LUANGWA SAFARI HOUSE

Luangwa Safari House: Our View

In the office here we just put Luangwa Safari House forward for the Good Safari Guide awards for 'best private home in Africa'. Needless to say, we think it is exceptional! With all the luxuries you could ever need, and a fine balance with the surrounding environment, we think Luangwa Safari House is architect Neil Rocher's finest piece of work. The area and location is stunning; without doubt the best place in the valley for groups who don't want the bush camp approach to safari.

Luangwa Safari House gets our rare 5 paw rating. Beautiful rooms, outstanding location and some of the finest guides make this property one of the finest private houses in the whole of Africa.

Luangwa Safari House: The Detail

Built on the edge of a seasonal lagoon in South Luangwa and with a backdrop of the Chindeni Hills the super structure of the house is twenty five ancient and weathered leadwood trees.
 
The entrance side of the house is grand, castlesque and is exquisitely faced with stones from the hills. The massive door opens into the huge main room and instantly you see incredible views through the front of the house – which is completely open (game, including herds of elephants and giraffe, use this area to feed and water throughout the day).

Outwardly the house has a traditional feel. However, venture inside and you find that each room has a totally individual and unique style. The sizeable living room is dominated by large comfy sofas and a huge marble dining table.

The room stretches up two storeys, some twelve meters, to the thatched roof with wooden staircases rising out of the floor to take you to the upstairs bedrooms. Much of the fittings are hand made metalwork including a huge thirty lamp metal chandelier. The open front of the room leads out onto a quartz tiled terrace with large plunge pool to one side.
From this terrace a magnificent risen walkway leads to a wooden deck surrounding a small group of huge ebony trees in the middle of the lagoon. There is a large leather sofa, and a hanging chair plus dining table and chairs for al fresco meals. From here the waterhole is nearby, and sitting quietly you will be close to families of elephant that come to bathe.

Each of the four bedrooms has a style of its own. Extra large beds, both king size or twin fit into each room under one mosquito net. There is a wooden ceiling fan inside each net. The beds have all been designed differently, from two poster beds to beds suspended by chains from the roof. The materials used in the bedrooms are hand painted and specifically designed, made locally at Tribal Textiles.

Each bathroom has a different theme for the fittings, reflecting the colours of the rooms. From copper for the “Coral room” (including a hand made copper bath) to recycled sandblasted aluminium in the “Blue Agate” bedroom. These fittings have been matched with unusual pieces of Zambian marble hand picked by Jo and Robin.

The upstairs rooms have a suspended wooden balcony, where you can sit out at night with a moonlit view over the bush to the distant hills. The downstairs bedrooms each have a private tiled veranda with large morris chairs for quiet moments.