Flatdogs Camp

Hotel description

Dubbed the most “family friendly” camp in the South Luangwa National Park, Flatdogs Camp has built up a loyal following of international fly-in guests who feel that the camp’s accommodation and way of doing things suits them better. After so many years in tourism in the Luangwa, the camp has great experience, which they pride themselves in knowing how to look after the hospitality and needs of several different types of travelers. The camp is kept as natural as possible, as a result, large numbers of game find themselves quite at home wandering through the Flatdogsterritory! The camp has a pool, plenty of space for children and a children’s menu in the restaurant. A nanny/watchman service is also available for when it’s grown ups’ playtime.

For those who enjoy the more sociable aspects of life in the bush, the restaurant offers an a la carte menu of excellent food, while ice-cold beers and a tempting range of cocktails are available at the bar.

Room description

Flatdogs Camp offers a range of different accommodation options to suit all budgets and tastes, from private houses to family chalets and safari tents, there's something for everyone.

Accommodation options includes:

CROCODILE (CROC'S) NEST – 1 tented house with 2 bedrooms

The Croc Nest has been set on a deck looking onto the banks of the Luangwa River, so has lovely river views. This huge tented structure has been split into two en-suite tented bedrooms at either end of the house, both with either one king or two twin beds, with space for a third bed inside each bedroom if required. The two bedrooms both have semi-open air bathrooms with hot showers, flush toilets and basin. The bedrooms both lead into the living room/dining area in the middle of the house, which has sofas, soft chairs and a dining table as guests in the tented house will be welcome to eat privately at the house if they prefer. If a group or family of six wish to take the house then the extra beds can also be set up in this large living area rather than in each bedroom, depending on their preference. The living room and both bedrooms open onto an outside deck and sitting area, with views onto the Luangwa River. There is a private swimming pool built into the deck too, just for the house guests, which also looks onto the river. The house is on mains electricity so easy for charging camera batteries and other items as well as having electric fans and a fridge for cold drinks. Guests staying in the tented house will also have a private guide and their own safari vehicle so they can plan their activities depending on their particular interests.

JACKALBERRY TREEHOUSE - Open fronted treehouse with 2 bedrooms

Set in a private spot away from the rest of camp, the Jackalberry Tree House is a special treat indeed. The “house” is made up by three joined platforms built around three mature Mchenja trees (African Ebony or Jackalberry tree). There are two en-suite bedrooms with an open sitting/dining deck in-between them.

The bedroom platforms have romantic and rustic four poster beds (one queen and one king which can be split into two twin beds), open front walls and uninterrupted views of Africa. Each bedroom has an open air bathroom platform down a short flight of steps with hot shower, flush toilets and basin. A large sofa, armchairs and throw cushions are spread out on the middle deck for relaxing during the heat of the day and watching the game which wanders past the house, oblivious to your presence. There is also a dining table and chairs should guests prefer to dine at the house. A fridge and bar are provided in the Treehouse as well as tea and coffee-making facilities. A hand-held radio is provided, so that guests can call for a vehicle to bring them to the restaurant or bar, or in case there is a problem of any kind. Their safari guide will otherwise plan with them when they would like collecting from the house and their preferred activities.

The Tree-house is on mains electricity and has UK style 3-pin rectangular plug sockets for re-charging cameras or laptops. Giraffe, bushbuck, puku and elephant are commonly found all around the Treehouse and it is wonderful to wake to the sounds of elephant feeding below you or having a mud bath from the waterhole in front of the house.

CHALET ROOMS

The six regular chalet rooms are found in three separate buildings. Each chalet building has a downstairs double room with ensuite bathroom and an upstairs twin or triple room with their own private bathroom just downstairs. There are four main chalet buildings, each of which has two separate guest bedrooms; the downstairs room is a double room with ensuite and a verandah, the upstairs room is a twin or triple room with bathroom and verandah downstairs from the bedroom but entirely private. In between the 2 bedrooms is the small "kitchenette" where there is a fridge, kettle and tea/coffee making things. This works as an inter-connecting door for families so that kids can walk through to their parents room without having to go outside.

At the far end of camp, there is a larger family chalet which has three bedrooms in total but just two ensuite bathrooms - the two downstairs bedrooms are both ensuite - one room has a king bed and a single bed, the other has a king and a single or three single beds. There is also a kitchen area between the two bedrooms. There is a spiral staircase from the kitchen leading up to the "loft room", sitting area and upstairs viewing deck. The viewing deck looks out towards the Luangwa river, the perfect place to relax and watch the sun set... The loft room has two more single beds but has no ensuite bathroom, guests sleeping here need to share the bathrooms downstairs. Outside this chalet is also an open sala sitting area with sofa and chairs.

LUXURY EN-SUITE SAFARI TENTS

There are seven Luxury ensuite safari tents, six of which are pitched permanently on the banks of the Luangwa. These made-to-order tents have a thatched roof for extra shade, ensuite facilities (hot shower, flush toilet and basin) with a canvas half roof over the bathroom, full-sized beds with sprung mattresses, large mosquito nets and all bedding and towels provided. The tents have electric lights, a fan and charging points for camera batteries. There is also a room safe and tea & coffee making facilities. Six of the luxury tents including the family tent look straight out onto the river, one tent (tent 11, the honeymoon tent) has plenty of privacy and looks out onto a pretty lagoon, which attracts plenty of birdlife as well as elephant for their daily mud baths and giraffe and bushbuck when they are thirsty.

The Family Tent (a luxury tent) is a little different to the others, this is a specially designed tent which has space for a double bed and two single beds, both with large mosquito nets and with a large bathroom at the back of the tent, shared between the family. The family tent is now to be found on the river bank, closer to the main area than it was, with lovely views of the river.

