Carmines River Lodge

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Carmines River Lodge Carmines River Lodge is set to debut in June 2026 in Zambia’s South Luangwa Valley. In-room spa treatments and children’s activities will also be available.

Carmines River Lodge is a brand new luxury safari lodge which will initially comprise just three exclusive two-bedroomed villas overlooking the river - opening October 2026 in Zambia's magnificent South Luangwa Valley. The lodge takes its name from the world’s largest carmine bee eater colony located directly opposite the property on the Luangwa Wafwa. Located within the Valley of the Leopards, the lodge is set on a private 21.8 hectare island between two rivers with regular sightings of elephants, big cats and wild dogs for guests. The property is less than 10 minutes from South Luangwa National Park and 20 minutes from the Nsefu Game Reserve. The lodge will feature three elevated two-bedroom villas initially catering for 12 guests (up to 18 with additional beds). Each villa will be tucked among ebony trees and designed for privacy and minimal environmental impact. Each villa will boast a private deck and plunge pool, two spacious bedrooms with freestanding baths and indoor/outdoor showers. One of the villas is fully equipped for guests with mobility challenges, offering lift access and direct level pathways to all areas. Guests will also have access to personal hosts and private guides leading activities in new six-seater game vehicles with each villa allocated a dedicated vehicle. Activities include night drives, walking safaris and photographic experiences, supported by an on-site photographic studio and Canon camera equipment available for loan. The main lodge features indoor and outdoor dining areas, a boma and fire pit, an infinity pool, w**e room, boutique, gym and media room that doubles as an educational space. A greenhouse will supply fresh produce for the lodge’s kitchens including a separate pastry and halal kitchen. Watch this space for updates and please give us a follow? For any travel trade queries please contact Travel Promoters and for any PR enquiries please contact Umlingo Travel PR.

Exciting news! Work is progressing at a significant pace after the rainy season with the construction of our 3 initial ...
06/05/2026

Exciting news! Work is progressing at a significant pace after the rainy season with the construction of our 3 initial villas completed.

Work is also well underway in the main lodge areas and it’s so rewarding to see how the landscaping is taking shape, as the lodge blends in with its breathtaking surroundings.

Our new game vehicles have also arrived on site, ready for safaris and a highly selective recruitment process is underway ensuring that our lodge will have only the best experienced guides and passionate individuals equipped to deliver an outstanding experience on the ground.

Without any further delays or unforeseen hold ups, our new Carmines River Lodge is on target for an operational check and soft opening next month, with bookings welcome from 15 July 2026 onwards.

We will continue to share updates and images as the work is completed and look forward to welcoming the trade for site inspections as soon as possible.

If anyone needs the Rack Rates, fact sheets and the launch brochure please reach out to Travel Promoters Ltd on [email protected].
Media should reach out to Umlingo

Zambia Tourism Visit Zambia Ltd Zambiatourism.com

Emerald green, cinnamon red, and a dash of white on the face—meet the stunning White-fronted Bee-eater of South Luangwa!...
05/05/2026

Emerald green, cinnamon red, and a dash of white on the face—meet the stunning White-fronted Bee-eater of South Luangwa! 🌿✨

These vibrant birds turn the Luangwa Riverbanks into a buzzing community, known for their incredible teamwork and cooperative breeding 🤝.

Watching them dive for insects and return to their sandy tunnels is pure bush magic.

📸 Carmines River Lodge


Fun Facts about Thornicroft’s giraffe 🦒 🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒Here’s what makes them special:🌿 Thornicroft’s giraffes are a disti...
18/03/2026

Fun Facts about Thornicroft’s giraffe
🦒 🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒🦒

Here’s what makes them special:

🌿 Thornicroft’s giraffes are a distinctive
endemic sub species of giraffe found ONLY in the Luangwa Valley in eastern Zambia.

🌿 They are completely isolated from other giraffe populations by natural barriers like the Luangwa River, which has limited their gene flow over thousands of years.

🌿 Their coats have large, irregular, star-shaped patches with creamy backgrounds. The pattern looks more ragged and scribbled compared to the cleaner shapes of Masai or Rothschild’s giraffes.

🌿 They often appear a bit paler overall, especially in strong Luangwa sunlight.
They were named Giraffa camelopardalis thornicrofti after British commissioner Harry Scott Thornicroft, who worked in the region in the early 1900s.

🌿 They thrive in the riverine woodlands and mopane forests typical of South Luangwa.

🌿 They are browsers and love feasting on acacia and other trees, using their long tongues to strip leaves from the regions most other animals cannot reach. They don’t even seem to mind the thorns!

