WELCOME TO FLATDOGS CAMP

YOUR UNFORGETTABLE WILDLIFE SAFARI AT FLATDOGS CAMP!

YOUR PERFECT ZAMBIAN SAFARI CAMP

STAY WITH US

Within our range of great value South Luangwa safari accommodation options, Flatdogs Camp welcomes every type of safari-goer to rest their head. There are the family-friendly Chalet Rooms, the wild and luxurious Jackalberry Treehouse, the traditional Safari Tents with 270° views, and the ultra-private Crocodile Nest.

Every night you stay at Flatdogs Camp, US$15 is contributed to the conservation of wildlife and the local community through the LCCF

Flatdogs Camp is located in the Game Management Area near to the entrance of the South Luangwa National Park, close to the small village of Mfuwe. Built on the banks of the Luangwa it boasts views of the river, dambos and lagoons. There are hippo and birds to see, while plenty of other wildlife passes through camp.

Croc Nest at Flatdogs Camp

CROCODILE (CROC'S) NEST – 1 tented house with 2 bedrooms

The Croc Nest has been set on a deck looking onto the banks of the Luangwa River, so has lovely river views. This huge tented structure has been split into two en-suite tented bedrooms at either end of the house, both with either one king or two twin beds, with space for a third bed inside each bedroom if required. The two bedrooms both have semi-open air bathrooms with hot showers, flush toilets and basin. The bedrooms both lead into the living room/dining area in the middle of the house, which has sofas, soft chairs and a dining table as guests in the tented house will be welcome to eat privately at the house if they prefer. If a group or family of six wish to take the house then the extra beds can also be set up in this large living area rather than in each bedroom, depending on their preference. The living room and both bedrooms open onto an outside deck and sitting area, with views onto the Luangwa River. There is a private swimming pool built into the deck too, just for the house guests, which also looks onto the river. The house is on mains electricity so easy for charging camera batteries and other items as well as having electric fans and a fridge for cold drinks. Guests staying in the tented house will also have a private guide and their own safari vehicle so they can plan their activities depending on their particular interests.

Jackalberry Treehouse at Flatdogs Camp

JACKALBERRY TREEHOUSE - Open fronted treehouse with 2 bedrooms

Set in a private spot away from the rest of camp, the Jackalberry Tree House is a special treat indeed. The “house” is made up by three joined platforms built around three mature Mchenja trees (African Ebony or Jackalberry tree). There are two en-suite bedrooms with an open sitting/dining deck in-between them.

The bedroom platforms have romantic and rustic four poster beds (one queen and one king which can be split into two twin beds), open front walls and uninterrupted views of Africa. Each bedroom has an open air bathroom platform with hot shower, flush toilets and basin. A large sofa, armchairs and throw cushions are spread out on the middle deck for relaxing during the heat of the day and watching the game which wanders past the house, oblivious to your presence. There is also a dining table and chairs should guests prefer to dine at the house. A fridge and bar are provided in the Treehouse as well as tea and coffee-making facilities. A hand-held radio is provided, so that guests can call for a vehicle to bring them to the restaurant or bar, or in case there is a problem of any kind. Their safari guide will otherwise plan with them when they would like collecting from the house and their preferred activities.

The Tree-house is on mains electricity and has UK style 3-pin rectangular plug sockets for re-charging cameras or laptops. Giraffe, bushbuck, puku and elephant are commonly found all around the Treehouse and it is wonderful to wake to the sounds of elephant feeding below you or having a mud bath from the waterhole in front of the house.

Chalet rooms at Flatdogs Camp

(8 ROOMS)

The six regular chalet rooms are found in three separate buildings. Each chalet building has a downstairs double room with ensuite bathroom and an upstairs twin or triple room with their own private bathroom just downstairs. There are four main chalet buildings, each of which has two separate guest bedrooms; the downstairs room is a double room with ensuite and a verandah, the upstairs room is a twin or triple room with bathroom and verandah downstairs from the bedroom but entirely private. In between the 2 bedrooms is the small "kitchenette" where there is a fridge, kettle and tea/coffee making things. This works as an inter-connecting door for families so that kids can walk through to their parents room without having to go outside.

