Lion Camp Safari Lodge
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South Luangwa / Zambia, South Luangwa National Park Zambia
Full view
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Room & Suite (35)
Dining (4)
About
#6 of 44 Speciality lodging in South Luangwa National Park
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Value
Travellers' Choice
Located in one of South Luangwa’s most exclusive game viewing areas, Lion Camp has been delivering truly memorable safari experiences for 17 years. Remote, exclusive, intimate and luxurious, with the focus on personalized service is what makes a safari at Lion Camp exceptional. Our unique location, abundant wildlife, and 5 vehicles/guides for 10 suites ensure a private and unique experience. A definite bucket list experience!
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Property amenities
Free internet
Pool
Bar / lounge
Free airport transportation
Gift shop
Mosquito net
Private check-in / check-out
Laundry service
Pool with view
Outdoor pool
Restaurant
Outdoor fireplace
Sun terrace
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Room features
Bathrobes
Desk
Housekeeping
Private balcony
Safe
Seating area
Sofa
Extra long beds
Wardrobe / wardrobe
Bottled water
Wake-up service / alarm clock
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Room types
Landmark view
Non-smoking rooms
Good to know
HOTEL STYLE
Hidden Gem
Romantic
Languages Spoken
English, Afrikaans, Dutch
Location
Full view
151Reviews3Q+A39Room tips
Reviews
Traveller rating
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Popular mentions
We just returned from Zambia, but I think we left a part of our hearts at Lion Camp! This place is worth the drive, worth the price, and worth traveling from the West Coast of the United States to visit!! We were greeted at the airport by our guide, Innocent, and he took care of us the entire time of our stay. Innocent has a gift of being able to track animals while hosting the people in his vehicle while making sure everyone is safe while driving while answering questions and spotting animals that are trying to hide themselves!! He is amazing!! Our first game drive was from the airport, and safari was on! When we arrived at the lodge, we were greeted as if we mattered. Wayne and Vicky were standing on the porch along with the staff clapping and cheering. That doesn't happen at resorts. You normally slip in and have to go through check-in and work up to feeling at home. Not at Lion Camp...you are welcomed in as if you were family from the get go, are ushered to your room without paperwork, and begin settling in immediately. Amazing! The rooms are fantastic, fully-loaded even with USB outlets next to the bed, and the bed is comfortable!! Bravo!! The food is delicious and abundant. How they manage to get fresh food that far into the park is beyond me (well, I did ask and got a great answer). Sitting around the campfire and swapping stories with Wayne and Vicky is what makes this place magical. They are outstanding hosts, and they let you into their lives as they share their experience living in the bush. They have this uncanny ability to give you the space you want/need while also drawing you into true friendship. They captured my heart. Oh...and we saw Big 4 every time we went out. Every time! Lions, leopards, elephants and hippos were easily found, followed and enjoyed. We were with seasoned safari travelers who were enthusiastic about their experience. In South Luangwa, you may leave the road to track animals. This is the difference between safari in other places. You can 4-wheel to where the animals are, and we did! We followed 2 adult male lions for over an hour as they patrolled an area, drank from the river, and finally laid down to take a nap. We sat for an hour and a half watching a pride of 3 females and 4 cubs devour a zebra. And we were the only ones around!! Call it Covid or whatever it was, we encountered only 2 other jeeps the entire time we were there!! Our group of 7 had a complete blast, and we were flabberghasted by the entire experience!! And if that isn't enough, ask Oscar about his leather-working skills and see the hat he made for Wayne! Better yet, pre-order one to buy because you are going to want one (completely hand-made, and I think you could snag one for $250). It is a quality of work that will take your breath away. (I'm making up the price...this most likely is not an option, but you might want to ask.) Thank you Vicky, Wayne, Innocent, Oscar and the rest of the amazing crew at Lion Camp!! We cannot wait to see you again!!…
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Date of stay: June 2021
Rooms
Location
Service
Room Tip: Any room will be excellent
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Helpful
Response from Vicky Nel, General Manager at Lion Camp Safari Lodge
Responded 1 week ago
Dear FarAway, Thank you for your review. It was a great pleasure hosting you and your group and spending quality time with you. We love what we do and sharing our wonderful Lion Camp with our visiting friends. Be well and we look forward to welcoming you back to Zambia and Lion Camp soon. Warm Regards from the entire Lion Camp Team
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We spent the best 4 days in June 2021 at Lion Camp. This place is nothing short of amazing. The staff are incredible. The are warm, welcoming and extremely professional! The rooms are beautiful and sit right above the river which provides a lovely backdrop to animal sightings. Hippos, crocodiles were right below my balcony. Across the river I watched elephants, zebras and impalas walking through and eating. The food is gourmet. Fresh, unique and beyond yummy! Including the snacks during safari. I couldn't have asked for more. The twice daily safari's were beyond all of my expectations. Innocent our guide was fun, friendly and knowledgeable. He knew where to find animals, and spotted them at times it seemed unbelievable. He spotted things that were almost a mile away. Although I had my doubts, he was right every single time. We saw everything I wanted to see and more: lions (a female pride with cubs and two adult males), leopards, hippos, elephants, zebras, impalas, cape buffalo, baboons, monkeys, hippos (in and out of the water), giraffes, water buck, and so much more. Sitting around the camp fire and listening to Wayne's camp stories was another highlight. We laughed a lot! He and Vicky are such a wonderful couple. Their love for Lion Camp is obvious and what they've created is fabulous -- a five star resort in the African bush. I hated to leave and hope to be back some day! p.s. the photos on the website are exactly what you get... it's as beautiful as it looks on the site!…
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Date of stay: June 2021
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip: All the rooms are amazing!!! Luxurious!
