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The family safari room's open-plan layout unfolds beneath soaring thatch, a soft sofa and twin canopy beds arranged beneath a canvas roof.

Kakuli

South Luangwa, Zambia

A Bush Camp Built on Legend

High on the bank of the Luangwa River, Time + Tide Kakuli takes its name from the nickname locals gave Norman Carr, the pioneer who first introduced walking safaris to this part of Zambia. It is a fitting tribute: the camp sits within a national park renowned for its walking heritage, and few places capture that spirit of unhurried discovery quite so completely.

The camp’s design is unpretentious and true to its bush setting, with a raised main lounge that looks out over the river and a permanent lagoon below. From here, guests watch the comings and goings of resident wildlife over morning coffee or an evening drink beside the fire, the library and bar close at hand for quieter hours between activities.

The safari rooms are bright and simply elegant, each with a feather-top bed, indoor and outdoor showers, and a covered verandah facing the water. A two-bedroom, two-bathroom family safari room offers extra space for those travelling together. Fans keep the rooms comfortable through the heat of the day, while solar power and Wi-Fi bring modern ease to an otherwise wonderfully remote setting.

Days here move at the pace of the bush, an unhurried rhythm of morning and afternoon game drives, walking safaris that follow in Norman Carr’s own footsteps, and the occasional sleepout beneath a sky thick with stars. Meals shift with the mood and the moment, from breakfast cooked over the coals at sunrise to a long lunch beside the river, always built around what is fresh, local and in season. As evening approaches, sundowners give way to dinner by firelight, the calls of a resident lion pride carrying across the water as darkness falls over the Luangwa.

You will love

  • Named for a walking safari pioneer
  • Elevated position above the river
  • Highest leopard sightings in the valley
  • Resident lion pride nearby
  • Family safari room with two bathrooms

Let us design your perfect itinerary.

Call 1300 130 218 Contact us
An outdoor washstand and circular mirror overlook the wide Luangwa River, the room's reed walls open to catch the morning light.
A four-poster bed opens onto a private seating area shaded by thatch, blending indoor comfort with the wild landscape outside.
A hat and binoculars rest on the bed beneath a canopy of white netting, an open-sided wardrobe of safari clothing just behind.
Golden hour sundowners are served on the deck at Kakuli, guests in wide-brimmed hats settling in as the sun dips below the treeline.
Director's chairs line a long dining table beneath a soaring thatched roof, with sweeping views over the Luangwa River beyond.
Zebras standing in the savannah, showcasing their distinctive black and white stripes, symbolizing the unique wildlife experiences available at Kakuli bush camp in South Luangwa, Zambia.
A dining table is set with wine glasses, linen napkins and carved wooden vessels, ready for an evening meal at camp.
Leather and patterned armchairs cluster around a low table in the main lounge, the river framed beyond the open-sided deck.
Mongoose peeking from behind a log in the South Luangwa wilderness, highlighting the unique wildlife experiences at Kakuli bush camp.
A breakfast table is laid with muffins, fresh fruit and tea beneath the lodge's thatched roof, the Luangwa floodplain spread out below.
Sunlight breaks through the trees behind Kakuli's thatched main lodge, its low profile settling naturally into the riverine bush.
Draped mosquito netting frames a comfortable bed that opens onto a private lounge area, greenery visible just beyond the canvas edge.
A four-poster bed dressed in mud-cloth cushions and pale linen sits beneath billowing white netting, reed walls glowing warm in the light.
The camp team waves a warm welcome beneath the trees, a thatched roof and dappled shade setting the scene for arrival.
Flock of birds flying over the sandy banks of the Luangwa River, highlighting the vibrant wildlife experience at Kakuli bush camp, South Luangwa, Zambia.
Cushioned wooden chairs gather beneath a shady tree on a riverside deck, the wide sandbanks of the Luangwa glinting in the late afternoon sun.
Morning light catches a round mirror and washstand in a reed-walled bathroom, the river and floodplain stretching out beyond the open frame.
An open-air bathroom at Kakuli, its reed walls framing a wood-topped vanity and hand-thrown basin, with the Luangwa River visible through the trees beyond.
Guests on a Kakuli game drive watch quietly as a bull elephant browses in the golden grass of South Luangwa.
A waterbuck pauses in golden evening light, its ears alert amid tall grass tinged amber by the setting sun.
A leopard bares its teeth in a wide yawn, whiskers catching the light against a dark, shadowed backdrop.
Two young lions play-fight along a fallen log, paws swiping in the dappled morning light of the Zambian bush.
Guests raise a toast beneath an ancient baobab as the sun sets over the South Luangwa bush, the game drive vehicle parked close by.

