Nsefu Camp
Brick rondavels · Nsefu Sector, wide bend of the Luangwa · Robin Pope Safaris
Top-end
Inside the park
Safari company
Built by Norman Carr in 1951, this is the first permanent safari camp in Zambia and now a national monument. Six round brick rondavels on a wide bend of the river, plus a reed hide on the lagoon where lovebirds and elephants come to drink.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Zambia's oldest safari camp, built in 1951
- National monument status, a unique piece of history
- Reed hide on the lagoon beside camp
- Second child under 16 stays free
- Rate includes meals, activities and the bar
Cons
- Minimum age twelve, so young children can't come
- Limited wifi and no cellphone reception
- Park entry fees charged separately
- Closed most of April and from late November
What's here
- Campsite
Arranged from the lodge:
- Guided walks
- Birding
- Fishing
Read from Nsefu 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 Nsefu Camp
From $735 pppn. Up to $1,150 in peak season. Also opens for Emerald season river journeys in February and March.
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 Nsefu Camp
Is Nsefu Camp good for families?
Partly. Robin Pope Safaris welcomes children aged twelve and over at Nsefu, with discounted children's rates and a free stay for a second child under sixteen. Younger children are not accommodated, so this suits older family groups rather than those with toddlers or young kids.
Can you self-drive to Nsefu Camp?
The site does not describe a self-drive route. Nsefu sits in the Nsefu Sector reached via Mfuwe Airport, and Robin Pope Safaris arranges the transfer from there, so access is built around flying in rather than guests driving themselves to camp.
What does the rate at Nsefu Camp include?
The rate is inclusive of accommodation, activities, meals and the bar. Park entry fees are charged separately and are not part of the quoted price. Guests staying more than seven nights across Robin Pope Safaris properties also qualify for a long-stay discount.
When is Nsefu Camp open?
Nsefu runs two windows each year: February to 31 March, then 22 May to 20 November. It is closed for the rest of the year, including most of April and from late November, so check which season fits your trip.
Is Nsefu Camp historically significant?
Yes. Built by Norman Carr in 1951, it is Zambia's first permanent safari camp and now a national monument. The six brick rondavels and a reed hide on the lagoon beside camp still follow the original layout, unusual for a camp this old.