• The happy start of a game drive at Msandile River Lodge
  • Telling stories at the fire at night at Msandile River Lodge

    Telling stories at the fire at night at Msandile River Lodge after a wonderful safari

Reviews from our Guests

Thank you for the most incredible four days at the Camp!

We saw everything we wanted on our drives and more! The staff are incredible welcoming and kind. Will definitely be back! 

Much love from the USA and Zambia

Rebecca, Bruce and Barb

Rebecca, Bruce and Barb, November 2024

USA & Zambia

What an incredible experience!

Big shout out to Chloe for being "SO accommodating and wonderful. Couldn't have asked for better hospitality from all the staff. A very calming and beautiful atmosphere at the lodge. Thank you so much, an unforgettable experience.

All the love & light in the world.

Orla , October 2024

UK

A most special and succesfull trip of 16 days!

We made the right decision to book one lodge. The best thanks to Sabine and Frank who took us especially to the Carmine Bee-eaters nests and to Chloe who took me to the kill of the Impala the last morning!  Thanks also to the Crew.

In love,

Pieter from Belgium, Marc & Jocelyn

Pieter from Belgium, October 2024

Belgium

What a fantastic experience!

The locations, amenities, views are second to none. But above all else all the staff provide exceptional service with humour and understanding. We also particularly liked the "little touches" given to us......welcome drink, flannels when we arrived + every time we returned from the boat, home cooking and delicious pastries!

Lots of love & good luck for the future... you deserve the succes!

Tony & Liz Williams X

Tony & Liz Williams, October 2024

London, UK

Thank you to all the staff at Msandile for a wonderful experience of seeing all the beautiful wildlife. We especially loved the leopards & warthogs.

Mary & Nadine, November 2024

Ireland

Thank you for having us at your lodge. The five of us had a fantastic time. Great food. Superb accommodation and pool. Most importantly friendly staff + guide. Especially Isaac, Ellis, Bupe & Chloe. We will surely recommend this place to our collegues & friends.

Vin, Chloe (from Lign), Susheel, Maren, Sam

Vin, October 2024

A fantastic week!

It was full of great food, amazing staff support, wonderful views, and incredible memories.

I plan to return!

Rachel, October 2024

Texas, USA

My wife Sarah and I just spent the most amazing 1o nights at Msandile River Lodge, and in many ways, it was way too short. From the initial email contact with Frank (one of the owners), to our checkout and drop-off at the airport, everything felt like we were dealing with friends.

While not in the national park itself, the lodge is in a very enviable position on the banks of the Luangwa River. One short boat ride, usually past pods of placid and somewhat curious hippos later, you are climbing into your jeep to see what the park has to offer. No need to wait at the main gate checking paperwork. This might not seem like a big deal, but every minute inside the park can offer something remarkable, and the boat ride itself is a joy each time you do it. Make sure you look to your right on the morning drive across to catch the sunrise.

The lodge and camp are wonderful. Open and bright, with plenty of trees to attract a variety of bird and animal life. We had sunbirds, kingfishers, bee eaters, woodpeckers, owls, and a number of other small birds all within view of our chalet. We had hippo and elephant wander through camp at night to feast on the grasses and leaves. Night watchmen are on hand to ensure nothing serious happens. Safety is always stressed and paramount. The rooms are clean, well-appointed, and flush toilets and running water are always appreciated.

The staff were friendly, knowledgeable, and more importantly, just wonderful people. Camp manager Musa greeted us with a smile every time he saw he us. Chris the bartender always took time to ask about our day or if we needed anything. Ellis, the man who was our waiter for the entire time, had the biggest smile I've ever seen, and was always quick with a warm hello or a friendly ear. Doug, the main chef, was quick to confirm, with a smile of course, that no food to served to me had mayonnaise, as per my dietary request. And the food was plentiful and excellent. I've stayed at 10 different safari lodges throughout Africa, and the staff here were by the far the best I've encountered.

Frank and Sabine, and the other camp manager Chloe were also at the lodge during the end of our stay. The joy they have being in the bush, and the love they have for the staff is obvious, which is great to see. We sat and chatted with them throughout our stay, sharing stories, sharing laughs. We had a few game drives with them as well, giving each other photography tips, or frantically trying to identify a bird before our guide could. Frank even drove us to the airport on our departure, they are that hands on.

Our guide was Longi, a jovial young fella who was an expert behind the wheel with a very sharp eye for spotting wildlife both near and far. As we had a few game drives just on our own, he asked what we wanted to see and tailored the drives to give us the best chances to see things - certain birds prefer certain areas, that sort of thing. During night drives, we were joined by Sam, Thom, and Paul as spotters using a spotlight. Each one knowledgeable, friendly, sharp, and quick to help identify sights and sounds. A safari can be completely ruined by a guide, and the guides at Msandile are top class.

I'm reluctant to say our sightings were incredible because no sighting is guaranteed. The park itself is a sight to behold though. So many different terrains in such a concentrated place, it was almost like we had gone to several different locations at once. Because of the diversity of environment, there is a great diversity to the animal life as well. And the animals we did see all looked so healthy. It really is a park like no other.

I cannot recommend Msandile River Lodge enough. Whether you plan on staying one night or ten, or even more, you will not be disappointed. The only disappointment will be when you have to pack up your suitcases to leave.

Geraint Issit

Abu Dhabi

TRIPLE B for Msandile River Lodge

Beautiful place , Beautiful food and Beautiful people.

