Thornicroft Lodge
Chalets and safari rooms · Luangwa riverbank, Mfuwe area · Zambian owned
A drawing, because nobody has sent us a photograph of Thornicroft Lodge yet. Send five and this page changes the same week.
Budget
In the GMA
Locally owned
A Zambian-owned riverside lodge that prices in kwacha and serves local visitors as much as international ones. Comfortable, friendly, and among the most affordable proper lodges on the river.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Children's play area, genuinely good for families
- Zambian owned and priced for local visitors
- Riverside setting at an affordable price
- Among the most affordable proper lodges on the river
- Bed and breakfast rate keeps costs predictable
Cons
- Activities are charged separately from the room rate
- Closed in January and February each year
- No website, so details are hard to verify
- We found no published minimum age; ask when you enquire
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 Thornicroft Lodge
From about K3,960 per night. Bed and breakfast; activities extra. Prices quoted in kwacha, which tells you this lodge serves the domestic market too.
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 Thornicroft Lodge
Is Thornicroft Lodge good for families?
Yes, more deliberately than most budget lodges in the valley. It has a children's play area and is priced for the Zambian market. This lodge has no website, so we found no published minimum age; ask about specific family arrangements when you enquire.
How much does Thornicroft Lodge cost?
Rates start from about K3,960 per night on a bed-and-breakfast basis, with activities charged separately. The lodge prices in kwacha rather than dollars, which signals it serves domestic Zambian visitors as much as international ones.
When is Thornicroft Lodge open?
The record lists the season as March to December, so the lodge appears closed in January and February. Confirm current dates directly with the lodge, since no website is published to check against.
Can you self-drive to Thornicroft Lodge?
No self-drive information is published for Thornicroft Lodge. It sits on the riverbank in the Mfuwe area, so the drive should be straightforward from the gate, but confirm directions directly with the lodge before travelling.
How do you book Thornicroft Lodge?
No website or online booking system is published for Thornicroft Lodge, so contact it directly to check availability. It is locally owned and run, with bed-and-breakfast rates and activities billed on top.