I can’t understand why this lodge was not fully booked, as I truly loved the design and the value for money. Even factoring in game drives and national park fees, I paid about half what some of the more upscale lodges would have cost. The pool is amazing with a lovely river view; I enjoyed the outdoor gym and the manager was super friendly and ensured that I could go on game drives with the neighboring lodge when the minimum wasn’t met to send the Track and Trail vehicle. The latter is the most comfortable I have come across in South Luangwa, by the way. That said, if you are on a budget, factor in that the meals are somewhat expensive for the portion sizes and you will need to pay 25 USD in park fees per day on top of the game drives. Plus, for a solo traveler, the transfers from the airport are very expensive. On the other hand, water is free, which is great. I woke up to elephants and hippos walking through the camp…unfortunately, I missed the leopard. The game drives take place in the main area which was a little bit more crowded than I would have thought expected, but Vic, the camp’s excellent guide, always did his best to avoid the crowds. Plus, I saw 5 leopards in 2 days - way more than around the more exclusive camps I visited afterwards. I really hope the camp will be fully booked in the future as it’s a truly lovely place.