STANDARD EN-SUITE SAFARI TENTS

There are also three “Standard” en-suite safari tents which are much smaller and simpler than the Luxury tents, but are still walk-in tents with ensuite bathrooms with open air shower, toilet and basin. Two of these standard tents are situated on the river bank, the other looks directly onto the same lagoon as tent 11. The standard tents also have full beds, bedding, mosquito nets, charging points and electric fans. The standard tents do not have tea and coffee making facilities or safes.

JACKALBERRY TREEHOUSE

The bedroom platforms have romantic and rustic four poster beds (one queen and one king which can be split into two twin beds), open front walls and uninterrupted views of Africa. Each bedroom has an open air bathroom platform down a short flight of steps with hot shower, flush toilets and basin. A large sofa, armchairs and throw cushions are spread out on the middle deck for relaxing during the heat of the day and watching the game which wanders past the house, oblivious to your presence. There is also a dining table should guests prefer to dine at the house. A fridge and bar are provided in the treehouse as well as tea and coffee-making facilities. A hand-held radio is provided, so that guests can call for a vehicle to bring them to the pool, restaurant or bar, or in case there is a problem of any kind. Their safari guide will otherwise plan with them when they would like collecting from the house and their preferred activities.

The tree-house is on mains electricity, ideal for re-charging cameras or laptops. Giraffe, bushbuck, puku and elephant are commonly found all around the Treehouse and it is wonderful to wake to the sounds of elephant feeding below you or having a mud bath from the waterhole in front of the house.

Specialities

Property Facilities

Bar
Barbeque Facilities
Eco Friendly
Mobile Connectivity
Pool
Restaurant
Secure Parking

Room Facilities

Balcony / Deck
Cooking Equipment
Cooking Facilities
En-Suite
Fan
Fridge
Lounge Area
Mini Bar
Outside Shower
Private Pool / Jacuzzi
Pure Cotton Linen
Safe
Shower
Tea / Coffee
Verandah

Activities:

Morning Game drives

Leaving the camp at 06.00 am after a light early breakfast of toast, cereal, yoghurt, tea and coffee from 05.30 am. The safaris is an open game viewers so that guests have an all round view of the birds, trees, wildlife and beauty of the Park.

Midway through the drive there is a tea/cold drink stop so guests can stretch their legs before carrying on, looking for new sightings, or following alarm calls to a predator or a kill.

Morning game drives usually return to camp at around 10.00 am depending on the season.

Afternoon/Night drives

Leaving the camp at 4pm for our afternoon for a safaris, after tea in the courtyard. The safaris head out again after the heat of the day, when animals and birds start to get active again after the midday stupor! The safari guide will aim to stop at a scenic spot just before sundown, so you can enjoy an infamous African Sundowner! Once the sun has set, you will continue on with a spotlight, operated by your spotter, who looks for interesting nocturnal creatures that you are unlikely to see during daylight hours. There is a chance to see nocturnal birds like night-jars, owls and bathawks as well as nocturnal mammals such as honeybadgers, civet, genet, porcupine, leopard and hyaena.

Afternoon drives return to camp at around 8pm which the National Park's gate closes.

Walking Safaris

The South Luangwa is renowned as the "home of walking safaris", this is where Norman Carr first offered the idea of visitors exploring the Park on foot rather than by vehicle, escaping the noise of the engine and experiencing the thrill and excitement of being at one with the wildlife and habitat at a slower pace. The safari guides will explain the smaller details of the bush which you can see, hear and smell when on foot, from bird calls to alarm calls to trees and plants which have medicinal uses and tracks of the wild, so you can interpret what you are seeing and hearing with more clarity. Walking is usually enjoyed in the mornings when the temperatures are cooler, but can be enjoyed through the year for longer periods during cooler months. Each walk is usually 3-4 hours long at a gentle pace.

Kawaza Village Visit

Unlike most of these "Traditional Village" projects, Kawaza Village is really a living working African village where the local residents have agreed amongst themselves to invite visitors into their lives with no tourism hype at all. They then use the money raised by visitors & donations to pay for orphans’ education, teachers’ salaries at the school and other village projects.

Restaurants

There are no set meals or meal times here and guests can order what they’d like to eat, when they’d like to eat it. The restaurant seats around 45 people either inside under the thatch, or at our tables in the courtyard or in the garden area.
The restaurant uses as much locally-grown and -raisedproduce as possible and it also provides lots of options for all palates.

The open-sided restaurant is open throughout the day, with tables under cover or outside beneath shady umbrellas.
A separate open-side area incorporates the well-stocked bar, which has both high wooden bar stools and a number of comfy sofas. Both the bar and restaurant are open to non-residents of the lodge.

Guests at Flatdogs camp are treated to an a la carte menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Jess & Ade love their food and source the best local ingredients to make delicious fresh & seasonal dishes with the 10 Flatdogs chefs. From free range eggs & organic chickens to dry aged beef and locally grown vegetables, they use the best of what's available in the Province for the daily specials board. There are full vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free menus available as well.

Cancellation Policy

Provisional bookings must be confirmed within 21 days. Flatdogs Camp reserves the right to cancel bookings not confirmed after this period. A deposit of 25% of the package rate should be taken at this time.

Full payment is required 30 days before travel. Cancellations made within 30 days of travel are subject to 100% cancellation charges except under exceptional circumstances. Please advise your clients to take out adequate travel insurance.

Cancellation Charges:

If party cancels 90-30 days before travel: cancellation fee is 25% of the total of the safari package reservations.
If party cancels less than 30 days before travel: cancellation fee is 100%

Send enquiry