Kakuli Bushcamp: Information from the owner

Time + Tide Kakuli Family Suite

Perched high above the Luangwa River, Time + Tide Kakuli offers impressive vistas of the river
and its many visitors below. Designed to celebrate the riverside setting, a stay at Time + Tide Kakuli is an awe-inspiring experience that allows you to reconnect with nature in a magnificent way. Freshly redesigned, the family suite offers comfort in all seasons, and is thoughtfully appointed to ensure every guest enjoys their experience. Take in the panoramic views of the river from your private verandah, listening to the calls of nearby hippos and watching the giraffes and elephants that stop by for a drink. Marvel at the aerial acrobatics of emerald green bee-eaters hunting outside your tent. Slow down, unwind and fully immerse into this extraordinary wild land.

THE FAMILY SUITE
- 1 family suite - two bedrooms, two bathrooms
- Indoor and outdoor showers
- Private verandah with river views
- Double or twin configuration
- Solar power, British three pin plugs in main lounge
- No wifi and phone signal
- Main lodge - dining areas, lounge, bar and campfire

Time + Tide Kakuli Suite

Perched high above the Luangwa River, Time + Tide Kakuli offers impressive vistas of the river
and its many visitors below. Designed to celebrate the riverside setting, a stay at Time + Tide Kakuli is an awe-inspiring experience that allows you to reconnect with nature in a magnificent way. Freshly redesigned, the suites offer comfort in all seasons, and are thoughtfully appointed to ensure every guest enjoys their experience. Take in the panoramic views of the river from your private verandah, listening to the calls of nearby hippos and watching the giraffes and elephants that stop by for a drink. Marvel at the aerial acrobatics of emerald green bee-eaters hunting outside your tent.
Slow down, unwind and fully immerse into this extraordinary wild land.

THE SUITES
- 4 suites - one bedroom, one bathroom
- Indoor and outdoor showers
- Private verandah with river views
- Double or twin configuration
- Solar power, British three pin plugs in main lounge
- No wifi and phone signal
- Main lodge - dining areas, lounge, bar and campfire

Boating Safaris

Once regarded as the time in the safari calendar to be avoided by less adventurous operators, the 'Secret' Season months of January through March are now heralded by those lucky enough to experience them, as the highlight of the year.

Norman Carr Safaris has always been open all year round and is the only Zambian safari operator to open a true Bush Camp in the Luangwa at this time of year. Kakuli opens around the 20th January and closes again in early April. We gain access to camp by boat and activities are either on foot or by boat. A few days at Kakuli combines very well with the game drives and prolific wildlife on offer in the areas around Kapani Lodge and Chinzombo.

During these Secret Season safaris the bush is in its fullest flush of growth, rivers and lagoons are brimming and boating safaris take you eye to eye with hippos and crocs. The air is clear and excellent for photography; you will find magnificent skyscapes and sunsets with the occasional dramatic tropical downpour.

A wealth of migratory birds in breeding song and plumage make the bush a wonderful place to explore at this time of year. It is a time of plenty so there is no shortage of wildlife; the Secret Season months are usually the best for seeing wild dogs in the South Luangwa.

Game Drives

Driving safaris are all conducted in open 4X4 vehicles (Land Cruiser or Land Rover) with either two or three 'rows' of seats. At Chinzombo, Luwi, Nsolo, Kakuli and Mchenja we generally have 4, with no more than 6, people on a vehicle ensuring everyone has a 'window' seat.

Night drives are generally an extension of your afternoon game drive or walking safari. As the sun begins to set we stop to watch the day come to a close and as dusk falls set off to explore as the nocturnal animals start to emerge.

The best chance of seeing genets, civets, elephant shrew, porcupine and the fierce honey-badger is after sunset and the large predators, with the exception of wild dog, are most active at night. Night time birding can be very rewarding with nightjars, owls great and small, dikkop, bat hawk and coursers are all abundant.

The Africa night sky is simply magnificent and it’s worth coming all this way just to experience its vastness and splendour. The Milky Way seems 100 times brighter in the Luangwa Valley where there is no light pollution. We’re watched over by the Southern Cross, Orion and Scorpio amongst an infinite number of others and memories of sitting in awed silence listening to the distant call of lions, cicadas and a million tree frogs under the crescent of an African moon will live with you forever.

Return to the Wild Sleepout

Tonight you will enjoy the ultimate wilderness experience with Norman Carr Safaris. Sleep out under the stars in the spectacular and extremely remote Luwi dry river bed. No tent - just a bed roll and a mosquito net, experience the thrill of the first safari pioneers, including Norman Carr himself, as they discovered the wonders of the South Luangwa.

After tea, you will venture out on foot from Kakuli, find a spot to camp, make the camp fire for a game rangers dinner which you can even help to cook yourself. Then, having shared adventure stories around the fire – sleep out under the magnificent African sky whilst the guide and scout keep a watch till morning.

Wake up with sun and enjoy a cooked breakfast before a walking safari to your next camp.

Walking Safaris

Back in the 1950’s Norman Carr pioneered walking safaris in Zambia. His aim was to track big game on foot in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, one of Africa’s last havens of un-spoilt wilderness and home to some of the continent’s greatest concentrations of game. Norman like to say "to view the bush from a vehicle is simply to be an observer, but to get out on foot was to become a part of your surroundings." Over 60 years on, at Norman Carr Safaris we are still walking....we are still passionate about sharing the thrill of tracking lions on foot through early morning mists, the delight in learning something new on every activity and the adventure of walking from camp to camp the original safari way. Walking safaris are immersive, sensual and peaceful. In Zambia, an armed wildlife ranger or "scout" leads each walking group, followed by the trained walking guide. In other countries, the walking guide is armed and leads the group alone. Having a walk led by two wildlife experts was conceived by Norman and our 60 year track record of safety speaks to the effectiveness of this approach.

While certainly vehicle safaris allow one to cover more ground and see a greater volume of game in a 3-4 hour safari, it is only on a walking safari where all your senses are heightened and you can see, hear, smell and feel the bush. You begin to understand the interconnectedness of the flora and the fauna, how each small part plays an important role in the greater ecosystem. Small mysteries of the bush are unlocked and explored; tracks are investigated; and the wide variety of animal poo becomes an unexpected and fascinated learning experience! And while generally speaking, walks are more focused on the little things in the bush, tracking big game on foot is not uncommon and always thrilling.