Honeymoons A-Z: Zambia

Image via Honeymoons

Listen to the wild rivers rush, birds chirp and the roar of lions fill the air… Zambia is the land where safaris thrill, evenings delight and five-star luxury meets awe-inspiring nature and wildlife! Zambia has so much to offer for honeymoon couples – relax in bliss with picnics or take a quiet trip canoeing, honeymoons in Zambia offers unforgettable and romantic African adventures.

5 Places to Stay

1. Sausage Tree Camp
Overlooking the grassy islands of Zambesi’s floodplains, guests can often spy buffalos grazing on the islands and crocodiles lazing in the sandy channels. Sausage Tree camp has five stylish Bedouin-style signature tents, but the honeymoon suites will make your time in Zambia extra special – relax in your private plunge pool followed by a romantic dinner on your deck. Each guest room has its own personal butler, but the highlight is a morning canoe trip down the channel adjacent to the camp, dodging hippo as you go.

Image via Sausage Tree Camp

2. Mfuwe Lodge, South Luangwa National Park
Situated in a prime location in South Luangwa Park, the lodge overlooks the brilliant green Mfuwe Lagoon which is home to a large pod of hippos. High beamed ceilings and thatch roofs adorn the lodge, and stone paths lead to 18 well-appointed timber and thatch chalets. Every chalet overlooks the lagoon and has a large sun deck. There are wide expanses of polished wooden floors, rich rugs and beautiful pottery that decorate the chalets – not a detail has been overlooked.

Image via Mfuwe Lodge

3. Chongwe River House
The Chongwe River House is unusual in appearance but high on luxury and character, with an absolutely fantastic location. The house looks up the river and onto the dramatic Zambezi escarpment, where the light on the hills change mesmerizingly minute by minute. The house itself is luxurious and peaceful, with unique and interesting architecture. Four ensuite bedrooms open up to spectacular views over the confluence of the two rivers, whilst the natural grassy terrace leading to the river is the perfect backdrop for moonlit dinners.

Image via Chongwe River House

4. Tongabezi Lodge
This charming hideaways nestles on the banks of the Zambezi River just upstream of Victoria Falls. Guests are welcomed to a selection of houses and cottages, each beautifully styled with furniture and trinkets from all over Africa. Privately owned and run, Tongabezi offers guests the exclusive ambience with the legendary hospitality of the people of Zambia.

Image via Tongabezi Lodge

5. Nsefu Camp
On the banks of the Luangwa river, in the remote Nsefu sector on the north side of South Luangwa national Park, you’ll find the historic Nsefu camp. Dating back to the fifties, Robin Pope Safaris took over Nsefu in 1999, and now welcomes just 12 guests in the six refurbished brick-and-thatch en-suite rondavels, each with open views across the water. Sit and watch the world go by from the shade of your private veranda or join new friends at the lounge and share stories over a cocktail as you watch the wildlife coming down to the river.

Image via Nsefu Camp

5 Places to Visit

1. Victoria Falls
Arguably the world’s largest waterfall, Victoria Falls in Southern Province never ceases to amaze visitors. The waterfall is Zambia’s biggest tourist attraction and lives up to its local name, Mosi-oa-Tunya, meaning “The Smoke That Thunders.” The magnificent waterfall is best visited between the months of July and September, when the Zambezi River is aplomb with water.

Image via Honeymoons

2. South Luangwa National Park
South Luangwa National Park is one of the many national parks in Zambia, and the most popular, because it’s filled with abundant wildlife. It’s a short flight or a ten-hour drive from Lusaka via Eastern Province. Flying is more convenient but can be expensive. The daytime and nighttime game drives in South Luangwa are fabulous, but watching the sunset on the safari plains is simply magical.

3. Lower Zambezi River
The Lower Zambezi River basin in Southern Province is a short drive south from Lusaka and a great place for a long weekend getaway. The region is great for bush camp excursions, hunting, fishing and boat cruises. Fish for tigerfish or camp “in the bush” for a true African river experience.

Image via Lower Zambezi

4. Saturday Dutch Market
Every last Saturday of the month, Zambia’s largest open-air market sets up shop at the Dutch Reformed Church in the Kabulonga area of Lusaka. Artisans from Zambia and neighbouring countries bring their arts and crafts to you. It’s one of the few places where you can find Zimbabwean soap stone sold next to Zambian copper plates. Soak up the African vibes and taste a variety of ethnic dishes and buy produce. But be sure to bargain – the vendors will reduce prices below their original quotes.

5. Western Province/Barotseland
Western Province, also called Barotseland, is a large and relatively remote province on the Angolan border. The province is home to Liuwa Plains National park, the most isolated and least visited of all national parks in Zambia. Visit in November at the end of the dry season to see the world’s second largest wildebeest migration, when the herds turn south and head to Namibia. However, the park is very remote and it’s better to visit with an experienced guide.

5 Things to Do

1. Set Off On Foot in the South Luangwa
Immerse yourself completely in the pristine wilderness by taking a guided walking safari tour. As your senses sharpen, so too does your understanding of how every part of nature fits together in this extraordinary ecosystem. There is a good chance that you may experience the thrill of a lion sighting. Spend the nights in comfortable tents with all the basics of camp set up for you by the experienced staff.

Image via Luangwa Safari House

2. Game Drives Along the Luangwa River
The South Luangwa is Zambia’s best known park for very good reason: the concentration of game around the Luangwa River is among the densest in Africa. Although you can feel a part of this remote wilderness on foot, you can cover more ground and maximise your wildlife sightings in a car. Make sure your camera batteries are fully charged – game drives in this area is known for its high density of leopard and lion, rumbling herds of elephant gathered at oxbow lakes, and endemic species such as Thornicroft’s giraffe and Crawshay’s zebra.

3. Drift Along the Lower Zambezi River
The Lower Zambezi is an incredibly beautiful reserve stretching out along the shimmering waters of the wide, blue Zambezi River. Cruise down the river on a canoe for a unique experience exploring Zambia. Don’t think of a canoe safari as hard work – you drift more than paddle, floating past the twitching ears and snorts of submerged hippos and knobbly Nile crocodiles basking on the riverbanks.

Image via Lower Zambezi Camps

4. Explore the Remote Busanga Plains of Kafue
Kafue National Park is one of the largest national parks in Africa and in the extreme north of Kafue lies the Busanga Plains, it is one of Zambia’s most significant wetland resources and the best region of the park for game viewing. Huge herds of red lechwe, puku and stately roan antelope graze these grassy foodplains, their large numbers attracting plenty of predators including packs of wild dogs, lion prides and elegant cheetah.

5. Take a dip in Devil’s Pool, Victoria Falls
One of the most well-known waterfalls around the world, experience the beauty and power of the falls from the edge of Victoria Falls, Devil’s Pool. Located on the Zambian side of the falls, this experience provides a good adrenaline rush and some very worthy pictures to treasure for a lifetime.