Ila Safari Lodge, Kafue National Park

Choose from one of the 10 luxury canvas safari tents, each of which can be found perched on a raised wooden deck and includes their own private en-suite and sweeping views of the Kafue River, where the only neighbours are the hippos wallowing below. For a more exclusive safari experience, plan a stay in the Ila Safari House. Owned and designed by the founder, Vincent Kouwenhoven, the thatched Ila Safari House can be found on a riverside deck adjacent to the Ila Safari Lodge. With a private pool, lounge, dining space and kitchen with a chef, the house has been decorated with furniture and antique pieces sourced from Vincent Kouwenhoven’s home in the Netherlands. Each of the seven rooms has their own en-suite and view of the Kafue River and National Park, with two of the master suites having both baths and showers.

The Ila Safari Lodge was the first lodge in Zambia to offer electric game drives and river cruises. Whether you are silently cruising around the bush or gliding along the Kafue River, the animals will often not even hear you arrive and you will hardly find another game drive vehicle cross your path, providing the perfect opportunity for an exclusive wildlife sighting like no other.