This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn more

Skip to main content

Talk to an expert 1-800-242-2434 Lines now closed

User menu
Mwamba Bushcamp
Mwamba Bushcamp
Mwamba Bushcamp
Mwamba Bushcamp
Mwamba Bushcamp
Mwamba Bushcamp
Mwamba Bushcamp
Mwamba Bushcamp
Mwamba Bushcamp

Reviews of Mwamba Bushcamp

Wildlife sightings and reviews

152 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Mwamba Bushcamp and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Jun-2018, 41 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Mwamba Bushcamp.
Lion

100% success

Leopard

95% success

Wild dog

44% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Buffalo

98% success

Zebra

98% success

Spotted Hyena

95% success

Wildebeest

90% success

Eland

33% success

Roan antelope

10% success

Sable antelope

3% success

Aardvark

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Showing 71-80 of 152
Duration
Arrival date
R & C
Aylesbury

"Beware the drums"

4 nights Arrived 12 Aug 2015
"We very much enjoyed our four-night stay at Mwamba. The two-hour drive from Mfuwe through the park was a good start to our trip, but arriving in the dark and then being woken at 5.15 next day by a particularly enthusiastic drummer was a bit disorienting!

This year, the camp was being run by Matt and Charlotte (Charlie), a very likeable couple. The camp is a genuine bush camp but facilities were good with hot water for bucket showers provided on demand.

Game drives or walks started early, followed by a substantial brunch at around 11.00 - all the food was very good. Matt acted as our guide for the whole time and did a great job - we saw lots and continued to cover new ground. The permanent waterhole is a definite bonus - there were always animals and birds coming to drink – and the hides at Kaingo can also be used. Note that battery charging is a bit rudimentary, I think using vehicle batteries." See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs G
Hants

"Wonderful bush camp"

3 nights Arrived 2 Jul 2015
"We loved Mwamba. It was the most rustic of the camps we stayed at on this trip but that did not mean basic. The bucket shower was the only element that you could really call basic and that only meant waiting 5 minutes for a huge bucket of piping hot water to be rigged up!

Mwamba is tiny and very remote and is an authentic bush camp. Simple, not flashy, fitting perfectly with the surroundings - just lovely.

The camp is rebuilt every season and so looked really fresh. Our room was clean and welcoming. The bed was so comfortable and lying in bed looking at the stars was very relaxing.

Matt and Charlie were great hosts - warm, attentive and they clearly take a lot of pride in the camp. We really enjoyed our time with them as they both make excellent company. All staff were helpful and friendly and could not have looked after us better.

Our guide was Sly (Sylvester) and we had a great few days with him. He was knowledgeable and easy company. We did both drives and walking and enjoyed both. The game viewing was really good - lot of leopard sightings, lion, hyena, elephant and the endemic sub-species of giraffe, zebra and wildebeest which we had never seen before. Birdlife was plentiful and interesting." See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
The R Family
Surrey

"Mwamba Bushcamp review"

3 nights Arrived 21 Jun 2015
"Matt and Charlie are fantastic hosts and the camp has a lovely relaxing atmosphere.

The food was superb, and they coped exceptionally well with my special dietary requirements.

We were disappointed with our guide, but having said that the guide that we had when we went last year was very good." See all these reviews: 14n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Average
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr J
Thailand

"Excellence in the Bush"

2 nights Arrived 14 Jun 2015
"I visited Mwamba after a 4-night visit to its more luxurious sister camp, Kaingo. The two of them make an excellent combination, and I HIGHLY recommend walking between the two as I did.

The term "bushcamp" is a bit misleading here, as Mwamba has all of the amenities most people need (including lights in the cottages). The huts are sturdy, well-constructed, and spacious. Hot water is provided in the evenings, but the lack of running hot water is not an issue at all, as a request to any staff member will result in a bucket or two of hot water within a few minutes' time, any time of day.

The camp is well-run and, due to its very small size, has a very intimate feel to it. Staff are lovely and extremely personable. The guide staff is shared between Kaingo and Mwamba, so it is of top-notch calibre.

Mwamba is probably not for everybody. Comfort Queens and those looking for a spa experience will be disappointed. However, for those looking to get as close to the bush as possible, with plenty of luxuries and excellent guiding, it is a fantastic place to go!

