Flatdogs Camp

Croc Nest comprises of a tented house with 2 bedrooms and is set on a deck looking onto the banks of the Luangwa River. This huge, tented structure has been split into two en-suite tented bedrooms at either end of the house, both with either one king or two twin beds, with space for a third bed in each bedroom if required. The two bedrooms both have semi-open-air bathrooms with hot showers, toilets, and a basin. The bedrooms both lead into the living room/dining area – situated in the middle of the house, boasting sofas, soft chairs, and a dining table.

Extra beds can also be set up in the large living area rather than in each bedroom, depending on preference. The living room and both bedrooms open onto an outside deck and sitting area, there is a private swimming pool built into the deck too, just for the house guests. The house is on mains electricity, convenient for charging camera batteries and other items as well as having electric fans and a fridge. Guests staying in the tented house will also have a private guide and their own safari vehicle, allowing them to plan their activities depending on their interests.

Set in a private spot away from the rest of camp, the Jackalberry Tree House hosts a special retreat. The open fronted treehouse features 2 bedrooms and is made up by three joining platforms built around three mature Mchenja trees (African Ebony or Jackalberry tree). There are two en-suite bedrooms with an open sitting/dining deck in-between them. The bedroom platforms have romantic, rustic four poster beds – one queen and one king which can be split into two twin beds – with open front walls and uninterrupted views of Africa. Each bedroom provides an open-air bathroom platform down a short flight of steps with hot showers, toilets and basins.

A large sofa, armchairs and throw cushions are spread out on the middle deck for relaxing during the heat of the day, watching the game which wanders past the house. A fridge and bar are provided in the Treehouse as well as tea and coffee-making facilities. A hand-held radio is provided, so that guests can call for a vehicle to bring them to the restaurant or bar, or in case there is a problem of any kind. Safari guides will otherwise plan with guests when they would like to be collected from the house and their preferred activities.

The Treehouse is on mains electricity and has UK style 3-pin rectangular plug sockets for re-charging cameras or laptops. Giraffe, bushbuck, puku and elephant are commonly found all around the Treehouse, it is wonderful to wake to the sounds of elephant feeding below you or having a mud bath from the waterhole in front of the house.

The regular chalet rooms are found in three separate buildings. Each chalet building has a downstairs double room with en-suite bathroom and an upstairs twin or triple room with their own private bathroom. There are four main chalet buildings, each of which has two separate guest bedrooms; the downstairs room is a double room with en-suite and a veranda, the upstairs room is a twin or triple room with bathroom and veranda downstairs – all entirely private. In between the 2 bedrooms is the small kitchenette providing a fridge, kettle and tea/coffee making facilities. This works as an inter-connecting door for families, allowing children to walk through to their parent’s room without having to go outside.

At the far end of the camp, there is a larger family chalet which has three bedrooms in total but just two en-suite bathrooms. One room has a king bed and a single bed, the other has a king and a single or three single beds. There is also a kitchen area between the two bedrooms. A spiral staircase from the kitchen leads up to the ‘loft room’, sitting area and upstairs viewing deck. The viewing deck looks out towards the Luangwa River, offering the perfect place to relax and watch the sun set. The loft room has two more single beds but has no en-suite bathroom, guests sleeping here need to share the bathrooms downstairs. Outside this chalet is also an open sala sitting area with sofa and chairs.

There are seven of the luxury en-suite safari tents, six of which are pitched permanently on the banks of the Luangwa. These made-to-order tents boast thatched roofs for extra shade, en-suite facilities with a canvas half roof over the bathroom, full-sized beds with sprung mattresses, large mosquito nets and all bedding and towels provided. The tents have electric lights, a fan and charging points for camera batteries.

There is also a in-room safe and tea and coffee making facilities. Six of the luxury tents – including the family tent – look straight out onto the river. One of the tents is a dedicated honeymoon tent, offering plenty of privacy. This tent looks out onto a pretty lagoon, which attracts plenty of birdlife as well as elephant for their daily mud baths and giraffe and bushbuck when they are thirsty.

The luxury Family Tent is a little different to the others, this is a specially designed tent which has space for a double bed and two single beds, both with large mosquito nets and with a large bathroom at the back of the tent, shared between the family. The family tent is now to be found on the riverbank, closer to the main area, with mesmerising views of the river.

There are three standard, en-suite safari tents which are much smaller and simpler than the luxury tents, however, are still walk-in tents with en-suite bathrooms, open air showers, toilets and basins. Two of these standard tents are situated on the riverbank, the other looks directly onto the same lagoon as the honeymoon tent. The standard tents also have full beds, bedding, mosquito nets, charging points and electric fans. Though, the standard tents do not have tea and coffee making facilities or in-room safes.

