Established in 1996, Sausage Tree Camp stands as Zambia's premier luxury bush camp, epitomizing bush chic and exclusivity. Set in a stunning location along the Zambezi River at the heart of the Lower Zambezi National Park, Sausage Tree Camp is the epitome of bush chic.
The camp provides a civilized approach to a true bush experience with lavish attention to detail. Holding a picturesque Zambezi Riverside location, overlooking reed islands where elephant and buffalo graze, Sausage Tree Camp combines luxury and safari impeccably. Named after the instantly recognisable Sausage Tree, for its large sausage shaped fruit, lush green canopy and striking red flowers, the camp is set under a shady cover of sausage and mahogany trees on the banks of the Zambezi River. It’s a haven for guests and the wildlife that often ambles through camp.
This luxurious camp, where a private butler is waiting to serve you, does it without losing its ‘bushcamp vibe’. It is the professional staff that makes this happen: no detail in pampering you is overlooked, but they also are walking encyclopedias when it comes to knowledge about the area. As your butler keeps surprising you with big (and small) treats, so will your guide keep revealing bush secrets around every corner.
Sausage Tree Camp’s location on the banks of the Zambezi River means that wildlife viewing activities take place on both water and land.
Here is some information about the camp and the experiences it offers:
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Luxurious Accommodations
The camp offers eight Bedouin-style white canvas tents furnished with elegant fabrics and Zambian teak. These spacious and well thought out rooms exemplify bush chic. The pristine location and Sausage Tree Camp offer all the wildlife, and all the luxury without all the people!
The spacious suites at Sausage Tree Camp offer a luxurious retreat with a host of amenities. The seven luxury suites include a king size bed, semi open air bathrooms, a dining area, private pool and expansive deck. And then there is Kigelia House: a two-bedroom house, perfect for your family or a small group of friends.
The spacious suites have an entrance reception room with lounge, tea/coffee station and fridge, a spacious bedroom where king-size or twin beds are made up beneath a mosquito net canopy, and a large indoor bathroom with twin sinks, twin rain showers and bath with a river view. Sliding glass doors can slide back to completely open the front of the room onto the large deck with its private plunge pool, and, extended off the bathroom, is a private outdoor shower. Ochre screed floors, natural wood surfaces, individual pieces of furniture and neutral colours create a contemporary, bush chic décor that accentuates the feeling of luxury.
Every tent has a dedicated and personal butler, plus electricity around the clock. Unique touches such as imaginative vegetation displays and origami animal shapes made from towels add to the luxurious experience.
What sees travellers return to Sausage Tree Camp time and time again is the excellent service and genuinely warm welcome. Each room is cared for by a Muchinda, a private room attendant, who looks after every aspect of the guests’ comfort and stay. It is an unobtrusive and excellent added service that can really enhance your stay.
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Canoe Photo Safari in Zambia's Lower Zambezi Nationalpark
Dining and Relaxation
Sausage Tree Camp offers unparalleled luxury with its expansive teak deck, commanding views of the Zambezi River and its vibrant ecosystem. An enormous deck that overlooks the Zambezi River’s reed islands, teeming with wildlife, fronts the central dining and bar area. From plush leather sofas to shaded tables, guests can leisurely observe hippos, elephants, buffalo, and kingfishers amidst the stunning backdrop.
There is a central dining and bar area fronted by an enormous teak deck overlooking the Zambezi, and a generous shaded swimming pool. Nearby a 25-meter lap pool lined with cane sunloungers also face this spectacular and ever interesting view. The large swimming pool is idyllically situated under a canopy of mahogany trees.
Settle into our 25 metre lap pool, for relaxation or exercise, and you may still see pods of hippos, herds of elephants and buffalo, and even the odd lion coming down to drink from the Zambezi. Sausage Tree Camp's African-inspired fusion cuisine is a highlight, as guests dine by candlelight amid the sounds of the African night in the open-air dining tent or by starlight on the deck.
Wildlife and Activities
Nestled in a remote location, Sausage Tree offers guests unparalleled and exclusive game viewing experiences. The lower Zambezi offers a view of an unspoiled Africa. Since the tents are generously spaced apart from one another, elephants often wander between them as they meander through camp. Elephant, hippo and buffalo are seen in camp daily.
