Luwi
Tented bush camp · Ephemeral Luwi River, deep in the park · Time + Tide
High-end
Inside the park
Safari company
Four tents under mahogany trees on a river that only flows in the rains, with no neighbours in any direction. Walking is the point here, and there is a hide on the lagoon for the hours when you would rather sit still.
Pros and cons
Pros
- No other camps for miles around
- Hide overlooking a quiet oxbow lagoon
- Children of all ages explicitly welcome
- All-inclusive rate with two daily activities
- Solar power and wifi in every tent
Cons
- No family room; four single-bed tents only
- Wifi in tents only, not the main area
- Only open 20 May to 15 November
- Premium spirits, wine and spa treatments cost extra
What's here
- Swimming pool
Arranged from the lodge:
- Game drives
- Boat trips
- Guided walks
- Fishing
Read from Luwi'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 Luwi
From $840 pppn. All inclusive; park fees extra.
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 Luwi
Is Luwi good for families?
Time + Tide says children of all ages are welcome, though Luwi's four tents are single-bed rooms with no dedicated family unit, unlike Kakuli or Mchenja in the same group. Walking safaris are the main activity, so check suitability for young children when you book.
Can you self-drive to Luwi?
No self-drive route is published. The camp's own site describes a two-hour game drive transfer from Mfuwe Airport, which means fly-in access followed by a road transfer arranged by Time + Tide rather than a guest driving in.
What does the rate at Luwi include?
The all-inclusive rate covers accommodation, all meals, standard drinks, local airport transfers except from Jeki, laundry and two daily activities such as game drives, walking safaris and cultural visits. Premium spirits, wine and champagne, spa treatments, visas, flights and gratuities cost extra.
When is Luwi open?
Luwi runs a single season each year, from 20 May to 15 November. Outside those dates the camp is closed, so a visit has to fall inside that window, which also matches its sister camps Nsolo and Kakuli.
Is Luwi good for a honeymoon?
The site does not list private pools or plunge tubs here, unlike the group's flagship Chinzombo. Luwi's appeal for a couple is isolation instead: no other camps for miles, and a lagoon hide to sit at quietly, rather than private extras.