An absolutely fantastic travel company - every one of the many trips they have organised for us over 22 years have been faultless and fabulous.

Judith & Roger Williams

Would do it all again and not change a moment. Best holiday ever!

The McGowan Tribe

It certainly was the best trip we have EVER had. The experiences were mind blowing.  We want everyone we know to experience Africa - the animals, the people - magical.

Jo-anne & Dean Mifsud

The Classic Safari Company is the best I have dealt with. Extremely knowledgeable & professional, friendly, patient & understanding of first timers to Africa.

Annette Whiley

Classic Safari Company were brilliant - 10/10

Di & Kingsley Yates

Classic Safari is the place to go to for "top end" adventure travel.

Ron & Alison Guthrie

If you want the most sensational experience in Africa let Julia and the staff at Classic Safari Co plan it for you! Their knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm for their job means your every wish will be fulfilled.

Miriam & Joseph Harrison

Their experience and knowledge of Africa is evident and we couldn't have been happier with the total package. This has given us a taste for Africa - now we are ready for more.

Andrew & Pip Stevens

Classic Safari Company has done it again! A unique experience that ticked all the boxes - wildlife, culture and dining experience. A dream come true!

Ros Wheeler

Absolutely everything was first class & so well organised.

Simon & Jackie Adams

The trip of a lifetime, couldn't have dreamt of a better adventure if I tried.

Emma Jeffcoat

You can't improve on perfection. I had my best birthday and holiday with my family celebrating my 80th birthday in Africa. Everything that Julia organised was perfect and the whole trip was a highlight!

Buckingham Family

Everything was perfect! Advice and information on destinations and activities hit everything I had hoped to experience. I contacted the Classic Safari Company upon recommendation and have now, in turn, recommended to others.

Tim Bradley

Very knowledgeable and patient. Our trip was all that we hoped for. Wonderful!

Jane & Robert Happell

Thank you for making our trip to Africa so spectacular. The attention to detail really made it special. It really was the trip of a lifetime.

Paul Cozzi

An amazing experience - the best family holiday we have ever had. We were extremely impressed by the meticulous attention to our itinerary. I can't speak highly enough of all the elements of this exciting journey!

Sheryl & Robert Taylor

We loved it all. Our son wants to go back tomorrow. We would ALL go back again!

Laurence & Remi Cunningham

Classic Safari are the people who genuinely know other culture and offer incredible insight to perfectly meet your expectations.

Melanie McMillan & Iain Jones

The trip exceeded my expectations and was the best family holiday I have ever had. Our children simply loved it and now I know more about African wildlife than they do about our own farm animals.

Rowntree family

We are so happy we put our trust in CSC, we had an amazing adventure and would recommend them to anyone.

Kim & Brad Balance

Julia you did a fantastic job - everything was first class. Well organised, efficient and stress free. We all agreed it was the best holiday we've ever had. Cant wait to travel with CSC again.

Milford family

We wanted the opportunity to see as many wildlife parks as possible and the Classic Safari Company provided an action-packed itinerary that included six, with 11 tiger sightings and nine leopard. This was overlaid with an introduction to Jaisalmer, Jaipur and the 'real' India. Pench and Panna were the hidden gems of a really great trip, very well organised, seamless and enjoyable. As a solo traveller I felt incredibly safe at all times. I want to go back!

Mark Taylor

Exellent and wonderful, reaching way above expectations.

Elizabeth Mackintosh

Thank you for putting together the ancestral adventure of a lifetime. I cannot speak highly enough of the trip.

Jenny Kidd
A guest sways gently in a hanging chair with coffee and a book, watching the sun rise over the river beyond the tent's open flaps.
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