Activities and experiences
Explore Chichele Presidential
Below Chichele Hill lies the birthplace of the walking safari. Every walk, drive, and slow afternoon here is shaped by the valley.
- Walking Safaris
- Game Drives
- Rim-Flow Pool
- Spa and Wellness
- Birdwatching
Wildlife
Where Zambia's greatest safari moments unfold.Follow game trails on foot, set out on drives at first light and after dark, or watch elephant, Thornicroft's giraffe and Crawshay's zebra gather along the Luangwa River below Chichele Hill. From Chichele Presidential, the whole valley is your field of view.
Wildlife
Game Drives
They call the South Luangwa the Valley of the Leopard, and at first light, following fresh tracks into the ebony groves below the hill, you begin to see why. Out on the floodplain, Thornicroft's giraffe, Cookson's wildebeest, and Crawshay's zebra drift through the grass.
Afternoons end with sundowners as the Luangwa turns gold, then a red-filtered spotlight leads you home, perhaps past a leopard setting out to hunt.
Wildlife
Walking Safaris
South Luangwa is where the walking safari began, and setting out on foot is still the closest you will come to the valley. Walks leave in the cool of the morning, last two to three hours, and are led by your guide with an armed scout from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife. Walking safaris are open to guests aged 12 and over.
Family Experiences
Chichele Cubs
Chichele Cubs is our children's programme for young explorers aged 4 to 11, built around the five senses. Children taste, touch, smell, listen, and look their way through the bush with nature walks around the lodge, tracking, bushcraft, crafts, storytelling, and baking. Every Cub receives a backpack and a Chichele Cubs Passport, stamped as each activity is completed.
Wildlife
Birding Safaris
More than 400 bird species have been recorded in South Luangwa, from carmine bee-eaters nesting in the riverbanks to racket-tailed rollers in the woodland.
Spa & Wellness
Restored by the valleyWellbeing on Chichele Hill is shaped by the land around it, the light over South Luangwa, the stillness of the hilltop, and the easy pace of the hours between game drives. Here, slowing down comes naturally.
The Spa
Midday on Chichele Hill
When the valley settles into the midday heat, the spa comes into its own. Massages and facials are offered for individuals and couples in a dedicated treatment room, giving you the quietest part of the day between morning and afternoon game drives.
Pool, Gym & Yoga
Move With the Valley
Mornings start slowly on the pool deck, with yoga as the sun clears the distant hills and the floodplains turn from grey to gold. When the afternoon heat sets in, the rim-flow pool takes over, and for those who'd rather run than float, the gym shares the same view.
Dining
From the farm in Mfuwe to the table on the hill.Meals move around the lodge with the light, from breakfast by the fire to dinner under the stars.
Dining
Under Luangwa Skies
Breakfast is taken by the fire or on the dining deck, lunch brings mezze platters and wood-fired pizzas, and dinner moves around the lodge: the historic dining room, the boma, the lawn above the valley, or a bush dinner under the stars.
Community
Mfuwe, a short drive from the hill.Chichele's community partners are in and around Mfuwe village, a short drive from the hill, and visits are arranged on request.
Community
Village and Community
Visit the Tribal Textiles studio, meet the Mulberry Mongoose artisans who make jewellery from recovered snare wire, or spend time with Conservation South Luangwa or Project Luangwa. Visits are arranged on request.
