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Kakuli Bushcamp
Kakuli Bushcamp
Kakuli Bushcamp
Kakuli Bushcamp
Kakuli Bushcamp
Kakuli Bushcamp
Kakuli Bushcamp
Kakuli Bushcamp
Kakuli Bushcamp
Kakuli Bushcamp

Reviews of Kakuli Bushcamp

Wildlife sightings and reviews

65 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Kakuli 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, 9 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Kakuli Bushcamp.
Lion

78% success

Leopard

89% success

Wild dog

33% success

Buffalo

100% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Zebra

100% success

Spotted Hyena

88% success

Aardvark

0% success

Eland

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Roan antelope

0% success

Sable antelope

0% success

Wildebeest

0% success

Showing 1-10 of 65
Duration
Arrival date
Mr G.
Devizes

"Kakuli Bushcamp review"

2 nights Arrived 12 Sep 2022
"Kakuli had more in common with Nsolo and Mchenja than differences, the main difference being water in the river and the consequent numbers of Hippo (and crocs). The game sightings for us were excellent and Friday our guide stood out as the most fun to be with out of all of our excellent guides on he trip.

The chalet was lovely and we appreciate the differences between the 3 camps we visited in the area. We enjoyed the sofa outside in our limited time in camp. The elephant that came to visit us (and feast on the acacia pods) during our siesta was a special and memorable moment although probably not arranged specially by the staff! It was great to get that close to such an impressive wild animal without feeling threatened. (we were to experience more of this at Mchenja).

Sightings of game were excellent and having seen very few leopard on several safari holidays, it was great to find one on our first game drive." See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Buffalo

10 sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

3 sightings

Spotted Hyena

1 sighting

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mr C
EBMATINGEN

"Kakuli Bushcamp"

3 nights Arrived 17 Jul 2022
"Kakuli has a great situation and outlook and the whole camp has a really nice feel to it. The recently renovated tents are very nice, although I do feel there has been a loss of authenticity to them with some of the upgrades.

The communal area is a little cramped for my liking , especially at meal times where the serving area is too close to the dining tables. However, the food was excellent, well presented and well prepared.

On our first night at the camp, we met the other guests at a communal sundowner spot, then had drinks with them at the camp, only to find we had been put on a separate dining table for 2 while everyone else sat together. We felt a little excluded and uncomfortable.

The staff at Kakuli are all very efficient and friendly, but I could not help but think they were a little on edge in their efforts to please the guest, where a little light hearted contact would have been perfect.

In all, I think that Kakuli has tried to elevate itself to an elite camp level and has certainly lost the genuine bushcamp feel we experienced on a previous visit.
Guiding and game viewing was excellent." See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

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

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

Multiple sightings

Lion

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

NJK
Manchester

"Kakuli Bushcamp review"

3 nights Arrived 21 May 2022
"My second time at Kakuli - still fabulous and enjoyed being the first guest(s) of the 2022 season. I noted some upgrades to the chalet - new furniture and fittings and now electric sockets (and a fan!). Ate well, slept well, and generally was very well looked after. Would happily return a third time.

Excellent game drives, led by Philemon. A particularly magical day of observing different species interacting - wild dogs with grazing zebra and incoming warthogs (who encroached onto the dogs' comfort zone and, amazingly, it was the dogs who moved away). Later found a leopard up a tree lying on a dead impala; Philemon didn't think the impala's injuries were consistent with a leopard kill and we then spotted the wild dogs lurking in the undergrowth nearby.

We returned later on - leopard was making good progress with eating the impala, the disappointed dogs were still lurking and at one point swarmed around the base of the tree, snuffling and snarling. Fairly sure it was the dogs who'd killed the impala and the leopard had somehow managed to steal it from them." See all these reviews: 11n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Buffalo

1 sighting

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Giraffe

1 sighting

Hippo

Multiple sightings

Leopard

1 sighting

Lion

2 sightings

Spotted Hyena

1 sighting

Wild dog

1 sighting

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mrs K.
Bottmingen

"Kakuli Bushcamp review"

3 nights Arrived 22 Oct 2021
"nice location at the river and own waterhole. very friendly staff + excellent food" See all these reviews: 17n 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

Lion

Multiple sightings

Wild dog

Multiple sightings

Mr RVM
Sintra

"Kakuli Bushcamp review"

3 nights Arrived 11 Sep 2019
"The highest points of our stay in Kakuli Bushcamp:

1- The people - different names but the same dedication, support and warmth. Philemon (manager), Gloria, Jack (meals), Joseph (ranger) and a special mention to John (guide - the walking encyclopedia). All of them are very good on their jobs. John seems to know everything about South Luangwa ecosystems, and each and every species of animals and plants that live there. We've learned a lot from him!

2- The food - it's amazing how so delicious dishes can be cooked in such secluded places. Thank you very much Judith and other kitchen people!

3- The Bushcamp itself - location, accommodations, service, facilities.