At the far end of camp, there is a larger family chalet which has three bedrooms in total but just two ensuite bathrooms - the two downstairs bedrooms are both ensuite - one room has a king bed and a single bed, the other has a king and a single or three single beds. There is also a kitchen area between the two bedrooms. There is a spiral staircase from the kitchen leading up to the "loft room", sitting area and upstairs viewing deck. The viewing deck looks out towards the Luangwa river, the perfect place to relax and watch the sun set... The loft room has two more single beds but has no ensuite bathroom, guests sleeping here need to share the bathrooms downstairs. Outside this chalet is also an open sala sitting area with sofa and chairs.

Luxury ensuite safari tents at Flatdogs Camp

There are seven Luxury ensuite safari tents, six of which are pitched permanently on the banks of the Luangwa. These made-to-order tents have a thatched roof for extra shade, ensuite facilities (hot shower, flush toilet and basin) with a canvas half roof over the bathroom, full-sized beds with sprung mattresses, large mosquito nets and all bedding and towels provided. The tents have electric lights, a fan and charging points for camera batteries. There is also a room safe and tea & coffee making facilities. Six of the luxury tents including the family tent look straight out onto the river, one tent (tent 11, the honeymoon tent) has plenty of privacy and looks out onto a pretty lagoon, which attracts plenty of birdlife as well as elephant for their daily mud baths and giraffe and bushbuck when they are thirsty.

The Family Tent (a luxury tent) is a little different to the others, this is a specially designed tent which has space for a double bed and two single beds, both with large mosquito nets and with a large bathroom at the back of the tent, shared between the family. The family tent is now to be found on the river bank, closer to the main area than it was, with lovely views of the river.

Flatdogs Camp Classic ensuite safari tents

There are also three “Classic” en-suite safari tents which are smaller and simpler than the Luxury tents, but are still walk-in tents with ensuite bathrooms with open air shower, toilet and basin. Two of these standard tents are situated on the river bank, the other looks directly onto the same lagoon as tent 11. The standard tents also have full beds (king or twin), bedding, mosquito nets, charging points and electric fans. The standard tents do not have tea and coffee making facilities or safes.

	Property Facilities	Room Facilities
	24-hour Security	Balcony / Deck
	Bar	Cooking Equipment
	Barbeque Facilities	Cooking Facilities
	Battery Charging Facilities	Electrical Outlets
	Eco Friendly	En-Suite
	Internet Access (Complimentary)	Fan
	Laundry Service (Available)	Fridge
	Meal on Request	Laundry Service (Available)
	Mobile Connectivity	Lounge Area
	Pool	Mosquito Nets
	Private Vehicle Available	Pure Cotton Linen
	Restaurant	Safe
	Secure Parking	Shower
		Tea / Coffee
		Verandah

	Activities on Site	Activities Nearby
	Bird Watching	Child Friendly Activities
	Game Drives	Cultural Tours
	Game Viewing
	Game Viewing Hide
	Game Walks
	Night Drives
	Safaris
	Walks (Guided)
	Wildlife Tours

RATING

4 Star

TYPE

Lodge

NO. ROOMS

CHECK-IN TIME

14h00 PM

CHECK-OUT TIME

11h00 AM

SPOKEN LANGUAGES

English, French, Italian, Spanish

AVAILABLE SERVICES

Airport Shuttle (Available)

Babysitting Service

Credit Card

SPECIAL INTERESTS

Adventure, Big 5, Birding, Flora, Gourmet, History & Culture, Indigenous Culture / Art, Nature, Relaxation, Star Gazing, Wildlife

DIRECTION DETAILS

Emirates flies every day of the week from Dubai to Lusaka.

