Sausage Tree Camp

Sausage Tree Camp takes its name from the iconic kigelia trees — their elongated sausage-shaped fruits hanging several metres from branch tips — that shade the camp's stretch of the Zambezi River in the Lower Zambezi National Park. The property sits on the northern bank of the Zambezi, roughly opposite Zimbabwe's Mana Pools National Park across the water, in one of southern Africa's most biodiverse and least visited wilderness zones. Access is via light aircraft to Jeki or Royal airstrips, followed by a short boat or road transfer into the national park.

Just seven tents line the Zambezi bank, each a full-canvas structure on a raised wooden platform with a private front deck extended over the water. Interiors strike a balance between comfort and authenticity: four-poster beds draped in mosquito netting, en-suite bathrooms with solar-heated showers, ceiling fans, and reading lights fill spaces designed for genuine immersion rather than air-conditioned insulation. Several tents have individual plunge pools. A shared open lounge, library, and dining sala overlook the river where elephant come to drink and African fish eagles call through the morning hours.

The activity programme is the camp's defining feature. Dawn and afternoon game drives cross the park's flood plains and mopane woodland; canoe safaris — a Lower Zambezi speciality — offer a water-level perspective on hippo pods and Goliath heron colonies; fishing for tiger fish is available on the Zambezi; and guided walks with an armed ranger cover terrain not accessible by vehicle. The kitchen produces gourmet multi-course meals served by lantern light at the river's edge, with dietary requirements accommodated on advance notice. A bush spa offers massage and treatments. The camp operates fully all-inclusive: the rate covers all meals, activities, house drinks, and airstrip transfers.