Kavinga Safari Camp

Excellent Safari camp offering a unique, inland experience of Mana Pools National Park

Introduction

Kavinga Safari Camp is located on a private concession, at the foot of the Zambezi escarpment. Set well away from the Zambezi River, it offers an inland and exceptional wildlife experience in the Mana Pools National Park.

The camp is built along a high river bank, with magnificent views of a waterhole (pan) directly below, the dry Ruckomechi River bed in front and the Zambezi valley beyond.

Each elevated tent has an en-suite bathroom and its own balcony, where guests can sit comfortably and absorb these beautiful views. The game viewing at the waterhole is often so spectacular that there is no need to even venture out on game drives or walks.

The central dining and lounge area has a deck above, providing a magnificent view across the dry riverbed and to the pan below. Complete with a comfortable lounge, bar, dining area and cool window seats, the main lodge also has an outdoor lavatory.

Approximately 9km from Kavinga Safari Camp is the renowned Chitake Spring, which has a legendary reputation for superb game viewing and predators. The herds of buffalo, which drink at the spring through the dryer months, are frequent visitors to this area, as they traverse the valley in search of grazing and water. Most evenings, herds of elephant gather in the riverbed, providing a wonderful wildlife spectacle. Shyer species, like leopard, visit the pan right below the camp under the cover of darkness.

Access to the camp is either by air or road. The camp is just 26 kms off the main tarred Chirundu road, making it easy for self-drivers. The concession has its own airstrip, situated approximately 5 kms from the camp. The camp does not allow younger children, so families (or groups with small children) can hire the camp exclusively by taking all 7 tents.

Activities on offer include; game drives, night drives and walking safaris with a professional guide. Hide sits in the onsite hide.

Kavinga can be packaged together with a range of camps throughout Zimbabwe, to offer a truly diverse safari experience. Please contact us for full details.

Our Opinion

Kavinga Safari Camp is an excellent addition to Mana Pools National Park, offering a completely different experience to being close to the Zambezi River. We recommend it for an additional few nights after staying at one of the camps on the river, (unless of course you have experienced the river front lodges previously). This private concession, sandwiched between the Ruckomechi and Chiwuye River offers unparalleled game viewing opportunities at certain times of the year.

During the dry season a lot of the animal action takes place at the waterhole, right in front of the camp. So guests can enjoy a fantastic game experience from their balcony or from the onsite underground hide.

The rooms are very comfortable but not fancy and the views from the balconies are fantastic. The whole camp has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. I think the emphasis here being on the quality of the guiding, which is excellent and the attention to detail from all of the staff members, it's certainly a very personalised camp.

Kavinga is not a budget camp, but does come in cheaper than most of the high-end lodges in Mana Pools, so therefore we think is ideal for anyone wanting to have a real authentic safari, in the deep bush, without completely emptying the pockets.

Summary

• Located in the interior of Mana Pools National Park close to the legendary Chitake Springs
• Elevated tents built on a high river bank, with great views of a waterhole below and the Zambezi Valley beyond
• Intimate camp with only 7 tented rooms
• Onsite underground hide, overlooking the (waterhole) pan
• During the dry season a lot of wildlife action happens at the pan, right in front of the camp
• Easy access for self-drive but also has an air-strip for fly-in safaris
• Reasonably priced camp, which offers a great safari, without some of the expensive bells and whistles
• No children under 10 years allowed, unless the whole camp is hired out exclusively

Accommodation at Kavinga Safari Camp

• 7 raised tented rooms with 2 three-quarter beds with flexible arrangements

All rooms have:
• 2 three-quarter beds
• En-suite bathrooms with shower and his & hers basins
• East-facing views
• Balcony/Veranda
• Tea/coffee-making facilities
• Writing desk
• Mosquito-proof gauze windows

Dining

All food at Kavinga Safari Camp is homemade and cooked in camp. Breakfast is a two-course meal followed by a light lunch/brunch and a three-course dinner in the evenings with plenty of snacking in between meals. A selection of beverages is provided in camp. Dining can be upstairs or downstairs.

Facilities and Services

• Solar power with backup generator
• Laundry service (surcharge)

• Activities:
• Game drives and night drives
• Game walks
• Birding
• Game viewing from the hide
• Star gazing

Fully Inclusive Rates Include

• Accommodation, all meals and refreshments
• All game drives and walks with a professional guide
• National Parks entrance and conservation fees

Fully Inclusive Rates Exclude

• Items of a personal nature
• Transfer to camp via road or air charter. However, this can be arranged.

How to Get to Kavinga Safari Camp

• Self-Drive – approximately a 5 hour drive from Harare. The camp is just 26km off the main Chirundu tar road.
• Transfers to Kavinga from the Chirundu border or from other camps in Mana Pools can be arranged.
• Private air charter direct to Kavinga’s airstrip, which is just a 20 minute drive from camp.

Children

• No children under 10 years, unless by prior arrangement or in a group booking the whole camp.
• Max 3 people per adult tent (eg. 2 adults + 1 child OR 1 adult + 2 children) per tent.
• No under 14's are allowed on walking safaris.

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