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

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"Tafika review"
You do have to be prepared for elephants wandering around the camp at any time but for me this is one of the best parts!
A real home from home." See all these reviews: 12n in Zambia
"Tafika review"

Buffalo
Multiple sightings

Elephant
Multiple sightings

Giraffe
Multiple sightings

Hippo
Multiple sightings

Leopard
Multiple sightings

Lion
Multiple sightings

Sable antelope
1 sighting

Spotted Hyena
Multiple sightings

Wild dog
4 sightings

Zebra
Multiple sightings
"Tafika review"
The camp itself is laid out quite nicely. There is very limited wi-fi here, but only in the "naughty corner", not in your rooms. I liked the opportunity to message home to say I'd arrived safely, and my family appreciated that as well. As a solo traveller, I very much enjoy a communal dining experience. So much so, that I would exclude going to a camp if meals were separate. There is something special about meeting fellow travellers from all over the world, and recapping the days sightings and happenings with food and wine. Tafika had different tables set up, each hosted by someone, be that an owner, or a manager, or a guide. They switched things up over the 3 night stay, and I thought that was quite a wonderful way to do it.
The "huts", or "chalets" were lovely, and open. Lots of space. There were definitely bats that came to the room between 5:15am and 5:30am every day. I loved them, and loved watching them fly around in the new light, but if that is something that may bother you, then maybe an open design isn't for you. I found the mosquito nets at night very good. No rips or tears, and the overlap was very deep. I didn't find a single insect inside. Rechargeable fans are new there, and in the October heat, very welcome. Nice and quiet. I was escorted both in the evenings, and to breakfast in the mornings, even though I was the closest to the main area. This might have perhaps been because of the big bull elephant (he had a torn left ear) in musth who was frequenting camp during my stay.
I loved the vehicles for the game drives. No canopy. Very easy for photography. I loved seeing the dogs, on almost every game drive, and the landscapes were incredible. This was my first trip to SLNP, and in fact, to Zambia. I've never seen so many hippos and large crocodiles, and was so happy to soak it all in. The "sighting of my life" happened here lol. (maybe that is a slight exaggeration, but it WAS pretty amazing). A leopard attacked a baboon, the baboon troop came to the rescue. We waited to see the "finish", only to have a male elephant decide he didn't like us blocking "his" road, and a herd of 500+ buffalo come to surround us. 3 of the big 5 in one go. And we had this sighting all to ourselves. Not even a film crew around.
And on that topic...... film crews in the Nsefu Sector. At best: annoying. At their worst: on a power trip. There was one truck, with a young couple who were extremely pleasant. They would invite us to sightings, would smile, wave, and share knowledge. I cannot say the same for the BBC crews. That is all I want to say here, on it. But I sincerely hope that their contracts during the covid period will soon be up, and filming will wrap. I realize that this shouldn't reflect on Tafika Camp itself, but it did affect my experience, and so I've included it here.
Tafika is amazing, and was the perfect "launch pad" for the next 7 nights of walking camps. I found the staff to be warm. The owners fun, and hospitable. The "feel" and genuine welcome, combined with absolutely expert guiding, and a fabulous, game rich area to explore, make it exceptional. It is definitely in my "tops" list, and I will return." See all these reviews: 14n in Zambia

Buffalo
2 sightings

Elephant
10 sightings

Giraffe
10 sightings

Hippo
10 sightings

Leopard
3 sightings

Spotted Hyena
3 sightings

Wild dog
4 sightings

Zebra
10 sightings
"Tafika review"
It's a lovely camp, with very comfortable chalets, a great position on the river and regular visits from elephants; it's a bit larger than the other camps, and was full, too, so it felt a bit busier than the other places we stayed at.
Having the Coppinger family around at mealtimes offers a great opportunity to learn about the area, and issues impacting it and Zambia.
In terms of game-viewing, wild dogs were a highlight." See all these reviews: 11n in Zambia

Buffalo
Multiple sightings

Elephant
Multiple sightings

Giraffe
Multiple sightings

Leopard
Multiple sightings

Lion
1 sighting

Spotted Hyena
Multiple sightings

Wild dog
Multiple sightings

Wildebeest
Multiple sightings

Zebra
Multiple sightings
"Tafika review"
Carol and John regularly joined us for lunch and the guides and others took it in turns to join us at dinner, all of which made for interesting conversations.
Everything is done to a very high standard and was faultless." See all these reviews: 12n in Zambia

Buffalo
10 sightings

Elephant
10 sightings

Giraffe
10 sightings

Hippo
10 sightings

Leopard
4 sightings

Lion
10 sightings

Spotted Hyena
10 sightings

Wild dog
10 sightings

Zebra
10 sightings
"Tafika review"
Hands on, friendly owners who were keen to share their experiences and add to our understanding of the area.
Excellent game drives with an incredible variety of animals. The night drives in particular were outstanding as was the pack of 19 wild dogs and the lions swimming across the river. The herd of buffalo going down to the river to drink was also impressive. The guides were very knowledgeable and informative.
Good efficient staff who were all very helpful and attentive. Excellent food throughout the day." See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia

Buffalo
Multiple sightings

Elephant
Multiple sightings

Giraffe
Multiple sightings

Hippo
Multiple sightings

Leopard
Multiple sightings

Lion
Multiple sightings

Spotted Hyena
Multiple sightings

Wild dog
3 sightings

Wildebeest
1 sighting

Zebra
Multiple sightings
"Tafika review"

Buffalo
1 sighting

Elephant
6 sightings

Giraffe
3 sightings

Hippo
6 sightings

Leopard
5 sightings

Spotted Hyena
4 sightings

Zebra
3 sightings
"Tafika our favourite camp"
Tafika was well run with amazing views of the Luangwa river and many Hippos. Early morning breakfasts with the sunrise in the background were a delight. Both lunch and dinner was hosted either by Jen, Nic or one of the guides.
All of the game drives gave us great sightings.Through the night there were plenty of animal visitors but we felt safe with the guards on duty.
We did a walking safari after a quick canoe trip across the river and had a fantastic Lion sighting.
The reed chalet are rustic but have all the comforts you need." See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia

Buffalo
1 sighting

Elephant
10 sightings

Giraffe
6 sightings

Hippo
10 sightings

Leopard
4 sightings

Lion
1 sighting

Spotted Hyena
4 sightings

Zebra
6 sightings
"Tafika review"
"A great place to stay"
One of us now has mobility problems, and the staff were universally expert in making everything run as smoothly as possible." See all these reviews: 11n in Zambia

Buffalo
4 sightings

Elephant
10 sightings

Giraffe
10 sightings

Hippo
10 sightings

Leopard
10 sightings

Lion
8 sightings

Spotted Hyena
8 sightings

Zebra
10 sightings
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