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Owned for many years by the Cummings family, Chiawa Camp is luxurious, friendly and relaxed. It has a superb situation in the heart of the Lower Zambezi National Park, overlooking the mighty river. Sitting in camp there is always something to see, from hippo splashing in the water to elephant drinking or buffalo grazing on the grassy islands.

The camp often has elephant in camp, with frequent visits from a large bull nicknamed 'Shorty', due to his stumpy back legs. He grazes around the camp and occasionally catches himself in the main camp's central toilet mirror, which gives him a fright before he begins to admire himself! The camp staff are very used to dealing with him and although his visits may cause some disruption to the dining times, he provides plenty of entertainment.

Chiawa has nine luxurious tents on raised wooden decks overlooking the water. Inside they are large and fabulous, offering double or twin beds with fresh linens standing on polished wooden floors, beautiful carved furniture and animal check lists. Outside on the spacious veranda there are comfortable chairs, perfect for relaxing during the hot afternoons with a cold drink, a book and your binoculars. Each tent has an en suite bathroom with polished brass taps, powerful showers and the leaves of mahogany trees shading them from above.

In the center of camp the bar and dining area are under thatch and have deep chairs, lots of books and fine views of the river, with sweeping lawns right down to the banks of the Zambezi. The food here is absolutely excellent, with chefs preparing large bush breakfasts, light lunches and dinners that are sometimes eaten on a sandbank in the middle of the river. Activities include walks, day and night game drives, canoe trips and boating expeditions. It's also fun to try a spot of tiger fishing under a 'catch and release' policy or just relax by the plunge pool.

OUR RATING: Deluxe