There at the riverfront we found a beautiful setting with crocodils lying opposite our chalets on the sandbanks, hippo's snorkling in the water of the Luangwe river and little bee-eaters dancing in the ski to catch there daily food.
We walked through that unspoiled Park, we drove through that beautiful Park and heb sundowners at the banks of the slowmoving Luangwe river.
The enormous knowledge about the wild bush and iets animals of Isaac our driver and guide , the warm hospitality of the staf directed by Sabine and Frank and the gathering round the campfire to tell longforgotten bushstories to be followed with an very tasty meal at a well decorated table under the figtrees in the evening will never be forgotten by our 8 persons strong group of friends .

Thanks a lot Sabine and Frank for giving us these never to be forgotten time at Msandile.

Ben de Ponti and friends

Ben de Ponti

Outstanding!

We really couldn’t speak more highly of this wonderful place and its fabulous staff, who went out of their way to make our stay memorable - huge thanks to Chloe and the team. Very comfortable accommodation, complete with hippos and elephants in the river right outside was complemented by every convenience. We must have come away several kilos heavier from all the delicious food! And the game drives were just out of this world- we were lucky enough to see a leopard and no less that SEVEN lion sightings in our three day stay. Book now- you won’t regret it!

Gill

"Great safari days at a beautiful and unique location."

In a unique riverside location where you can see elephants, giraffes and other animals crossing the river every day during the dry season, a Dutch couple with a team of dedicated, friendly Zambian staff run this beautiful lodge. Unlike most lodges on that side of the river, guests do not have to enter the park by car over the bridge at the main gate, but are taken by boat to the other side of the river for each drive (in itself already a special experience) where the safari car is parked on the bank. Our guide had a breathtaking amount of knowledge about the flora and fauna of the park. Each drive turned out to have new highlights in store, while we were still processing our luck on the previous drives. When 'coming home' it was wonderful to cool off in the swimming pool, from where we watched elephant families walking past or saw a giraffe reach the other bank with careful steps, avoiding crocodiles. The chef provided delicious meals daily, taking into account our dietary requirements (vegetarian / vegan). A part of my soul seems to have remained in Msandile River Lodge.

Anneleen

The Netherlands

Make Reservations NOW You will be So Pleased


I originally had made reservations with another lodge and I happened to speak to another traveler the night before I traveled there who raved about her time there...just a few days before. I was to arrive on Christmas eve and I really wanted a special Christmas trip. Frank, the owner and I,      messaged back and forth the hours before I arrives and I hoped that I was making the right decision canceling my reservations to go with a place I wasn't able to read reviews from the bus. Frank was patient with all my questions and arranged for their driver to pick me up. It turned out to far far exceed all questions and become my favorite stay in 6 months of Africa of travel!! The personal care of the owners Frank and Sabine, each one of the staff were over the top. The attention to detail for elegance in the bush were noted from the sheets..the soap, greeted with cool wet towels after each game drive...and the food! I got my yummy Christmas feast and then some!! The chef and Sabine planned many surprises for the feast! Isaac the game driver made sure we saw plenty of everything..hippos on the boat drive to and from the park twice a day, elephants galore, lions with cubs, giraffe, a leopard hyena different antelope and hes quite the bird spotter also. But the highlight was making sure I saw my favorite animal..the spotted dogs! 6 months and 3 weeks worth of game drives twice a day I had not seem the wild dogs one time on this trip to Africa. We saw them every day and once a kill happened running around our vehicle!. The main lodge is beautiful and spacious with very high ceilings and you fall asleep and wake up to the sound of hippos. I am dreaming of coming back with friends next Christmas. I didn't get enough.

Jessica

Mexico

Excellent! Awesome! Magical!


Awesome in every way! Friends management and staff, excellent food, Located on the river where elephants walk past the rooms each morning ! I had views of hippos from my bed. 2x game drives each day with Very knowledgeable guides. Saw So many animals up close.

Matthews

Australia

Msandile River Lodge - Perfect location for game viewing

Recently opened and owner run by lovely Frank and Sabine, this new camp is sure to a fast favourite. Its perfect location on what seems to be an animal highway is one of its best selling points. You see crossing of elephants and hippos at dawn and dusk and have so much game right in front of the lodge and camp on the river bed below it. I stayed in one of their Ensuite family chalets, and undoubtedly felt like I was one with nature with amplified sounds of the night drifting into the room from the open front of the chalet.

Tapiwa

Malawi

Excellent place to spend a few relaxing days.

Wonderful 5 night stay with fabulous hosts. The accommodations were clean and comfortable. Staff was super nice and welcoming. Excellent stay. The best part for me as a vegan, was the staff went way out of their way to make me special meals and snacks. Everything was delicious and I really appreciate them accommodating my special diet.

aktrailqueen

Fantastic Place to Stay

I stayed for 5 nights with friends in the ensuite tents. My tent was fantastic with a 4 poster bed, as well as an indoor and an outdoor shower. The tent was scrupulously clean. The food was fantastic and the rides into the national park were incredible. The guides were knowledgable and we saw lots of wildlife. Last but not least the staff at Msandile were incredible. Nothing was too much trouble.

Annajane L.

A real safari experience

EVERYTHING! the place was beautiful and the views to the river (with animals crossing the river at all times) was amazing. Even an elephant approached to the lodge when we were having lunch (an experience I will always remember) the food was very tasty, the pool was essential (specially because it was really hot). game drives were very fun and informative (we saw all the animals!) the room is wonderful and the staff is always attentive and making sure you feel comfortable

Patricia

USA

We had a fabulous stay at this lodge

The main lodge areas is spacious and well designed. The pool is a good size and some lovely sitting areas around it. There was plenty to see from the lodge including elephants crossing the Luangwa river just in front. The en suite tent was very comfortable and clean with a spacious clean bathroom and two (indoor and outdoor) excelllent showers with plenty of hot water.

Richard Dimock

The best safari experience!

A gorgeous Riverside lodge with fabulous staff and a comfortable chalet and relaxing space. The pool overlooks the river where we often saw elephants and hippos at the same time.