Going presidential at the Luangwa safari luxe

As a warm breeze blows in from the east and thunderclouds build on the Iine of hills in the distance, it’s easy to picture Kenneth Kaunda sitting quietly in a leather armchair beside me on the Chichele terrace. Someone might be tickling the ivories of the original baby grand in the dining room while the fans swirl lazily overhead.

Kaunda was a teetotaller — and stopped drinking tea in protest at British colonialism — so just the one G&T for me then, barman. I imagine a smile might have creased the corners of Kaunda’s round face as he looked out across the South Luangwa National Park.

Kaunda, Zambia’s first president, who was credited with uniting the country after independence in 1964, loved Chichele. Perched on a hilltop overlooking grassy plains and the sinuous Luangwa River, the lodge, built in 1972, was his private retreat. An escape from the politics of Lusaka. Perhaps a place to plot the way forward for Zambia or rue the political missteps that saw him lose power, peacefully, in 1991. Like the clouds scudding across the hilltops, time moved on. Kaunda passed. His lodge changed hands and the summer rains took their toll. Chichele lost its lustre.

Until last month, that is, when a long-overdue rebuild — more, a reinvention — of Chichele Presidential was unveiled; a bellwether of Zambia’s growing luxury tourism market and a new standard-bearer for safari lodges in the region.

The rich history of Kaunda’s Luangwa hideaway is retained in the new-look Chichele Presidential, which channels a subtle blend of history and mid-century safari modernism. And, no surprises, the fabulous look and guest experience were dreamt up by Cape Town-based Fox Browne Creative and architect Jack Alexander, a team responsible for some of Africa’s most striking safari destinations.

Chichele Presidential is no exception. Here, the remarkable hilltop location, layered history and demands of the 21st-century luxury traveller swirl together as effortlessly as the eddies of the Luangwa River into one of the year’s most exciting openings.

Stepping into the main lodge there are subtle echoes of the past. The graceful arches of Kaunda’s portico return in the steel windows gazing east from the summer and winter lounges. On the walls, portraits of presidents and local chiefs pay homage to past custodians of the land. Tones of timber and copper — Zambia’s main export — offer textured glimmers in the lamplight, while the region’s basketry tradition is subtly woven into the aesthetic. Most fabrics come from Tribal Textiles in Mfuwe (which also has a shop en route to the airport) while The Lusaka Collective fills the lodge boutique with an array of creative artisanal products.

That aesthetic of contemporary nostalgia continues in the 10 Vista suites that surround the main lodge. Mindful that the landscape remains the hero of any visit to Chichele Presidential, the suites have all been built below the ridge line, ensuring the views of the national park remain unobstructed for Kenneth and me on the terrace.

Each Vista suite is a spacious affair, with an entranceway “mudroom” — rainy season here is no joke — leading into a crescent-shaped living space that flows from bedroom to lounge to enormous bathroom. Step out onto the deck and a private plunge pool begs for a dip, probably with an audience below of puku antelope nibbling the grass.

You’ll want to get out and explore, whether on a meandering morning walking safari or one of the twice-daily game drives. With the endemic Crawshay’s zebra and Thornicroft’s giraffe, the South Luangwa National Park is especially famous for its healthy population of big cats. No wonder it’s dubbed the “valley of the leopard”. Dry summer months are best for predators and you might see a handful on a single drive. Or, perhaps, none at all. This is the bush after all, so it pays to find the magic in the smaller sightings. Endangered ground hornbills hunting snakes. Cheeky migrant bee-eaters chirruping from the branches. Sunset light filtering through a majestic leadwood forest on the banks of an oxbow lake filled with hippos. Here, the landscape is as magical as the wildlife. 

You’ll return to a deliciously contemporary culinary experience at the lodge. While there are no foams or frippery on the plate, dinners are defined by elevated bistro-style plates and lunchtime mezze platters are filled with bold colours and fresh flavours: Asian noodle bowls and beef skewers with house chimichurri. Freshly baked flatbreads. Daily sorbets. It’s just the kind of food you want on safari. In the hours in between, book a massage at the intimate and airy spa or hit the treadmill in the gym with a view.

Or find a couch on the terrace. Chances are the bateleurs will be balancing on the thermals out front and a lone buffalo will be plodding towards the waterholes below. It’s a fine place to sit and gaze over one of Zambia’s most remarkable wild spaces. I imagine old KK would be pleased. 

Wanted