Chichele Presidential

Chichele was built in the 1970s as a private retreat for Kenneth Kaunda, Zambia's first president, and reopened in 2025 after a full rebuild. It sits on a hilltop with wide views over floodplains, rivers and forest. There are ten air-conditioned Vista Suites, each with a covered verandah, plunge pool and outdoor shower, and two can be joined through a safari lounge for families. The lodge has a rim-flow pool, a gym and a spa.

Game drives in open vehicles and guided walking safaris are included, and the lodge runs safari activities for children. Chichele is about 90 minutes by road from Mfuwe Airport. It makes a good counterpoint to a few nights at a simple walking camp, or a comfortable single base for travelers who prefer one lodge in South Luangwa. It belongs to the new Zambia Luxury Lodge Collection, alongside Puku Ridge in the same park.

Chichele suits couples, families and anyone who finds the heat of the Luangwa hard going, since the suites have air conditioning. The lodge is open from March to January, a longer season than most camps in the park. The trade-off is style: with ten suites and hotel-like facilities it feels more like a lodge than a bushcamp, so it pairs best with a smaller camp for contrast.