Before sunrise, monkeys cross the canvas above the bed. A butler arrives with Zambian coffee. Then a boat slips onto the Kafue River, and whatever a safari was supposed to feel like gets quietly revised.
Anantara Tented Camp Kafue River is open inside Kafue National Park — Zambia’s oldest and largest national park — roughly four hours by road from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka. The property offers nine pool villas, three treetop Horizon Terrace Suites, and a Presidential Villa, with rates reported by Travel + Leisure starting at $6,300 per night, all-inclusive. This is what remote luxury looks like in 2026.
Eleven Feet Off the Ground, Entirely Off the Grid
Structures raised above the bush allow wildlife to move freely beneath — a conservation ethic made literal in timber and canvas.
Every structure is elevated above the ground so animals can pass beneath the property undisturbed. The three Horizon Terrace Suites sit at treetop level, their rooftops available for private barbecues or sleeping under open sky. Interiors reportedly blend African patterns, woven textiles, rustic oak floors, and curved contemporary furniture. Each villa is said to include:
- A private plunge pool
- Steam shower
- Gas fireplace
- Starlink Wi-Fi
- Binoculars
- Polaroid-style cameras for game drives
- A private spa treatment room overlooking the river
Nothing about the guest experience signals deprivation.
What to Know Before You Book:
- Rates start at approximately $6,300 per night, all-inclusive; rates may vary by season, availability, and booking conditions
- Guests must be 12 or older
- Four hours by road from Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, Lusaka
- All villas except the Horizon Terrace Suites reportedly wheelchair-accessible; confirm directly with the camp
- Part of Minor Hotels; participates in the Minor Discovery loyalty program
Crocodile Stew, Zambian Gin, and a Bull Elephant at the Bank
Luzuba Harvestry‘s menu moves between familiar comfort food and something considerably more adventurous.
Breakfast at Luzuba Harvestry covers eggs Benedict and avocado toast alongside Zambian air-dried game biltong and smoked river fish. Dinner reportedly includes game pot stew prepared with crocodile, kudu, or impala, and African polony made with wild orchid tubers and nuts over tomato salsa — treat these as reported menu examples rather than guaranteed fixtures. Meals can be taken in the villa, on a boat, or out in the bush. Twalumba Bar & Lounge serves Zambian gin cocktails and South African wines beside fire pits.
Four Land Cruisers and four boats run safaris across a park that attracts far fewer visitors than the more familiar East African circuit. According to Travel + Leisure’s first reported stay, guests encountered hippos, crocodiles, monkeys, elephants, and substantial birdlife — including a bull elephant observed close to the riverbank at dawn. That moment, quiet and enormous, captures what Kafue has long offered travelers willing to seek it out.
At $6,300 a night, Anantara is making a considered wager that the right travelers will find this stretch of Zambia. Based on the first reports arriving from the river, that wager appears well-placed — and for those who value genuine remoteness alongside genuine comfort, Kafue may finally be worth the detour.
