Vundu Camp

Each of the Vundu Camp Chalets is built with natural materials, with wooden beams supporting the thatched roofs that stand over the canvas walls. The thatch roofs help to regulate the temperature of the chalets, keeping them comfortable throughout the hottest parts of the day without the need for air-conditioning. Guests have a choice of either two twins or a double bed, both of which are fitted with soft linen and covered by protective mosquito nets. The spacious rooms are decorated with colourful rugs, elegant furnishings are free-standing fans. A small indoor lounge area gives guests a space to relax and escape the heat while admiring the local wildlife through the mesh windows. Guests can also sit out in the outside area and gaze across the sweeping landscape and beautiful river. Each chalet has its own en-suite bathroom with a flush toilet, homemade pottery basins, and showers. The bathrooms are open-air with canvas walls to give guests privacy.

The Family Room Chalet at Vundu Camp features two bedrooms with their own en-suite bathrooms, and a shared living room area. This accommodation is ideal for families or two couples travelling together, offering personal space as well as a large communal area where time can be spent together. One of the bedrooms has a double bed, and the other consists of two twin beds. The spacious rooms are decorated with colourful rugs, elegant furnishings are free-standing fans. The living room gives guests a comfortable space to relax and interact with one another while admiring the local wildlife through the mesh windows. Guests can also sit out in the outside area and gaze across the sweeping landscape and beautiful river. Both rooms have their own en-suite bathrooms, consisting of a flush toilet, homemade pottery basins, and a shower. The bathrooms are open-air with canvas walls to give guests privacy.

Guests at Vundu Camp can look forward to three delicious meals each day, all freshly prepared by the camp’s chefs. Start your day with a light breakfast of toast, cereal, fresh fruit, and porridge. Hot food can also be ordered from the kitchen and is specially cooked to your preferences. On returning from your first activity of the day, lunch will be waiting for you. Enjoy a buffet of salads, pasta and freshly baked bread – an ideal meal for the hot midday temperatures. Pre-dinner drinks can be enjoyed at the bar, along with savoury snacks, before a three-course meal is served at the communal dining table. Finish the day off with an indulgent dessert before sitting out under a canopy of dazzling stars. Vundu Camp is able to cater for most dietary requirements if given advanced warning.

Embark on a game drive and discover the incredible wildlife of Mana Pools National Park from the comfort of a specially designed open-air safari vehicle. The park is home to a range of amazing creatures including approximately 12,000 African Bull Elephants and large prides of lions. Watch antelope as they congregate at the waters before scattering across the plains as predators approach. The camp’s knowledgeable guides will be able to teach you interesting facts about the incredible animals of Zimbabwe, as well as showing you the best spots for viewing game. Private vehicles can be arranged when making your booking, and are compulsory for guests with children under the age of 12.

Explore the bush on foot on a walking safari, and experience the smaller details that make safaris more immersive. Your experienced guide will be able to teach you how to recognise tracks and follow clues left in the wilderness that will lead to incredible game viewing opportunities. Get up close to the giant grey African Bull Elephants and get a sense of the sheer size of these amazing animals. Walking safaris allow you to explore at your own pace, without the noise of an engine to startle the wildlife, and take advantage of incredible photographic opportunities.

Bushlife Safaris won the award for Best Walking Safaris in Zimbabwe in 2019.

Enjoy a safari from a completely new perspective by taking a canoe along the Zambezi River, where amazing game viewing awaits you. Watch elephants and hippos as they wade through the waters to escape the hot sunshine, and observe eland and antelope as they gather at the riverbanks for a drink. Canoe safaris allow guests to enjoy a leisurely exploration of Mana Pools and appreciate the stunning landscape while drifting along the soothing waters.

The Zambezi River lures wildlife to its shady banks to enjoy drinking, bathing and playing in its cool waters. Guests don’t need to leave Vundu Camp to enjoy amazing wildlife viewing. Watch giant elephants as they rise up on their back legs to pluck food from the tallest branches, and spy on herds of buffalo and antelope as they wander along the plains. Vundu Camp also offers guests the chance to see the infamous wild dogs who starred in their own episode of BBC’s Earth Dynasty series, shot at the camp.

Mana Pools National Park is home to over 380 bird species, which can be seen best during April when the rainy season is coming to an end and migratory birds return to the area. Several species of kingfisher can be found along the Zambezi River, along with cormorants, darters, herons, and African fish eagles. As the dry season progresses, guests may find colourful carmine bee-eaters and Pel’s fishing owl as they nest along the riverbanks. Mana Pools National Park’s diverse landscape features woodland, riverine, and dry plains, making it the ideal habitat for a range of land birds such as the Nyasa lovebird and banded snake eagle. Enjoy searching for these incredible creatures and listening to their gentle songs.

Enjoy a peaceful afternoon by the river and fish for a range of amazing species including Tilapia, Vundu Catfish and Bream. All fishing is on a catch-and-release policy. Admire the stunning riverside views and the distant shores of Zambia as you reel in beautiful fish, and try your luck against the infamously difficult-to-catch African Tiger Fish.

Vundu Camp is part of Bushlife Safaris, which set up the Bushlife Support Unit in 2015 in order to unite the Zambezi Valley community in a collaborative effort to stamp out illegal poaching in the area. The Bushlife Support Unit works to prevent human-wildlife conflict by relocating animals who are causing damage or distress to local communities. When wildlife and human communities overlap, predators may attack livestock and elephants can trample and steal crops, which sometimes leads to human retaliation.

By relocating animals to prevent these issues, the Bushlife Support Unit is helping to protect both human and animal lives. Additionally, the Bushlife Support Unit has a team of rangers who embark on anti-poaching patrols each day on both land and boat to remove traps and protect the wildlife.

The Bushlife Conservancy is a registered charity in the United States which works to raise conservation funds that go towards protecting African wildlife within Mana Pools and Zambezi Valley. Bushlife Conservancy’s main goals at present are to help restore and repair communities within the Mana Pools National Park after the impacts of Covid-19, as well as funding more elephant collars to help with tracking and population monitoring. They also work with Zimbabwe National Parks, aiding with the Large Carnivore Research Programme in order to develop wildlife management programmes.

‘Nkululeko “Freedom” Hlongwane, the Bushlife Conservancy Anti-Poaching Manager & Community Liaison Officer was one of only 13 people from the whole of Africa to be invited to join the African Regional Program in the International Visitor Leadership Program, which was run by the US Fisheries and Wildlife Services in 2019. He gained valuable knowledge in creating relevant programmes for Zimbabwe, and is a real asset to the Bushlife Conservancy team.’

Painted wolves, also known as wild dogs, are of personal interest to Bushlife Safaris’ owner, Nick Murray, who was the lead guide for the painted wolf episode of BBC’s Earth Dynasties series, which was narrated by Sir David Attenborough. This was key in raising awareness of the painted wolves, and how their endangered species can and must be protected as human infringement continues to threaten and deplete their numbers. The Bushlife Painted Wolf Conservancy is a branch of Bushlife Support Unit Trust and specialises in the research and conservation of the African Wild Dog.