With the wildlife-filled waters of the Chayumba oxbow lagoon directly in front of you, and the rolling Chindeni Hills providing a picturesque backdrop behind, this is not only one of the most evocatively located bush camps in the South Luangwa, but also one of the most elegant.
Overview
There are just four tents at Chindeni: 2 doubles and 2 twins, which are actually more the size of enormous luxury suites, and which can be as open to the bush on all sides as you wish. Open from June to November, the main camp at Chindeni features a central lounge and a dining room and bar area set on a varnished deck amidst ebony and tamarind trees. All are open sided, with views over to the permanent lagoon.
Food & service
Food is fresh and plentiful – we particularly recommend the apricot mousse desert – and guests are often treated to special meals such as brunch in the bush and a Mongolian BBQ on the beach. Feedback regarding service has been unremittingly good.
Rooms
Blended into the surrounding vegetation, and raised on stilted platforms, they take overnighting under canvas to a different level – with their stripped wood floors, vaulted ceilings, four poster beds, large wardrobes and lounge areas complete with writing desks. All feature delightful en-suite bathrooms of Chindeni Camp (with smart white china fittings and a constant supply of hot water), as well as private waterside viewing balconies with deck chairs.
Activities
Chindeni offers the usual selection of walking safaris, day and night wildlife drives and scenic sundowner trips.
Impact
Conservation
Chindeni Camp works both with the South Luangwa Conservation Society (SLCS) & North Luangwa Conservation Project (NLCP) to ensure that conservation efforts continue in the area. Individual educational and conservation programmes in the community are also run as part of a more sustained push for the preservation of the South Luangwa National Park.
To ensure the long term future of these essential projects the camp has introduced to their rates a donation of $10 per person per night to the ‘Luangwa Conservation & Community Fund’. The funds from this are then split evenly between conservation and community projects.
Community
The camp provides help to two local schools; Chiwawatala Basic School in Mfuwe and Chilongozi School in a remote area close to the camp. Since support began, the progress of the schools has been remarkable. With generous donations it has allowed for the sponsorship of pupils, teachers’ salaries to be covered, the construction of classrooms and staff houses, and provided the necessary means for the school children to have outings into the park on wildlife drives.