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Tafika
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Tafika

Reviews of Tafika

Wildlife sightings and reviews

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

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in May-2018, 78 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Tafika.
Lion

87% success

Leopard

92% success

Wild dog

45% success

Hippo

100% success

Giraffe

99% success

Zebra

99% success

Elephant

97% success

Buffalo

92% success

Spotted Hyena

91% success

Wildebeest

49% success

Eland

11% success

Roan antelope

3% success

Sable antelope

2% success

Aardvark

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Showing 21-30 of 318
Duration
Arrival date
Mr & Mrs B
Avon

"Tafika review"

1 night Arrived 9 Oct 2022
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Mr & Mrs B
Avon

"Tafika review"

3 nights Arrived 1 Oct 2022
"Our third time at Tafika and it was better than ever.

We were well looked after and the game viewing was magnificent" See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia; 4n in Botswana; 1n in South Africa
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wild dog

Multiple sightings

Wildebeest

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mr & Mrs S
UK

"Lovely location beside the Luangwa River"

2 nights Arrived 24 Sep 2022
"It takes about an hour and a half along a bumpy road to reach Tafika from the airstrip but a warm welcome awaited us at the camp. The views from the camp over the Luangwa River are tremendous.

One night there was quite a commotion as two male Lions sought to devour a dead Hippo whilst surrounded by Crocs. The camp now has a Carmine Bee-eater hide which was rewarding as these migrant birds had arrived for nesting in the river bank.

A new hide has been created since we last visited and from there we were able to get eye-level views of a herd of Buffalo drinking. The highlight for us was following a female Leopard as she went to quench her thirst. Although she was not really in hunting mode, she was clearly using the vehicle to mask the sound of her footsteps.

Our guide Lloyd has great experience in guiding and has been at the camp for many years. He also found us Wild Dogs." See all these reviews: 21n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

10 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

5 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

1 sighting

Lion

5 sightings

Spotted Hyena

2 sightings

Wild dog

5 sightings

Zebra

7 sightings

Miss H & Dr B
London

"Tafika review"

4 nights Arrived 22 Sep 2022
"The very personal and intimate feel of Takifa was delightful. The staff, especially Velelope, were so welcoming and it was fantastic to chat with each of them over meals and around the camp. The reed chalets were very comfortable, and the food was amazing with the freshest salads, home baked breads and cakes, and delicious meals.

We had some great sightings on our walking safaris, getting very close to 2 male lions. A highlight was the evening sighting of a wild-dog pack with numerous cubs, making strange calls to each other as they rested and played.

You really feel like one of the family at Tafika, we particularly enjoyed seeing 'behind the scenes' including the kitchens, workshop and garden.

They organised a fantastic birthday surprise sundowner on a bluff overlooking the river bed. This was hysterical as our guide performed a great charade of pretending it was all set up for someone else, and Vel and her colleague risked being trampled by a herd of elephants who came to the party while she was hiding behind a tree waiting to surprise us when we drove up!

Switching that very bumpy return minibus ride from Tafika to Mfuwe for a 12 minute flight with Rory in the camp plane was a great decision.

Our only negative comment was that we were with the same guide throughout our stay, and the guides didn't seem to alert each other to sightings by radio the way other camps do. This might be something other guests prefer but we felt we may not have seen as much as in previous trips?" See all these reviews: 7n in Zambia; 4n in Malawi
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Buffalo

4 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

6 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

3 sightings

Lion

4 sightings

Spotted Hyena

1 sighting

Wild dog

2 sightings

Wildebeest

2 sightings

Zebra

5 sightings

Mr & Mrs R
Solihull

"Tafika review"

3 nights Arrived 8 Sep 2022
"This was a really magical place. It was more rustic than some of the other camps but we still had luxury without it being pretentious. We came to see leopards and they sure did deliver. The village trip was so lovely - the school kids put on a show - dancing and poetry reciting and not a single request for money. If you like cycling, do go out with John and enjoy the river bank sights. We also loved the grumpy elephant which came to feed on fruit outside our hut every 2 hours!" See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Buffalo

2 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

9 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

4 sightings

Spotted Hyena

5 sightings

Wildebeest

1 sighting

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr S
Munich

"Tafika review"

3 nights Arrived 31 Aug 2022
"Quite a difference between our first stop at Puku Ridge and Tafika. But this doesn't mean that we did not enjoy it.

