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Tafika
Tafika
Tafika
Tafika
Tafika
Tafika
Tafika
Tafika
Tafika
Tafika
Tafika
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 191-200 of 318
Duration
Arrival date
Mrs S & family
Quebec

"Great time"

2 nights Arrived 13 Aug 2013
"Please see previous review [Ed: See below for these travellers' comments from their first stay at Tafika, a few days earlier in their trip.]" See all these reviews: 17n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mrs S & family
Quebec

"Great stay"

3 nights Arrived 8 Aug 2013
"We loved the family chalet, the family atmosphere, the amazing bushcamps. We switched and stay an extra day (3 nights instead of 2) in the bushcamps. Our family of our was the only guests during our time in the bushcamps: magical and intimate.

We enjoyed speaking to John, Carol, Jenny and to all the guides who shared meals with us. Alex was great on the walking trails!

The food was great and the fresh salads and vegetables appreciated. I ate a bit too much cake and dessert during the meals and tea breaks.
We all did the microlight, some bicycling and visited the village. So many smiling children.

Tough leaving..." See all these reviews: 17n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs I
Cheadle

"Tafika review"

3 nights Arrived 25 Jul 2013
"Not only is the guiding superb at Tafika but also the warm hospitality and stunning environment." See all these reviews: 11n in Zambia; 4n in Malawi
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Ms K
Florida

"Lovely camp and great guides"

3 nights Arrived 16 Jul 2013
"On our 90-minute drive from Mfuwe Airport with guide Lloyd to Tafika, we saw enough wildlife to make our visit worthwhile. And that was just the beginning.

Owners, John and Carol Coppinger, are clearly pros who know how to run a camp. They have high standards, and this is reflected in the quality of their staff and guides. We had good game drives with Makubu and Amon, and especially enjoyed our time with Bryan, whose amazing leopard sighting and pursuit was the wildlife highlight of our trip.

Vegetarians will delight in this camp. Because Carol is a vegetarian, most dishes served were without meat. The food was perfectly adequate--not often delicious but good enough and always nutritious.

The camp was very congenial, with good opportunities to meet and chat with others around the campfire, the bar, and the dining table." See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr M & Mrs D
UK

"Such a great start to our Honeymoon in Zambia"

3 nights Arrived 15 Jul 2013
"Great start at the airport, this was a sign of things to come. Micupa's greeting - helpful, warm and friendly. Exciting wildlife sightings along the way, and he shared his knowledge of these. We arrived at Tafika, and everything was just perfect and the whole experience just got better as the days passed by.

Tafika is in such beautiful and romantic setting. Having breakfast around a wood fire on a fresh morning, overlooking the river at sunrise, was divine.

Wonderful hospitality and lovely meals, we certainly did not feel second best being veggies. The enormous bed (with equally enormous mosquito net) and 'twin showers' were a treat.

Excellent game drives. Never more than four to a vehicle, everyone had uninterrupted views Fantastic wildlife experiences, with our guides sharing their vast knowledge." See all these reviews: 11n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
C & L G
Greece

"Great hospitality"

3 nights Arrived 11 Jul 2013
"The camp is located in a very beautiful surrounding with great views over the river.

The huts are very spacious and clean. The atmosphere is very friendly and you soon start feeling at home. The game drives and walking safaris are great and so is wildlife in and around the camp. The visit to the nearby village Mkasanga is a great experiece.

Definitely a place to go back to!" See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs L
Beaconsfie

"Couldn't be better!"

3 nights Arrived 8 Jul 2013
"We loved every minute at Tafika.

The microlight flight at sunrise, the staff, the setting on the riverbank, the gorgeous chalets, the beautiful food, the game drives, the walking safari with Bryan......just could not have been better! The visit to the local school was a very emotional event for us. And we even had one of the camp's cats share our bed, which we loved!

