#2 of 6 special resorts in South Luangwa National Park
Location
4.8
Cleanliness
4.9
Service
4.9
Value
4.8
At Robin Pope Safaris we have one goal: to give our guests an unforgettable safari holiday to tick off their bucket list. To experience the wonders of Africa's secluded wilderness, rich culture, beautiful beaches and - our primary focus - the outstanding wildlife, including leopard, lion, elephant, giraffe, zebra, buffalo, wild dog, hippo, to name a few; more than 450 species of birds and an amazing array of tropical fish found only in Lake Malawi. Founded in 1985, this family run business offers a comprehensive range of locations in Zambia (The Victoria Falls and South Luangwa National Park), Malawi (Lake Malawi and Majete National Park) and we have recently branched out into Zimbabwe with the newly taken over John’s Camp. Our exquisite bush venues offer rustic luxury, each small and intimate ensuring an exclusive and personal guest experience. We also have partners in Liuwa Plains, the Lower Zambezi, Kafue and North Luangwa National Parks in Zambia and the best of Malawi. To explore all these areas we have created some amazing itineraries for you as well as set departure dates for special interest and mobile walking safaris. Get addicted to Africa with Robin Pope Safaris
visiting a robin pope camp or as we did, going on a walking safari is a unique experience. all members of the team have been working for the company for years - they are family. this special "bond" makes all guests most welcome and feeling of being at home. the guides are extremely knowledgable, the service quality is outstanding, the camps are beautiful and well kept - special attention to the smallest details were well noted. absolutely to be recommended.
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Date of stay: May 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steph Naidoo Fernandes, Marketing at Robin Pope Safaris
Responded Jul 23, 2023
Dear Michele Thank you for your glowing review of your time with us on your walking safari! I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time in the wilderness with us and the team will be just as thrilled to know you appreciated their hospitality. Thank you very much for your kind recommendation... we do hope you will be back in the not so distant future. Until then take care Steph & the RPS Team
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Robin Pope Safaris gave us the most magical experience of our lives! The guides were the highlight of the entire trip! Obi, Yonna, Banjo and Daniel gave us the most amazing vehicle game drives twice a day at Nkwali. Bertram and Willie expertly navigated the boats at Nsefu! We stayed at Nkwali for 3 nights, then boarded boats to Nsefu for 3 nights and continued back downstream to stay at Nkwali for the final 3 nights. Each day brought a completely different experience. The first evening game drive we watched the Wild Dogs hunt and had a beautiful sundowner while the Wild Dogs rested and the Hippos patiently waited for us to move out of their path. The food was out of this world. (I'm still hoping they make a cook book to share with the world!) The chalets were beautiful and luxurious! Kiki, the manager, gave us an unforgettable experience and we can NOT wait to return!
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Date of stay: March 2022
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Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steph Naidoo Fernandes, Marketing at Robin Pope Safaris
Responded Jun 8, 2022
Dear Alisa F Thank you so very much for taking the time to post a review about your time with us in South Luangwa during the Emerald Season. I am delighted to hear you had such a wonderful time and I shall be passing on your lovely feedback to Obi, Yonna, Banjo, Daniel, Willie Bertie and the rest of the team who will be thrilled to know that you enjoyed your time with them. I am very envious about your wild dog sightings - there is something truly special about them and they are such a treat to see! We're looking forward to having you back again in the not so distant future. Till then take care and stay well! Steph & the RPS Team
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What a fantastic time we just had on our adventure in Zambia with Robin Pope.
We are not big travelers and this was only our second holiday in Africa. Robin Pope made it so easy! everything went so well they even helped us with immigration.They sorted very last detail and all transfers to the airport and lodges went so smoothly.
The holiday met our expectations a million times over.
We has two nights in Nkwali and found all the staff there lovely. We are all vegan and the meals we had were fantastic. Sorrell was a great host and Kiki our guide was very welcoming and friendly and we enjoyed our drives with him. I was quite tearful to leave!!
Sorell and Kiki even improved our itineray by re arranging the last few days allowing us to stay in Tena tena which we had originally wanted when we booked the holiday.
Next Kanga took us on Mobiles and it was absolutely magical. Instead of being a spectator, being immersed in the bush and nature was wonderful. I will never forget walking the same paths as lions who watched us from afar.memories to treasure forever.
There is nothing that Kanga does not know about animals and nature!!! I jokingly called him Kanga- Pedia. I learned so much from him and wrote pages of notes of things I didnt want to forget in my journal.
