The South Luangwa Safari House is an impossibly beautiful castle-like building made from ancient Leadwood trees, stones from the surrounding Chindeni Hills and topped with thatching grass. You enter through enormous wooden front doors that swing open onto dramatic, sky-high ceilings. Completely open on all sides, the effect is to lead your eyes to an incredible backdrop of the African bush.
Your first experience of the house is a wonderfully luxurious one: coming in out of the heat you flop into one of the white linen sofas, and immediately have a cool face towel pressed into one hand and a refreshing drink in the other. But that feeling of luxury is just a taste of what greets you in the rooms. The four suites are each individually designed using different materials like copper, sand and glass. Each is also impeccably furnished, from the recycled sandblasted aluminium fittings to handpicked Zambian marble and giant hand-made copper baths.
Everything at South Luangwa Safari House has also been locally and sustainably sourced – right down to the wooden staircases made from railway sleepers. All four rooms are completely open to the elements (although shutters are put up at night), meaning you can actually hear elephants trumpet and lions roar while lying in bed. Upstairs rooms have their own suspended drawbridge-style balconies to sit out on and watch the wildlife walk past during the day and take in the moonlit views over the distant hills at night.
The open-plan structure of the house means that you feel very much a part of the landscape. The main room leads you out onto a quartz tiled terrace filled with giant cushions, lounge chairs and an infinity pool overlooking a watering hole. A raised path of decking curves out into the bush under the shade of a huge ebony tree, and makes for the perfect place to dine al fresco (beautifully lit up with hurricane lamps come nightfall), or to simply lie back on one of the worn leather sofas and watch a herd of elephants stroll by.
What’s hot?
- Obi – the wonderful guide who knows the area inside out
- Eating lunch on the deck while watching herds of elephants walk past
- The mouth-watering food served up by the private chef
- Having a picnic (complete with gin and tonics) in the middle of the African bush
- Watching the sun set over the Chindeni Hills from the infinity pool
What’s not?
- The rates
Need to Know: South Luangwa Safari House
Number of rooms: 4
Check-in/check-out times: 2pm and 12noon (although these are completely flexible)
Room service: Yes. And there are night watchmen that guard the house 24 hours a day
Swimming pool: Yes. There’s an infinity pool looking out over the African plains
Spa: No
Dogs welcome: No
Rates: The house can be hired out entirely for a group of eight guests with food included in the stay
Eating and drinking: Food plays a huge part in a stay at the Luangwa Safari House and the private chef whips up seemingly endless courses – from traditional afternoon teas with delicate scones, to a Mongolian-style braai. You’re left thinking about the delicious dishes months after your stay...
Near to? You’re right in the heart of the Luangwa Park and every smell, sight and sound of the bush is exhilaratingly amplified. Experienced local guides can take you out either in an open 4x4 for day or night drives, or on foot with an armed guide. Being in such close proximity to the wildlife is an absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience, and leopards, lions, giraffe, hippos and impala are all almost within touching distance. If you fancy taking a little slice of Africa home with you, it’s worth stopping in at Tribal Textiles for beautiful printed fabrics on your way to the airport.
Getting there: South African Airways fly regularly to Johannesburg, which takes around 10 hours from London Heathrow. You can then take a connecting flight up to Lusaka, where airport pick up can be arranged. There’s a journey time of around 40 minutes to the South Luangwa Safari House.
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