A low-key camp in the South Luangwa, originally built for the BBC crew filming the wildlife documentary series, Kingdom
An open-sided lounge, a communal dining room, a bar, and a small plunge pool
Four rustic-chic solar-powered chalets, with private decks and indoor/outdoor showers
Game drives, night drives, specialist birding, cultural visits, and photography
Activities at Olimba Camp focus on game viewing in the Nsefu sector of the Luangwa Valley. Guests can also visit Mkasanga village for insights into local life and Zambian culture.
Led by highly skilled guides, game drives are taken in open-top vehicles for up to four guests, guaranteeing unobstructed game viewing and photography opportunities. The Luangwa is known as the Valley of the Leopard, so there’s a good chance you’ll come across these stealthy predators, as well as lion, elephant, giraffe, huge buffalo herds, and African wild dog. Covered vehicles are available upon request and are generally used during the hotter times of the year.
Start your night drive with a scenic sundowner, before seeking out the South Luangwa’s nocturnal wildlife with a spotlight. There’s a whole new world to discover after dark, including owls, genets, civets, hyena, lions on the hunt, leopard, four-toed elephant shrew, and mongoose.
Home to more than four hundred bird species, the South Luangwa is an ornithologist’s paradise. Sightings might include bat hawks, Pel’s fishing owls, lilac-breasted rollers, crowned cranes, carmine bee-eaters, yellow-billed storks, and the yellow-throated long claw.
Enjoy an afternoon visit to Mkasanga village, where a warm welcome is guaranteed. You’ll begin at the Mkasanga school, supported by Remote Africa through the Tafika Fund. The local ladies will show you how millet is ground, and you can even try your hand at some pounding! Finally, visit a church choir for beautiful harmonies and the chance to join in some dancing.
Open-top vehicles are kitted out with bean bags, allowing unobstructed views of wildlife and ensuring great photo opportunities from every angle. For those seriously keen to hone their skills, private photographic safaris are guided by professional photographer and guide, Bryan Jackson. Please note that this incurs an additional cost.
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.
Olimba Camp is located on the northern boundary of the Nsefu sector in South Luangwa National Park. Guests arrive at Mfuwe Airport, before taking a 2-hour car journey to the camp. It’s also possible to take a 15-minute charter flight from Mfuwe to Lukuzi Airstrip, followed by a short game drive.
Olimba’s open-sided main areas afford spectacular views of the Luangwa River and an active lagoon teeming with wildlife.
Communal dining
Bar
Wifi
The areas include an airy lounge, a well-supplied bar, and a communal dining room, where guests gather for delicious lunches featuring freshly grown greens from the garden, and three-course dinners by night. Private dining is also available on request. Outside, the camp has a small plunge pool on its own deck for a refreshing splash between safari activities. Practical amenities include Wi-Fi and a solar-powered communal charging area for all your equipment.
Guest accommodation at Olimba Camp consists of four solar-powered chalets constructed from canvas, reed, and thatch.
Mosquito nets
Both indoor and outdoor showers
Flush toilet
Private deck
Raised slightly from the ground on wooden platforms, these accommodate up to eight guests in either king or twin configurations. The interiors are chic yet understated, with each chalet offering cool stone floors, a fan, mosquito nets, a USB charging port, and an electronic safe, alongside an en-suite washroom with both indoor and outdoor showers. Private decks are designed to while away the time with ‘armchair’ wildlife viewing, furnished with comfy cushioned sofas, and a small table and chairs ideal for early-morning coffee. For groups requiring maximum privacy and a tailored safari schedule, the camp is also available for exclusive hire.
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