Light aircraft transfer from Lusaka to Royal Airstrip, where you will be met by your hosts and transferred to the lodge.
This true colonial style safari lodge, named after the famous artist and explorer Thomas Baines, offers a wide variety of land and water based safari activities in and around the Lower Zambezi National Park, the first carbon-neutral National Park in the World. In addition, Baines’ River Camp offers specialized photographic workshops, fly fishing clinics and elephant studies, led by passionate specialist of international acclaim.
Your best chance of seeing predators in their natural habitat and large herds of Buffalo is on a game drive. Morning safari outings are the most "productive" and game drives start from a different spot on the bank of the river each time, ensuring that you get to explore different areas. A short river cruise with a steaming cup of coffee and some delicious morning bakes will take you downstream by boat to your guide. During the night drives, you have a good chance of spotting the smaller nocturnal felines, Porcupines, Hyena, Honey Badgers and the odd Bush Baby.
The area is home to a healthy number of predators including the endangered African Wild Dogs, Lions and Leopards. Dubbed "the most romantic wilderness in Africa", the Lower Zambezi National Park offers a variety of habitats, from riverine vegetation, Leadwood forests and palm groves to savannah plains and Albida forests.
On a drive, you will feel as if you are the only one exploring the area. Even during peak season, you might encounter very few other safari vehicles. The Lower Zambezi Valley is renowned for its respectful game viewing code of conduct, which results in an uncontrived safari experience, giving visitors the opportunity to absorb the wilderness as a whole. The main objective is to minimise the stress of human visitors on the environment and its residents. Radio communications between vehicles are strictly reserved for emergencies, guides respect the no-off-road driving, sightings are restricted to a maximum of three vehicles and any sighting is limited to a 20-minute window per vehicle.
Zambia's National Parks are fence-free and wildlife has the freedom to roam between the Lower Zambezi National Park and adjacent wilderness areas such as the Chiawa Game Management Area, Mana Pools (on the opposite bank of the Zambezi) and South Luangwa National Park. That is the beauty of Zambia and its uncontrived safari experience; although most species are territorial, the National Parks and Game Management Areas do not own the wildlife, they are merely the custodians of the area.
Baggage allowance for light aircraft transfers: maximum 15 kg (this includes hand luggage) packed in soft bags (no hard suitcases allowed as these cannot be loaded onto the aircraft).
Transfer to Royal Airstrip, and light aircraft transfer back to Lusaka.
