
A guide will drive you back to Royal Airstrip to depart on your flight back to Lusaka Airport. On arrival in Lusaka, you will be met and assisted to your next flight to Mfuwe Airport.
You will be met on arrival by one of our team at Mfuwe Airport and will drive through the local villages before arriving at the National Park. This transfer takes approximately 45 minutes and is done in an open sided game vehicle. The rest of the drive takes place within the National Park where you can keep a look out for wildlife before arriving at Time + Tide Mchenja Lodge.
The lodge team will greet you warmly with a welcome drink before showing you around the lodge. Every room is designed to reconnect guests with the natural world by providing an immersive, authentic experience. Panoramic views, open air design, natural light and organic materials bring the beauty of the South Luangwa to every moment of your stay. You will have time to settle into your room and relax before your afternoon game drive.
Wake-up call just before sunrise and enjoy hot tea or coffee with a delicious breakfast. Depart for your morning activity of a game walk.
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 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. The pace is leisurely, and the terrain easily manageable and all you need is a stout pair of walking shoes, comfortable clothing, a hat, camera and lots of sun block.
Arrive back in camp after your game walk. Enjoy lunch before heading back to your room where you can have a siesta, read a book, or venture to the pool for a refreshing dip.
Head out from camp on your game vehicle reading to experience the African bush. Operating in some of the most remote and wild parts of Africa, our Time + Tide properties offer guests the prefect base to explore these beautiful regions. Being largely untouched, these regions are abundant with game sightings and offer some incredible photographic opportunities. Any avid photographer will tell you that the perfect shot takes time, and at Time + Tide where time flows slowly, there is no rush and the guide will help position the vehicle in order to get that perfect photo, capturing the memory that will last a lifetime. Guests will need to bring their own photographic equipment with them.
As the sun sets, enjoy a sundowner drink in the middle of the Zambian bush. Enjoy a night game drive in search of nocturnal wildlife as you return to camp. Gather for dinner under the stars and a nightcap by the campfire.
Wake-up call just before sunrise and enjoy hot tea or coffee with a delicious breakfast. Depart for your morning activity of a game drive.
This time your game drive will take you all the way to Time + Tide Chinzombo where the lodge staff will welcome you to your new home for the next couple of nights. Enjoy a refreshing welcome drink before heading to lunch overlooking the river.
Named after a type of tree which grows near camp, Time + Tide Chinzombo’s natural building materials and vintage accents blend modern style with the best of a traditional bush safari camp. Its six spacious guest villas (including a two-bedroom, two-bathroom family villa) rest beneath ancient msikzi trees. Each has a private pool and soaking tub with panoramic views over the river and its abundant wildlife. Relax on your verandah overlooking a sweeping curve of the Luangwa River. The villas’ award-winning design features canvas, timber and reed, accented with leather and raw linen. Each stretches out onto a shaded verandah where you can while away the afternoon or unwind with an in-villa spa treatment.
Take some time to settle into your room, take a dip in your pool and relax before heading out on game drive that afternoon.
This is one of the most game-rich areas of South Luangwa National Park. Take a boat across the river with our award-winning guides for a game drive, safari walk or boat cruise (seasonal) to catch sight of lions, leopards and other world-class predator action.
Return to the lodge after your afternoon activity. Sip a drink at the bar while browsing through old books and photos, or around the fire pit suspended high atop the river bank. Enjoy dinner under the stars, made with produce we grow ourselves.
Wake-up call just before sunrise. Enjoy breakfast overlooking the river before heading out on this morning’s safari. Alternatively relax at the lodge with an in-villa spa treatment or perhaps go on a cultural tour with the Time + Tide Foundation.
All stays at Time + Tide properties contribute to our community and conservation work done though the Time + Tide Foundation, and guest conservation levies and 100% of external donation fund the project work. There is opportunity to visit some of these projects while staying at Time + Tide. These excursions allow guests to see first-hand how our focus on Female empowerment, Student sponsorships and care projects for Differently Abled Children, amongst others, are enacted in rural Zambia.
Return to the lodge for lunch on the deck overlooking the river. Amid the wild bush setting, our award winning culinary team create an extraordinary dining experience that blends expert culinary skills, impeccable service and artful plating. Our dishes draw from the rich cultural and natural heritage of Zambia by featuring our vibrant flavours, produce and traditions. By bringing together the best of Zambia with inspiration from around the world, we create a dining experience that appeals to our international clientele, while retaining its wonderful Zambian authenticity.
There is time to relax in your room before your afternoon game drive.
Sip a classic gin and tonic while the sun sets on your last evening in the South Luangwa. Look out for different nocturnal species or maybe even a leopard on the prowl on the way back to the lodge.
Depending on how early your flight out is, either go out on an early morning game drive or sleep in and then leisurely pack and get ready to depart. Enjoy a delicious breakfast before our lodge team bids you a fond farewell.
Our team will transfer you to Mfuwe Airport for your departure flight to Lusaka. On arrival in Lusaka, you will be met and assisted to your departing flight.
