Tembo Plains Camp is tucked away into a thick riverine forest on the edge of the Zambezi River, in the private 128,000-hectare Sapi Private Reserve, East of Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park.
Tembo Plains Camp and the 2-bedroomed Zanji Suite at Tembo Plains fit into our highest camp-level offering, the Réserve Collection of camps. Fellow Réserve Collection camps include Zarafa Camp, Selinda Camp, Duba Plains in Botswana, Mara Nyika Camp, Mara Plains Camp and ol Donyo Lodge in Kenya. It is also a proud member of Relais & Châteaux – the only luxury Zimbabwean safari camp currently with this honour.
Tembo Plains, meaning “Elephant Plains” is built in the thick riverine forest on the edge of the Zambezi River, in the private 128,000 hectare Sapi Reserve, which is just east of Zimbabwe’s Mana Pools National Park.
What makes Tembo Plains Camp’s design genuinely unique is the combination of canvas and stone walls, an architectural reference to the Zimbabwe Ruins. Outside this packstone wall design continues along the back of the guest accommodation, affording guests greater privacy whilst leaving uninterrupted views of Zambezi river flowing just meters away.
Painted dogs (wild dogs), lions and leopards are seen increasingly whilst buffalo, and of course, elephants, which are often seen daily in front of the camp.
Activities include canoeing and boating on the Zambezi River and guided wildlife viewing drives in open vehicles and walks.
Offering 4 luxury tented suites, Tembo Plains Camp offers guests the choice of 4 double or twin bed configuration suites, each with their own private indoor lounge area and outdoor swimming pool, veranda and outdoor dining area. All rooms enjoy expansive en-suite bathroom facilities including indoor baths, showers and double vanities.
Guided walks are led by licensed guides with firearm training.
Enjoy moments where wildlife congregate along the Zambezi River to drink and marvel at the setting of the African sun through the trees. The safari experiences on offer will certainly appeal to any safari guest who is looking to truly enjoy and partake in the excitement of wildlife viewing game drives, boating and canoeing or tracking and exploring the interior of the private reserve, being one of Africa’s remote wilderness areas.
Whilst you traverse the diverse terrain of the Sapi Reserve, discover the legendary Mtawatawa pan, encounter some of Africa’s largest wildlife species by vehicle or on foot whilst continually learning more about this incredible ecosystem. The opportunity to view Africa’s animals and birdlife with the water activities on offer including canoeing or boating is special indeed.
The reserve has a large array of baobab trees, one of which is believed to be the final resting place for an eclectic mix of personal paraphernalia of Chief Chikwenya including bows, arrows, and spears. The tree itself is estimated to be twelve hundred odd years old and has rotted within providing a voluminous hollow inside the bark walls.
We use custom-built, open Toyota Land Cruisers specially designed for our conditions and photography, including fold-down windscreens, raised roofs, photographic bars, and multi-plug inverters. Each of the Land Cruisers is fully stocked with reference books, drinks, and snacks. Guests have the opportunity to experience up-close encounters with elephants, lions, leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, buffalo, eland, zebra, and other ungulate species. This is a prime bird-watching country, and opportunities abound for guests to spot resident and migrant species, especially in the early morning and late afternoons.
The focus of your stay is centred around exploration and adventure. Many activities involve day and night wildlife viewing drives and walking with some canoeing and excellent boating opportunities on the Zambezi River.
