What sort of accommodation is available?
Set upstream from Nkwali under a thick canopy of trees, you will find Robin's House. With great views of the river and across into the park but with the added bonus of a cool breeze coming through the trees this two bedroom house is the perfect retreat for any family or group of friends wanting privacy and a safari experience specifically tailored to their needs.
The two spacious bedrooms (one double and one triple) each with en-suite bathrooms along with main area are protected from the wilds of Zambia by large set gauze windows, this makes it perfectly safe for families with young children. The main area with its large comfy sofa and chairs is the perfect place for catching up on the day’s safari with a cold drink before your dinner cooked for you by your private chef.
The house offers complete privacy with a team of staff dedicated solely to you to ensure that all your needs are attended to. The guide will enthral you in the bush as you discover corners and curiosities that the South Luangwa has to offer whilst the host and the team will ensure that the house is spick and span ready for your return.
Families travelling with young children have the additional option of leaving the children at the house where they will be cared for whilst mum and dad enjoy a game drive on their own.
Sit back and relax whilst everything is done for you in this private home away from home, Robin's House is the ideal getaway for a more exclusive safari.
Are children welcome at Robin’s House?
Robin's House welcome children of any ages and will adapt the safari to each family depending on the needs and interests of everyone in the group. The Robin's House guide has a fantastic way with children and will calmly and clearly explain the safari to them as well as show a particular sensitivity towards the children on certain sightings. Depending on the children’s ages there are a whole range of activities available to them including game drives, nature walks where they can learn about animal spoor and droppings, star gazing and even a children’s pack with crosswords and dot to dots to make learning about the bush fun.
Early mornings aren’t suited to all children and if they wish to stay behind and have a lie in whilst mum and dad enjoy a quiet game drive then this is no problem at all. Your private host will be at hand to ensure that they are well looked after during the course of the morning and depending on the children’s age and interests they can have fun in the private Robins House pool specifically designed with a large shallow area to be safe for children, bake cookies with the chefs for your afternoon tea, make lions or elephants heads from papier mache, play games or simply have a slow morning with a cooked breakfast and a gentle start. Don’t forget about Kawaza village and the fun that can be had there - meeting Zambian children and seeing how they live, playing football and dancing with the families to the beat of the local drums.
The team will also speak to you about meals and meal times to ensure that the kitchen prepares the types of food that the children enjoy and will even provide a packed dinner for them to have at sundowners in the park if they need to eat earlier.
What Activities are Available?
Game drives
- An option of day or night drives.
- Toyota Land cruisers with two tier seats (three tier for groups / families) are used - a "window" seat (i.e. two people per row) for everyone.
- Open top vehicles, affording you total 360 degree vision.
Walking
- The walks are led by the knowledgeable guide and escorted by an armed National Park scout.
- The guiding team is very passionate and will certainly impart some amazing bush insights at a level that will surprise you.
Seasonal Boating
- A special treat indeed for guests in the Emerald Season.
- From end December/January to around April.
- Explore the lagoons for enhanced game viewing and birding.
Village Tours
- A visit to Kawaza Village and the schools is often remembered years later by guests as the most rewarding part of their visit to Africa. This gives a more holistic experience of the Luangwa Valley.
- Alternatively you can take a stroll within the community around the Mfuwe area which is bustling – small “dukas” (shops), the market, bars, and people offering various skills.
Wildlife Education Centre
- A charitable trust for the school children of the Luangwa Valley to teach them about wildlife and conservation.
- Great activity for the children especially.
Tribal Textiles
- For unique locally produced hand-painted textiles, drawing inspiration from the stunning Zambian wildlife and surroundings.
- A perfect place to buy a souvenir or two of your Zambian experience...
When is the best time to visit Robin’s House?
The dry months are from April till October and the wet months November till March. Temperatures range throughout the year from between 11-40 C.
What should I pack and bring with me?
You should always travel with soft bags not hard suitcases (not only for the smaller aircraft but also to fit into vehicles).
Important items to bring: hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, torch, binoculars and film/photo camera.
Why is Conservation & Community so important at Robin’s House?
Operating lodges and camps in protected ecosystems in Africa alongside local indigenous communities and wildlife comes with a great deal of responsibility.
Robin Pope Safaris are committed to responsible tourism. They conduct their business in a manner that benefits the environment and wildlife conservation, the people who work for them and their neighbouring communities. In this way their tourism operations and the presence of their guests, has the capacity to protect natural wildlife areas, alleviate poverty through good employment practices and contribute positively to the local community.
They work together with community development, wildlife conservation and responsible tourism specialists to ensure that they operate in accordance with these principles. They are guided by their Responsible Tourism Policy along with annually prepared responsible tourism plans that detail all of their activities.
In recognition of their commitment to responsible tourism, Robin Pope Safaris has won prestigious international awards including the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards Joint Overall Winner in 2011, making them the ultimate winner across all 13 award categories.