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Game viewing experiences range from on the water (by boat or canoe) to on land (by four-wheel drive game viewing vehicles or on foot). Sausage Tree Camp offers some of the finest game-viewing in Africa, and there is no need to share your safari experiences with anyone else.
The variety of activities and safari experiences is also stand out here, with a choice of game drives in search of big game, informative walks through palm woodlands, tranquil canoe trips along the picturesque Chifungulu Channel, scenic boat cruises and exciting fishing forays. All interspersed with surprise bush experiences creating lasting memories.
Here are some popular activities:
- Game Drives: Safari expeditions in 4x4 vehicles will likely reveal views of lion, leopard, wild dog, hyena, waterbuck, zebra, impala, bushbuck and kudu. Game drives are the most successful way to see a variety of wildlife, as you can cover a larger area in a shorter period of time.
- Night Drives: The best time to spot nocturnal predators like the elusive leopard, delicate civet, or big-eared genet is at night. Sunset drives reveal nocturnal species such as leopard, honey badger and porcupine. Prides of lions also tend to be more active, and you may find yourself following lions on the hunt.
- Walking Safaris: Guided bush walks are the perfect way to search for smaller creatures, learn about trees and plants, and examine tracks and signs of wildlife. With a slower pace comes a higher likelihood of spotting smaller creatures, as well as the time to learn about the trees and plants of this area and to examine wildlife tracks and signs. The walking safari was originally pioneered in Zambia, so the Lower Zambezi is an ideal place to experience this immersive safari adventure.
- Canoeing: One of Zambezi's top attractions, canoeing offers a popular and thrilling adventure. Canoe trips can range from one to seven hours, with a stop for a picnic lunch. The Lower Zambezi is renowned for spectacular canoeing experiences. It is unlike any other wildlife viewing experience to follow our highly qualified guide through the Zambezi channels and spot wildlife from below rather than above!
- Fishing: Experience the thrill of tiger fishing on the Zambezi River, renowned for its catch-and-release policy. The Zambezi River hosts some of the most spectacular freshwater sport fishing in the world, with plentiful tigerfish and tilapia just to start.
- Boat Cruises: Boat cruises and canoe excursions are a relaxing way to view the game that comes down to the river to drink and bathe, including huge pods of hippopotamus and large numbers of crocodile. Some might say that it is impossible to truly experience the Lower Zambezi unless you spend some time on a boat. After all, the huge hippopotamus pods and numerous lounging crocodiles are a definitive sight in this part of Zambia, as are the elephant crossings.
The Lower Zambezi has varying concentrations and species of wildlife, and the below chart helps to illustrate major wildlife sightings often experienced in the area. Other typical sightings may include roan antelope, puku, side-striped jackal, Nile crocodile and a number of other mammals, birds and reptiles. Many of the approximately 500 species of birds are sighted daily, too. Home to over 370 bird species, the park is a paradise for birdwatchers, with sightings ranging from colorful bee-eaters, storks, herons, and eagles to kingfishers of various types. There are approximately 500 species of birds in the Lower Zambezi National Park, from waders on the shores of the Zambezi River to wattle eyes in the Miombo woodland.
| Species | Likelihood of Sighting |
|---|---|
| Elephant | Very High |
| Hippo | Very High |
| Buffalo | High |
| Lion | Moderate |
| Leopard | Moderate |
| Wild Dog | Low |
| Zebra | Common |
| Waterbuck | Common |
| Kudu | Common |
Conservation Efforts
Sausage Tree Camp supports Conservation Lower Zambezi, a non-governmental organization (NG0) that supports the Zambian Wildlife Authority and local communities to protect the wildlife and habitat of the Lower Zambezi National Park. Registered in Zambia as an NGO in 1995, Conservation Lower Zambezi began to assist ZAWA and the Chiawa community with conservation efforts.
Location and Accessibility
Sausage Tree Camp is located on the edge of the Zambezi River and within the Lower Zambezi National Park. The flight from Lusaka to Jeki Airstrip takes approximately 35 minutes.
The magic of the Lower Zambezi is that often you don’t even need to leave camp to have some of the most exciting wildlife-viewing in the world.
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