Catering features the same menu as at Kaingo, and is of a very high calibre." See all these reviews: 18n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr R
York

"Mwamba a great bushcamp"

3 nights Arrived 3 Jun 2015
"Good wildlife viewing including 6 wild dog and the Holywood pride killing 2 Impala. Fantastic guiding.

The new idea of having brunch didn't work well as there was a strange combination of food." See all these reviews: 11n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Average
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs S
Aberdeen

"Mwamba Bushcamp review"

4 nights Arrived 21 Oct 2014
"This bush camp is a really great to stay - surrounded by wildlife with a fantastic hide overlooking a permanent waterhole crowded with birds and animals.

Great guiding, very good food (possibly better than Kaingo)." See all these reviews: 9n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr C & Mr K
Oxon

"Mwamba Bushcamp review"

3 nights Arrived 15 Oct 2014
"Alec took our criticisms on board about Kaingo and certainly our experience at Mwamba (particularly the food) was much better. (First day food was like Kaingo and then it became much improved after our criticism).

As we were alone for 2 of the 3 nights, they arrange for us to have a traditional dinner one night which was great. The rooms were very comfortable. We prefer the bush camp feel to the more barracks-like buildings at Kaingo and the shower was the best we used anywhere (including the Radisson in Lusaka).

Excellent game viewing.

I am torn between giving an overall rating of excellent or good but in the end decided to be generous. It was not as wonderful as Tafika and it's bush camps but I think it still deserves to be categorised as excellent - though there is still room for improvement!" See all these reviews: 15n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs S
E Sussex

"Mwamba Bushcamp review"

4 nights Arrived 12 Oct 2014
"We enjoyed our stay a Mwamba, I think it was our favourite place to stay at for the trip. As at Kiango the guiding was excellent, as was the 'Last Waterhole' hide next to the camp, perhaps the best hide of the trip.

I'm afraid the food let the place down, I guess it was impacted from the problems at Kiango.

Would I come back ? a big YES" See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Poor
Facilities:
Excellent
M & L
Vancouver, BC

"Excellent bushcamp"

2 nights Arrived 9 Oct 2014
"A small intimate bushcamp, with just 4 chalets. Each is well equipped with a large comfortable bed and large outdoor bathroom. The chalet has a screened opening in the roof so you are sleeping in comfort but with a great view of the stars.

The camp staff are very helpful and friendly. The food is delicious and plentiful - amazing when you see the kitchen and their limited facilities.

The game drives are just as good as Kaingo in an overlapping area. The local Mwamba lion pride provides plenty of viewing opportunities. One night some of them wandered past our chalet and made themselves at home in our outdoor breakfast area. Needless to say, we had breakfast elsewhere but with good views of the lions. We wished we had booked more time here." See all these reviews: 12n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr H & Mrs P
Canada

"Good Bush Camp"

2 nights Arrived 10 Sep 2014
"This camp definitely has the feel of a bush camp.

Being so close to the watering hole means the animals are always close by. Like the time we had to leave the fire pit during first breakfast to allow the lion pride to pass." See all these reviews: 9n in Zambia; 3n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Showing 71-80 of 152
99%
152 reviews of Mwamba Bushcamp by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
144
8
0
0
0
Filter by month

Holiday styles & special interests in Zambia

From birdwatching breaks to walking holidays, find great ideas for your trip in Zambia.


Birdwatching

Birdwatching

Diverse habitats, discreet hides and superb guiding.

Cultural experiences

Cultural experiences

Get an insight into Africa's cultures and history.

Family holidays

Family holidays

Hand-picked camps for an incredible family safari.

Honeymoons

Honeymoons

Romantic safaris and castaway island retreats.

Luxury

Luxury

First-class service, scenic vistas and unparalleled comfort await you during these carefully selected luxury holidays. 

Photography holidays

Photography holidays

Great holidays to suit the keen photographer.

Private villas & houses

Private villas & houses

Enjoy Africa with just your friends & family

Riding holidays

Riding holidays

Explore Africa's wilderness on horseback.

Solo Travel

Solo Travel

Trip ideas ideally suited for a solo traveller.

Walking

Walking

Explore Africa's most scenic trails on foot.

Walking safaris

Walking safaris

Explore Africa's untouched wildernesses on foot.

