Mayukuyuku Camp

Kafue

Rating: Simple

Mayukuyuku Camp overview

Mayukuyuku means 'water hitting the rocks' and was the name given to the piece of land where the camp was built in 2006 as there are numerous rapids in the river nearby.

This is a very friendly, lovely 'back to nature' camp with a very homely feel to it. There are just four tented rooms ranged along the river bank with hammocks on private verandas and comfortable large beds with mossie nets inside the rooms. En-suite bathrooms made from grass and bamboo are attached, with showers open to the sky and with the comforts of a flush toilet and hot water.

There is a central dining and lounge/bar area where meals are served under a shade roof, lit at night by a myriad of colourful lamps and candles. Pre-dinner drinks can be enjoyed on comfy chairs around the camp fire by the riverbank.

The camp is open all year and the seasons bring with them movements in the wildlife. The green season of Jan - March brings with the rains a variety of species including wild dogs and sable antelope. April and May are good for all species then the winter months of June - August, though cold can produce excellent sightings all round and good for seeing otters. September and October are the hottest months and good for wild dog sightings again. November and December are still hot but with showers and many mammals have their young.

details

Open: Mayukuyuku Camp is open all year and game viewing is good at all times of the year.

Location: Mayukuyuku Camp is on the banks of the Kafu River inside the national park. The camp is on the southern edge of the northern border of the park, so you can access both North and South Kafue from here. It is about 250kms, a 4 hour drive, from Lusaka.

Rooms: There are 4 permanent tents with thatched roofs and private verandas with hammocks. Each has its own bathroom, walled but open to the sky, with hot showers and flush toilets. The tents face the river where you can watch hippos and crocodiles.

Activities: The camp offers early morning and later afternoon game drives in Kafue National Park, the latter including sundowner drinks. You can go on walking safaris with a guide and an armed scout. Game viewing by boat is popular. Fishing can be organised. You can hire your own guide for a full day game drive. This is a great area for bird watching, too.

Facilities: There’s an open sided dining room and a terrace for al fresco dining. You can put your feet up in the lounge and enjoy a drink from the bar. There’s a small library where you can browse through reference books. The gift shop sells local crafts. There are battery charging facilities. There is a small campsite about a 10 minute walk from the main camp. The camp is run by 3 directors, Pippa Turner, Patrick Moyo and Musonda Mbalazi, who between them have many years’ experience in Kafue and in the safari business .

Dining: Meals are eaten together with other guests.

Children: Children of all ages are welcome.

Health: This is a malarial area.

Communication: Internet access is available on request.

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a room
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This camp makes real efforts to keep their impact to a minimum. Solar lighting, good recycling & working with the Zambian Wildlife Authority all helps them succeed in this aim.

customer rating

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4 reviews

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client reviews

Liz Mitchell

Amanda Marks, Tribes
"I’m sitting outside my tent at Mayukuyuku watching the Kafue river go by, and listening to hippos and lots of birds. It’s a lovely spot. It’s very relaxed and friendly and quite informal Here you won’t find drums calling you for dinner, and the wake-up call might be a little later than planned, but everything gets done and you have a good time.
I found the tents to be good, well-maintained and with most things you need. The game vehicle has a closed cab front which concerned me when we first got in, but then the guide got in the back with us, so that was fine. I found the game drives on the main tarmac road (which goes through the park) to be a little unexpected, but there are other off-road circuits too, and the boat safari was superb. Two BA pilots I met here also said that the bush walk was very good. The guiding by Boyd and Yoram is very good quality and they are both personable, knowledgeable guys.
If you want every I dotted and every T crossed, you might find a few odd little things slightly frustrating here. It is not a luxury experience, but it is a good rustic camp with friendly staff who are all willing and eager to make your stay a happy one. I’d be very happy to come again."

Julie Croucher, Tribes
"I stayed here during a tour of all Kafue properties, and though it was probably the most basic, it was one of my favourites of the lot! The attention to detail from Pippa and her team is amazing. Their care about the enviroment and conservation is obvious and the food and hosting was superb. For easy access from Lusaka and a great rustic tented camp, this is perfect."