Overlooking the Luangwa River deep in the South Luangwa National Park is this small friendly camp. The 6 chalets have all been refurbished and will be ready for the camp's re-opening in May 2012. The chitenje housing the lounge, dining area and bar features new furniture and furnishings.
The chalets are spacious, well ventilated and light, with large, mosquito-proofed windows looking out to the Luanga River, allowing the sounds of the night and the breeze filter through. Each has a private wooden deck overlooking the river which gives a great vantage point to relax and watch hippos, crocodiles, hundreds of birds and often elephant crossing the water. The bathrooms have been recently renovated. The chalets have new wooden furniture, large windows, coconut shell lamp shades and stunning wildlife photographs.
The chitenje is a large round buidling, open-sided offering great views of the surrounding area. Here guests can relax in the lounge/library and enjoy a drink and chat in the bar. The main dining area is located in the chitenje, though meals can also be taken on the main deck or in the privacy of your chalet's deck.
Various habitats are close by to the camp including the Lion Plains, Fish Eagle Lagoon and a large ebony forest. There are several lion prides in the area plus at least 8 individual leopards. Three activities a day are offered (early morning, lunch time and late afternoon) which are optional, you can simply relax at camp and let the wildlife come to you if you prefer! Photographic hides allow close up views of many species. Kaingo combines well with sister camp Mwamba, a bush camp and you may walk between the two locations.
Owner managed and run, Shenton Safaris are long established in the Luangwa valley. Derek Shenton and his team of guides are able to combine their skills and intimate knowledge of the area to provide exciting and thought provoking safari walks and game-drives, while his wife Jules and her team of attentive staff take care of all your comforts in camp. Much of the fresh produce used in the kitchens is grown in the Shenton Plot near Mfuwe airport and hand crafted materials are used in the rooms.
The nights around Kaingo and Mwamba are filled with wildlife action. Bats and owls (Pearl spotted and Scops in particular) set up the background sounds together with whirring cicadas. Puku and Impala alarm calls are often followed by the grunt of a leopard or whoop of a hyena as they pass through camps. Elephants are never far away and are especially fond of the tamarind and ebony fruit. There are resident hippo in the waterholes that graze on the river banks at night, completing the picture. The game surrounding the camps is excellent; large herds of buffalo, zebra, eland and in particular Cookson's wildebeest (one of the last herds in the SLNP are found on the plains and in the Mopane/Crocodile bark woodlands close to camp). They are followed by the Mwamba pride, which consists of six beautiful lionesses and two classically dark maned males (sometimes with cubs as well, our last clients to visit there saw 14 of them!).
Fantastic leopard sightings are also common due to the thick riverine bush, attracted by the large numbers of impala and puku in the open glades around camp. Elephants use the waterholes regularly and there is a family of elephants who visit the waterhole next to the honeymoon chalet at Mwamba to drink and mud themselves in the afternoons. There are also two young orphan bulls who visit camp. There is an elepahnt hide at Kaingo and it is possible to arrange a sleep out here.
Another appeal of both camps is the excellent walking area. The land varies tremendously from wide open plains such as Lion Plain and Eland Plain, interspersed by shady Mopane/crocodile bark woodland with short grass (interspersed with waterholes and lagoons), and bordered by Combretum thickets along the Mwamba river. This is a classic area for walking safaris and the limited number of loops and game-viewing tracks makes it a pleasure for the guides to help guests explore this vast, untouched part of the park.
