Sausage Tree Camp is reached by a 30 minute light aircraft fright from Lusaka to Jeki,an airstrip marked out on the dried sandbanks of the Zambezi floodplain. Alternatively, when the river floods Royal Airstrip just outside the LZ NP to the west can be used. In both cases the pilot overfly’s the  airstrip to check it is clear of animals and debris before landing.

 

The camp is situated 40 minutes drive upstream from the Airstrip, the drive provides  game spotting opportunity on the way. On most occasions, it is possible to also be  transferred by speedboat from the airstrip straight to the camp in only 15 minutes.

 

On arrive one of the things you notice is that the Sausage Tree that the camp was named after is no longer standing. This was washed away in 2001 when unusually high rains, meant that the Kariba Dam was opened causing the high water to wash the bank away. The tree however, sits on it’s side, in front of the main deck, offering a fantastic stopping off point for bee-eaters, giant kingfishers and home to many monitor lizards.

 

However, the  camp itself is fantastic. Set on the banks of a small Zambezi channel the camp looks out over more channels and reed and grass covered sandbanks towards the main river. From this magnificent viewpoint, it is possible to see hippo, buffalo and herds of elephants as they feed and wash.

 

Each Tent is Bedouin in style and white. These are spacious and roomy and each has an outside bathroom where you can watch the animals watch you.

 

Activities abound here, game drives, canoe trips, boat trips and fishing are all fantastic. There is nothing more relaxing than drifting down the Zambezi with a Gin & Tonic, watching the sun set behind the escarpment.

 

Elephants regularly visit the camp,  we have been trapped more than once (luckily in the bar) for a while while an elephants wandered around the camp. Other guests were trapped in their tents while breeding herds of elephants made their way to the river.

 

Sausage Tree is well situated to be twinned with the "Old Mondoro Bushcamp". We transferred between camps by canoeing for some 6 hours down the Zambezi. About half way we were met with a full silver service lunch setup on the river bank, providing much needed food & liquid sustenance before continuing our journey. This trip is not for the faint hearted as there are many hippos and crocs along the way....cries of 'Paddle faster Madame, paddle faster' were heard more than once on the trip.

 

In 2003, the BBC Top Ten Things, accolade (ST was No 1) adds to the "Best Safari Camp for Style" award from Harpers Abroad Magazine in 2002.