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
Tena Tena
Tena Tena
Tena Tena
Tena Tena
Tena Tena
Tena Tena
Tena Tena
Tena Tena

Reviews of Tena Tena

Wildlife sightings and reviews

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

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Jul-2018, 38 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Tena Tena.
Lion

83% success

Leopard

86% success

Wild dog

40% success

Elephant

100% success

Giraffe

100% success

Hippo

100% success

Spotted Hyena

94% success

Buffalo

91% success

Zebra

86% success

Eland

26% success

Roan antelope

6% success

Sable antelope

6% success

Aardvark

0% success

Pangolin

0% success

Wildebeest

0% success

Showing 91-100 of 154
Duration
Arrival date
Dr K
Baldock

"THree nights here"

3 nights Arrived 10 Sep 2013
"Because I stayed 3 nights the guide told me that I could therefore take a side trip out to the salt pans. This was a great idea as I was able to find out a lot more about the countryby talking to the guide.We saw people carrying chickens on the back of their bikes and were astonished to find out that they make journeys of several days just to get to the market. They also have to face the danger of lions etc whilst doing so. It was a very friendly camp and in common with the other camps the staff are unfailingly polite and helpful. The tent was excellent with the added luxury of a fan which I neede in SEptember as it was around 37oCat lunch time. Its fun to have to be driven back to your tent at night because there are buffalos outside. I found Julius a wonderful driver guide and chef my trip to thesalt Pan which incidentally was littered with bones. Michael provided some great puddings and cake. All staff were very professional well informed and fun. The wiring of the fans needs investigation for safety." See all these reviews: 7n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Dr G & Dr E
UK

"tena tena safari"

3 nights Arrived 9 Sep 2013
"Lovely camp in an isolated location. Less game around, but lovely for birds and hippos.

Camp host/management left a little to be desired though. There was a known problem with the hot water, which was not explained until we complained about it. They are apparently "waiting for parts". This means that there is an initial few minutes of hot water until the boiler overheats. It then has to be switched off for at least a minute, whereupon a further minute or so of hot water is available and the whole process has to be repeated - not very convenient.

Our room fan broke and not fixed. We lost some clothing in the laundry and were told it was not in camp and if it had been left at Nkwali, then it would have been forwarded. No further attempt was made to track it down. There was little atmosphere in camp, perhaps because the hostess was entertaining her brother." See all these reviews: 12n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Kim
London

"Tena Tena Review"

1 night Arrived 8 Sep 2013
"Terrific. Lovely location on a very active part of the river.

Great welcome. Really enjoyable walking transfer to Nsefu.

Only sorry to have missed the lions that seem to regularly walk through the camp!" See all these reviews: 7n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Ms W
Austria

"Encounter with Robin Pope at Tena Tena"

2 nights Arrived 4 Sep 2013
"Tena Tena was our third (and last) camp on safari. Its setting at the river is beautiful and the tents are new and very elegant and comfortable. From the spacious outdoor bathroom, we could often hear and see hippos.

It was particularly relaxing to sit in front of our tent or the main area browsing in our birding book or writing post cards and listening to the hippos in the river and the cry of the numerous fish eagles. Tena Tena's postcard service is a very nice idea, our friends and relatives were delighted when our postcards finally arrived...

We had some very good leopard sightings at Tena Tena. Our guide Chris is very likeable, his sense of humour and enthusiasm for the wildlife are really catching and make our game drives very enjoyable. On a walk, we had a fascinating encounter with lions: We tracked them and after they had noticed our presence, they quietly withdrew into the bush.

One afternoon we even met Robin Pope with his wife by chance on a game drive!" 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 & Mrs P
Derbyshire

"A gorgeous place with animals galore"

2 nights Arrived 29 Aug 2013
"2 comments:-
(I) Don't expand it any further, It seems less of a Bush Camp with 6 tents than it did with 4.
(ii) It seemed a long walk from tent 3 to the central facilities for 2 people in their mid-70's

BUT no-one could fault the welcome and treatment." See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Average
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr S & Ms B
UK

"Tena Tena review"

3 nights Arrived 29 Aug 2013
"We walked into Tena Tena after Bushcamping. The tents are very spacious, with mesh sides which gave a feeling of openness which we really like. There are only six tents and they are very well spread out. There is a view over the river. There are sockets in the rooms to charge batteries.

When going to lunch on the first day, we had to take a different route because of 2 elephants near the tent. On one evening we had to be driven to the tent because of more elephants. At night the hippo (and hyena) provided a tremendous chorus. We really liked it, but others might want earplugs.

The views from the dining area were not quite as good as from the other camps – at this time of year the river was fairly distant. However it was a nice place to sit, and wildlife was still visible. (One night a leopard walked along the sand in the light of the watchman’s torch)

Food again was very good, and our needs as non-meat eaters were well taken care of.

Again game drives were by open vehicle, giving excellent viewing. We saw very few other vehicles on the drives (only occasionally others from Tena Tena). There were a very large number of elephants in the area.

Our first guide’s style didn’t quite match ours. The company dealt with this well - we raised this with Jessica, the hostess and we were changed to Bertrame & also George, whom we knew from Nsefu. We then spent more time watching animals’ behaviour.

With hindsight, part of this is knowing what you want and communicating it. When you meet a guide for the first time, they ask “What would you like to see?” We are happy to see anything, so I guess our response is not very helpful. However, we want to spend time with animals, watch their behaviour and learn about them. We’ve learnt it is important to think about what you enjoy & communicate this to the guide.

Tena Tena is a realy good camp." See all these reviews: 11n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs F
Newbury

"Great start to our holiday at Tena Tena"

3 nights Arrived 22 Aug 2013
"A great start to our holiday in a camp with a lovely atmosphere - the sevice was very good and our guide, Julius, was excellent." See all these reviews: 8n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Ms D
Ireland

"Tena Tena review"

2 nights Arrived 17 Aug 2013
"Very pleasant camp.

Considerate and professional staff.

Enjoyed both the walks and drives. Excellent wildlife sightings - including honey badgers!" See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Good
Ms A & Mr B
Kent

"Animals and birds abound at Tena Tena"

4 nights Arrived 16 Aug 2013
"Our guide, Bertram, was outstanding. He was very knowledgeable and suited us well as he was happy to find good spots then just sit and wait and watch and enjoy the wildlife - for up to an hour at a time.

There is so much wildlife to see and numerous beautiful spots not far from the camp. We very much appreciated the overall respect for the wildlife - ie no chasing or speeding or off-roading or parking very close." See all these reviews: 12n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Dr T
Suffolk

"The ultimate wilderness experience"

3 nights Arrived 23 Jul 2013
"Outstanding wildlife and wonderful walks. The camp was super - lovely people, excellent food .

I didn't think it could get better but this was the best -- to stand 50 metres from a curious bull Giraffe was amazing and we also saw elephant close up and a buffalo herd." 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 91-100 of 154
95%
154 reviews of Tena Tena by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
123
25
5
1
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)
Mwamba Bushcamp

Mwamba Bushcamp

Small, remote and owner-run, Mwamba offers first-class walking, 4WD safari drives and superb hides, with excellent guides and a real bush feel.


99% (152 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