Ila Safari Lodge is beautifully located on the eastern bank of the Kafue River. The semi-circular, imposing main building includes an infinity pool and, at either end facing the river, the restaurant and bar/lounge with fire pit and terrace facing the river. Further down the bank, you'll find the jetty with the new eBoat. Ila is a larger lodge with restaurant service and guests seated at separate tables.

The guest tents are spacious and comfortable. There are eight en-suite luxury tents and two family tents for 4 guests each, all facing the river. Six of the tents have indoor and outdoor showers, two have outdoor bathtubs.

Ila is situated on the banks of the Kafue River near Hook Bridge in the central sector of Kafue National Park. The lodge itself is located in what is known as a Game Management Area, with the central sector of Kafue National Park on the opposite side of the Kafue River. At 22’500 km², Kafue is one of the largest parks in Africa, a magnificent and relatively little-visited wilderness.

The camp is usually accessed by light aircraft into the nearby Chumba Airstrip (1h 20), from where Ila can be reached in about 40 minutes. A drive from Lusaka to the lodge takes about 3.5 hours.

When it comes to wildlife, Kafue is particularly renowned for its very wide range of antelopes and other herbivores. Particular sightings are red lechwe and puku, zebra, blue wildebeest, kudu, bushbuck, eland, reedbuck, duiker, grysbok and waterbuck. The emerald green Kafue River never fails to impress, with its crystal clear perennial waters drawing in boundless wildlife and a wide array of birds.

Large pods of hippos, herds of elephants and some of the largest crocodiles in Africa are commmon inhabitants and visitors of the Kafue River and its countless lagoons. Lions and spotted hyenas are widespread all over the park and leopards are often seen at the many dambos that line the Lufupa stream. Occasional sightings of African wild dogs occur all over the park, but they are notoriously unpredictable.

Day and night game drives (within the National Park), walking safaris from May to November, boat safaris, sunset cruises, fishing, visiting the Chunga community. Ila owns two electric vehicles and a eBoat - thus it is possible to drive almost silently through the African bush without the noise of a diesel engine. Some of the animals still have to get used to the new vehicles and boats, but are clearly less nervous due to the lack of noise.

Relatively fast WiFi available in the main building, but not in the rooms.

SwissAfrican Travel Service
Dammstrasse 27
8702 Zollikon
Zurich, Switzerland


Telephone: +41 (0)44 451 40 51