Classic Zambia Safari. 12 nights - Lower Zambezi and The Kafue 2023

Day notes

Take a domestic flight from Kenneth Kaunda International to Jeki Airstrip where you will be met by your guide from the Tusk & Mane team.  The drive to camp will take around 45 minutes, depending on sightings along the way.

Chula Island Camp is located in the remote, eastern part of the Lower Zambezi National Park, situated amongst Natal Mahagony trees overlooking a lagoon and floodplain off the Zambezi River.

Tents,  laid out either side of the main area, are made from reinforced mosquito net material to allow for a good airflow during the hot parts of the day as well as an incredible view.  There are drop down canvas walls if it is cold or for privacy. The en-suite bathroom is accessible without leaving the tent and consists of a flushing toilet and bucket shower.

Relax in the central dining area, lounge and bar which offers stunning views over the flood plain and lagoon and further to the river.

Activities from the camp include: guided walks; morning and afternoon drives; time on the river - canoeing, taking a boat cruise or fishing; and a lagoon hide

Day notes

A 1-1.5 hour game drive today to move to Kutali Camp, located on Kulefu Island, separated from the mainland by the Kulefu channels.  The camp is situated in a Winter Thorn Albidia forest directly on the banks of the Zambezi River

Tents have the same facilities as those at the Chula Fly Camp and here, the central dining area, lounge and bar offers stunning views over the Zambezi River and behind into the magical Winter Thorn forest.

Activities from the camp include: Guided walks; morning, afternoon and night game drives; time on the river - canoeing, taking a boat cruise or fishing.

Day notes

Today after breakfast you set off  on a game drive back to the Jeki airstrip to meet with

The flight typically takes around 2 hours.  The flight is a great way to get a feel for the vast wilderness you are entering.

On landing in the heart of the Busanga Plains, we will be met by your expert Classic Zambia safaris. After a warm welcome, you will climb aboard your custom-built Safari vehicle for the approximately 30 game drive to camp. 

Ntemwa provides us with the option to extensively explore the Busanga Plains and also the woodland and rivers on her edges.

Arriving at Ntemwa-Busanga Camp, we will again be welcomed to camp this time by the safari team at Ntemwa. A refreshing drink and a chance to settle into your very comfortable ensuite safari tent, freshen up and relax.

Close to camp are several streams and pools which attract a myriad of birds and wildlife and make an idyllic spot from where to watch the sun sink over the plains.

Sundowners before Dinner may be enjoyed in camp, overlooking the plains, or at one of the nearby pools, whichever, you can expect to be under a bright canopy of stars. Nightcaps around the campfire are a chance to discuss the next days' plans, before retiring to bed, serenaded by the sounds of the bush wafting across the plains.

Ntemwa - Busanga is well placed to venture onto the Busanga Plains.

This vast ecosystem of grasslands and marsh, dotted with islands of Palms and fig trees is home to vast numbers of plains game including many new and familiar species for you to see.
Amongst some of the more notable possible sights are a resident heard of Roan antelope which are very approachable and photogenic. There are thousands of Red Lechwe on the Plains and if conditions and time allow a journey to the Papyrus marsh is often a chance to see them running and leaping in the wet areas.

Typically game drives leave camp at dawn after a light breakfast, stopping for refreshments out in the bush, usually returning to camp at the hottest part of the day for Lunch. We can venture out again in the late afternoon, (with a carefully packed box of sundowners and snacks) until darkness begins to reveal the nocturnal species, which you will continue to search for with the aid of a spotlight.

Flexibility is foremost and so days will keep you as busy as you wish. Walking safaris are a fantastic way to get in touch with the bush and learn more about the smaller inhabitants as well as the larger animals. Ntemwa is home to some of the Kafue's biggest predator populations, Game drives allow us to cover bigger distances.

Days begin early and Game drives on the open plains are the best way to approach wildlife. 