Wellbeing

Wellbeing

Wellness escapes in stunning locations

Wildlife safaris

Wildlife safaris

These trips include hard-hitting game and fascinatingly elusive species alike, as well as superb guiding and a variety of diverse ecosystems.

Other lodges in South Luangwa National Park

Alternative places to stay in this same area.


Tafika

Tafika

One of the best camps in Zambia, Tafika is naturally built, combining excellent service and food with top guiding skills for a superb wildlife experience.


98% (318 reviews)
Nkwali

Nkwali

On the banks of the Luangwa River, with its own access to the national park, the intimate Nkwali is open year round.


96% (238 reviews)
Kaingo Camp

Kaingo Camp

Small and owner-run, the riverside Kaingo occupies a a quiet but excellent game area, with a series of wildlife hides and a focus on photography.


97% (213 reviews)
Nsefu

Nsefu

One of the Luangwa's oldest camps, Nsefu is a great safari camp in a remote, beautiful and game-rich location with top-rate guiding.


98% (191 reviews)
Tena Tena

Tena Tena

One of the Luangwa's best camps, in a beautiful, remote bush location, Tena Tena is very small, exceedingly well-run and has top-rate guiding.


95% (154 reviews)
Chikoko Tree Camp

Chikoko Tree Camp

Chikoko Tree Camp is an excellent small, rustic bushcamp that concentrates on walking safaris, and is run by a top-quality operation.


98% (119 reviews)
Big Lagoon Camp

Big Lagoon Camp

Big Lagoon Camp is a great little rustic bushcamp built to high standards that focuses on excellent walking safaris, with the emphasis on top wildlife guides.


98% (93 reviews)
Kapani Lodge

Kapani Lodge

Kapani Lodge is now the main office base for Norman Carr Safaris, one of the Luangwa's oldest safari operations.


95% (78 reviews)
Flatdogs Camp

Flatdogs Camp

A relatively big safari camp, Flatdogs offers value for money with great guiding and good food in a comfortable, relaxed setting.


98% (74 reviews)
Luangwa River Camp

Luangwa River Camp

Luangwa River Lodge is a small and consciously stylish lodge in the Mfuwe area, overlooking the Luangwa River and the South Luangwa National Park beyond – an area renowned for great game.


96% (73 reviews)
Mchenja Bushcamp

Mchenja Bushcamp

Set in a shady ebony grove on the banks of the Luangwa, Mchenja is a smart tented bushcamp. It combines well with Kakuli and Nsolo – its sister camps with a focus on walking safaris.


99% (68 reviews)
Kakuli Bushcamp

Kakuli Bushcamp

Beside the Luangwa River, Kakuli is a comfortable tented bushcamp offering 4WD safaris and walking safaris – the best of which are camp-to-camp walks linking Kakuli with its nearby sister camps.


97% (65 reviews)
Nsolo Bushcamp

Nsolo Bushcamp

Nsolo is a small, comfortable bushcamp overlooking one or two pools in the usually dry Luwi riverbed. It concentrates on walking safaris in an interesting and diverse area, led by a knowledgeable guide.


97% (54 reviews)
Kafunta River Lodge

Kafunta River Lodge

Kafunta is a laid-back, friendly and good-value lodge on the outskirts of South Luangwa National Park.


96% (45 reviews)
Luwi Bushcamp

Luwi Bushcamp

In a remote part of the South Luangwa National Park, Luwi is a rustic bushcamp whose emphasis is on walking safaris with great guiding and a chance of seeing some rarely seen and elusive antelope.


93% (38 reviews)
Robin Pope Safaris bush-camp

Robin Pope bush-camp

RPS bushcamping in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia


99% (29 reviews)
Lion Camp

Lion Camp

Lion Camp is an established and comfortable camp with a swimming pool, located near to the game-rich Lion Plain in the northern part of South Luangwa National Park.


94% (25 reviews)
Robin Pope Safaris Mobile Safari Camp

Robin Pope mobile

RPS mobile safari camps are at the heart of their set-itinerary walking safaris in South Luangwa National Park, which start and finish at a permanent camp.


98% (24 reviews)
Puku Ridge

Puku Ridge

Puku Ridge is a luxurious designer camp set in a stunning location, high on a hill overlooking a floodplain within South Luangwa. Explore from here on 4WD safaris and walks.


