Lotri Bay | Established Campground

December 28th, 2023 by ambassadorsoffreedom.com

We visited when the rain season started. No issues with our 4x4. In the wet season it's required though.

Had a lovely stay, and can really recommend the Escarpment Bush walk. absolutely wonderful.

Bruce and Marlene can help supply firewood and charcoal. Afterwards we took the d500 route to Livingstone. Beautiful scenic road with some tricky - bridge washed away - parts. Nevertheless all doable in Rain season :)

October 31st, 2023 by ivoenmischa

We LOVED our stay at Lotri Bay. This beautiful estate has it all; the lake, the mountains, small and big animals, a large pool at the campsite, a fenced pool in the river.
Bruce and Marlene let us stay in the chalet since they had a school at the campsite, which also had a plunge pool. They provided drinking water, fire wood, and we bought some Jappies (similar to shrimps), which were very yummi!
During the day, we did the hike across the ridge and gorge, a total of about 8km, a lovely hike, just right for our kids (age 7 and 9) as well, with beautiful views.
We highly recommend this place!

October 30th, 2023 by justaroadtrip

No problems at all to contact them (whatsapp). They replied very fast and accurately and they were in time to open the gate when we arrived.
It's a beautiful spot at the bay. Staff is very friendly. The main house is a bit far from the campsite but they bring you everything you need, like cold drinks and freshly baked bread. There is enough shade, the pool in the lake is very nice and the ablutions are clean. The road is probably quite tough after heavy rains.

October 26th, 2023 by friedasadventures

Wow - what a beautiful place. Right on the bay with great views of the water and surrounding hills. Shady places. Fenced pool in the lake. Modern and clean Ablutions. Zebras walk across the campsite and in the evening you can hear the Hippos and enjoy a beautiful Sunset. Very friendly owners and staff.

September 30th, 2023 by Amelia#lc

Well we tried really hard to visit, called, emailed, WhatsApp with no response from anyone. So be sure to start getting hold of someone days before you want to go. A little frustrated at the lack of response. We decided to go anyway hoping that we would get to where there’s signal and call again…nothing!!! Not really sure what more effort you need to make to get to a place. Quite frankly it’s shouldn’t be that difficult to contact a camp to go and stay. Good luck!!!!!!

August 1st, 2023 by mlperkins1980

Great place to stay on Kariba. The last bit of the road is bumpy but nothing compared to much of Zambia and well worth it. Near some local fishing villages so can hear some music at night. Zebra and sable on the land.
Let Bruce and Marlene know you’re coming in advance so they can open the gate. There is no signal nearby!
Nice hikes around campsite, sunset cruise with some snacks for $25pp. Nice pool as well As crocodile proof lake pool which we didn’t use. Canoes available, netball and volleyball pitch.
We planned to camp but as the camping was full they offered us the Mopani chalet-double room with lovely open plan bathroom, mosquito’s nets all around, kitchen well equipped, braii, fire etc. all impeccably clean. They even came with extra mattresses for the kids.
Frankson lit fires, provided firewood, washed the dishes and made the beds which made camping that much easier!!
The campsite looked great too. Right by the lake and with individual ablutions.
$12pppn as with much of Zambia. A place I’d definitely return and suggest others do too.

June 28th, 2023 by Henk vd Walt

Stunning campsite run by South Africans Marlene and Bryan.
Big rig friendly and grassed campsite with lots of shade, swimming pool and "croc proof" pool in the Lake. The sunsets is amazing here.

June 26th, 2023 by leonisw69

This is such a lovely place. Been to some nice camping sites in Zimbabwe and Mvuu in Zambia. Our second campsite in Zambia and this so far tick of all the boxes.

June 25th, 2023 by Gangsta_mobile

Wow! What a gem of a place and great hosts! Wish we had time to stay longer. Zebra roaming through camp, a swimming cage in the bay, shady trees and we went with to see the animals being fed in the morning. You do need to phone before getting to gate. No reception at gate and it's a bit of a way from camp.

June 17th, 2023 by Overlanderdream

Everything as described below. A great campsite with clean and quality ablutions and an amazing view and sunset. There is a sheltered kitchen including gas stove and oven (!).You can canoe on the lake, swim in the croc free cage, take a hike or just explore the area since there’s no predator game around. You’ll find zebras, impala and sable antilope. We stayed 3 nights and would have stayed longer if we had the time. If you’re in the area a must visit!

