One of Africa’s most overlooked safari locations is Lower Zambezi National Park. Located on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River, it is one of the few parks that offers canoeing, boat safaris, bush walks, and day and night drives. While lion, leopard, and African wild dog sightings are very common, elephant and hippo sightings are exceptional. There are numerous riverbank campgrounds and resorts in the Lower Zambezi. Accommodations inside the national park often provide a better (and more costly) safari experience than those beyond the western edge of the park.

There is no set order of quality for the hotels listed below.

1. The River Camp of Baines

This opulent little lodge, named for Thomas Baines, an artist and explorer who traveled with David Livingstone on the Zambezi Expedition from 1858 to 1864, offers a taste of classic luxury. Despite its name, Baines’ is more of a lodge than a camp; it has eight double chalets and one family unit, each with a private terrace, air conditioning, and a ceiling fan.

Elephants and other wildlife can still be seen in abundance despite the chalets being scattered along the Zambezi, some 30km/19mi outside the national park. In addition to tiger fishing, boat safaris, game drives, and bush walks, there’s a swimming pool where you may relax in between activities.

2. Luxury Tented Camp Anabezi

Perhaps the best Lower Zambezi camp is Anabezi. Situated deep into the park, at least 50km/31mi past the official entrance gate, it offers a captivating jungle setting together with high levels of accommodation and elegant bush chic. With a view of the Zambezi and a nearby floodplain, the twelve glass-and-canvas apartments are arranged along an 800-meter (2,600-foot) stilted wooden walkway.

Every suite features a hardwood deck with a private plunge pool and a walk-in net big enough to enclose a typical hotel room. Game drives are rewarding, in part because of the abundance of wildlife but also because of the lodge’s isolated location and little tourist traffic. The Zambezi is also a great place for boat and canoe excursions.

3. Safari Lodge in Kiambi

Residents of Lusaka have always favored Kiambi because of its affordable prices, laid-back vibe, and welcoming staff. It is located 50km/31mi outside the national park and features a fantastic stretch of Zambezi frontage in a game management area. The lodge is an excellent starting point for canoeing, bird watching, and tiger fishing.

By boat, guided wildlife drives take you to the park’s edge, which is an excursion worth taking. Family cottages and a spacious campsite are available, as are the stilted wood-and-thatch cabins with a view of the river.

4. Camp Sausage Tree

Sausage Tree Camp, one of the oldest and most opulent camps in Lower Zambezi National Park, was founded in 1996. The camp is located in a section of riverbank woodland that is characterized by mature sausage and mahogany trees and is widely spaced along the Zambezi. The interiors of the seven specially designed safari tents are spacious and minimalistic, with sliding doors leading to a private terrace with a plunge pool and a close-up view of the river.

Common spaces include a large teak deck and a full-sized pool overlooking a group of reed-covered islands that are often visited by buffalo, elephants, and hippos. This place is all about exclusivity. Activities like wildlife drives, bush walks, and canoeing are individually guided, and each tent has its own butler.

5. Potato Bush Camp

The family-friendly Potato Bush Camp is run by the same people as Sausage Tree Camp, which is nearby. Just three roomy and fully furnished safari tents and one family residence, connected by raised timber walkways, make up this somewhat less opulent but equally unpackaged experience.

Every accommodation has a private plunge pool, outdoor patio, or hammock with a breathtaking view of the Zambezi. Like other campgrounds inside the park, game drives tend to have few other vehicles, and the entire range of guided activities is available.

6. Time + Tide Camp Chongwe

This magnificent camp is perfectly situated at the meeting point of the powerful Zambezi, the Chongwe River, and the western edge of the national park. It consists of eight traditional safari tents, each embellished with vibrant African textiles and locally made furnishings. The tents feature a terrace overlooking the river surrounded by woodland and a spacious outdoor bathroom.

Located on the west bank of the Chongwe, just outside the national park, the camp is well located for boat safaris, game drives, and other park activities. After nightfall, a variety of nocturnal species may be spotted at the lucrative photographic hide.

7. Camp Chiawa

Since its founding in 1989, the Cumings family has owned and run Pioneering Chiawa, the oldest camp in Lower Zambezi. From humble beginnings, this labor of love has undergone numerous renovations to become a contemporary bush hideaway with eight standing tents that are among the biggest and most opulent in Zambia.

Chiawa is well-known for its superb guiding standards and stunning riverfront setting within the park, and it has won multiple honors throughout the years. A stay at Chiawa can be extended by a few nights at its more rustic sister camp, Old Mondoro, which is located 35km/22mi farther into the park and has five chalets situated alongside the Zambezi for a more wilderness experience.

8. Camp at Chula Island

Chula’s location on a small island sets it apart from other camps in the Lower Zambezi. This little mahogany-shaded camp, named for the frogs (called “chula” in the native Goba language), whose evocative chorus frequently fills the night air, provides superb in-house birding and animal viewing.

The five tents can accommodate up to ten people and offer all the comforts one could reasonably expect in a bush camp setting, while still maintaining the wilderness atmosphere. Instead of full-blown luxury, Chula is a fantastic option for people looking for an exciting and unique bush adventure.

9. The Lodge at Kanyemba

On the forested bank of the Zambezi, about 50km/31mi outside the national park, is the community-minded Kanyemba Lodge. It includes a three-bedroom family-oriented house and six air-conditioned rondavels (round chalets) with slate flooring, thatch roofs, and spacious riverfront terraces.

The Italian-inspired food features mouthwatering handcrafted pizzas straight from a wood-fired oven, and a spacious and tranquil infinity pool overlooks a section of river that is frequented by hippos and elephants.

All of the typical guided activities, such as boat tours, bush walks, and wildlife drives, are available despite the park’s distance. The resort donates a portion of its earnings to support Makanya Pre-School and Mafungautsi Primary School, which together educate more than 300 local children.

10. Safari Lodge Lolebezi

Although it is relatively new to the market, Lolebezi Safari Lodge, which debuted in 2022, is quickly being known as one of the best luxury lodges in Lower Zambezi. It is run by African Bush Camps, a company located in Zimbabwe, and has two family units and four double suites. Each property has air conditioning, a private plunge pool, and amazing views of an untamed area of the Zambezi.

The lodge has a spa with trained staff and a yoga terrace in addition to all the standard activities. It is located in the park’s isolated east, where you can anticipate great wildlife viewing that is mostly unhindered by other cars.