Guests at Flatdogs camp are treated to an à La Carte menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The cuisine is sourced from the best local ingredients, offering guests delicious, fresh and seasonal dishes beautifully prepared by the passionate chefs. From free range eggs and organic chickens to dry aged beef and locally grown vegetables, the chefs use the best of what’s available in the province and recommend them on the daily specials board. There are full vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menus available too.

Additionally, guests can order whatever they fancy, and request when they’d like to eat it. The cookery can be enjoyed inside, under the thatch, at our tables in the courtyard or in the garden area looking out towards the river.

Morning Game Drives

Before leaving camp at 06:00am guests will be offered a light, early breakfast of toast, cereal, yoghurt, tea and coffee. Guests will experience this wonderful safari encounter in open game Toyota Land Cruisers, allowing them to have all-round views of the abundance of birds, native shrubs, majestic wildlife, and natural beauty of the park. All safaris are led by a fully qualified guide. Midway through the drive there will be a drinks stop, guests can stretch their legs before carrying on, looking for new sightings, or following alarm calls and trails to a predator or a kill. Morning game drives usually return to camp at around 10:00am depending on the season.

Afternoon/Night Drives

Guests will leave camp at 4pm for the afternoon safaris, after tea in the courtyard. The safaris head out again after the heat of the day, when animals and birds start to get active again after the midday stupor. Your safari guide will aim to stop at a scenic spot just before sundown, so that you can enjoy an infamous African Sundowner. Once the sun has set, you will continue with a spotlight, operated by your spotter, who looks for interesting nocturnal creatures that you are unlikely to see during daylight hours. There is a chance to see nocturnal birds like nightjars, owls and bat-hawks as well as nightly mammals such as honey badgers, civet, genet, porcupine, leopard and hyaena. Afternoon drives return to camp at around 8pm when the National Park closes.

The South Luangwa is renowned as the home of walking safaris. This is where Norman Carr first offered the idea of visitors exploring the park on foot rather than by vehicle – escaping the noise of the engine and experiencing the thrill and excitement of being at one with the wildlife. The safari guides will explain the smaller details of the bush which you can see, hear and smell when on foot, from bird calls to alarm calls, to trees and plants which have medicinal uses and tracks of the wild, allowing you to interpret what you are seeing and hearing with more clarity. Walking is usually enjoyed in the mornings when the temperatures are cooler but can be enjoyed throughout the year for longer periods during cooler months. Each walk is usually 3-4 hours, going at a gentle pace.

Unlike most of the traditional village projects, Kawaza Village is really a living working African village where the local residents have agreed amongst themselves to invite visitors into their lives with no tourism hype at all. They then use the money raised by visitors and donations to pay for orphans’ education, teachers’ salaries at the school and other village projects. The project has won the Silver Otter Award as the best rural tourism project worldwide.

During the visit, guests can see and help villagers preparing maize for meals, drying sorghum, making “hooch”, hoeing the fields, building houses as well as visiting their local herbalist/medicine lady and the Kawaza school. The day trip includes a local style lunch. Overnight stays at Kawaza are also possible, for a more in-depth experience, meeting the villagers and spending the night in a traditional local hut, trying authentic local dishes and eating what the villagers eat. The Kawaza Village visit is truly a unique and rewarding experience.

Flatdogs is very active with their local community, conservation, and environmental projects. The community work is mostly directed through Project Luangwa, a charity set up by several lodges in the Valley to administer their community activities, focusing mostly on education and small businesses. The environmental and conservation projects are varied in scale and content; some are based here in Flatdogs Camp, and some span the whole Valley.

Flatdogs themselves are proud members of Pack for a Purpose, an initiative that allows travellers like you to make a lasting impact in the community at your travel destination, promoting responsible tourism. Saving just a few kilos of space in your suitcase to pack supplies for the projects Flatdogs supports means you’ll be making a priceless impact on the lives of the local children and families. Guests can check what supplies may be needed in advance to their journey.

Flatdogs additionally hosts a number of community projects such as enforcements towards bettering schools and providing education, school infrastructure, community and social projects plus environmental initiatives too, including supporting agriculture and local produce, and a devotion to conservation and environmental developments.

All the projects make a successful and lasting impact on the environment around and nearby to the camp. From solar water heating, sustainable building products, a tree planting scheme – employing local people, water management, waste and recycling implementations and various dedicated conservation areas – reducing the increasing pressure on the ecosystems. Flatdogs are also advocates of gender support and women’s rights. Flatdogs Camp boasts a carbon neutral certificate too.