Rothwell Rose

Mchenja, meaning ‘ebony’, Bush Camp is set on the banks of the Luangwa River, beneath a magnificent grove of ebony trees. The camp overlooks a bend of the river and is in a part of the Luangwa Valley that is famed for it’s high predator populations. The camp is luxurious and elegant, with five octagonal tents, each with an en-suite open air bathroom from which guests can enjoy the river views whilst relaxing in their Victorian style bathtub.

The main part of the camp is built around a fallen ebony tree and guests will enjoy the cool relief of the plunge pool there. Brunch is usually served in the central lounge area whilst dinner is often on the riverbank under the stars.

Guests at Mchenja can enjoy their wildlife viewing on foot or from an open game-viewing vehicle so it is the perfect destination for either a walking or driving safari and works very well in combination with any of the other Norman Carr Safari camps. From 20th May – 31st October guests can also opt to experience a thrilling night out under the stars on a sleep-out.

Mchenja Bush Camp is set within a beautiful grove of ebony trees, right on the banks of the Luangwa River in the South Luangwa National Park. The camp is a 2.5 hour game drive from Mfuwe Airport which is reached by a 70 minute flight from Lusaka International Airport. This is one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in the world. The park covers a vast 3,500 square miles and is unfenced allowing completely free movement of wildlife. Bordering it to the west is a steep escarpment, and the the easy is the Luangwa River. This is the tail end of the Great African Rift Valley system and the concentrations of game along the river here and surrounding its lagoons are amongst the most intense if Africa.

Mchenja is everything you could wish for from a bush camp…authentic, in a great wildlife area, has exceptionally knowledgable guides, and on top of all this is actually a luxury camp, with beautiful octagonal tents and a swimming pool for cooling off in. More than anything else though we love it for the extraordinary game viewing you can have here which really makes it once of the most memorable safari destinations we know.

Mchenja Bush Camp is open from 20th May to 7th November each year.

There are 5 tented suites in the camp including a two-bedroom, two-bathroom family suite. The camp runs on solar power and there is no wi-fi so it is perfect for disconnecting from the world and enjoying an authentic bush experience.

The camp is a 2.5hr game drive from Mfuwe Airport.

Children over the age of 8 are welcome at Mchenja Bush Camp.

Game drives

Night drives

Bush walks

Sleepouts (seasonal)