🌿 You’ll often see them moving in groups, collectively known as journeys or towers, especially along the riverbanks. Nothing beats that sunset giraffe silhouette!

🌿 Whilst their population is relatively small (a few thousand individuals) they are thankfully considered stable thanks to strong protection within South Luangwa and surrounding reserves.

🌿 Because they exist in such a limited range, they are quite vulnerable to habitat change or disease outbreaks. So we protect them fiercely!

Guests at Carmines River Lodge should see a lot of these beautiful endemic giraffes in the area surrounding the lodge.

Definitely one for the “safari specials” bucket list!

Our sales and marketing representatives Travel Promoters Ltd have had a busy week at the Celebrate Africa Workshops in t...
13/03/2026

Our sales and marketing representatives Travel Promoters Ltd have had a busy week at the Celebrate Africa Workshops in the Cotswolds and London, updating the trade on our latest developments.

Each year, during the dry season in Zambia’s South Luangwa, thousands of southern Carmine Bee‑eaters return to the Luang...
12/03/2026

Each year, during the dry season in Zambia’s South Luangwa, thousands of southern Carmine Bee‑eaters return to the Luangwa River to nest - transforming the skies into a living, swirling cloud of crimson and turquoise.

Their nesting colonies stretch for hundreds of metres along the sandy river banks, a constant blur of wings and activity as they excavate burrows and feed their chicks.

Whilst this region of Zambia is great to visit all year round, if you time your visit for August – November you can watch one of Africa’s most dazzling wildlife events unfold just metres away, as our new lodge is located opposite the world’s largest colony of these Carmines, close to us along the Luangwa Wafwa.

Of course our lodge has been named in honour of these magnificent birds — and inspired our avian theme throughout.

Our new camp construction is coming along beautifully ahead of our soft launch in June and we are eagerly anticipating welcoming our first official guests in July.


Travel Promoters Ltd Umlingo Zambia Tourism Visit Zambia 🇿🇲�

We are being proudly represented at ITB in Berlin this week by Travel Promoters Ltd on the ATTA - African Travel & Touri...
04/03/2026

We are being proudly represented at ITB in Berlin this week by Travel Promoters Ltd on the ATTA - African Travel & Tourism Association stand in Africa hall 20.

Please visit Ailsa & Leanne so they can update you on all things Carmines River Lodge.

One of our favourite birds here in the South Luangwa valley is the iconic Lilac-breasted roller 💜We are lucky to see a l...
25/02/2026

One of our favourite birds here in the South Luangwa valley is the iconic Lilac-breasted roller 💜

We are lucky to see a lot of them in the area where we are building our new lodge.

They truly are magnificent!

Often spotted on a dry tree stump or branch, both males and females boast a vibrant colour palate including the lilac-purple chests, combined with vivid blues, greens, and turquoise across its wings and tail. Even better - when they take flight you get a flash of electric blue from under their wings! No little brown jobs here!

They are also famous for their acrobatic “rolling” flight displays, which they show off during courtship or to mark their territory.

They feed on insects, reptiles & even scorpions. 🦂

They tend to live in loyal, monogamous pairs during breeding season. Just another reason to love them! 🩷

Seen one on safari? Please share your photos in the comments below?

The South Luangwa National Park is renowned for its abundant elephant population. The Luangwa River, one of Africa’s l...
17/02/2026

The South Luangwa National Park is renowned for its abundant elephant population. The Luangwa River, one of Africa’s last remaining undammed major rivers, winds through the park in sweeping curves, forming sandbanks, islands and oxbow lagoons that become vital watering holes.

Our new lodge is being built on one of these islands, perfectly located between the Luangwa River and the Msandile tributary, nearby to the Wafwa Oxbow lagoon.

Some of the local elephants paid us a visit this week to see how its progressing. Isn't this curious calf too beautiful?

Zambia Tourism Proflight Zambia South luangwa national park latest sightings
Travel Promoters Ltd Umlingo

“Spotted” in South Luangwa…The construction of our three beautiful new villas at Carmines River Lodge is progressing as ...
09/02/2026

“Spotted” in South Luangwa…

The construction of our three beautiful new villas at Carmines River Lodge is progressing as planned despite the seasonal rains, and the team on the ground is enjoying regular sightings of various leopards in the area - who are also clearly curious about the developments in this incredible spot in Zambia.

Our location is truly living up to its name as the Valley of Leopards!

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Carmines River Lodge
Lusaka

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