Adam was a great host and i really enjoyed chatting to him and sitting around the dinner table and fire. He made us feel very welcome and his love for conservation and animals especially the wild dogs was infectious.
The team run a very smooth operation and moving about was without any hitches. All of the staff were very friendly, Michael who was training to be a guide and John deserve a special mention, as well as Bright and Sakonda our scouts.
Alfred made us some amazing food, better than some vegan meals we have had in restaurants and im sure it was a bit of a pain for him to do two separate dishes but his food was very much appreciated , in fact I got one of his recipes for vegetable Babotie before we left. Five stars!!!
We went on to Nsefu and had a wonderful hour long viewing of the lions thanks to Chilumba and then onto Tena Tena thanks to Bertram for an amazing walk and drives where we saw the wild dog and puppies.
All in all this was a magical adventure for us, and we'd like to say a big thank you to all of the staff who gave us some fabulous memories. We will be saving again now for another mobile walking safari in a year or two !
If you're thinking of booking a safari I'd definitely recommend Robin Pope!
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steph Naidoo Fernandes, Marketing at Robin Pope Safaris
Responded Sep 11, 2022
Dear Julie Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a kind and detailed review of your stay. This feedback is not only invaluable to us but also to travellers out there considering a holiday with RPS. I'm so glad that you enjoyed your time with us and were impressed by our lovely team, I have passed on your feedback to them, they will be very pleased, particularly Alfred who will be over the moon to read your comment about the vegan food! - It's a great compliment to our kitchen staff who do work tirelessly to make sure all guests whatever the requirements are well fed and satisfied. We love the term 'Kangapedia' !!!! It's very apt too :) We are looking forward to welcome you back in a year of two... hopefully sooner rather than later haha. Until then take care and keep well! All the very best Stephanie
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The epitome for me of the Mobile Walking Safaris trip was my deep felt happiness during our walking safari from tents camp to tents camp along the Mupamadzi river. The imposing and untouched bush gave me my happiness.
The people of Robin Pope Safaris surely gave us five a royal treatment during this safari trip. I felt very safe and secure in the bush.
Mart
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Date of stay: June 2022
Rooms
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steph Naidoo Fernandes, Marketing at Robin Pope Safaris
Responded Jul 4, 2022
Dear Zepie Thank you for yet another kind review, this time about your Mobile Walking Safari experience. I am so delighted to hear that you had a great time and that you felt not only safe but also happy with the whole experience. I will be sure to pass on your lovely review to the team on the ground who will be pleased to know you enjoyed your time there. See you again someday soon we hope. Until then, keep safari dreaming! Steph & the RPS Team
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We have had an amazing walking safari experience with Robin Pope Safaris! Our guide Jason showed us the most wonderful trails in the northern part of the Luangwa National Park and helped us see the beauty of all the Zambian nature and wildlife has to offer. All this combined with the delightful service and hospitality of the RPS mobile team. Then we moved on to Luangwa House where we once again enjoyed the excellent service of the RPS team and our guide Jonah took us out to see hippo's, crocodiles, elephants, giraffes, buffalos, leopards, hyenas, wild hogs, wild dogs, lots of birds etc. We wholeheartedly recommend RPS and will surely return!
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Date of stay: June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steph Naidoo Fernandes, Marketing at Robin Pope Safaris
Responded Jun 27, 2022
Dear Pathfinder239414 I am absolutely thrilled you got to experience our walking safari as it is really the best way to appreciate the SOuth Luangwa wilderness! Jason and the team will be so pleased to receive such a lovely review and so I will be sure to pass it on to them. How lovely that you spent some time after at Luangwa Safari House. A huge contrast to the tents on the walking safari :). Jonna and the team will also be happy you enjoyed your stay with them! We appreciate the time you have taking to write this review - feedback like this is invaluable to us! We're looking forward to welcoming you back one day soon! Take care Steph and the RPS Team
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After having postponed our safari for almost three years due to the pandemic, we returned in late May 2022 to the Valley for the 7th time since 2005 to visit Nkwali, Nsefu and Tena Tena. This time was just fantastic with exceptional sightings. 15 leopards, wild dogs "flat rate" and even a Pel's fishing owl! Two years time-out from tourism and safaris had preserved the bush and its wild-life and allowed the camps to be improved where necessary. The service provided by RPS was simply outstanding including food and beverages. In the bush everything works to the minute, the planning up to par! Why not in Europe? The end of the emerald season is great. The bush is still green and the temperatures just pleasant, neither too cold in the night, nor too hot during the day and the skies are clear with some occasional clouds. The newborn offspring is lively, the yellow-billed stork colony fully occupied and the lagoons are still full of water. So we enjoyed fabulous 9 nights of hospitality and adventures, met old friend from earlier safaris and made new ones. A truly great safari! Many thanks to all helping hands in the Valley.
