Croc Valley Camp

I have stayed at Croc Valley on many occasions and I love it! Perfect location, close to the South Luangwa National Park. Clean comfortable accommodation, some with magnificent views of The Luangwa River. The bar area has a great atmosphere, and the staff are friendly and helpful. The pool is perfect for lazy days, relaxing. The best value for money in Mfuwe.

Great site for accessing South Luangwa National Park. Pretty situation on river bank..watch crocs on sandbanks and elephants crossing river. Hippo pods on river often seen. The guides for safari game drives are variable and mostvhave been enthusiastic, knowledgeable and interactive. On occasion had the opposite, bored, uninterested and monosyllabic...tip accordingly and can ask to change to another guide for next drive. Your guide can make or break the game drive and given the cost have every right to ask for a decent service. Overall cannot recommend enough.

I’ve stayed here in my own tent for 2 days to do some game drives (as I did in a few others parks in Africa as well). Unfortunately, that was the worst safari experience I’ve had so far. Please note that the 3 stars are only because of the amazing staff (reception, bar, security itp.). They were always so kind and helpful yet professional. If not for them, I would give 2 stars probably. I also like that every camp spot has their own roofed sitting area. Food in the restaurant was fairly priced (most dishes around 120-180) and there are some vegetarian options as well. Just the drinks are overpriced comparing to other places. I REALLY appreciate that preorder food was on time, I was actually surprised because that was the first place during my 7 weeks Africa trip that serve the food on time. BUT the bathrooms were in a really bad condition. Also the shared kitchen was super filthy and we couldn’t find any utensils. On the website there’s an info that they do the pick up from the bus station, but told us to order the taxi. The pool was completely green and I was scared to jump in. Finally, the worst thing was the game drive. We’ve done 2 of them (morning and night). I’m ignoring the fact that there wasn’t so many animals because I knew that this is a rainy season. I just wasn’t happy with the guide. He was more of the driver than the spotter. I felt like we (and other guests) had to spot all the animals ourselves and he was just stopping saying „zebra, lion.. etc.”. Almost no additional info. When asked questions we was saying „It’s hard to tell”. Also there were many birds that he ignored along the way. We also had two kind of long breaks which was just the waste of time. It wasn’t different during the night drive, when the spotter said absolutely nothing all the way. Also I don’t know how is it in other agencies in the park, but we were just going on small circle all the time, so passed the same place several times. This was as well the first time the guides didn’t communicate with each other. So sorry but that was the first time I felt I’ve lost my money after the game drives and left the car dissapointed. Don’t recommend.

Croc Valley Lodge is highly recommendable. When we arrived, we were immediately taken by the stunning view of the river. Although the water level was low at this time of year, watching the hippos and storks bathing in the remaining pools was absolutely breathtaking.||At first, we weren’t happy with the room we had booked. However, management—especially Herbert—was very understanding and quickly offered us a solution that not only resolved the issue but actually made us extend our stay by an extra day. Unfortunately, our schedule was tight, otherwise we would have gladly stayed even longer.||Herbert, Tom, and the rest of the staff were incredibly helpful and went out of their way to make our stay as pleasant as possible. Another big plus is the lodge’s proximity to the park, which makes it very convenient for game drives.||We truly enjoyed our time at Croc Valley Lodge and would happily recommend it to anyone visiting Luangwa National Park.

Perfect camp if you are travelling with a lower budget and/or alone. I stayed in a tent, which was not luxurious but had everything you needed. The food was nice and it was no problem for them to accommodate a vegetarian diet. |The safari drives well-organized and our guide Simon was very knowledgeable. |Between the game drives, I enjoyed spending time at the pool. |Also the staff was very friendly and helped out wherever possible.

Wonderful welcome from Herbert who showed us around the campsite! We were lucky to get number 4 a riverside camp. It was wonderful to watch the sunrise and animals go by. We even had elephants in the camp one morning. The campsite provides a power point (power only at night), covered bench table (monkey protection although not fool proof as they can still get in!), fire pit (firewood is provided at an additional cost and they even light it for you) and there is plenty of shade. You are at the edge of the camp boundary. Its location is great and its close to the South Luangwa NP. There’s a restaurant, bar, pool, giant chess and hammocks to relax in. There were only two things that let them down - 1. There was a family staying with children under 3 that went on an early morning game drive and left both children behind with one of the staff. Both children were so distressed and the baby in particular screamed for hours from 5am! This is not the staff’s fault, however in order for all of your guests to enjoy your facilities perhaps a “no young children” policy should be applied? Or perhaps they shouldn’t be allowed to leave their little ones? 2. The ablution blocks need revamping and cleaned properly. There was no hot water at all during our stay, one toilet was overflowing, and another broken. They were painting it while we were there, but it needs more than paint.

The Croc valley camp is a remarkable place. The reason for it not being 5 star is the urgent need for some renovations to make it the complete experience. In all other aspects this camp is a perfect location on the river bank. The exceptional staff, friendly and service minded. The tour guide, Simon, Washington the best guide. Very competent and always getting us up close and personal with the wildlife. We were a big group of people with small kids and grown ups, and all of us had a great time there. Recomend to stay on longer than just a couple of days to really let the camp of the site sink in. We stayed for 8 days and really enjoyed ourselves to the fullest.

We’ve stayed at Croc Valley Camp several times and have seen it improve and develop with every visit. On our most recent trip, we experienced both the riverside tents and self-catering chalets — both were clean, comfortable, and thoughtfully updated. The tents now have mosquito-proof netting built in, and the chalets are well-equipped and beautifully decorated (one even has a Yellowstone theme!). The riverside bar and deck is a highlight — perfect for watching the river with a G&T or Mosi in hand. We mostly ate at the bar or used full board. The food was fresh and delicious (try the omelette or popcorn chicken!). What truly stood out was the friendly, attentive staff. Herbie and the bar staff went out of their way to make us feel welcome, and his service was warm and genuine. Yes, there are a few old buildings around, but they’re tucked away and didn’t detract from our stay at all. We’ll definitely be back. A great spot for a relaxed and authentic safari experience at a great price.