Nkonzi Camp
Canvas tents · Luwi River area, 45 minutes from the main gate · Gavin Opie
Moved address High-end
Inside the park
Owner/family-run
Gavin Opie has guided this valley for over twenty years and runs four tents with no wifi and no pretence. Walks leave straight from camp. If you want the classic Luangwa experience without the luxury markup, start here.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Best-value safari stay inside the park itself
- Powered entirely by solar, no generator noise
- Owner-guide with over twenty years in the valley
- Stay four nights, pay for only three
- All-inclusive rate covers meals, drinks and activities
Cons
- Minimum age twelve, per the park record
- Bucket showers in the open-air bathrooms
- The old nkonzicamp.com domain is gone; use the new site
- Sources disagree on the nightly rate; confirm current price
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 Nkonzi Camp
From $251 pppn. Up to about $600 depending on season and package. Guests aged 12 and over.
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 Nkonzi Camp
Is Nkonzi Camp good for families?
The park record states a minimum age of twelve at Nkonzi, so it does not suit young children. Gavin Opie's own site does not add further detail on family policy, so confirm directly with the camp if you are travelling with teenagers.
Can you self-drive to Nkonzi Camp?
Gavin Opie Safaris' packages are built around domestic flights, and the site does not mention a self-drive option. Nkonzi is about an hour and a half by road from Mfuwe International Airport, which points to a fly-in trip with a camp transfer rather than guests driving themselves.
How much does Nkonzi Camp cost?
Figures differ by source. The park record lists rates from roughly $251 to $600, while the camp's current site lists 2026 rates of $620 to $725 per person per night before park fees. Confirm the current price directly with Gavin Opie Safaris before booking.
What happened to Nkonzi Camp's old website?
The nkonzicamp.com domain is gone, but the camp itself did not close. Owner Gavin Opie now sells the same camp under his own name at gavinopiesafaris.com, with published 2026 and 2027 rates and a working availability calendar, so booking is straightforward once you find the right site.
What does the rate at Nkonzi Camp include?
The operator's site states the rate covers all accommodation, meals, local beverages and activities, transfers to and from Mfuwe Airport, emergency medical evacuation, bed levies, taxes, service charges and laundry, a fuller inclusion list than many Luangwa camps publish.