Kenya Airways flies to Lusaka regularly via Nairobi.

Ethiopian Airways flies to Lusaka regularly via Addis Ababa

South African Airways flies daily from Johannesburg to Lusaka (and everyone flies to Johannesburg!!)

Rwandair – flies regularly from London via Kigali

If you are flying through South Africa with kids be sure to check requirements to carry birth certificates of the kids.

INTERNAL FLIGHTS

There are daily flights from Lusaka and Livingstone to Mfuwe with Proflight Zambia. Please contact Jess for up-to-date information on schedules, availability, last-minute specials and to make your flight bookings as she is a booking agent for the airline. Once you get to Mfuwe, we can arrange airport transfers from the airport to Flatdogs (about 35 minutes by road).

Full fares are as follows but cheaper fares are also sometimes to be found!:

Lusaka to Mfuwe (in either direction) – US$292.60 pp (1hr 10min flight)

Connecting from the Victoria Falls - Zambia

Livingstone to Mfuwe (in either direction) – US$474.20 pp (two x 1hr 10min flights)

Livingstone to Lusaka (in either direction) – US$272.60 pp (1hr 10min flight)

During the “green season” (before May and from mid November) there are fewer flights but these aim to connect with incoming Emirates, South African Airways and Kenya Airways flights from London, Jo’burg and Nairobi respectively.

Ulendo Airlink runs seat in charter schedules from Lilongwe to Mfuwe and vice versa with onward internal connections within Malawi. Ulendo Airlink seats now cost:

Lilongwe to Mfuwe costs US$195 pp plus airport taxes of US$40 pp

Mfuwe to Lilongwe costs US$315 pp plus airport taxes of US$40 pp

There are discounted fares for children under 12 years of age.

TRAVELLING FROM LUSAKA BY ROAD

Take the Great East Road to Chipata. You can get fuel in Petauke and Chipata on the way and also at the Oasis filling station here in Mfuwe. As you arrive in Chipata:

Turn left to Lundazi/Mfuwe just after the Protea Hotel on your right and before Fast Wheels motor parts (on your right). The sign pointing to the left actually only says LUNDAZI, but this is the road to Mfuwe too.

If you go into the town of Chipata, then you’ll need to turn back along the Great East Road heading west (back towards Lusaka), then turn right 200m after Fast Wheels. If you reach the Protea Hotel, you have gone too far. The sign again directs you to LUNDAZI at this turn, rather than Mfuwe or the South Luangwa.

Continue on the tarmac road for around 112 km. After around 112kms, you will reach a T- junction. Turn right onto the tar road opposite the Zesco (electricity) sub-station. If you turn left here you will reach Mfuwe airport where there are banks and a post office.

Please drive slowly past schools and bicycles. If you see some green branches lying in the road, this either means that there is a vehicle with a breakdown or that there is a funeral in progress. If it is the latter, please go dead slow in first gear (you will notice that even cyclists dismount) until you come to more branches. Proceed on tarmac for approx 25 km and you will pass the Oasis fuel station on your left and a sign for the South Luangwa Conservation Society on your right. Continue straight on, then after a further kilometre or so, you will see our entrance ramp and sign on your LEFT. Please engage a low gear and drive down the ramp very slowly, then follow the road for another 750 m and you will arrive at reception. Be aware that you might meet wildlife on any of the roads, so please drive slowly. Elephant have right of way!

TRAVELLING FROM LILONGWE BY ROAD

Take the Mchinji Border road out of Lilongwe. After just over an hour you will reach the border where you can complete exit formalities. You can walk across to the Zambian side of the border, called Mwami, where you will need to complete Zambian entry formalities, including Carbon tax payments and vehicle insurance.