Price $10pppn

May 20th, 2023 by nickianddave

our second stop here, we visited with friends and it is still as lovely and peaceful as before. We swam in the cage pool and did the escarpment and gorge hike. Firepit each night and 10 USD pppn

April 30th, 2023 by antalleke

Spent a pleasant 2 nights here. Campsite is super well maintained, friendly staff and owners. The whole place is well maintained and continuously being invested in, now they are building a rock pool as well! Hot donkey, bit of 3g with Airtel if you have a good antenna, $ 10pppn , kids to 12 free. All in all one of the best places we have stayed at so far! Can do it with a big rig but it will take some time to get there and might get another scratch 😂

April 25th, 2023 by De Chapa em Chapa

This is definitely an amazing place. Amazing sunset and one of the best Campsite we've come across in our trip so far.
Perfect showers and spotless ablutions.
Loved the hiking trails.
The place might be very busy on weekends.

Talk to Marlene (+260 975 84 84 8) to settle a price and let them know you're coming.

We spent 3 nights here and we left thinking it could be so much longer. 😅

September 5th, 2022 by julia

Such a lovely Mail place in a nice bay! Our campsite was directly at the water. Zebras came to feed on the grass. We enjoyed canoeing, swimming in the cave and relaxing at the shady place. In the evenings we ordered dinner and hat phantastic yabbies and bream. The owners are so friendly and helpful. We could have stayed longer. 5 stars!!!

September 3rd, 2022 by on-the-road-again.nl

Really nice spot, directly on the shore of the lake. beautiful view and sunsets. We enjoyed the possibility to do some hiking again after long days on the road. Zebras coming to graze every evening. Bruce and Marlene are such nice people and very welcoming. They even ask if you need anything when they go for groceries. Activities like sunsetcruise, canoeing and hiking make you want to stay longer. Good to know they sometimes accommodate groups from schools to camp. If that's not your thing, check with them beforehand.

July 27th, 2022 by nickianddave

wow what a fabulous campsite. Bruxe, Marlene and the team are wonderful hosts, so friendly and helpful. The campsites are large and level with a firepit and dishwasher facilities. showers and toilets are lovely and clean with hot hot and powerful water. There is also a brand new kitchen area with fridge and cooking facilities and communal eating area. Activities include kayaking, hiking (beautiful hikes over the escarpment with a view over Lake Kariba) swimming in Croc cage pool, sunset boat cruise with delicious snacks, game viewing (zebras visit the campsite) beautiful sable to photograph. Phone reception is limited but who cares when a place is this beautiful and an excellent reason to run up the hill to catch up on messages....especially if you have eaten one of marlene's Wood fired pizzas which are delivered to your campsite!! we stayed 5 nights..

July 24th, 2022 by michrens12

amazing camp site! beautiful view over the lake, nice hiking trails around the lake but also good to just relax.
we experienced some of the finest hospitality from the staff, we were sad to leave

July 19th, 2022 by uyospassengers

Beautiful campsite with great view on the lake. We enjoyed the activities offered on site : hiking, canoeing,… It is a nice and relaxing place. The staff is really careful. We highly recommend!

June 10th, 2022 by siobhanshy

Five Million Stars! One million for the campsite. One million for the view of Lake Kariba. One million for the bathrooms. One million for the staff and management - thank you Test and Marilyn for your kindness. One million for Abby for an absolutely stunning sunset boat cruise including some soooo tasty river yabbi - oh my what a sunset. One million for the zebra who came to munch the lawn. Another million for the view of the stars. (Clearly I can’t count) Another million for the call of the Fish Eagles echoing off the cliffs.

The road was a little rough but fine. The campsite we choose was right next to the Lake under a stunning tamarind tree. The grass is lush and kept fairly short by the resident zebra. The bathrooms are just lovely - plenty of hot water and very clean and very stylish. The boat cruise in the late afternoon is a must - it’s so interesting to see the long-dead mopane trees poking out of the lake with water birds perched on them. Abby the guide timed the re-entry into Lotri Bay perfectly just as the sun was going down - I have ran out of superlatives to describe sunsets so I hope you enjoy the pics. I would really recommend Lotri Bay for camping or lodging - the Treetops looks just lovely and the chalets look well appointed. It’s always nice to have someone bring firewood and light the fire at the right time for perfect coals to cook on. Even in the almost middle of winter the birding was good and there are a number of pairs of tropical boubou that make their home in the campsite.

January 2nd, 2022 by n.de.froidmont

We stayed 3 nights at Lotri bay campsite. We enjoyed every moment: hikes with beautiful views, canoeing on the lake, caged pool, beautiful sunset, zebras grassing on the camp, very quiet nights, beautiful ablutions and most of all very nice Managers (Bruce & Marlene) and staff ! Only one inconvenience : no power available on the camp. Definitely recommend this place.

January 1st, 2022 by webinfo123

Very scenic campsite with lots of things to do. Walking, canoeing, swimming in crocodile free cage, fishing, etc. The owners and staff are very nice, caring and helpful.

We paid US$10 per night for an spot.
You can buy fire wood and on request you can also get dinner delivered at your tent.