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Date of stay: May 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steph Naidoo Fernandes, Marketing at Robin Pope Safaris
Responded Jul 17, 2022
Dear Erik I am sooo glad you persevered finally made it back to the Valley and what a trip! The wildlife sightings you had sound absolutely amazing and i am quite envious you even got to see a Pel's!! I will be passing on your feedback to all the teams involved as they will be thrilled to hear you had a great time and that you appreciated their service and hospitality. Erik we are so grateful for you continued support and visits to us. The past 2 years were a trying time for us and we would not have made it through without the support of people like you! We also appreciate the time you have taken to write this lovely review as your feedback is extremely important to us as well as travellers looking for advice on where to go - so thank you very much! We hope to see you back in the Valley again one day soon! Till then, take care and best regards from us all! Steph & the RPS Team
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we stayed at three of their locations. All excellent. great service great food great hospitality. i would strongly recommend this company for your visit to Africa. Quotations and funds transfer were pretty easy and they were very accommodating. The managers at all three resorts in Malawi were simply brilliant
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steph Naidoo Fernandes, Marketing at Robin Pope Safaris
Responded Nov 24, 2022
Dear Vincent We really appreciate the time you have taken to post so many lovely reviews of our Malawi properties and we're over the moon that you had such a wonderful time! Thank you for the vote of confidence and recommendation as that is really invaluable to us! We hope you will be back one day soon! Take care for now Best wishes Steph & the RPS Team
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We stayed in Luangwa Camp and Nkwali in South Luangwa National Park, Zambia for a total of four nights and it was excellent. We had been planning to stay in Malawi but adverse weather conditions meant we had to change location. Robin Pope handled all of this so well. The staff, the food, the accomodation and the game drives were some of the best we have experienced in Africa. We will definitely be going back
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Date of stay: April 2024
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Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Just enjoy every single minute!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steph Naidoo Fernandes, Marketing at Robin Pope Safaris
Responded 2 weeks ago
Dear Gaz0209 Many thanks for all your wonderful reviews about your stay with us! We appreciate the time you have taken and will be sure to pass on this lovely feedback to our teams on the ground. Looking forward to having you back! All the best Steph & The RPS Team
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Had a wonderful stay at the Mkulamadzi Lodge. Beautiful setting, gorgeous rooms, warm and friendly staff, very knowledgeable safari guide and lodge director. Helped me understand the history of the area, the habits of the wildlife, the challenges of dealing with things like cyclones! Booking was also very easy, with communicative and responsive staff. Great experience!
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Date of stay: August 2022
Value
Cleanliness
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Steph Naidoo Fernandes, Marketing at Robin Pope Safaris
Responded Sep 11, 2022
Dear Mark Delighted to hear you had such a great time at Mkulumadzi Lodge and thank you for taking the time to post some feedback about your stay! We really appreciate it. Conrad and the team will also be thrilled that you appreciate their hospitality. Majete is a very special area so i am glad it's history was explained as it really is a phenomenal story! We hope you will be back one day soon! Until then, keep well and take care Steph & the RPS Team
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I had a solo trip to Luangwa River Camp and Nkwali camp in Zambia at the end of April/early May 2024.
I stayed for 8 days in total and had a fantastic time.
It just happened that when I was travelling there were few other people in the camp and so I had a safari vehicle to myself a lot of the time. Kiki kindly arranged for me to have the same driver, Sebastian, for the duration of my trip. The sunrises were special and small boat trip set the day up well.
I was very lucky to see leopards, wild dogs, small pride of lions and hippos galore! Herds of elephants and a few towers of giraffes would also keep me busy with my camera.
The accommodation was excellent and food splendid.
I asked for a school visit and also trip to a local community shop which was arranged with no hassle and was enlightening.
I think that they will try and accommodate any requests and were such pleasant people - from housekeeping, operations, driver, spotters, boat driver - I have such fond memories and an amazing array of photos!
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Date of stay: April 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
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Trip type: Traveled solo
Room Tip:Â Expect 5.15am starts to your day. Both locations require walking down a bank to the boat so be...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
There are more places to choose from in the South Luangwa National Park area.
LOCATION
ZambiaSouth Luangwa National Park
NUMBER OF ROOMS
65
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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