Kafunta River Lodge

The lodge features eight safari chalets which proudly stand on raised wooden platforms and boast elegant, thatched roofs and private viewing decks. The chalets consist of a twin-bedded bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. Each chalet is pleasantly decorated to match the local style, featuring modern amenities. Guests can enjoy the use of a minibar fridge, cool down under the ceiling fan and make the most of their private veranda overlooking magnificent views of the floodplains.

The lodge features two luxury suites, set a little further out from the main lodge and dining area. The suites present a double bed on the ground floor with the option to make two extra single beds on the welcoming, upstairs mezzanine. The suites boast a large bathroom with shower and a separate standalone bathtub. There is a viewing deck as well as an upstairs deck both overlooking the mesmerising floodplains, offering guests additional day beds. The rooms all have comfortable sitting areas with coffee and tea facilities and a small fridge stocked with refreshing drinks. The suites come with a small supplement and can accommodate a family of up to 4 people.

Central to the lodge is where you’ll find the relaxing lounge and dining area, thatched in a traditional African style. Kafunta Restaurant serves a light breakfast for those setting off for the morning’s activities, or home-cooked breakfasts for those staying in camp. A vibrant and fresh buffet lunch is presented later in the day. Dinner is a delightful and exquisite four-course affair served on the main deck with stunning and undisturbed view of the flood plains.

Guests can enjoy sumptuous candlelit meals under the vast African sky, in company of the hippos wallowing in the waterhole or the while-tailed mongoose scurrying by. Dining is generally hosted but private tables can be arranged as well. The chefs at Kafunta are more than happy to cater for special diets.

Morning Game Drives

Game drives are our favourite activity at Kafunta River Lodge, guests will have the option to experience the game drives into South Luangwa National Park. Safari vehicles are equipped with shade roofs and have three rows of seats – with a maximum of 6 guests per vehicle. During the peak season – April to October – game drives start by accessing the park with an exciting river crossing, directly at Kafunta’s pontoon, giving entry to more remote areas with extraordinarily good wildlife.

Night Game Drives

The afternoon game drive ties in with the amazing African sunset, guests will enjoy the renowned and celebrated event with a traditional sundowner drink. After, you will continue into the evening using spotlights for this fantastic night-time safari experience, allowing guests to find and encounter smaller nocturnal animals or predators on the hunt.

Kafunta River Lodge features a small intimate spa with an array of soothing treatments performed by an on-site, professional and welcoming therapist. Enjoying the infinity pool, the natural hot tub and booking a massage at the Fig Tree Spa are all perfect ways to spend the midday hours between game viewing activities.

Natural Hot Tub – Kafunta River Lodge boasts the only natural hot tub in the Luangwa Valley, fed from a natural geothermal source on Kafunta’s grounds. With an average temperature of 37 degrees, the water is very therapeutic. The hot tub hosts the ideal place to take in the magnificent views over the flood plain and the Luangwa River. During cooler nights from May to July, this truly is the perfect ending to an eventful day’s safari.

Fig Tree Spa – Tucked away at the foot of the giant fig tree, the intimate Spa offers a variety of massages and treatments designed to spoil you with a moment of pure bliss and relaxation. A great addition to your safari experience.

Gym Hut – Discreetly set at the edge of the property is where you’ll find gym hut, available for the fitness enthusiasts. The gym hut provides guests with a selection of equipment such as weights, treadmills and bikes.

Kafunta Safaris highly recommends a visit to the village of Mfuwe. Visit a delightful café and craft shop, here you will discover the native arts and crafts of the talented artists who live in the valley. Guests will have the option to organise a side trip to the Mulberry Mongoose jewellery workshop, the iconic Tribal Textiles factory and shop and its Artisan market.

Project Luangwa has a visitor centre within the village where guests can learn about the many projects benefiting local education and communities too. Additionally, Chipembele Wildlife Educational Centre is just 20 minutes away from Kafunta River Lodge, and is great for younger visitors.

“Conducting responsible and sustainable tourism in the Luangwa Valley means preserving the future for the next generation. Kafunta Safaris recognises that the health of their unique ecosystems and the communities therein underpins the quality of life here. All forming an intricate and interconnected web of life which is something to be treasured.

Community and conservation commitment is of the highest importance to Kafunta Safaris. As part of the Luangwa Valley and its community, Kafunta knows the importance of integrating and supporting the local residents. Recognising their responsibility within a small community, they contribute to its well-being by employing local staff to ensure that income stays in the community. Kafunta Safaris also strive to source local products to encourage the growth of small businesses, that in turn can generate a sustainable income. They also consider education as one of the key factors to create a future. Kafunta directly support conservation organisations and the development of their bush camps in remote areas, helping to control the poaching situation in an otherwise overlooked part of the park.”

“Unless we protect our environment and create an awareness within the visitors and the people living here, a valuable and necessary piece of earth may be lost. To protect nature is to create a future for coming generations. This is where CSL comes in. Founded in 2003 as a small grass roots organisation it has grown into an internationally recognised and award-winning conservation organisation. Employing over 80 full time staff of whom 99% are Zambian, the hallmark of CSL’s success is Zambia-led conservation through employment, training, and empowerment of communities.”

CSL additionally focuses on Anti-Poaching Patrols and Aerial Surveillance, Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation, K9 (Canine) Unit, where canines have been professionally trained to detect a wide range of objects including ivory, bushmeat, firearms and ammunition, animal skins and protected wood essences.

“Zambia, like many African countries, is sadly behind on waste management so it is very much left to us, tourism and safari operators, to take individual and collective initiatives and develop local alternatives. It is a challenge, however new creative strategies are created regularly in the community. At Kafunta Safaris we are committed to behaviour change and reducing waste as much as possible. For years now we have been providing our guests with refillable water bottles which has greatly reduced the use of plastic bottles. We do our best to provide fresh, home-cooked food sourced locally and within Zambia.”

“We use solar power and minimum generator-produced power where we can. We’re conscious about minimising the use of water and look at wastewater recycling alternatives. We’ve also improved our sewage treatment. It is important to also raise awareness of these issues amongst our staff and guests alike, so that all together we can become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.”

Here are just a few of the ongoing initiatives in place to help Zambia steadily conquer waste management:

• Mfuwe Ecobricks – Making bricks out of plastic bottles and general plastic waste is a worldwide initiative that has now reached Mfuwe
• The Glass Project – Tribal Textiles has invested in tools to transform excess glass bottles into beautiful products such as tableware and jewellery
• Junk Art – Project Luangwa has found an amazing artist in the person of Frederick Phiri who can turn any piece of scrap metal into some creative piece of art