Every year during November a herd of elephants arrives at Mfuwe Lodge to snack on the giant wild mango tree, which shades the lodge’s main bar and dining area. But to reach the tree, the elephants have to walk through the main lodge building. This means climbing the stairs at the main entrance, walking under the thatched roof, passing by the reception desk – just inches from the reception staff – before emerging again to climb down the stairs into the garden area where the wild mango tree stands. 

The wild mango tree stands next to the lodge’s main bar and library area, so guests can enjoy a drink from the bar or sit in the quiet library and watch this spectacle at close range.

If you are keen to keep abreast of safari packages, special offers and all recent developments in the Luangwa Valley but are not receiving our Norman Carr Safaris newsletters then please contact us to be added to the mailing list.

Although the bushcamps are all closed now we are eagerly waiting the re-opening of Mchenja Camp on the 25^th January for our Rivers & Rainbows safaris.  Response has been exceptional but there is still space left on selected dates through February and March. 

For more details, click here.

Safari with Robin Pope in February.
Walk a ridge, bag a hundred bird species in a day and boat to the stork colony. This safari week gives you 3 days with Robin during the beautiful days of February.
The bush will be green, the birds will be in peak breeding and the river will be high with exciting boating. And as always the Luangwa will give excellent game viewing.

Starts 24 February • Rate for 7 nights - $2500 per person
Includes accommodation, bar, activities, transfer to Mfuwe airport, National Park fees
Not included – flights and airport taxes.
Normal commission applies, no single supplement

Chiawa Camp is now closed for the rains. It has been another incredibly season for us and so on behalf of the Cumings Family we would like to thank all of you for your loyal support. Although our game viewing statistics for 2006 have not yet been compiled we recorded 51 leopard sightings at Chiawa Camp in September.  Coupled with competent management and an inspired team of willing professional staff on hand, Chiawa Camp continues to lead the way in the Lower Zambezi in providing unrivaled safaris. Meanwhile we are in the process of installing ResRequest, an online reservations system which will streamline the booking process for Chiawa Camp and which we hope to have fully online by mid-January. May you all have a Merry Christmas and a healthy, prosperous 2007.

Chongwe has been very busy on the community front in the past few months. Apart form spearheading the drive to turn traditional hunting land into a “community park “ we have just agreed to fund a young man called Jacob Katiyo.  Has project was inspired by Veronica Roodt’s well known books on the nutritional and medicinal uses of plants. The Goba people of the Lower Zambezi area are still very close to these traditions. In these times of relative prosperity these traditions are slowing being forgotten as, alas, is the case in most of Africa. About 3 years ago Jacob and I held one full day of interviews with a distinguished group “Nyanga’s” ( herbalists/ traditional healers )What was striking was the age and wisdom of these people. and heir information was unique to the Goba people and fascinating in itself.

The lodge closed for two weeks in early December to tackle some maintenance which was long over due, re-opening just in time for the wedding of Andy and Jane van Smeerdijk.
We recently had Dana Allen to stay and we managed to get some fantastic shots of the birds in the area amongst them Schalow’s Turaco, African Finfoot and Rock Pratincole.  He also managed to snap a wonderful Christmas photo for next years calendar but we are keeping it under lock and key till it goes to the printers!  Our work in the village continues and we are now focusing on getting the clinic complete. We are still raising funds for this and the generosity of donors has been truly wonderful. Wishing you all Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year from all of us.

We have some unexpected last minute space for Christmas and New Year’s so please think of us for any last minute bookings… We have a very special itinerary in place which promises to be a lot of fun. For more information please contact reservations@tongabezi.com.  We recently had the pleasure of welcoming Greg Scheib back to Tongabezi who is a professional guide from South Africa. He spent a month working with our guides refreshing and enhancing their guiding skills. This included canoeing on the Zambezi River, Bird watching and first aid.
Thank you so much for all your support in 2006 and look forward to a fantastic 2006.  Merry Christmas and a very happy and prosperous New Year.