SAUSAGE TREE CAMP: OUR LUXURY SAFARI CAMP IN ZAMBIA

Guest Blog (quite literally), by Silvia Schreibt

Finding a suitable description for Sausage Tree Camp in Zambia is indeed difficult. Impressive and extraordinary are probably the most appropriate adjectives to describe the luxury safari camp that we were fortunate to travel to in October of this year. (press trip).

Sausage Tree Camp – the epitome of bush chic

Despite researching in advance, your idea of the safari camp can only ever be a fraction of what actually awaits you. When you watch hippos bathing in the nearby river from the terrace of your luxury tent in the ‘Sausage Tree Camp’ in the middle of the ‘Lower Zambezi National Park’ in Zambia. It is hard to believe that it is truly happening, even whilst you are reminiscing about the experiences of the morning safari.

“The epitome of bush chic, Sausage Tree was established in 1996 as

Zambia’s most luxurious bush camp.“

The camp, named after neighbouring trees with an abundance of distinctive sausage-shaped fruits, is part of the Green Safari Group. An environmentally conscious luxury safari company with a tireless commitment to redefining luxury travel through sustainable practices and eco-technologies. Experienced private guides and ‘muchindas’ (butlers) take care of all the guests’ needs. You can look forward to first-class service, privacy and unique experiences, in addition to exciting wildlife viewing at Sausage Tree Camp.

All inclusive

In addition to the overnight stay, the all-inclusive price includes the transfer from/to the JEKI Airstrip, all meals (breakfast, lunch, teatime and dinner); all drinks except for premium items such as champagne; laundry service, twice daily game drives twice a day and unexpected surprises.  (More on that later.)

“Meals are served in the open air restaurant overlooking the Zambezi.”

We skip breakfast because coffee is brought to the room every morning. At lunch we can choose from a variety of options: from burgers to wraps, quinoa salad or pasta. Afternoon tea includes homemade iced tea or lemonade and freshly baked cakes. The dinner is three courses, from which you choose the starter and main course from two alternatives. South African wine complements the meal. Wonderful, unexpected surprises also await, such as lunch in the middle of the river or an evening barbecue in the middle of the bush.

Glamping

Sausage Tree Camp consists of only seven suites and one family home. ‘Suite’ is clearly an understatement, considering what we can call our temporary home.

“One can expect a spacious luxury tent in a cool, minimalist style with a touch of old-school safari look, which can be seen in small details such as the binoculars or the radio.”

Furnished with a king-sized bed with an integrated, individually controlled climate roof, a lounge area and a spacious bathroom with a stone bathtub, double washbasin, indoor and outdoor shower, the ‘tent’ has it all. That’s not all, because the highlight is definitely the large terrace with seating: two sun loungers, a lounge bed and a private plunge pool. Views of the Zambezi River and wildlife are naturally included. Each luxury tent is also assigned a private butler or host. During our stay, Chris arranged our wake-up call, brought us coffee for breakfast, accompanied us back to the tent after dinner and coordinated our lunch. The tents in the camp are laid out in such a way that they offer unrestricted privacy. That is if you don’t include our four-legged friends: less than ten minutes after arriving, a herd of elephants trots past our terrace and crosses the river remarkably close.

Wildlife – Private Game Driving

Sausage Tree Camp stands for exclusivity including a twice-daily private game drive.
“In our case, George was our private ranger and contact person throughout the entire stay.”

With George we agree when to meet, which animals we want to see and the really important things, like whether it should be wine or a G&T with the sundowner. During the afternoon game drives a sundowner with snacks and nuts enjoyed in the middle of the wilderness. The breaks during game drives are particularly nice: coffee, tea and rusks are served in the morning.

Good to know about Sausage Tree Camp

Accessibility: the best way to reach Sausage Tree Camp is by plane from Lusaka to Jeki Airstrip. 30 minutes flight time in a small propeller plane, landing on the tarmac.
Visa: Austrian citizens do not need a visa.
Currency: Zambian Kwacha (ZMW). It’s best to bring US dollars for tips.
Climate & travel time: Summer runs from August to April, with October and November being extremely hot. Winter runs from May to August, with cool evenings and very chilly morning game drives. The rainy season extends from November to March.
Malaria: We consulted our family doctor and did not take any prophylaxis. Simply spray diligently with mosquito spray on site.

The Green in Green Safaris

‘Conservation is close to our hearts and is one of the most important tasks we have set ourselves,’ said Natasha Parker, Marketing Manager at Green Safaris.

“Green Safaris is the first and only safari operator to offer silent safaris in Zambia and Malawi.”

The guides and their guests sometimes move through the bush in electric vehicles instead of in vehicles with petrol engines. E-cruisers, e-boats and e-mountain bikes offer a noise-free and environmentally conscious way to explore the wildest parts of Africa, allowing guests to get much closer to the animals without disturbing them and polluting nature. But it is not just the environment that is committed to: Green Safaris provides 2.5% of its invested capital annually to support community development in local neighborhoods through its own foundation. The aim of the initiative is to support conservation, community development and sustainability efforts in the regions where the safari accommodations are located.

Original blog post in German was posted by Silvia Schreibt on her personal travel blog https://www.silviaschreibt.de/sausage-tree-camp-unser-luxus-safari-camp-in-sambia/

Reposted by Green Safaris