Reviews of Chongwe River Camp
Wildlife sightings and reviews
122 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Chongwe River Camp and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa
Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in May-2018, 30 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Chongwe River Camp.
Lion
93% success
Leopard
54% success
Cheetah
0% success
Wild dog
7% success
Elephant
100% success
Mr & Mrs M
Chelmsford
"Chongwe suberb - Albida suite is pure luxury"
4 nights Arrived 5 Oct 2012
"We stayed in the Albida suite for 4 nights, and it is the best accommodation we have ever experienced in all our years of travelling.
Michael was the perfect butler, Flossie the wonderfully exuberant host and Patrick Cryvet (littlebrownjobs1) the best birding and all-round guide we have ever had.
Waking up to watch, from our bed, the sun rise across the Zambezi while the hippos splashed and grunted their laughter in the river was a wonderfully moving experience. We absolutely loved it." See all these reviews: 12n in Zambia
Michael was the perfect butler, Flossie the wonderfully exuberant host and Patrick Cryvet (littlebrownjobs1) the best birding and all-round guide we have ever had.
Waking up to watch, from our bed, the sun rise across the Zambezi while the hippos splashed and grunted their laughter in the river was a wonderfully moving experience. We absolutely loved it." See all these reviews: 12n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mrs W
Derbyshire
"Chongwe River Camp review"
4 nights Arrived 19 Sep 2012
"Beautiful place
I loved everything nothing was too much trouble perhaps not quite as good game viewing but all other aspects made up for that. The boat trips and canoeing
Yet again staff wonderful full of interesting stories and knowledge" See all these reviews: 15n in Zambia
I loved everything nothing was too much trouble perhaps not quite as good game viewing but all other aspects made up for that. The boat trips and canoeing
Yet again staff wonderful full of interesting stories and knowledge" See all these reviews: 15n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr H & Mrs L
Hove
"What fishing!!"
4 nights Arrived 16 Sep 2012
"We had seen so many wonderful animals by the time we reached Chongwe that we did not go on safari trips. We did however go fishing and enjoyed every minute, morning and evening.
Will never forget the setting of the Camp and the proximity to the Lower Zambezi." See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia
Will never forget the setting of the Camp and the proximity to the Lower Zambezi." See all these reviews: 10n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
LC family
SW London
"Best Safari camp ever"
4 nights Arrived 9 Sep 2012
"What an extraordinary place. Our camp overlooked the confluence of the Chongwe and Zambezi rivers and gave us a spectacular view of all manner of wildlife - hippos, elephants, lions, crocodiles, baboons, impala, kudu, many birds, all coming down to the water's edge to drink.
It is not a camp for the fainthearted mind you - the first night an elephant broke into my bathroom and I was terrified. Little did I realise that this was quite normal behaviour and nothing to be frightened of. The other three nights were spent enjoying my nightly visits and quietly watching elephants eating their much loved Albida seeds (elephant biscuits) at spectacularly close quarters. During the day the elephants came into our camp and strolled past us. As long as you talk quietly to them and don't get too close they are fine.
We even had a leopard in camp one night that we sped off with some other guests in the truck to look at more closely.
The staff were excellent and catered for our every need.
We did many activities including game viewing, tiger fish fishing, canoeing, sunset river trips - all unbelievably exciting.
We will definitely go back." See all these reviews: 7n in Zambia
It is not a camp for the fainthearted mind you - the first night an elephant broke into my bathroom and I was terrified. Little did I realise that this was quite normal behaviour and nothing to be frightened of. The other three nights were spent enjoying my nightly visits and quietly watching elephants eating their much loved Albida seeds (elephant biscuits) at spectacularly close quarters. During the day the elephants came into our camp and strolled past us. As long as you talk quietly to them and don't get too close they are fine.
We even had a leopard in camp one night that we sped off with some other guests in the truck to look at more closely.
The staff were excellent and catered for our every need.
We did many activities including game viewing, tiger fish fishing, canoeing, sunset river trips - all unbelievably exciting.
We will definitely go back." See all these reviews: 7n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs T
Glos
"Relaxation at Chongwe River Camp"
3 nights Arrived 5 Sep 2012
"Elephants and other animals were constantly in and out of this camp which added to the experience of being at this camp. It was also great just to be able to relax, chill out and use the pool at this camp - one of the best pools we've seen in the bush.
