Zambia may be under the radar by comparison with safari destinations such as South Africa and Kenya, but its commitment to wildlife is impressive. One third of it is devoted to game reserves, some of them the size of Switzerland. What it has long been known for is its mid-range and budget hotel scene. Now resorts with serious swank factor are popping up.
Of those, Green Safaris is the latest to try to bring people closer to nature in the least invasive way possible. The footprint of Chisa Busanga, a new camp opened during lockdown, is minimal. A bank of solar panels, shown to me by the genial Zambian general manager Chipasha Mwamba, generates all the power — “I can’t decide whether we’re brave or bonkers not to have a generator,” she says with a grin. Water pumped from a borehole is purified on site. Veg for delicious home-style food is grown by a local community.
