Kaingu Safari Lodge

A beautiful lodge on a stunning, magical river crossing taken each day to head off in the safari vehicles.|Amazing, delicious food and friendly, happy, and accommodating staff. Every day was an adventure with great wildlife sightings. The elephants even visited the camp on occasions. Would definately recommend.

A friend and i just had the pleasure of staying at Kaingu Safari lodge, a hidden gem nestled in a serene and unspoiled natural setting. From the moment we arrived, I was struck by the tranquil atmosphere that envelops this beautiful lodge, making it the perfect retreat for anyone looking for a getaway. The river surrounding Kaingu is dotted with exposed granite rocks, which not only enhance the natural beauty of the landscape but also make it secluded, providing the lodge with privacy from other river users. The lodge is run by a lovely and fun couple, Julia and Gilmore, who truly go above and beyond to ensure that guests feel welcomed and at home. Their warmth and hospitality were evident from the outset and is felt across the incredible team of staff they have. The location is ideal for nature lovers, river cruise, game drives or simply relaxing and taking in the serene landscape. The lodge also offers delicious meals that are a true highlight with the flavors were simply delightful. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway, a peaceful retreat or a chance to reconnect with nature, Kaingu offers an unforgettable experience. I can’t recommend it highly enough and look forward to returning soon.

Kaingu is in such a great location, right on the banks of the Kafue River. We got on a boat to get to the lodge and the scenery was amazing, green and lush. The service was great, everyone was so accommodating and friendly. Our stay was short but wonderful!

We did the self drive from Lusaka to KaingU via the Chunga gate - an easy 5hr drive. This was the route recommended by KaingU and was a game changer, we saw a lot of animals on the drive in. You end up parking on the opposite side of the river and have a lovely 10min boat ride to the lodge.||Upon arrival we were welcomed by Julia and the team and shown to our stunning room. Each room is unique and has its own little quirks, the beds are super comfy, the pillows are soft and in winter you get a hot water bottle at turn down. The entire lodge runs off solar so is very quiet and you end up being fully emersed in the bush.||Being gluten intolerant was not an issue for them to cater too, they worked around it and made sure I always had delicious food to eat, no ask was ever too much. The two chefs prepared fresh and delicious food at every meal and set the bar high!||We tried a hand at fishing and also went on a game drive. The knowledge of their guides is truly remarkable, not only from animals but down to flora, fauna, insects etc.||10 out of 10 for KaingU and the team, we will definitely be back!

After staying at Kaingu in 2019 we returned again for 5 nights to complete our African experience and we definitely finished on a high note! Lynda, Rick, Julia and Gil are all so very friendly and go out of their way to make your stay a memorable one. The chalets are very private overlooking the river, offering a relaxing atmosphere and are tastefully decorated. |Our guide, Lexon, was very knowledgeable about all the wildlife and plants and we managed to sight a Cheetah on our last day which was a highlight! He organised our activities to suit our requests, walking us down to the rapids for a quick dip, fishing in the river plus sunset drinks.|After visiting several resorts in South Africa, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the meals at Kaingu were by far the best in terms of taste, use of local fresh ingredients (especially the local crayfish!) and were beautifully presented. Adding to this we were surprised by different meal locations - candlelight dinner by the rapids, private brunch on a secluded river island and sunset drinks up on the rocks! The staff were all so willing to please and their attention to detail is impressive. They even offer activities to the children such as bread making, jewellery making,etc to keep them entertained after game drives. |We would most definitely recommend Kaingu as the professional, delightful, welcoming staff assure you have a wonderful memorable stay!

It takes some offroad driving to get there. But boy oh boy is it worth it. I think the most beatiful lodge we have visited during our three week trip. Gilmour, Julia and all the staff are exceptionally kind people. We had a punctured tire on the way coming into Kaingu, and although Gilmour was occupied with a bush fire, he still managed to get a mechanic to fix our tire. Which saved our trip to the busanga plains. When I asked him|if we owed him anything for fixing our tire Gilmour didn’t want any payment for it whatsoever. |We stayed at their campsite, and although the lodge is not cheap. The food, people and surroundings are absolute worth it. |Contact Gilmour before coming to the lodge, so he knows you are coming. The lodge is pretty far from the main roads, and if you are stranded, they will come looking for you. |I am looking forward to visit them again somewhere in the future

Bottom line upfront : If you want to see and experience a devoted, enthousiast staff / owners, don't hesitate, and go to Kaingu.|We started exchanging mails a couple of months before. Friendly, to the point, correct, all happened in a relaxed atmosphere, but it proved to be all correct when we showed up and had our time at the lodge - no surprises.|Rooms are just as described and shown on pictures. And the location, a perfect spot on the Kafue river, seems to be one of the best stretches on that river. The staff is excellent : very friendly and even if you think about something it's already there.|Food is very very very good. And the locations, we didn't expect that : on a tiny island, or on a beach, and they cook on that small piece of land. And it tastes good !|We had some amazing safaris too; we didn't see a cat - but we understand that's a difficult one - and didn't expect that, but very good sightings of all antilopes, the bush pig !, elephants, ... too goo to be true.|So, we definetely recommend this lodge.

the very first accolade is directed at Kaingu´s owners / managers - they are an exceptional couple,. who set the standards that their team of staff over-deliver on. Then Lodge being located right on the river banks immediately has an appeal that safari lodges / camps that don´t have river aspects are challenged by as there is nothing more mood & ambiance setting than the soft gurgle of water. From our outboard powered vessel arrival, to our departure 4 days later, nothing was for wanting,. every aspect of our stay exceeded expectations by a country mile, be that the seriously large family thatched bungalow / chalet were assigned to (called Fin Foot), the over indulgent cuisine for breakfasts, lunches & dinners, the innocent & genuinely welcoming hospitality & service to the excellent guiding elements of our safari experiences.||We travelled with a close friends & family group of 11, as well as taking our twin 8 year old boys All of he lodge team went overboard to entertain our boys, from occupying them making pastry crocodiles that were cooked to perfection in the chef{s oven & served with pizzazz making our lads feel enormously proud, taking them rock climbing, fishing off the jetty in front of the lodge & an expedition to find bugs, beetles & pursue vervet monkeys.||Our river based guided safaris & sundowners were iced by the abundance of wildlife along the river banks & glorious birds & although this was more a coincidence than a set-up, we were far welled by a pride of four lioness & a big adult male, hunting.||No hesitation whatsoever recommending KaingU Safari Lodge to all discerning, appreciative lovers of the African bush.