Accommodation at Lechwe Plains Tented Camp, Kafue National Park, Zambia

Safari Lodges and Accommodation in Zambia

Accommodation at Lechwe Plains Tented Camp, Kafue National Park, Zambia

LECHWE PLAINS TENTED CAMP

Bush camp in Lochinvar National Park
Chunga Lagoon
Kafue River flood plain
Just six double unites

The exotic and beautiful Lechwe Plains Tented Camp is an African fantasy under canvas. This tented camp is built onto teak decking, sheltered under a mature grove of acacia trees on the edge of the wide Chunga Lagoon.

Just six double units cater for a maximum of 12 guests, making this a tranquil hideaway far from the main safari circuits. Each unit has a private viewing deck, en suite w.c, shower and bath, and the beds have a mosquito net. The Camp is situated in the Lochinvar National Park – a World Heritage Wetland Site.

Located on the Kafue River flood plain midway between Livingstone and Lusaka, the Park is the last stronghold of the Kafue Lechwe – an aquatic antelope of extraordinary grace. The close-up experience of living in the same environment as the wildlife offers a new perspective to guests. Peace and beauty combined with ever-changing waterscapes will offer opportunities for special interest groups and individual guests alike. Guests will have the undivided attention of the hosts and staff, including a professional ornithologist and guide.

The Lodge is an all year round birdwatcher’s paradise with over 400 species recorded. In addition, the Park contains approximately 30 000 Kafue lechwe, 2 000 blue wildebeest and 700 zebra. Greater kudu, bushbuck, oribi, hippo, side-striped jackal, reedbuck and common waterbuck are also present. Activities include game viewing from dug-out canoes or by open 4x4 safari vehicles. The Lodge also offers guided walks and visits to the nearby traditional fishing villages.

The Lochinvar Estate has a genuine history as an “Out of Africa” colonial cattle ranch and farm.

Bequeathed to the nation in 1904, the old colonial farmhouse still stands, under a preservation order. But Lochinvar’s huge swath of unique wetland and floodplain savanna was returned to its wild state.

Today it is a World Heritage Wetland Site. Situated on the Kafue River floodplain mid way between Livingstone and Lusaka, the Park is now the last stronghold of the Kafue Lechwe, an aquatic antelope of extraordinary grace.

Conference Facilities available at Lechwe Plains
The exotic and beautiful Lechwe Plains Tented Camp is an African fantasy under canvas. The tented lodge, built onto teak decking, shelters under a mature grove of acacia trees on the edge of the wide Chunga Lagoon. Just six double units cater for a maximum of 12 guests at any one time, making this a tranquil hideaway far from the main safari circuits.

The close-up experience of living in the same environment as the wildlife offers a new perspective to the visitor. Peace and beauty together with ever-changing waterscapes will offer opportunities for special interest groups and individual visitors alike. Guests will have the undivided attention of the hosts and staff, including a competent ornithologist and guide.

Lechwe Plains’ location midway between Livingstone and Lusaka makes it a highly original proposition for the corporate market as well as the international visitor, and perfect as an incentive group destination.

ACTIVITIES
• All year round bird watcher’s paradise with over 400 species recorded. In addition, the park contains approximately 30 000 Kafue lechwe, 2 000 Blue wildebeest and 700 Zebra. Greater kudu, Bushbuck, Oribi, Hippopotamus, Side-striped jackal, Reedbuck and Common waterbuck are also present.
• Water activities include excursions in dug-out canoes.
• Game viewing drives in open 4x4 safari vehicles.
• Guided walks.
• Cultural visits to nearby traditional fishing villages.
• Special interest safaris, e.g. birding, riverine ecology or questing for rare species such as the Sitatunga.
• Visits to interesting iron-age archaeological sites.
• Hot springs.
• Sport angling opportunities.

