Tsika Island

n July 2010, Chongwe River Camp opens a purpose-built exclusive bush camp on the incredibly beautiful Tsika Island, allowing guests the option of a two- to five-day canoe safari along the lower Zambezi. Relaxing is the only thing insisted upon at Chongwe. You can put your feet up on the furniture without worrying what anyone is going to think…Or curl up amongst plump cushions with a good book and not bother about appearances…

Tsika Island likes great service and winning smiles more than dressing for dinner. These are the ethics the camp take seriously in all of their award-winning accommodation options.

Located about 35 kilometres upstream from Chongwe, close to the village of Mugurumeno, Tsika Island is a community partnership project and combines the canoeing safari with an authentic cultural experience, offering visits to the Mugurumeno Basic School and the cultural village on the nearby mainland as activities.

Accommodation is available for six guests in three rustic thatched “bush rooms” complementing the island bush experience. Beds are set under full walk-in mosquito nets and the en-suite facilities provide hot running water from wood burning boilers and a flush WC as well as outside covered sitting areas and fantastic claw foot tubs.

A policy of non-intrusive enjoyment of wildlife and low environmental impact has helped to make the Lower Zambezi valley one of southern Africa’s premier game viewing destinations.

Add to this the amazing fauna and flora found in and on the banks of Africa’s fourth largest river, and you begin to understand why this amazing wilderness is so special. At Chongwe River Camp, activities are tailored to make the most of this incredibly diverse wilderness.

Game viewing can be done from a vehicle in either the Lower Zambezi National Park or the Chiawa Partnership Park or, if you prefer, from a boat on the Zambezi. Canoeing, walking and, of course, fishing, are also offered. And for those interested in the rich cultural heritage of the area, community visits can be arranged.

At just over 4000 square kilometres, the Lower Zambezi National Park stretches in a narrow swathe from the Chongwe river in the west to the Luangwa river in the east. Rich in biodiversity, there are a number of biomes, or eco-systems in the park, ranging from montane thickets on the slopes of the escarpment to miombo woodlands, grassy floodplains and riparian forests.

Like the adjacent Chiawa Partnership Park, the Lower Zambezi National Park is home to all of the major species in the valley with excellent sightings of elephant, buffalo, lion and leopard a regular occurrence.

Bird life in the area is also outstanding, making this a real hot spot for ornithologists. Chongwe River Camp offers a range of game activities in the park including full-day picnic trips, canoeing and fishing excursions.