A classic and comfortable camp overlooking the Luangwa River in the northern part of the South Luangwa National Park
Communal ‘chitenje’ with lounge, dining area, bar, deck, and fire-pit
Five guest suites, including a family suite, each with breathtaking river views from a private veranda
Game drives, night drives, walking safaris, seasonal boating safaris, and sleep-outs under the stars
Kakuli offers a great range of activities:
The camp’s location within the northern region of the South Luangwa is pretty remote, making for plenty of wildlife sightings on game drives. In total, the park covers 9,500 square kilometres of sprawling plains, woodlands, and water sources, including the River Luangwa and its lagoons. While on vehicle safaris, you can look out for four of the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant, and buffalo – in addition to spotted hyena, wild dog, Thornicroft’s giraffe, Cookson’s wildebeest, Crawshay’s zebra, and all sorts of antelopes!
Safarists interested in getting to know the nocturnal species of the South Luangwa can head out after sunset in the company of an expert guide. Among the night-time highlights here are leopard, civet, bush-tailed mongoose, scrub hare, honey badger, and the prickly porcupine!
Please note, there’s a minimum age requirement of 12 years for this activity. Walks are also accompanied by a guide, as well as an armed scout for your protection. They’re fantastic for anyone interested in scrutinising the smaller lives of the park – the plants, insects, and birdlife. The South Luangwa’s notable birds include great white pelican, Verreaux’s eagle owl, and the vibrant little southern carmine bee-eater.
These safaris are possible for guests who stay at Kakuli from January to April. You’ll board a boat and enjoy sightings of hippo, various predators and herbivores coming to drink on the banks of the Luangwa river, and a fine assortment of waterbirds!
Available at extra cost, sleep-outs involve drifting off to sleep under the star-studded skies, with the sounds of the bush all around you. If you’d like further details about sleep-outs, or anything else to do with staying at Kakuli, please contact a member of the Yellow Zebra team.
*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.
The camp is accessed from Mfuwe Airport via 2 hours 30 minutes’ game drive transfer (May–Nov) or 2 hours’ boat transfer (Jan–Apr). It has a spectacular location above the Luangwa river, in the northern region of the South Luangwa National Park.
The communal lounge, dining area, and bar at Kakuli are housed in the camp’s ‘chitenje’, a neat timber-and-thatch building also boasting breathtaking waterhole and river views.
In the lounge, comfy sofas and armchairs are positioned around a coffee table. There’s a selection of reading material too, and the camp’s bar is set up conveniently close by. The dining area contains one long table, flanked by safari chairs. This is where everyone eats together, tucking in to delicious meals. The chitenje has a deck too, the venue for the fire-pit and the perfect place to swap safari stories!
There are five guest suites, including one family suite.
All are housed within a long-and-low timber-and-thatch structure, mounted on cool concrete. Each standard-size suite contains a double bed or twin beds with mosquito netting, bedside stands and lighting, and a writing desk and chair. The en-suite facilities are set up to one side of the bedroom space, and they comprise flush toilet, washbasin, and indoor/outdoor showers. A wall of canvas separates the bedroom from your private deck, and it’s easily rolled up to allow access to the exterior part of the suite – here, you’ll find a comfy sofa, an occasional table, and views over the Luangwa river and a nearby waterhole. The family suite offers two bedrooms, each with an en-suite washroom.
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