Time + Tide Mchenja

Mchenja takes its name from the local word for ebony, and the camp sits in a shady ebony grove on the bank of the Luangwa River. There are four one-bedroom rooms and a two-bedroom family room, with grass walls, large picture windows and open-air bathrooms with a soaking tub facing the river. The main lodge has a bar, campfire and a pool overlooking the water. It is about two and a half hours by game drive from Mfuwe Airport.

Activities are morning and afternoon drives, including night drives, plus walking safaris, sundowners and the optional sleepout. Leopard are among the cats seen here, elephants cross the river near camp, and the riverbanks host carmine bee-eaters in season. Mchenja is on the Time + Tide walking route, about 7 km from Kakuli and 12 km from Nsolo, so it works well as the comfortable final stop after a few nights walking in from the Luwi camps.

Mchenja suits couples and families, since children of all ages are welcome and there is a family room, and it is a good choice for anyone who wants walking without giving up a pool and a bath with a river view. It is open only from 20 May to 15 November. Carmine bee-eater numbers depend on the time of year, so check timing if birds are a priority.