Chongwe River House
Location - On Chongwe River overlooking Lower Zambezi National Park.
Accommodation - Wacky house with 4 huge rooms for private groups of 8. Swimming pool
Experience - Game drives, night drives, canoe safaris, boat trips, walking, fishing.
Price Guide - $650 - 850 pppn
Chongwe is quite a wacky safari house resembling something like a termite mound, packed with weird and wonderful details seemingly inspired by it's surroundings on the Lower Zambezi. The house overlooks the Chongwe River and, beyond, the Lower Zambezi National Park with its spectacular escarpment backdrop. Chongwe River House is a uniquely designed creation of Neil Rocher who made his name with Shompole in Kenya, and who is also responsible for the lovely Luangwa Safari House. Read more?
The building is a free-form, undulating structure molded around the organic shapes of twisted branches with not a straight line in sight: the fraggle rock cave dwelling of Zambia with a designer twist. There are four large bedrooms, each en-suite, with an airy open-fronted sitting and dining area. All the furniture is imaginatively hewn from a fallen winterthorn tree.
The concept of staying in a house while on safari is one that has emerged in areas of Zambia and Kenya over the last few years. The chief benefits of doing so are the privacy and flexibility that it affords; you have your own guide and vehicle, you set your own time-table and tailor you meals with the dedicated team of staff. The house suits not only groups travelling together but families too; it's sometimes easier to forge your own way rather than try to fit your children's needs around existing schedules in your typical camp or lodge.
The Chongwe offers a wide choice of activities; game viewing in the Lower Zambezi National Park by vehicle or on foot is immensely rewarding. Sunset cruises on the river, canoeing or fishing for tiger fish and bream also help to fill the days. The house has its own plunge pool and elephant often come to visit for the tasty acacia pods on the front lawn, so you can actually just stay put and not miss a thing.
Location - Lower Zambezi
Lower Zambezi National Park, in the south central part of Zambia, lies on the banks of the Zambezi River some way down stream from Kariba Dam and well below the Victoria Falls. The river is more than a mile wide at places and the current is generally languid as the river makes its way gradually towards Mozambique. Jump to page?
More articles that you might find helpful
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Have a look at our blog at safarigeek.com
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