Time + Tide Chongwe House
A private safari house set on the banks of the Chongwe River on the western boundary of the Lower Zambezi National Park.
As far as private safari houses go, Chongwe House has always been quite unique and one that really works well for slightly more adventurous private groups and families. The location is stunning with beautiful views, a tranquil ambience and wildlife all around. The house has an adventurous feel with open fronted rooms (lower level rooms have yard high walls and rope ‘rigging’ curtains at night), but beyond this the experience is very comfortable and guests are looked after incredibly well. Being totally exclusive is an obvious highlight, whilst the wide range of activities on offer is ideal for more adventurous, active travellers. But for anyone in the group that wishes to be very relaxed, there can be few better places on this planet to sit back and watch the world go by!
The spacious and very comfortable house has a unique design and style and includes four en suite bedrooms, an open air central lounge and dining area leading out onto an outdoor patio with a swimming pool overlooking the river. The house can only be booked on an exclusive use basis and is fully catered and serviced plus you have a private guide for activities. There are two bedrooms situated downstairs which each have a low wall to the front of room with a thick rope ‘net curtain’ tied in place at night, whilst the two bedrooms upstairs are totally open fronted. All rooms have lovely views out across the river. All rooms are en suite with plumbed facilities, with the upstairs rooms also having bath tubs.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for charging – Yes
Swimming pool – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
The Lower Zambezi National Park follows the northern banks of the mighty Zambezi River and offers a wonderful mix of miombo, mopane and acacia woodland interspersed with open plains and thick riverine forest.
Along the river, hippo are everywhere, snorting away in their ‘pods’, whilst crocodiles bask in the shallows awaiting their next meal as animals come down to quench their thirst. Elephants are numerous too and can often be seen crossing channels in the Zambezi to reach islands where they can feed peacefully. Buffalo stir up the dust as they approach the river to drink, whilst kudu, eland, zebra, impala, bushbuck and waterbuck graze the sweet grasses or browse on the tasty albida pods. Lion and leopard are the main predators, with leopard incredibly successful in the park and seen very regularly. Wild dog roam through the area, whilst spotted hyaena and side-striped jackals are never far from the action. Night drives can reveal the nocturnal species such as honey badger, porcupine, genet, civet, aardvark and even pangolin. The birdlife is spectacular, with both waterfowl and woodland species in abundance. During the late dry season (late August onwards), both white fronted and carmine bee-eaters nest in the banks of the rivers providing a colourful spectacle.
Activities
Chongwe House offers game drives (by day and by night), guided walks, boat cruises and canoe excursions. Fishing is also possible (seasonal), including for tiger fish. All activities are private. A visit to a local village can also be arranged.
Seasons
Chongwe House is open from mid-April to mid-November, though game viewing will be best from July to October.
Chongwe House is a brilliant option for family groups offering exclusivity, comfort and a wide range of activities. The location is stunning and the spacious living area and swimming pool allow families to relax and unwind in between activities. In general, we would recommend the Lower Zambezi as a destination, and Zambia in general, to families with slightly older children, and Chongwe House would not be suitable to children under 6 years due to inappropriate design.
Time + Tide, owners of Chongwe House, operate the Time + Tide Foundation which connects their lodges with neighbouring communities. The projects undertaken by the Foundation reinforce conservation, health and education in the areas they operate with their current focus being on the educational opportunities for girls and handicapped children.
They are creating support structures in Liuwa and the Lower Zambezi for female students and handicapped children. Girls clubs will be introduced in schools to build their self-confidence, reproductive health knowledge and English language skills. Through sponsorship programmes in secondary schools they aim to increase girls’ academic advancement in spite of community views towards female education.
The Foundation aims to promote a home-based care programme that provides community volunteers with the skills to support handicapped children and so increasing the number of disabled children in formal education.
By working with parents, guardians and teachers to encourage a more open-minded approach to education, the Foundation hope to see 40% of all female students advance to secondary school and 70% of handicapped children in home-based programmes enrolled in primary schools.