AMENITIES AND SERVICES
• Evening camp fire
• Laundry
• Airstrip (Charter flights are available)
• Guests may drive to the Lodge if they wish

ALL ACCOMMODATION HAS
• En-suite toilet, basin, shower & bath
• Mosquito nets
• Hair dryer
• Private viewing deck

MEAL TIMES
Meal times are at the usually accepted times but can be dependent on safari activities. A wide range of cuisine is served blending local ingredients with international flavours. Meals will be served outdoors whenever possible.

CHILDREN’S POLICY
Children's policy is 6 - 12 years of age. Children under 6 years can only be accepted through prior arrangement with management.

ACCESS
By air: international flights to Lusaka, transfer to Camp via charter plane to Lochinvar airstrip.
Self drive: Around 4 hours from Lusaka to Lochinvar National Park. Click here for a map (opens in new window).

RATES INCLUDE
• 3 meals a day
• 2 game viewing activities per day
• National Park entrance fees
• Fishing in the Kafue river floodplain
• Transfers to/from Lochinvar airstrip
• Soft drinks, local beers, house wines
• Laundry
• Service Charge

RATES EXCLUDE
• Visas which may be required
• Imported wines and spirits

CONFERENCE PACKAGES:
Lechwe Plains Tented Camp located in the Lochinvar National Park, is the ideal venue for small groups wanting a relaxed and scenic conference or team building venue just outside of Lusaka. The Lochinvar National Park, located only 200km from Lusaka can easily be accessed either by road or air. Excellent group charter rates are available on Star of Africa Air Charters. This park offers superb birding, plains game viewing and a variety of water activities on the Chunga Lagoon.

Lechwe Plains Tented Camp offers accommodation in 6 luxury tents
4 twin rooms and 2 double rooms.
Maximum capacity at this camp is 12 people sharing or 6 people in single units.

We have put a special all inclusive conference package together as outlined below which can be altered and tailor made depending on your individual requirements.

Conference Rates are s are inclusive of:

Accommodation
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Mid Morning Tea/ coffee and biscuits
Mid Afternoon Tea/ coffee and cake
Soft drinks, local beers and house wines
Conference facilities laid up to your requirements
Water, cordials, mints, notepads and pens on conference table
Standard Equipment of Flipcharts x 2 and White Screen x 1(other equipment may be sourced and quoted on upon request )
Park Entry Fees
Ground airport transfers to and from Lochinvar Airstrip
• Choice of one activity per day - Game Drive in the Lochinvar National Park, Fishing, Nature Walks, Birding trips, Banana Boat or Mokoro trips out on the Lagoon, Cultural Trips to a nearby fishing village
Service Charge

LOCHINVAR NATIONAL PARK:
Lochinvar, although not abundant in the larger mammals, is nonetheless a park of exceptional beauty and outstanding birding opportunities with over 420 recorded species in its 428 square kilometers.

The Park is situated on the southern edge of the Kafue Flats, a wide floodplain of the Kafue River between Itezhi tezhi dam in the west and Kafue Gorge in the east. The area extends for 33kms from the Kafue River in the north to low wooded hills in the south. It includes the large, shallow Chunga Lagoon which fluctuates considerably in size with variations in river levels. The varying vegetation makes it an interesting park to visit with floodplains, woodlands and termitaria

It is particularly well known for the large herds of Kafue lechwe, unique to the Kafue flats. Other antelope are the blue wildebeest, kudu, oribi and buffalo. Waterbirds are especially abundant.

The Kafue Flats floodplain, in the northern section, floods from the Kafue River, and here you’ll find thousands upon thousands of the endemic Kafue lechwe, one of three subspecies of lechwe found in Zambia. More than 30 000 of them make the flats their home and move seasonally according to the flood level.

At high water, massive herds may be seen along the upper floodline and in the open grassland further south. As the floods recede the herds move north into the grassy floodplain. They feed on grasses and herbs in water up to a meter deep and are often seen wading or swimming in the Chunga Lagoon. Mating takes place mainly between December and January. Males fight over small territories known as leks and then mate with several females.