However, having been twice to Chiawa, I would still recommend Chiawa to any prospective traveller to the area. Nothing can surpass Chiawa so far - the best camp we have ever been to.
Also, I would say that it was much nicer at Tafika where they served food to us and we could take as little or as much as we liked. At Chongwe, we were just given our food in the evening on a plate, which meant a lot of food was wasted. It is just not so pleasant to be told, in effect, how much food you should have." See all these reviews: 7n in Zambia
However, having been twice to Chiawa, I would still recommend Chiawa to any prospective traveller to the area. Nothing can surpass Chiawa so far - the best camp we have ever been to.
Also, I would say that it was much nicer at Tafika where they served food to us and we could take as little or as much as we liked. At Chongwe, we were just given our food in the evening on a plate, which meant a lot of food was wasted. It is just not so pleasant to be told, in effect, how much food you should have." See all these reviews: 7n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
W family
Aylesbury
"Chongwe River Camp review"
4 nights Arrived 20 Aug 2012
"We enjoyed our time at Chongwe. The facilities weren't as upmarket as at Sausage Tree, but the staff were very friendly and the atmosphere pleasantly informal.
Safaris, river trips and canoeing were all excellent. We loved our guide (Sam) but it was really good to be able to talk to the other guides at the bar and over dinner and go on some excursions such as walking and canoeing with them.
The only small gripe I have is that the wine at dinner could have been better." See all these reviews: 9n in Zambia
Safaris, river trips and canoeing were all excellent. We loved our guide (Sam) but it was really good to be able to talk to the other guides at the bar and over dinner and go on some excursions such as walking and canoeing with them.
The only small gripe I have is that the wine at dinner could have been better." See all these reviews: 9n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Ms W
Berkley, CA
"Chongwe River Camp review"
1 night Arrived 12 Oct 2011
"Same as previous comment on Chongw river camp [Ed: see below]"
See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Ms W
Berkley, CA
"Chongwe River Camp review"
2 nights Arrived 9 Oct 2011
"The atmosphere at Chongwe was a tad formal for my taste. Again the accommodations were outstanding with excellent views of the Chongwe river. The guide was outstanding once we became acquainted.
The fishing on the lower Zambezi river was one of the high points of the vacation." See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
The fishing on the lower Zambezi river was one of the high points of the vacation." See all these reviews: 13n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs D
Leicester
"Chongwe River Camp review"
4 nights Arrived 4 Oct 2011
"Mercifully tsetse free. Great position on the Chongwe river.
Extremely friendly and helpful staff. Only leopard sightings of the whole trip!" See all these reviews: 6n in Zambia
Extremely friendly and helpful staff. Only leopard sightings of the whole trip!" See all these reviews: 6n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
Mr & Mrs G
Sweden
"Stunningly situated at Zambesi"
1 night Arrived 24 Jul 2011
"We had a very nice evening drive with Patrik, he had a very good sense of finding nice spots for sundowner or lookouts for wildlife. Next morning Patrik drove half way to Old Mondoro, through the park. The scenery partly outstanding.
At the end we came upon a pride of some 11 lions, we also came across a rather big male elephant that wanted to tell us that he owned the "road"." See all these reviews: 17n in Zambia
At the end we came upon a pride of some 11 lions, we also came across a rather big male elephant that wanted to tell us that he owned the "road"." See all these reviews: 17n in Zambia
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent
Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Excellent
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Other lodges in Lower Zambezi National Park
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Old Mondoro Bushcamp
For an intimate safari in the Lower Zambezi, with superb guiding, Old Mondoro is up there with the best.
Chiawa Camp
One of Zambia's top safari camps, Chiawa is family owned and run, offering superb service and a flexible approach from a location well inside the Lower Zambezi National Park.
Sausage Tree Camp
Sausage Tree is a high-quality safari camp offering a luxurious stay and excellent personal service deep inside Zambia's Lower Zambezi National Park.
Potato Bush Camp
Potato Bush is located right in the heart of the Lower Zambezi National Park, with privately guided activities taking you on game drives, walks, boat trips and canoeing.
