About this hotel
General information
Old Mondoro is an intimate bush camp inside the Lower Zambezi National Park, set on the bank of the Zambezi beneath towering winterthorn trees. There are just five chalets for ten guests and no fences anywhere: elephant, buffalo, waterbuck and baboons wander through camp and drink from the hyacinth-filled channel that runs past the chalets. This stretch of river is known for frequent leopard sightings, a dense population of hippo, and buffalo and elephant crossing between the islands.
The idea is a pared-back, wildlife-first safari with no internet to pull attention away from the bush. The name comes from the Goba word for lion and recalls a legendary white lion once said to roam the area. The camp runs on its own solar plant and was among Africa’s first safari camps to be certified carbon positive. It is seasonal, open from May to mid-November, welcomes children from 12 years, and all game activities are included.
Location
The camp sits inside the Lower Zambezi National Park, which covers more than 4,092 km², right on the Zambezi; from the open-sided dining pavilion the view runs over the river and its islands to the far bank in Zimbabwe. Guests fly into Jeki airstrip, about 35 minutes by light aircraft from Lusaka’s international airport, and from June to October there are usually direct flights from Mfuwe (about 90 minutes) and Livingstone (about 100 minutes). Proflight operates domestic flights, and private charters can be arranged.
Sports & leisure
Wildlife often comes into camp, so there is rarely far to travel. Included in a stay:
- game drives in open vehicles, in the morning with a coffee stop and in the afternoon, usually with no more than four guests per vehicle;
- night drives using red spotlights that disturb nocturnal animals less;
- walking safaris with an expert naturalist guide, early in the morning for 1–3 hours, up to six guests, from 14 years; boats sometimes drop walkers on untouched islands;
- river safaris on stable pontoon boats through the channels and islands of the Zambezi, with drinks and snacks at sunset;
- catch-and-release tiger fishing with river guides who grew up on the Zambezi; the best season runs from late August to mid-November, and the camp provides tackle.
Restaurants & bars
There is no separate restaurant: breakfast is taken by the fire overlooking the Zambezi, and the rest of the day centres on the open-sided dining pavilion above the river. Mornings bring porridge from a cast-iron pot, toast and campfire coffee, with a light continental spread of muffins and fruit laid out in a traditional dugout mokoro. Lunch is served family style, with a main dish, two salads and fresh bread followed by sorbet or cheese; dinner is plated under the stars beside the fire, with soup, a choice of mains and dessert or cheese. Small snacks fill the gaps, with scones and chocolate cake at tea time. Menus are adapted to dietary needs, including gluten-free and dairy-free, and fruit and vegetables come from Zambezi Harvest, a village cooperative farming the riverbanks.
Swimming
There is no shared pool: each chalet has an outdoor bath that doubles as a plunge pool, and elephant occasionally drink from it.
Rooms
Five chalets are spread through the unfenced camp, their wide reed windows facing either the Zambezi or the hyacinth-filled channel and the trees on its far bank.
A king bed or two large twins under mosquito netting, an outdoor bath and open-air shower, a private deck, and 220–240 V power with charging day and night; there is no internet.
Bush Chalet
A chalet with a king bed or two large twins under netting, wide reed windows onto the Zambezi or the channel, an outdoor bath that doubles as a plunge pool, an open-air shower and a private deck. Sleeps two.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.