In late 2018, our family fell in love with an extremely remote area of the South Luangwa National Park. There was limited road access in the area which rendered it very difficult to operate. In the lead up to a family decision to join our skills and create these properties, one theme was consistent. It needed to be an adventure that would ultimately change a remote and inaccessible area for the better and make a real and positive impact to the wildlife and the local community.
At the heart of rewilding this area is our passion as a family, the dedication from our conservation partners, the incredible guests that visit and the engagement of our local community. Just a few short years in and we have made a profound and measurable impression on the area.
Our family journey kicked off early in 2019. A father and son, along with a few local people, arrived near nightfall and had to spend the night in what were the old ruins of the site. The first few months had them sharing their accommodations with bats, snakes and various other creatures! Cooking on a fire, bread freshly baked in the ground, the story of Sungani began in this barely touched corner of Africa.
By April the project was underway and many people from the local communities were employed: either again, or for the very first time. Everything, from the architecture and interior design, down to the last detail on each scatter cushion has truly been a family collaboration and much of what you see has been created on site.
We are truly family owned and operated and this sets us apart from other lodges and camps. Sungani is the most southerly lodge in the park, close to the Luangwa River and fronted by an enormous lagoon. Further upstream is Kulandila Camp, nestled between the Luangwa River and a beautiful lagoon. Both properties are roughly 90 kilometres from Mfuwe Airport which provides a totally remote and exclusive experience that nowadays far outweighs the more conventional concepts of luxury.
We include a flight transfer (using our own aircraft) for our guests allowing them to be flown directly from Mfuwe. Both properties offer a high level of luxury, quirky but elegant design, incredible cuisine, warm friendly staff and service. We offer incredible safari and wildlife journeys with fantastic guiding, activities, the latest photographic equipment for hire and an extensive hide network.
Every visitor helps to contribute towards the Sungani promise as we embark on this journey to become custodian and keeper – enabling us to give back in the years to come.