November 15th, 2021 by samgdickinson

Really chilled spot along Lake Kariba. The resident zebras, free canoes and hiking trails were a real highlight for us. Would also recommend the sunset boat cruise with really tasty snacks and stunning views! Bruce and Marlene are extremely welcoming, and keen for everyone to have as peaceful a stay as possible. The other staff including Test also looked after us really well (he even did our washing and cleaned our car whilst we were out hiking!). The ablutions were newly built and some of the nicest we have seen since arriving here.

October 8th, 2021 by African Landers

Wow! A discovering just next to Lake Kariba with a nice project of reintroduction of animals. We sleep next to zebras, and with views to the lake. The place have a lot of shade, good showers, braai and a very beautiful swimming pool. You can also go with a canoe in the lake or take a boat during the sunset. A beautiful place to unwind during some days. Marlene and Bruce are very nice hosts. You can contact directly with them at +260975684848

September 22nd, 2021 by CapeTown2China

Most wonderful place. All the amazing things mentioned by others is true.

Sooooo worth it

September 19th, 2021 by Instagram: @savannatales

Amazing place for a great value : caged swimming pool in the lake, zebras grazing around, 7 very large grassy, partially shaded spots with individual open air cold shower, brai and dish place. Nice collective ablution block with hot shower and flush toilets. Very helpful and friendly staff providing wood, potable water and even ice cubes on request. Free canoeing. But : no phone and internet coverage and no electricity. The one photo of a tent on the cliff is misleading, the campsite is at the beach.

June 16th, 2021 by frank.daubenton

If you are reading this review, drop everything and drive straight to Lotri Bay! If it's not on your planned route, change your plans! If you are not even coming to Zambia... add it as a country just to come here. Firstly, the staff are incredible. Frankson and Test will light a fire for you (morning and night) and they will do your dishes. Alex took our boys fishing! The campsite has the most beautiful view of the lake (bay), it's grassy, and has the most stunning sunsets every evening. The ablutions are clean and the water is piping hot all day long. We caught bream in the lake. There are lovely hiking trails with a view of the bay entrance and across lake Kariba. There are Zebra (who visit the camp and eat the grass), sable and impala on the property. All this for only $10 a day for our whole family. We also did a fishing trip by but for $25 and a sunset cruise for $25 per adult (kids were free!).

April 6th, 2021 by riekertb

We stayed here 2 nights. For us this was spectacular. Beautiful, quiet, well kept, while receiving spectacular hospitality from the staff (Franksen, Test, and Kefas) and the managers (Bruce and Marlene). The zebras were feeding around us the entire time. Beautiful views over the lake. Would recommend this place to anyone.

July 5th, 2020 by jcgvdb

We stayed on this nice campsite with a group of friends on the long weekend. Very good and clean ablutions, a dishwash area and a nice fire/braai spot. We hired one of the sailing boats and hiked up the mountain for the best view over the lake! You can also go on a sunset boat cruise. Zebras wonder around the green grass on the campsite.

We payed £5,- pppn.(firewood included) £25,- for two hours of sailing + £5 every extra hour.
Not a lot of money for such a nice place!

March 13th, 2020 by joepvanhaaren1990

This place is AMAZING!! It's a beautiful spot next to the bay of Lake Kariba. When camping zebras will visit you and keep you company. If you're lucky you'll see some hippos as well. Ablutions are very clean, showers have hot water. Each campsite has a cold shower, braai area and a sink with running water (not drinkable, but okay for doing dishes etc). There is a swimmingcaged, canoe, small game reserve, sunset bootcruise and a bush walk with an awesome view over Lake Kariba. $10 per site (max amount 2 people).

For non campers there is a luxurious treehouse lodge, sleeps 4. With full on ensuite bathroom, kitchen and private swimming pool. $280 per night.

Reverse osmosis pure drinking water available.

You need a 4x4 to get to the gate of the campsite. Cellphone signal is quite poor, rather book in advance or give them a call (preferbly via WhatsApp due to poor signal of management team) whilst on the road.

Management: +260 96 7330401
Bruce: +260 97 4775477

December 21st, 2019 by rossandjessemail

A remote location with zebra munching on the grass next to you whilst you have your morning cup of coffee!
We had the whole camp to ourselves and it was a lovely space to take a day off.

Fun ablutions with hot water and a cool caged pool in the bay.

However, in December, the stifling heat meant that the flies were rampant, so beware!

October 29th, 2018 by roxyandtommyontheroad.com

Let me share with you the discover of this amazing place along the Kariba lake!
Open since one year, but not yet officially, Lotri Bay is the perfect spot on Kariba shore: Mountain to claim, gorge to explore, Kayak to experiment, game viewing, hike, bivouac, swimming in a cage crocodile proof...
Visit this place.
You need a four wheel drive and to contact the manager, Bruce (+260 97 4775477) as the gate is locked for the animals not to leave.