Croc Valley Camp
Chalets, tents, dorms and camping · 500 m from Mfuwe bridge, under mahogany trees · Independent
Budget
In the GMA
Owner/family-run
The backpacker end of South Luangwa: dorm beds, camping and simple chalets on the riverbank a few hundred metres from the bridge. Proof that this park does not have to cost a thousand dollars a night.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Family Room sleeps up to twelve guests
- Babysitting available for $15 a day
- Self-drive explicitly welcomed, with park fees paid in cash
- Rare backpacker dorms for this valley
- Self-catering kitchen in the Family Room
Cons
- Chalets bar children under twelve; use the Family Room instead
- Private camping closed since January 2026
- Park fees paid separately, in cash, at the gate
What's here
- Swimming pool
- Restaurant
- Bar
- Campsite
Arranged from the lodge:
- Game drives
- Guided walks
- Community visits
Read from Croc Valley Camp's own website in July 2026. Anything not listed we could not confirm, which is not the same as it being absent.
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. South Luangwa National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entry$25 if you are in an operator vehicle instead of self-driving.
- $30per person, per day
- VehicleUnder 3 tonnes, foreign registered.
- $15per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $225 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
There is no single park fee here. On top of the gate fee, camps pass on vehicle fees, guide fees and bed levies, and what applies depends on whether the camp sits inside the national park or in the Game Management Area alongside it. Kafunta Safaris, who charge one combined figure covering the government levies, told us it comes to $60 per person per night at their two GMA camps and $90 at their camp inside the park. Treat that as the shape of it rather than a universal rate: the amounts move with each operator's lease.
The full fee schedule for South Luangwa National ParkRates at Croc Valley Camp
From $15 camping. Self-catering chalets from about $40 in green season. Walking safaris $50 per person.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative 2026 rates from operators' own rate cards, gathered July 2026. Rates change by season and year, so always confirm with the lodge. Park fees are extra almost everywhere: budget about $30 per person per day, plus vehicle fees.
Questions about Croc Valley Camp
Is Croc Valley Camp good for families?
Yes, but not in every room type. The standard chalets do not take children under twelve, so families should book the Family Room instead, which sleeps up to twelve and has its own self-catering kitchen. Babysitting is available for $15 a day.
Can you self-drive to Croc Valley Camp?
Yes, self-driving is explicitly welcomed. Park entry for self-drive visitors costs $30 plus $15 per vehicle, paid in cash directly to South Luangwa National Park, with permits valid from 6am to 6pm. The camp itself sits 500 metres from the bridge into the park.
Can you still camp at Croc Valley Camp?
Private camping stopped being available after 1 January 2026, though overland and specified group camping still run. If you were planning to pitch your own tent here, check current availability directly, since the private option the record describes has since closed.
What does full board include at Croc Valley Camp?
Full board covers meals, game drives and laundry. Accommodation-only rates exclude all three, so budget separately for food and activities if you book that way. Turtle Rooms, the camp's dorm-style option, run $35 to $45 per person depending on season.
Is Croc Valley Camp good for backpackers?
Yes, it is one of the few places in the valley with dorm beds, a rarity here. The Turtle Rooms offer shared, budget accommodation alongside chalets, tents and camping, proof that a stay in this park does not have to be expensive.