Overall still a good to excellent experience.

The number of charging points in the tent was too low (only one USB connector)." See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Average
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Average
Sightings Report

Buffalo

6 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

3 sightings

Lion

2 sightings

Spotted Hyena

3 sightings

Wildebeest

2 sightings

Zebra

4 sightings

Two Travellers
UK

"Tafika review"

2 nights Arrived 22 Aug 2022
"This was our second visit to Tafika and it was every bit as lovely as we remembered.

The chalets were comfortable, large and immaculately designed without being flashily luxurious and the food was varied and delicious. It was also great to meet the charming Jen and Nick once again, now managing the camp, and we were particularly grateful for their help in looking after luggage items which we did not need for the next stage of our trip at the walking camps.

The weather was a bit temperamental during our stay - there were even a few spots of rain on our first night - and this may have explained the slight elusiveness of some of the game, but Lloyd was an excellent guide and we really enjoyed our drives with him." See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Mr & Mrs V
Harlow

"Tafika review"

3 nights Arrived 21 Aug 2022
"Our first visit to Tafika. Another bushcamp style lodge and quite remote in the very North of South Luangwa.

Yet more good food, knowledgeable guides and staff, an excellent situation on the river and a genuinely lovely place to stay.

As with Mwamba we shared camp with elephants and hippos. We are fond of African birds and were allocated excellent guides who knew their birds well.

Game was quite scarce at times but not disappointing - we saw dog and leopard including one who just dropped out of a tree besides us much to everyone's surprise not having been seen by the guides or us at all." See all these reviews: 9n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

Multiple sightings

Lion

1 sighting

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wild dog

1 sighting

Wildebeest

1 sighting

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mr A.
United Kingdom

"Tafika review"

2 nights Arrived 17 Aug 2022
"We were hugely impressed by Tafika. The generous welcoming of us by all members of the family and their involvement in the running the camp made this a most enjoyable experience. There is a very collegiate atmosphere and the camp manager Vel was brilliant too. We took the combination of morning walks and evening drives with excellent sightings and hardly any other vehicles creating a truly memorable experience. The lodges were delightful and the food was excellent." See all these reviews: 9n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

10 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

6 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Lion

1 sighting

Wild dog

5 sightings

Zebra

6 sightings

Mrs H
Surrey

"Tafika review"

4 nights Arrived 10 Aug 2022
"Tafika was our favourite camp

It was excellent in every way it could possibly be.

Carol, John, Jenny and Nick made us feel part of the family. The group meals were a lovely way to meet everyone.

Levi our guide was excellent and the favourite of the whole trip. He was wonderful and really made it fun for Matilda (11 years old)" See all these reviews: 15n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

10 sightings

Eland

10 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

10 sightings

Lion

10 sightings

Spotted Hyena

10 sightings

Wildebeest

5 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

Showing 21-30 of 318
98%
318 reviews of Tafika by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
294
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2
1
0
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Other lodges in South Luangwa National Park

Alternative places to stay in this same area.


Nkwali

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Kaingo Camp

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Mwamba Bushcamp

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Luangwa River Camp

Luangwa River Camp

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Mchenja Bushcamp

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Kakuli Bushcamp

Kakuli Bushcamp

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Nsolo Bushcamp

Nsolo Bushcamp

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Luwi Bushcamp

Luwi Bushcamp

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Robin Pope Safaris Mobile Safari Camp

Robin Pope mobile

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Puku Ridge

Puku Ridge

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Kapamba Bushcamp

Kapamba Bushcamp

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Mfuwe Lodge

Mfuwe Lodge

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Kuyenda Bushcamp

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Luangwa Safari House

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Three Rivers Camp

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Island Bush Camp

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Chinzombo

Chinzombo

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Chindeni

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