Amongst some of the more notable sights at this time of year, are herds of Roan antelope which are very approachable and photogenic. There are literally thousands of Red Lechwe on the greener lush grass. A journey to the Papyrus Marsh is sometimes a chance to see them running and leaping in the wet areas, and here there are some great birding opportunities.

Pools crammed with Hippo and the chance to see breeding herds of Elephants crossing the plains to drink and bathe in the early morning or later in the afternoon are magical moments to capture. The Lions of the Busanga and Ntemwa are legendary and your guides will aim to make them feature in your safari.

With such a mix of habitats and wildlife species, anything is possible.

Day notes

A game drive takes you south following the course of the Lufpa River to its junction with the Kafue River, where you board a boat and cross to the Musekese  Concession.

Musekese Camp has a small and authentic feel.  Chalets have an organic shape and blend seamlessly into the bush on Muskese island in the Eden lagoon where you will always have wildlife in view. The chalets are constructed with a combination of local materials and traditional canvas and to reduce overuse of natural resources, hot water in the chalets is gas-fired so you can have a hot shower whenever you wish.

Musekese Camp centres around a tented 'boma' with a bar and a library, as well as a welcome cooling breeze. Meals are served here or in the shade of magnificent old trees on the deck, where you have views of the wildlife and birds right in front of the camp.

All of the team in the camp are amiable, very engaging and have been employed from villages adjoining the Kafue, bringing the benefits of tourism directly into the local communities. Some team members first joined Jeffery & McKeith on day one to build a track into what is now the Musekese Conservation area, and have remained to be trained in a variety of jobs from safari guides to chefs. 

 Wildlife very often passes through the camp, especially elephants. The camp is in the territory of both a resident lion pride and several leopards and so you will be walked to and from your tent after dark, and occasionally in the daytime.

Days at Musekese are built around your preference for activity. All of your activities are expertly guided by the most respected and knowledgable guides in the Kafue. Game drives both morning and afternoon in custom-built open vehicles equipped perfectly for comfort with camera supports and charge points. Boat safaris on the nearby Kafue and Lufupa river system are a fantastic experience for a very different perspective. Walking safaris are an enchanting way to experience every small sign and sound and, with luck, an encounter of the bigger animals. During your stay, you may wish to visit Musekese Conservation, the Anti Poaching Unit (APU) created and funded by Jeffery & McKeith safaris, which is a fascinating day and also a chance to explore further afield from the camp.  

Typically days at Musekese begin as you are woken early (05.15 am-ish) to enjoy a light breakfast of fruit, porridge, cereals and fresh bread toasted on the fire, before setting off on an maybe a game drive or walking safari.  Early morning is an excellent time to see animals when they are at their most active, as the morning progresses, there will be a chance to stop for refreshments (tea/coffee). 
Depending on sightings, you will return to camp in time for a tasty lunch made by skilled cooks using fresh local produce. Meals are varied and healthy, taking inspiration from Zambia's culture, expect imaginative and delicious meals and snacks. Cordon Bleu chef and conservationist Jamie Sparks created the menu at Jeffery & McKeith Safaris camps, expect lots of fresh salads and savoury dishes at lunch and dinner.

With a few hours to relax after lunch, this is a chance to catch up on sleep, or you could spend an hour or two sitting quietly in the treehouse hide. Sit and enjoy the view from your private deck or enjoy a cool drink and a book in the lounge. At 3 pm after a traditional afternoon tea and cake, you will set out on an afternoon activity, taking a different route into the bush. 
 Returning to camp as darkness falls. Or staying out to search for nocturnal species.

A warm shower? An aperitif by the fire before sitting down to dine under the stars with your hosts and no doubt enjoy interesting lighthearted conversation, giving you an insight into life in the bush for people and animals. Sleep comes easily here with the sounds of the lagoon wafting through the walls of your tent.

Day notes

Your safari in the Kafue ends with a charter flight from the Kafue directly to Luska Airport.