If you are driving yourselves, there is a new requirement that you get police clearance for your vehicle to prove it is not stolen. To do this, you will need to take your vehicle and vehicle papers to the police headquarters, opposite Ufulu Road, and go to Interpol to get the clearance. It will cost you MK5000.00. It can take at least half an hour for them to give you the clearance, so do leave yourselves plenty of time to do this.

At the border, you will also need to purchase 3rd party insurance for Zambia and also Carbon Tax on arrival in Zambia. The Carbon Tax along with all other payments in Zambia now have to be made in Zambian Kwacha, but there is a Bureau de Change at most border posts now so you do not have to deal with the moneychangers who are often fraudsters.

VISA TO ENTER ZAMBIA

Most nationalities can buy visas at the border of entry into Zambia. The cost for most foreign nationals (including UK, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and most European countries) for a single entry tourist visa is US$50 per person. If you will be heading to other countries during your safari and then will need to re-enter Zambia to fly home, you will need to purchase a double or multiple entry visa. It is also possible (usually) to purchase a UNIVISA for entry to both Zambia and Zimbabwe on the same visa which also costs US$50 per person. Sometimes they do run out of these visas however, while they are being reprinted.

SOUTH LUANGWA ZAMBIA

AN AMAZING PLACE

The Luangwa Valley is home to an astonishing diversity of life, including around 100 species of mammals, more than 400 bird species and over 2000 types of plants! Added to this, there’s an amazing density of game, particularly along the riverine strip and our guests often comment that ‘there’s something around every corner!’

There are several “big 5” destinations in Africa. But few of them can offer the true wilderness feel, professional guiding and diverse habitats that the South Luangwa National Park offers. The home of walking safaris and night drives, to allow visitors to experience game sightings in completely different ways to many other safari destinations

AFRICA'S BEST KEPT SECRET

Although not a “big 5” destination due to the sad demise of the rhino in the 1980’s, the Luangwa combines fantastic wildlife with extremely high-quality guiding, Luangwa often comes out near the top of the list of Africa’s most sought after parks. Yet, as a relatively unknown safari destination, you are not sharing it with thousands of others!

South Luangwa has many herbivores, three of which stand out as being endemic to the area. Thornicroft’s giraffe has different markings to the giraffes in the rest of southern Africa. Those that are familiar with the others will see the difference and immediately see why our giraffes are often described as the most beautiful!

Elephant and buffalo are numerous with both having the freedom to wander throughout the GMAs (Game Management Areas aka conservation areas) surrounding the park, and the park itself. With no fences allowed in the GMAs the camp is regularly visited by these large herbivores. Antelope, especially impala, bushbuck and puku, arealso present in large numbers, thus providing plenty of on the hoof take away for the predators of the valley!

The main predators in the Luangwa Valley are lion, leopard, spotted hyena and wild dog. Lion, hyaena and leopard are commonly seen with wild dog numbers on the increase, and although traditionally they used to only be seen in the rainy season, we are now seeing wild dog more regularly and in larger numbers throughout the year.

The South Luangwa is renowned as being the place to see leopard. Leopard hunt nocturnally, and South Luangwa is one of Africa’s few national parks to allow spotlit night drives. Through the continued insistence on ethical and respectful guiding policy, leopards here in the Luangwa have become used to vehicles and are now considerate enough to continue hunting and feeding in their presence, leading to the outstanding sightings we are lucky to enjoy here.

The bird-life in the South Luangwa National Park is also exceptional, especially during the rainy summer months (December to March), however there are beautiful and interesting birds to be seen and enjoyed all through the year, and learning about them is often an unexpected pleasure on a guided safari. Here are some of the more fetching species we commonly see!

ELEVEN PACKAGES

Luangwa Bushcamp Safari – Flatdogs Camp & Nkonzi Bushcamp 8 Nights

4 nights at Flatdogs Camp exploring the central areas of the National Park, plus 4 nights at Nkonzi Camp - a rustic tented bushcamp experience in the heart of the South Luangwa.