Zikomo Safari Camp

My wife Penny and I spent a fantastic 10 nights at Zikomo in May. This was our 2nd stay at Zikomo, having spent some time there in 2017 when we camped and then spent some nights at the lodge. We had vowed to return some day for a longer stay, and we are so glad we did! The chalets were as comfortable as before, and we loved the improvements and additions around camp, with the beautiful deck overlooking the flood plain and river in particular. Our guide Lameck was by far one of the best guides we have ever had, and having been a guide myself many years ago we do not say this lightly! His bird knowledge was excellent! We saw excellent game, many leopards, great lion sightings and he went out of his way to find what we wanted and get us in position for photos. My personal request was to see 4-toed elephant shrews (yep, I am a bit strange, but I had studied these animals many years ago in another life!), and he showed us lots of them! The camp staff were all fantastic, cheerful and so helpful and we were made to feel very special our whole stay. As before, a huge plus at Zikomo is that the Nsefu sector has few camps and so we hardly saw other vehicles. We would recommend Zikomo and hope to be back some day!

Wow! Saw so many exotic animals on the game runs. The landscape is truly beautiful and the resort sits next to the preserve. The chalets are nicely furnished and the beds are really comfortable.The staff was friendly and attentive. The owners went to great lengths to ensure our time was memorable. Loved the amenities and the food was delicious. The Safari could not have been better!

This lodge is perfectly run, they went out of their way to accommodate us in every way. We wanted low carb meals, we got them. The chef's cooking was excellent. We ask them what to see, they fulfilled our wishes. The hotel manager always greeted us with a smile and reassurance if we needed anything else, she is extremely capable. Everyone is kind and helpful, they looked after us like children on our holiday. We were amazed by the surrounding nature and animals. The lodge is cleverly part of the surrounding landscape and nature. From the restaurant terrace we watched a hippo grazing, various species of antelope, a troop of monkeys, many species of birds. At night, lions roared in the distance. We can only recommend the lodge.

This is my second time back to Zikomo safari camp. I cannot fault this camp - food ( all fresh veggies from their own market garden!) wonderful, sightings incredible! And so welcoming! Recommended.!!

The trip I took to Zikomo Safari was worth every single minute, I don’t even know where to begin. My stay was a little over a week long in one of their chalets. Every morning we would wake up bright and early to the sound and very often the sight of wildlife, and a campfire breakfast. Every day was a new adventure. At breakfast there were always new groups of people that had just arrived from anywhere in the world and all walks of life. How wonderful it was that in that moment we found ourselves all there, together, in Zambia! All of the staff were extremely nice, It was so wonderful to get to know them, they were all amazing at everything they do. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, passionate, and personable. We would go on two drives a day each time about 4 hours long in between which we would find a nice spot and have tea time/coffee/surprise snack by the chef and the later outing a sunset drink with a snack. During the mid day break back at the camp we loved just hanging out in the outdoor lounge area and have what became our favorite drink. If you have never put fresh mint inside your ice cold fresh squeezed lemonade…you better start. The adventure was never short of wildlife (lions, leopards, elephants, baboons, hyenas, zebras, giraffes, impalas, and so so much more). I took about 4,000 photos by the end of my trip, that isn’t even an exaggeration, I am so glad I brought extra memory cards. All of the food was incredible at Zikomo safari, I highly enjoyed the night we had a traditional Zambian meal. Almost all the veggies in the dishes are grown right there in the camp, very fresh. I highly recommend also visiting the nearby city, beautiful artists, wonderful people, and great food. All the photos attached are at Zikomo Safari.

I stayed at Zikomo for a total of 23 nights as this was a long stay. I was alone. I always felt safe while staying at Zikomo. Victoria and David Wallace are very welcoming and made sure I was very confortable in my chalet. The Zambian employees made a real difference during my stay. They were courteous, always smiling and in good mood, trying to please and /or understand my requests. The cleaniness of my chalet was extraordinary. Selina and David make sure everyday, they cleaned, made the bed and or change the sheets and sweep the whole place. Being one with Nature, while sleeping is a real plus for Zikomo. Hearing an elephant or a hippo outside your chalet, or hearing the sounds of the bush at night, was something I absolutely wanted to hear. I certainly got my wish. The guides are very friendly on game drives and/or on a walking safari. They were patient, with many of my questions and always smiling, wanting to give you what you really want to see on each outing. I'm forever grateful to Josephine, Lameck, Julius and David. I especially loved the food being from an organic garden as this resonates with my own values. Victor, the gardener, works really hard to deliver fresh vegetables and yes, lemons.... The reservation manager, Tyson, went out of his way from planning my trip, answering my many questions, to following up during my stay; he made sure my stay at Zikomo was memorable. I'm grateful for my stay. Thank you !

Delightful owners Victoria and David spoil you during your stay. Sergeant looks after you in the bar and the clear pool is ideal even in August. Very knowledgeable guides David and Lemak offer morning and night drives. Easy access via own crossing into park enables you to get to viewing area in no time. Nsefu sector has far less traffic so often seeing lion, leopard or wild dog with only another vehicle.

We had booked to camp at Zikomo. They only offer 3 camping spots and we took up all 3. The camp is situated away from the lodge and is slightly elevated on the edge of the Luangwa river with breathtaking views. We could sit and watch the puku grazing on the plains and listen to the hippo grunting nearby as well as enjoy the magnificent sunsets. Each site had it's own reed open air ablution facility with a separate shower and toilet. It was very clean and beautifully set out with a donkey nearby which was lit in the morning and evening for hot showers. There was also a washing up facility but there is no power. We booked an afternoon/evening game drive into the park which was absolutely outstanding. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and went out of his way to make this one of the best game drives we have ever been on. We were extremely lucky to come across a pride of lion feasting on a recent buffalo kill. It was also nice to be able to access the national park directly from the lodge. I highly recommend this unique experience of camping wild with no fences. We will definitely go back and stay at the lodge. The facilities are subtly exquisite with a pool right in front of the view of the passing game.

Our stay in Zikomo Camp in the Nsefu sector of South Luangwa was the highlight of our Zambia and Malawi trip. As we can compare it to other camps in Zambia or Malawi, Zikomo is a professionally run camp with delicious food, comfortable bungalows and friendly, hospitable and always helpful staff. Not mentioning the main purpose of the trip - the abundance of stunning wildlife, often even possible to watch straight from bungalows! Zikomo management puts an emphasis on professional services, guests safety, excellent food and unforgettable safari trips. The food and its variety was absolutely amazing and we were always surprised how the chef can prepare 5 stars-like "haut-cuisine" in the middle of bushes! Incredible. From our experience, the Nsefu area is a less touristic area of the South Luangwa national park. We rarely saw any other cars during both morning and afternoon safari rides. It is even more surprising, given that our guide was always able to show us the breathtaking Zambian fauna including among others wild dogs, lions, leopards, giraffes, hyenas, buffalos, zebras and hundreds of hippos. In the evening we even once spotted a porcupine! This is our third time stay in Zikomo Safari and our family and friends that we travelled with were always very pleased with the experience. I can recommend Zikomo Safari to everyone who is looking for a natural paradise with top services and extremely helpful, professional and pleasant staff. We are definitely coming back again. Thank you Victoria, David and all Zikomo people !