In the Termitaria Zone, trees and shrubs grow only on the large termite mounds with grasses and herbs covering the rest of the area, which often becomes waterlogged during the rainy season. There are also many small grey mounds which are always unvegetated. The magpie shrike is one of the birds to be seen in the scattered trees of this zone and the surrounding grassy plains are grazed by buffalo, zebra, wildebeest and oribi. Very much in evidence is the ‘candelabra’ tree.

The southern area is mainly woodland dominated by Acacia albida and Combretum trees and free from flooding. Bushbuck kudu, baboon, bushpig and vervet monkey inhabit this area.

The Gwisho Hot Springs occur along a geological fault here, surrounded by lush vegetation and vegetable ivory palms. The water rises by convection from depths of over 1 km with temperatures ranging from 60° to 90° C. There are high concentrations of sodium, chlorine, calcium and sulphates in the water. A distinctive rock known as a ‘fault breccia’ occurs along the line of the fault and can be seen at Gwisho or the Lodge.

Sebanzi Hill is an archaeological site which has been excavated. It was the site of an iron age village, inhabited for most of the last century. Look out for The Baobab Tree with a hollow trunk large enough for several people to sleep in. Historically the tree was said to boast special powers which would protect passing travellers from wild animals. There is a curious rocky outcrop called Drum Rocks not far from the lodge, which produces a resonant sound when tapped. They are also part of local superstition in former times and passers-by had to stop and greet the rocks before proceeding.

Birdlife:

There are no dangerous animals in the park, apart from buffalo and visitors are encouraged to walk about. Cars however should not leave the roads. Lochinvar is well renowned as a superb bird sanctuary featuring many different waterfowl, raptors, woodland species and migrants. 428 species have been recorded.

The floodplain is a wide almost flat area, with black clay soils, sloping almost imperceptibly towards the Kafue River. Vegetation is made up of grasses, sedges and herbs adapted to an annual pattern of flooding. Many plants grow up with the rising waters to become emerging aquatics at high flood. A few isolated winterthorns Acacia albida and palms Borassus aethiopum occur on the river banks. Hundreds of wattled cranes can be seen feeding on vegetable matter dug from the soft mud and the large marabou stork scavenging for stranded fish. Around Chunga Lagoon you’ll find the greater and lesser flamingo, the pink backed and white pelicans, African skimmer, Caspian tern, Baillon’s crake and the red knobbed coot. Many species of duck are abundant in this environment; the black duck, fulvous duck, whistling duck, pintail, garganey, southern pochard, pygmy goose, yellow billed duck and the Cape and European shovellers. Waders include avocet, the Mongolian, Caspian and Pacific golden plovers, whimbrel, turnstone, sanderling, little stint, spotted redshank, black tailed and bar tailed godwits and six species of sandpiper. Over 50 raptors occur including the black sparrowhawk, osprey, secretary bird, African cuckoo hawk and the peregrine falcon to name a few. Other interesting sightings include the white-bellied and black bellied korhaans, yellow throated sandgrouse, narina trogon, and Denham’s bustard.

Conservation

The IUCN and WWF have designated the Kafue Flats a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. A sponsored management project for the area attempts to give local people an interest in conservation through both redistribution of tourist revenue and controlled harvesting of resources. The fishermen you may come across in the park are very much a part of this unique ecosystem and in many ways the humans and wildlife here are interdependent.

When to go

Anytime of the year is accessible although care is needed in the wet season after heavy rains. A 4WD is not necessary although advantageous in the rainy season as road conditions vary according to last rainfall and when the roads were last graded. Peak floods are reached in May at the end of the rainy season, while the water is at its lowest in October and November at the end of the dry season. The profusion of birds is extensive during the wet season when migrants arrive from the north. The game however is easier to spot in the dry season.

Getting there

Lochinvar is only a three hour drive from Lusaka and is also accessible by charter aircraft. The access road is via the town of Monze on the Livingstone - Lusaka road. Monze is 282 kms from Livingstone and 186kms from Lusaka. Just north of the grain silos at Monze, turn west along a gravel road signposted at Namwala, then after about 25kms turn right at the signpost to Lochinvar, a distance of about 48 kms. The park gates are open between 6h00 and 18h00 and park fees are payable on entry.