This is our safari equipment in Zambia: what you travel in and sleep in on a Zamsato safari. All our own vehicles and camping gear are run out of our base on the Kalahari dune in Livingstone. In addition, when a big group needs a bus between destinations, we hire one in. In short, here’s what to expect – the good parts as well as the honest parts.
Our Own Safari Vehicles
Our game viewers
The Mitsubishi game viewer – up to 4 guests
Our Mitsubishi game viewer is a double cab with two raised benches on the back under a canvas roof – room for up to four guests. On the long stretches, you ride inside the cab. Then, once you’re in the park, you climb up top, where nothing stands between you and the bush.
It also tows our camp trailer. As a result, on a camping safari in Zambia’s remote parks, all the safari equipment – tents, kitchen and cool boxes – travels with you.
The Toyota Hilux game viewer – 1 or 2 guests
For one or two guests, we take our Hilux game viewer instead. It’s light and nimble, which makes it ideal for remote parks like North Luangwa, where the tracks are narrow. Above all, with so few people on board, you get the whole vehicle and every sighting to yourselves.
The Nissan Patrols – 10-seater and 6-seater
The Patrol is our all-rounder: a proper 4×4 for covering long distances between parks. However, it’s still capable when the road turns to sand, corrugations or worse. We have two of them: a 10-seater for small groups and a 6-seater for families and couples. That is why they’re the cars we reach for when a route mixes highway, gravel and bush tracks.
On game drives, the pop-top roof opens up. Then you can stand and look out with your camera ready.
The Toyota Alphard
For couples and small families on good roads, the Alphard is the comfortable option, with plenty of space for luggage. However, it’s a road car, not a 4×4. Therefore, we only use it where the tar and the gravel allow.
Vehicles We Hire In
For large groups, we don’t squeeze everyone into our own cars. Instead, we hire a bus for the long road between destinations.
29-seater bus
We hire a 29-seater bus for the transfers between destinations, because it keeps everyone together in one vehicle – from Livingstone to Lusaka, the Kafue or across the border.
However, the bus is only for the road. Once you’re in the park, game drives are done in open game viewers.
A word about the roads
Some of Zambia’s roads are newly built, some are under construction, and some are simply worn out. As a result, dust, potholes and corrugations are part of the journey, and they take their toll on every vehicle and every piece of safari equipment in Zambia. Please come expecting the occasional bumpy day. After all, it’s the price of reaching the parks that most visitors never see.
Our Tents – Camping Safari Equipment for Zambia
On our Under Canvas safaris, you sleep in walk-in canvas dome tents, spacious for two guests. In addition, each tent has chairs and solar lights inside, as well as a hand-wash basin by the door.
- Walk-in canvas tent, spacious for 2 guests
- Chairs and solar lights inside
- Hand-wash basin by the tent
- Dense foam mattress on the ground – or a stretcher for extra comfort
- Sleeping bags can be hired from us
Showers, toilets and hot water
The campsites we use have running water – taps, toilets and showers with hot and cold water. Often, however, the hot water comes the bush way, from a wood-fired “donkey” boiler. We also like to stay three nights at each camp. As a result, you’re not packing up every morning, and you have time to settle in.
Finally, camping with us is for all ages from 12 years, and normal fitness is enough.
Want to see it for yourself?
Tell us how you’d like to travel – in a game viewer, a Patrol or under canvas. Then we’ll put the safari together around it, with the right safari equipment for Zambia’s roads and parks.
