Description
Mchenja Bush Camp is Norman Carr Safaris' most luxurious bush camp. Set in a towering grove of ebony trees, and overlooking a vast stretch of the Luangwa River, the camp has just five tented and thatched rooms. The tents are octagonally shaped, with a claw-foot bath in the dressing area and each has an open-air bathroom. Set far enough apart for privacy, the tents have mosquito screen windows, with curtains which can be pulled across, and wrought iron storage. Three of the tents are on one side of the main area, and two are on the other side.
The camp's main area is creatively designed around a fallen ebony tree, utilising the trunk as the main support for the thatched roof. Inside, on highly polished floors, you will find a dining area, a small but well stocked bar, comfortable seating and a plunge pool which is gloriously refreshing during the hotter months. In front of the main area is a fire pit surrounded by chairs and there is a separate guest loo off to the side.
The game viewing in this area is spectacular with superb areas such as Lion Plain and Fish Eagle Lagoon very close by. There is a high population of both lion and leopard (the latter in particular use the ebony groves to hunt quietly) in the area, and wild dog are sometimes spotted. Guests can choose to walk or drive - we recommend walking in the mornings when the temperature is cool and the animals are more active, and driving in the afternoons so you can extend through to a night drive and find the nocturnal animals.
Mchenja combines perfectly with its sister camps - Luwi, the most remote of the Norman Carr Camps, Nsolo, which is also on the Luwi sand river and Kakuli, which is on the confluence of the Luwi and the main Luangwa River.
Accommodation
The camp comprises four stylishly designed tents each under its own thatched roof and with a deck in front overlooking the Luangwa river. The tents have inside baths with an outside shower room.
Childcare
Children under the age of twelve are not accepted at Mchenja Bush Camp, as this is the minimum age for walking. Children aged twelve to sixteen are able to walk if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian. As the camp is in a wildlife-dense area, children are asked to be with an adult at all times.
Facilities
There is a small pool alongside the bar within the thatched main chitenje, allowing guests to seek cool refuge after their morning's safari activities.
Activities
Activities at Mchenja all revolve around game viewing and guests can choose whether they want to view wildlife on foot or from an open specially adapted vehicle. The game viewing in this area is superb and night drives are usually very worthwhile.
When to travel
Mchenja Bush Camp is open from May to October .
Zambia has a moderate to sub-tropical climate with three distinct seasons: from November to March is the Emerald, or the rainy season, April to July is Zambia's winter, when the weather is cool and dry, and August to October is summer, when the weather is hot and dry. In terms of game-viewing, the dryer months, meaning a higher concentration of game at the permanent water sources, are a superb time to visit. Alternatively come for some superb bird-watching at the end of the rains.
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Best time to visit
Good time to visit
Average time to visit
Not applicable
Location and directions
South Luangwa National Park, Zambia
Mchenja Bush camp is set within an ebony grove, on a bend of the Luangwa River, South Luangwa National Park, Eastern Province, Zambia.
How to get there
10 hour international flight to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Lusaka. After a 70-minute flight from Lusaka, you arrive at Mfuwe Airport where you are met for a game drive transfer to camp, through South Luangwa National Park which takes approximately 2 hours.
