Mfuwe Lodge is a safari lodge inside South Luangwa National Park, built between an oxbow lagoon and a permanent hippo pool under ebony, mahogany and fig canopy. It is one of very few lodges within the park boundary rather than in the game management area outside it, and it is the full-service anchor for the operator’s six smaller bushcamps.
Best for
Travellers who want the Luangwa’s game without roughing it, and who value waking to water on two sides inside the park rather than driving to a gate each morning. It works well as the comfortable start or finish to a trip whose middle is spent at the satellite bushcamps. Not for anyone seeking a three-tent walking camp deep in the bush, or travelling on a budget: there is one board basis, no self-catering and no room-only rate.
Location
The lodge sits inside the park about five minutes from the main Mfuwe gate, which is the park’s most accessible corner rather than its remote interior. Being inside the boundary means park fees are charged for every night of a stay, not for each day you drive in.
Rooms and style at Mfuwe Lodge
Eighteen thatched chalets, as published by the operator: thirteen standard, three family and two suites. All are en-suite and air-conditioned, each with a private deck at the water’s edge. Suites add an upstairs seating area and a bath.
Facilities at Mfuwe Lodge
Swimming pool, bush spa, gym, bar, curio shop, and a library and photographic studio. Mains electricity with generator backup, solar-heated water, air conditioning and ceiling fans in every chalet, mosquito nets, laundry and wifi, which is strongest in the main areas.
Trade-offs and what to know
Scale. At eighteen chalets this is one of the larger properties in the valley, not an intimate camp.
Walking. Walking safaris run in the dry season only and carry a minimum age of 12, so green-season stays are drives and birding.
Fees. Park entry, government levies and conservation supplements are charged separately per night and are easy to miss when comparing with properties outside the park.
Unfenced. Elephants walk through reception; movement after dark is escorted.
Getting there and getting around
Mfuwe International Airport is the gateway, with daily flights from Lusaka. The operator publishes a road transfer of about 45 minutes in its own vehicles, so no 4×4 is needed to arrive. Roads to Mfuwe are tarred and passable year round.
Explore the area
Compare other places to stay in South Luangwa, browse accommodation across the Luangwa Valley, read our Luangwa Valley guide, or start from where to stay in Zambia.
Before you book
One board basis covers accommodation, most meals, house drinks, laundry and scheduled game drives and walking safaris. Park and conservation fees, premium and imported drinks and gratuities are extra. Sources disagree on whether airport transfers are included, so confirm that. The lodge is open every day of the year, which is unusual in the valley. If the November elephants are the reason for the trip, confirm dates in writing: they come for a wild mango tree from roughly late October to mid-December and they are entirely wild and unfed.
Current rates and availability
We do not publish fixed rates for Mfuwe Lodge, because pricing and availability change with dates and demand. Use the Check Availability button on this page to see the current options offered by the independent booking provider. Zambia Travel Guide does not set prices, hold inventory or take payment.