Azura Quilalea Private Island
About an hour east downstream by boat from sister camp Chiawa, Old Mondoro is located in the wonderfully open area of the Faidherbia Forest. This camp is a far simpler affair than Chiawa yet the guiding levels, activity choices, level of service and excellent home-cooking remain on par.
The comfortable rooms are strung out along a hippo-friendly channel off the Zambezi with great views from the decks. Activities at Old Mondoro focus on game drives, walks, canoeing and boating as well as game viewing at the lodge with the abundance of elephant and hippo around camp.
Delicious meals are served fireside or in the open-sided thatched dining room and star-gazing in this remote spot makes a perfect pastime. We recommend combining a couple of nights at Old Mondoro with a few nights at Chiawa Camp for a varied safari experience on the the Lower Zambezi.
Chalets
5 screened-in reed chalets with canvas roofs, left open during the day, and canvas blinds with window screens that are lowered for privacy and security at night. King size beds and mosquito nets facing out onto the Zambezi River. All chalets have 220v lighting power point. There is a large outdoor stone splash tub and shower, open to the stars overlooking the Zambezi River with hot water 24/7 as well as indoor flushing loos & twin sinks. Huge private deck enables expansive views and there is a comfortable relaxing area with day beds under the shade to watch the elephants pass only meters from the chalets.
There is also a 6th chalet with two bedrooms and two bathrooms ideal for families.
Game drives
This is the safest and most effective way to view big game. Drives are conducted in open 4wd vehicles that have been specially adapted for safari use with comfy seats, pockets to stow your gear and bean bags to steady your camera for those all important photos. Usually departing in the early morning, drives can last anywhere from 2 to 4 hours depending on what's seen and the requirements of the guests. In the late afternoon drives set off for an hour or so before stopping at a scenic point for sundowners.
Once the sun has set night drives commence. Zambia is one of the few countries that permit night drives, perhaps the most interesting of safari activities.
Using filtered spotlights, which do not interfere with the well being and behaviour of the subject and which make it much easier on your eyes too, this is an opportunity to see nocturnal creatures such as civet, porcupine, genet, and also to see some of the larger predators on the move. It is not uncommon to see a pride of lions on a kill or a leopard stalking through the bush. These drives last as long as they need to.
Bush walks
Pioneered in Zambia, bush walks are essentially a "micro-safari". An armed ranger with your qualified and experienced pro guide will guide you through the wilderness on foot, interpreting spoor, identifying the various flora and fauna, and highlighting conservation issues. However elephants and buffalo are seen on most walks and sometimes the big cats so expect anything at anytime. The pace is leisurely and the duration is determined by guests' requirements – and what is seen on the walk. Typically, a few hours are sufficient.
River safaris
One of the great aspects of a visit to Chiawa Camp and Old Mondoro is the variety of activities offered by virtue of our presence on the Zambezi river.
These are two of the few camps permitted to conduct waterborne safaris within the National Park, and our custom built, motorized pontoons are ideal to take advantage of this.
Enjoy morning or afternoon cruises exploring numerous channels, viewing hippo, buffalo, elephant and prolific bird life.
Also on offer are sunset and sundowner cruises, often completed with a night drive back to camp.
Canoeing
Although the Zambezi offers many activities, perhaps it is best known for canoeing.
No where else is there such a combination of breathtaking scenery, varied wildlife and such interesting channels to paddle through.
Six meter long Canadian canoes are used and these trips may last anywhere from 1 hour to 1 day.
Our most popular canoe safari is 90 minutes long where guests paddle (always downstream!) from the lodge to "Sunset Strip" for sundowners and then a night drive back to Chiawa Camp.
Tranquil yet exciting, these trips can be longer and may drift through the likes of the Waterbuck Island and Chifungulu Channels, which are an excellent way to enjoy another aspect of the Zambezi River.
Fishing
Chiawa Camp is internationally acclaimed as one of the world’s leading fishing destinations. Recommended by authoritative anglers and in publications such as The Best Fly Fishing Trips Money Can Buy and Forbes Traveler, expert guides are on hand to assist you in finding the notorious tigerfish (camp record 10.1kg, average 2kg) which are caught on fly or conventional tackle and other species that abound in the Zambezi River.
The waters of the National Park are free from netting and are hence your best bet for lots of big fish. Naturally we enforce a strict catch & release policy. Best months for tigerfish are September - November.
For more information on Old Mondoro, click HERE