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Helpful
Response from Vicky Nel, General Manager at Lion Camp Safari Lodge
Responded 1 week ago
Dear Hrhauntie, Thank you for visiting Lion Camp! It is such a privilege for us, Wayne, myself, and our team to share this very special place with each and every one of our guests. Our motto of arriving as guests leaving as friends might sound like a cliche, but very important for each of us at Lion Camp. We have the privilege of living here, in this awesome creation, least we can do is share it with every person making the effort to travel this distance to experience the beauty of the South Luangwa National Park!!! Warm Regards from the entire Lion Camp Team - until we meet again
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Lion camp is beautifully situated above a lagoon with a lovely deck where meals are taken. The food was excellent and the staff were all helpful and efficient. The managers, Vicky and Wayne were always around and always ready for a chat - the smooth running of Lion camp is a tribute to their management. Game drives with Innocent were fantastic and the camp truly lived up to its name with some amazing lion tracking and sightings. The rooms are luxurious and there is a raised walkway from the rooms to the communal decking area, which was helpful when a large male elephant decided to browse the green bushes next to the walkway.
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Date of stay: September 2019
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Helpful
Response from Vicky Nel, General Manager at Lion Camp Safari Lodge
Responded 20 Aug 2020
Dear Autraliantraveller, My sincerest apologies for only thanking you for your lovely review now!! It was a great pleasure hosting you and are very excited that you had a great time with us. Innocent sends his best regards.
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Newly renovated luxury safari camp. Nice layout with great animal viewing. Nice and professional staff and very knowledgeable guides. Had a great stay and would recommend this camp for all. Worth every dollar, you will not be disappointed.
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Date of stay: November 2019Trip type: Travelled with family
Helpful
Response from Vicky Nel, General Manager at Lion Camp Safari Lodge
Responded 20 Aug 2020
OMW David, can you believe it has taken me months to respond and thank you for your comment! I do apologize but in the same breath thank you and are very happy that you enjoyed your time with us. Our team enjoyed sharing special moments with you.
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Just had four wonderful nights at Lion Camp, a truly awesome experience. Only our second safari, went to Kruger previously - this was a massive step up in terms of game viewing. The camp is one of the last in south luangwa so when on game drives, you see very few other vehicles which is a bonus. The camp is run brilliantly well by Vicky and Wayne , what superb managers - they ensure everything is done exactly as it should be, their high standards are then matched by the excellent staff. Our guide was Simon and “Mr V” , they ensured our experience was truly memorable - saw everything possible including a short glimpse of the painted dogs. On our last morning at breakfast, we even watched a lioness hunting a buffalo across the way, not something you forget. The accommodation is faultless , the food is superb - there is no menu to choose from for evening dinner , rather a board put up to tell you the dinner will be, if it is something you don’t like or if you have any dietary requirements , you can obviously discuss and change things around - we thought the quality of the food and wine , clearly influenced heavily by Vicky, was truly superb, great flavours and well balanced. WiFi was a bit “dodgy” - but you are in south luangwa! Our thanks to Lion Camp for a memorable visit , we were sad to leave, but we headed off to Potato Bush in lower Zambezi ( see separate review.) …
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Date of stay: September 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
Response from Vicky N, General Manager at Lion Camp Safari Lodge
Responded 18 Sep 2019
DearMiddleAgedFromMids, We were sad to see you leave as we thoroughly enjoyed your company! Thank you for your very positive review, much appreciated!! We love what we do and sharing our beautiful lodge with all our guests. My passion is food and are excited that you enjoyed it as much as we enjoy preparing and serving it. Warm regards from myself, Wayne, Simon, Mr "V" and the entire staff.
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LOCATION
ZambiaSouth Luangwa National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
10
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Claim Your Listing Frequently Asked Questions about Lion Camp Safari Lodge
What are some of the property amenities at Lion Camp Safari Lodge?
Some of the more popular amenities offered include a pool, an on-site restaurant, and a lounge.
What food & drink options are available at Lion Camp Safari Lodge?
Guests can enjoy an on-site restaurant and a lounge during their stay.
Are there opportunities to exercise at Lion Camp Safari Lodge?
Yes, guests have access to a pool during their stay.
Does Lion Camp Safari Lodge have an airport shuttle?
Yes, Lion Camp Safari Lodge offers an airport shuttle for guests. We recommend calling ahead to confirm details.