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Overview
Why we love Ila Safari Lodge
Key Features
When to Visit
Ila Safari Lodge Tours
Rates/Bookings

Ila Safari Lodge is the first lodge in Zambia to have both an electric powered Land Rover and boat, built using sandbags and entirely powered by the sun. An incredible example of how lodges should be operating sustainably and therefore reducing their footprint. With 10 tented chalets and only a 3-hour drive from Lusaka, it is the perfect combination of remote wilderness and luxurious comfort. The lodge is set in the game management area (GMA) a few Kilometers outside the national park with a number of regular visitors (lions, elephant, hippo & more) venturing outside of the park to visit Ila Safari Lodge.

“Ila is a leading example in the industry of modern ecotourism and sustainability with solar powered boats and electric cars (run through solar power) you can see how small a footprint we can truly make!”

– Mike, August 2018 –

Environmentally conscious

Ila Safari lodge is relatively new having opened in 2016 and has a strong focus on eco tourism and sustainability. The lodge’s 10 rooms are all made from locally sourced wood and the vehicles and boats are both electric! Running on solar power it means you can have an almost silent drive – perfect for sneaking up close to the animals! Gently cruise down the river listening to only the sounds of the birds calling, hippos honking and the elephant as they splash around in the river. A leader in the field of sustainability it is a great starting point to explore Kafue.

Location

Set on the banks of the Kafue River in the centre of the park it is just off the main road, which is useful when coming from Lusaka as it is just a short 3-hour drive. It is an extremely comfortable lodge with a gorgeous infinity pool overlooking the river. There are regular animal sightings in camp, from large herds of elephant and buffalo to lions roaring through the night. Awake to footprints around your tent as you charge off in the electric vehicle to see if they have wondered far! Although in a main area of the park it still feels very wild. The rooms are spacious and luxurious with indoor and outdoor bathrooms. All are built on raised wooden platforms with your own private decking so you can sit, relax and enjoy the views between activities.

Guides

The guides at Ila are very good. Whilst Kafue is not one of the better-known parks and often overlooked, the wildlife here is ever-increasing and the guiding at Ila is good. We all know a good guide can make or break a trip and we were very happy with the standard at Ila. From spotting birds down the river on the boat to lions from the car and tracking game on foot, the guides here are very well versed in the region.

LOW Season: 3 – 29 Jan, 3 Mar – 30 Jun & 1 Nov – 22 Dec (excl. Easter 7-11 Apr)

HIGH Season: 7 – 11 Apr, 1 Jul – 31 Oct & 23 Dec – 2 Jan

CLOSED: 30 Jan – 2 Mar

———

Nov-Apr:

  • Lush green scenery and best sunsets
  • Flowers, birds and baby animals galore
  • Few tourists
  • Cheaper rates

May-Jun:

  • Beautiful green scenery after rains
  • Fantastic photography opportunities
  • Dry weather
  • Mild temperatures

Jul-Oct:

  • Dry scenery, best for spotting game
  • Abundant wildlife – fewer water sources
  • Warm/hot temperatures
  • Prime time for walking safaris

The Instagrammable Itinerary

The Kafue Explorer

Category Ranges:
$: USD 0 – USD250/pppn
$$: USD 251 – USD600/pppn
$$$: USD 601 – USD1,000/pppn
$$$$: USD1,001+/pppn

The price categories give you an idea of the nightly cost per person for this accommodation.

  • Truly the Pride of Kafue

    Our stay at ILA lodge was wonderful in every way, The tents and the general facilities are well thought through, allowing for a very comfortable stay, The activities, including the game drives and the river cruise, are very well managed. Our guide, Moses, combined method and intuition to find special mammals and birds, including a leopard couple, two African wild cats, bush babies and a long list of other species. The lunch on the Kafue River, on the electric boat, with hippos splashing around us and elephants bathing near the river shore was only one of many highlights.

    wilhelmusgjanssen
  • Utterly fabulous and stunningly beautiful

    We wanted an experience of a lifetime and we certainly got one, staying five nights at Ila Lodge. It is, without doubt, the most luxurious and glorious place to stay. Our “tent” was a slice of paradise, nestling on the banks of the Kafue river, replete with resident Hippos who paid nightly visits! During the course of our stay we had three boat trips on the electric boat, two lunches and one sunset cruise and all were magical, but the highlight was seeing a Mother Cheetah, with two cubs, in the wild! That was truly special. Our guide, Joe, was extraordinary.

    Lilith1962
  • Another wonderful adventure, Zambian Style

    The Park put up a show beyond our greatest expectations. From the time you make your inquiry to the day you check out, the service is fantastic. The accommodation was wonderful , food as expected, nice and to add to this there was added exhilaration of an elephant terrorizing the grounds and charging down a few people. The activities were well planned and sightings were excellent. If the first thing you see on a drive is a leopard, that pretty much sets the pace for the stay.

    chipilic
See More Tripadvisor Reviews

Fast Facts

  • Location: Kafue National Park, Zambia
  • Internet connection:WiFi
  • Fans/Air ConFans
  • Number of rooms:10 luxury safari tents
  • Child policy:Children of all ages are welcome
  • Swimming poolYes

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