96% (21 reviews)
Kapamba Bushcamp

Kapamba Bushcamp

In the remote far south of South Luangwa National Park, Kapamba is a small and very comfortable bushcamp offering good walks and game drives.


95% (20 reviews)
Mfuwe Lodge

Mfuwe Lodge

In a game-rich area close to the South Luangwa’s main Mfuwe Gate, Mfuwe Lodge is relatively large by park standards, but it’s stylish, modern and family friendly.


94% (18 reviews)
Kuyenda Bushcamp

Kuyenda Bushcamp

Kuyenda Bushcamp is a classic bushcamp with particularly delightful hosts and offers top-class walking safaris in South Luangwa National Park.


99% (16 reviews)
Luangwa Safari House

Luangwa Safari House

Luangwa Safari House is a vast and very smart four-bedroom house specifically designed for families and small groups, and offering an exclusive and flexible safari experience.


100% (14 reviews)
Three Rivers Camp

Three Rivers Camp

In the remote far south of South Luangwa National Park, Three Rivers Lodge sits at the confluence of three of the valleys rivers.


95% (13 reviews)
Island Bush Camp

Island Bush Camp

Island Bushcamp is a good-value, rustic, walking-only camp, in arguably one of the most remote parts of the South Luangwa, well away from all other camps.


100% (13 reviews)
Chinzombo

Chinzombo

Opened in early June 2013, Chinzombo offers luxurious and stylish accommodation with very high levels of service and excellent guiding.


98% (13 reviews)
Bilimungwe Bushcamp

Bilimungwe Bushcamp

A smart bushcamp with four very spacious chalets, Bilimungwe offers interesting walking safaris in pretty riverine woodland, as well as day and night safari drives.


95% (12 reviews)
Chindeni

Chindeni

Chindeni Bushcamp is a very modern and minimalist camp, which is a far cry from your traditional bushcamp and unlike most of the other camps in South Luangwa.


97% (12 reviews)
Robin's House

Robin's House

With your own expert guide, private vehicle, chef and valet, the two-bedroom Robin's House offers an exclusive, flexible safari experience – and is open year round.


95% (11 reviews)
Kawaza Village

Kawaza Village

Kawaza Village – beside the South Luangwa National Park, offers guests the rare opportunity to appreciate local village life. Visit for a few hours or stay overnight.


95% (11 reviews)
Chamilandu Bushcamp

Chamilandu Bushcamp

A comfortable little bushcamp, Chamilandu has a picturesque setting by the Luangwa River, in an area with a range of habitats to explore on foot and by 4WD.


100% (5 reviews)
Mwamba Camp-out

Mwamba Camp-out

The Mwamba-Camp Out allows you to have an incredibly adventurous night in the bush, sleeping under mosquito nets with activities led by some of the best guides in Zambia.


92% (5 reviews)
Zungulila

Zungulila

Zungulila is a small, comfortable tented bushcamp with an emphasis on walking safaris, in the remote southern section of the South Luangwa.


93% (3 reviews)
Shawa Luangwa Camp

Shawa Luangwa

Opened in June 2021, Shawa Luangwa Camp is a small, intimate and rustic camp, with a good location in a remote section of the South Luangwa National Park.


93% (3 reviews)
Chichele Presidential Lodge

Chichele Lodge

Currently undergoing renovations, Chichele Presidential Lodge stands high within the park, with superb views, and is due to reopen in late 2022.


100% (1 review)
Luwi Riverbed Sleepout

Luwi Riverbed Sleepout

For an adventurous night in South Luangwa National Park, come and sleep out in the bush, around a campfire, with an experienced guide and game scout.


100% (1 review)
Mapazi Camp

Mapazi Camp

Mapazi Camp is a basic safari camp in the far north of the South Luangwa, with walking safaris led by renowned guide Deb Tittle.


No reviews yet
Chikunto Safari Lodge

Chikunto

Chikunto Safari Lodge is a more traditional property in the South Luangwa National Park, sitting on a peninsula of land created by the meandering Luangwa River.


No reviews yet

Login to Expert Africa

Sign in with password

Sign in with email link


New to Expert Africa? Create an account

Forgotten your details?

It's free & quick to set up

  • Save your wish-list
  • Send us an enquiry
  • Pay online for your trip
  • Subscribe to our newsletter
  • Give us feedback on your trip
  • Full site benefits of the site

Need some help? Talk to our team

Africa