4- The activities - the walking safaris are really special and very good opportunities to learn from such experienced guides like John. I wish I could have done more. Impressive density of animals!

An aspect to improve (the same apply to other camps that we visited - Chongwe River Camp and Mchenja Bushcamp): the lack of communications, including the internet, although it is great to keep you focused in your job (walk and drive safaris) can be a serious limitation if you are in need to hear from your family very far away..." See all these reviews: 11n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Buffalo

4 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

10 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

5 sightings

Lion

5 sightings

Spotted Hyena

1 sighting

Zebra

10 sightings

Mr & Mrs C
E Sussex

"Kakuli Bushcamp review"

3 nights Arrived 24 Jul 2019
"We first visited Kakuli over ten years ago and it has changed enormously but has maintained the character that we remembered and, as ever, all the staff, across the board, were excellent. It was great to come back - the only sadness was to learn that Aubrey had passed on - what a lovely man he was.

The romantic surprise dinner for two on our veranda suddenly included an elephant "in the room" eating the pods from the acacia next door and we had to continue with an armed guard to protect us! Huge fun.

More close encounters with elephants at the surprise lunch on the banks of the Luangwa - a really memorable stay." See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Buffalo

1 sighting

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

Multiple sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

1 sighting

Spotted Hyena

1 sighting

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mr & Mrs G
Dartmouth

"Kakuli Bushcamp review"

3 nights Arrived 25 Aug 2018
"Better sited and more game that anything else in South Luangwa NP ( including comments from other tourists we met).

The best guides in the trip so far!

Saw lions from all 3 prides in the area." See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Buffalo

10 sightings

Elephant

10 sightings

Giraffe

9 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

Multiple sightings

Lion

10 sightings

Zebra

10 sightings

NJK
Manchester

"Finishing on a high"

2 nights Arrived 7 Jul 2018
"My third and final bushcamp on my first safari.

I think Kakuli had my favourite chalets - they were rebuilt earlier this year and were so fresh and very large. Like Mchenja, the front is open during the day with canvas walls pulled down at night. The en-suite is actually inside, although screened off rather than a separate room, but there's an outdoor shower too. The polished concrete floor extends into a verandah with a comfy two-seater sofa (and a pair of shy skink living underneath mine). My chalet overlooked the river - but quite high above it - with a view of a well-used hippo trail across to the other side. Sitting on the sofa one afternoon, a small troop of baboons passed in front of me, each one doing a double-take when it realised I was there.

The Kakuli lounge/dining bar area has been extended apparently - I didn't see it before but certainly the current version is spacious. There's a balcony overlooking a small lagoon: two elephants had stopped by for a drink when I arrived and as I left (protestingly) two warthogs were splashing about. Despite it being the dry season, there was actually a brief heavy shower on my last night, and the balcony was awash with tree frogs which we then discovered had migrated to the sofas, resulting in us all shuffling to the dinner table so we didnt step on any en route. Underneath the balcony is now a hide, complete with sofa which cant be common in many hides." See all these reviews: 10n 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

Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena

Multiple sightings

Wild dog

Multiple sightings

Mr C
EBMATINGEN

"Excellent camp"

3 nights Arrived 21 Jun 2018
"Fantastic accommodation , complete with tree frog hosts, which offered luxury and a rustic feel in one. Comfortable, clean and in a good setting, the rooms really were very good.

Staff at Kakuli were excellent, friendly and helpful and with a great sense of humour. Food was excellent given the location and facilities. Watching these guys cook breakfast over a small fire was a sight, but the other inventive ways they cooked and presented the food was very good.

Guides and scouts were readily available to easily cover the small number of guests, and amazed with their keen eyesight and enthusiasm and knowledge." See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Buffalo

3 sightings

Elephant

3 sightings

Giraffe

3 sightings

Hippo

10 sightings

Leopard

4 sightings

Lion

3 sightings

Spotted Hyena

2 sightings

Zebra

3 sightings

Mrs N
Chicago

"6 leopard sighting in one day!! "

3 nights Arrived 20 Aug 2017
"We stayed 3 days in the family open cottage. The view from the master bedroom was great and the location of the cottage is perfect (right next to the communal area). We saw several herds of Elephants from the deck and were serenaded by the sound of hippopotamus. We witnessed Dixon bathing in the mud not far from the deck and had the visit of a lion or lions one night. Hearing his/their roaring at night was incredible. We never felt unsafe as the watchman stay by the cottage when he/they got closer (or so it seems!). The staff was wonderful, very attentive and the food was fabulous. Siku, the Manager of the camp is amazing and make you feel like family. Her leadership and her kindness make this place very special. Our guide, Phil was incredible. His knowledge was so impressive that he led us to 6 leopards sighting and one kill in the same day! His love of the wild animals and the park is contagious and we hope this place will stay the way it is for a very long time. We highly recommend it." See all these reviews: 9n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Showing 1-10 of 65
97%
65 reviews of Kakuli Bushcamp by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
55
9
1
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0
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