Tusk & Mane’s (Classic Zambia) intention is to return to simplicity, back to the roots of the original safari. The owners - Kyle Branch and Luke Evans - both grew up in the African bush and wish to give guests an understanding of the pure safari experience of their childhoods. This is achieved by good guiding, simple but very functional and well thought-out fly camps and plenty of campfire story-telling.

Tusk & Mane operates two camps, Kutali and Chula. Each camp consists of 5 very airy and identical tents that are positioned far apart on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River. All tents have comfortable beds, en-suite bathrooms with traditional bucket showers, flush toilets and washbasins with mirrors. A simple bedouin-style tent with a large table and a well-stocked bar defines the main area.

Each camp is small and well-structured, which makes the safari experience very personal. At the end of the season the camp will be torn down, only to be rebuilt in April / May next year.

The camps are situated in Zambia’s Lower Zambezi National Park, which stretches 120 km along the Zambezi River and sits in the southeast of Zambia (4092 km²) opposite the Mana Pools National Park in Zimbabwe.

Both Kutali and Chula are located in the vicinity of Old Mondoro Camp, about a 15 minute boat ride apart. The camps are accessed by airplane from Lusaka to Jeki Airstrip. The flight is followed by a 30 to 40 minute drive in an open game drive vehicle to the respective camp. The camps are often referred to as beeing on an island, but in fact it is just a smaller channel that separates the "island" from the main land. Having said that, a boat transfer is required to access Chula, whereas the channel surrounding Kutali can be crossed by vehicle.

There is high number of elephant in the park. Guests can watch them traverse the river or roam the forests. Elephants often visit the camp itself, roaming freely between the tents in search of fallen husks and fruits (most particularly Winter Thorn aka Ana Tree fruit from August to October). ! Leopard and buffalo are often seen and there is a good chance to spot lions as well. The region is also home to zebra, kudu, impala, waterbuck and the most common species of antelope. Hippo and crocodile are to be found in the river located right on the doorstep.

Wild dogs have returned to Lower Zambezi and sightings have become quite regular. Sadly giraffe are not present in the park - but luckily South Luangwa is not far away and hosts a great number of the beautiful and endemic Thornicrofts's Giraffe.

Activities

Game drives in open 4x4 vehicles, boat safaris on the Zambezi, fishing (catch & release), canoe trips and guided walking safaris. The team is trying hard to accommodate all guests' wishes and be as flexible as possible with regards to the various activities.

SwissAfrican Travel Service
Dammstrasse 27
8702 Zollikon
Zurich, Switzerland


Telephone: +41 (0)44 451 40 51