We only wish we could've stayed longer." See all these reviews: 11n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr F & Ms C
Tavistock

"Tafika review"

4 nights Arrived 4 Jul 2013
"First time Africa, first time safari and by luck or good judgment or a combination of both, we chose Tafika.

I can only echo the superlatives already penned about this camp by previous reviewers. From the word go Tafika provided a seamless experience. We were won over by the warmth and friendliness of the whole team. In all respects quality and professionalism shone through in a happy, relaxed way.

All of our guides impressed us with their enthusiasm, knowledge and communication. Nothing was too much trouble. The meals were delicious and wholesome (the kitchen garden is well worth a visit), and the chalets large and comfortable. We took the opportunity to visit the village of Mkasanga which really enhanced our understanding of the area and how the camp fits into local life.

We would wholeheartedly recommend Tafika. The trouble is whether we will ever match the experience again." See all these reviews: 9n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs D
Toronto

"One of a kind experience"

1 night Arrived 30 Jun 2013
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs D
Toronto

"One of a kind experience"

1 night Arrived 27 Jun 2013
"It was a memorable stay, different from any other place we have ever been to. I won't describe food, chalets etc. as it is all good. Again, big thank you to all their staff. What sets Tafika apart is, of course, the fact that John & Carol are owning and managing it. It's obvious that they care and love the place. Also, they treat guests like family. We had lunch with them on both days we were there & we had dinners with their daughters, Jenny & Christine. It was very personal experience which gave us a glimpse into the realities of daily life of the family who is nothing short of being a local legend.

Running a safari camp sounds very romantic but once you meet the people who are living that "romantic" life, it becomes an eye-opening event where the reality takes away some of the charm but you come to respect the amount of dedication, courage and love required to do what Carol and John are doing. I understand that Tafika is much more than a safari operation in the eyes of the local community. We only had two drives with Tafika (given that we spent two other nights at Chikoko). The drives were good (excellent lion sightings one night - we were able to see the pride starting their hunt) but again, what I remember most is how we could talk to the guides who knew not only the animals & birds but also the realities of daily life of a very deprived and poor area of Zambia.

I wish we'd spent more time at Tafika with John & Carol's family and their team. I made it sound all too serious but it was great fun all along & we felt easy and relaxed during our stay. Alexei particularly liked the micro light flight with John (just mentioning it because he's not too fond of heights). I did fly too & it felt unexpectedly natural. I think that staying at Tafika would be an invaluable experience for those guests who are looking not just to find a "happy place" to unwind and spend their holidays but for those who are willing to see a more down to earth authentic side of living in a challenging country such as Zambia while running a safari operation.

Every guide and every team member we met at Tafika impressed us." See all these reviews: 8n in Zambia; 4n in Botswana
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Showing 191-200 of 318
98%
318 reviews of Tafika by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
294
21
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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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

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95% (154 reviews)
Mwamba Bushcamp

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Big Lagoon Camp

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Kapani Lodge

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95% (78 reviews)
Flatdogs Camp

Flatdogs Camp

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Luangwa River Camp

Luangwa River Camp

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Mchenja Bushcamp

Mchenja Bushcamp

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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.


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Nsolo Bushcamp

Nsolo Bushcamp

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Kafunta River Lodge

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Luwi Bushcamp

Luwi Bushcamp

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Robin Pope bush-camp

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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

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95% (20 reviews)
Mfuwe Lodge

Mfuwe Lodge

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94% (18 reviews)
Kuyenda Bushcamp

Kuyenda Bushcamp

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Luangwa Safari House

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100% (14 reviews)
Three Rivers Camp

Three Rivers Camp

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Island Bush Camp

Island Bush Camp

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100% (13 reviews)
Chinzombo

Chinzombo

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Chindeni

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Chamilandu Bushcamp

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Mwamba Camp-out

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Zungulila

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Shawa Luangwa Camp

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Chichele Presidential Lodge

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Mapazi Camp

Mapazi Camp

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Chikunto Safari Lodge

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