Zambia’s vast national parks and private concessions have long been known for their outstanding wildlife experiences, particularly amongst seasoned safari-goers, but it hasn’t been a main stream ‘go to’ … until now. With over-tourism increasingly a concern in many parts of the world, including Africa, travelers are looking for more pristine, unspoiled wilderness that also offers exceptional safari experiences and the creature comforts they have come to expect on safari. Zambia has emerged as an ideal choice for those seeking remote and wild beauty with the added bonus of outstanding hospitality and service. Having recently spent some time with Grant Cumings, owner of Chiawa Safaris, I thought he would be the perfect person to share his history and insights on why Zambia and why now.

What inspired you to start a safari business, and how did the journey begin some 37 years ago?!

My father was certainly my inspiration and help in establishing a safari business. He had lived in the wilds of what was then Tanganyika as a geologist and prospector for a large mining company in the early 1960’s, and these experiences got converted into bedtime stories for me as a child. I was hooked and every opportunity I had since was spent in the bush.

Can you share some key milestones in the growth of your safari business over the years? 

After I had completed my education, a degree in Economics from the US, my parents fronted me with a small loan and a lot of entrepreneurial advice when at the tender age of 23 I convinced the then Minister of Tourism to permit me the rights to open the first and only safari camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park. After 5 years of exploring and anti-poaching efforts – when there seemed to be more poachers than animals – and we could only convince hardy locals to visit, the government decided to allow other safari operators in. With that came an increase in concession fees which required us to turn our attention to the international market. That was back in 1996. Now, in 2024, the Lower Zambezi National Park is a bucket-list safari destination,  Chiawa Camp and Old Mondoro have won multiple international awards, and we now see more wildlife in a week than we saw in our first year of operation. The establishment of Conservation Lower Zambezi in 1994 was instrumental to this success, and still is, so being a founder member, Trustee and past Chairman makes me particularly proud. As does establishing the first safari guide examinations, licensing and training program in the Lower Zambezi. My original professional safari guide license number is 0001!  More recently, becoming Zambia’s first certified climate neutral safari company and then, in 2023 taking Chiawa Camp and Old Mondoro completely off grid by going solar, thereby becoming Zambia’s first certified climate positive company, were also important milestones for our business.

What would you say is the core philosophy that drives your safari operations? 

Symbiosis. Taking care of our guests, the wildlife and our team share equal precedence; where our business will always be a credit to Zambia and where we endeavor to have every action in our business ‘SEE three bottom lines’:  S(social) – the impact of our actions on our guests; E(environmental) – the impact of our actions on wildlife & habitat and E(economic) – the impact of our actions on our business and those who do business with us = net gains. This principle shapes our long term view and forms the very basis for sustainability as we seek to innovate or at least follow “best practice” through these efforts.

Is it important to incorporate conservation and community support into your business? 

Yes. When done properly, safari tourism should be a symbiotic relationship in perpetuity between the natural resources, the guests, the local communities and companies like mine.  At Chiawa Safaris, “conservation” is not just a word but a way of life. Guests are introduced to local, relevant principles of ecology and conservation, so they leave empowered and with knowledge that their visit has been part of the solution, not part of the problem.

What is your approach to delivering a luxury safari experience that consistently exceeds client expectations?

Luxury is a tricky word as it means different things to different people. Is it thread count, is it the brand of your tipple, is it freedom of choice, is it exclusivity, or a combination of things? We therefore simply try to understand every single one of our guests’ aspirations and hopes for their safari and then do our best to make their dream a reality during their short time with us. To do that we need the right people with the right training and resources. We feel our people are our greatest asset and we are significantly invested in them. Having been in the business for nearly 37 years now means we have developed an incredible team who have a good idea of what we need to have and to do to consistently achieve our lofty goals.

What do your guests consistently rate as the most important aspect of their safari experience with you? 

Different guests want different things and these also change with the times. We believe that our guests want to have a fantastic safari, to learn more about where they have visited and to leave feeling that Zambia, the wildlife and its peoples are that much better off because of their holiday. Anything less, in my view, would be a failed safari. The icing on the cake is when our guests also leave knowing a little more about themselves.

To highlight your commitment to your guests’ experience, I wanted to share some of the beautiful words they have written about their time with you:

“I thought nothing could top our previous experiences in fine camps and lodges but Chiawa is simply the best. The beautiful Zambezi, the camp – the food!! But of course Chiawa is really the people – the smiles and gracious welcome”

“We love our new ‘family’ at Chiawa Camp! You have thought of absolutely everything to make our stay special, relaxing, fun-filled, exciting. Don’t change a thing. We feel very blessed to have visited.”

Looking to the future, what changes or innovations – or concerns and issues –  do you see coming in the safari industry, and how are you preparing for these eventualities? 

We look forward to improvements in electric motors for our vehicles and boats; once we are satisfied that these are reliable and practical for our purposes we will be investing in this technology. As our conservation works improve we are hoping to see Black Rhino reintroduced in the Lower Zambezi, which would be huge for us – and our guests. On the other side of the coin, I am concerned about potential over-tourism; too many lodges, too many vehicles and too many people vying for and crowding out the few really great wild places in Africa. At some point soon, sense and sustainability must take precedence over the greedy mindset of officialdom and those in private sector who seek to exploit that weakness. I would like to see improved management plans for all protected areas and that should include not only how these areas are protected and managed but a more transparent way to see financial benefits going to the local communities in Zambia’s protected areas.  Meanwhile we have faith in the future, in what we are doing, and in the resilience of nature.

Are there any exciting new developments, expansions, or projects you’re working on for the lodge or the guest experience in the next few years?

We are super-excited about the imminent reopening (March 2025) of Chichele Presidential and which would be our second property in the South Luangwa National Park. This initiative has been years in the making thanks to severe delays during COVID and the complexity of the development but we feel that this is going to be a game changer for tourism in Zambia. Why? Because historically Zambia has been seen as a safari destination only for intrepid travellers who seek basic accommodation in straw huts and tents.  Chichele Presidential shatters that misperception by bringing some of the highest levels of hospitality to Zambia, and yet at its core is a serious safari camp with top guides and the renowned Chiawa Safaris hospitality so watch this space. All eyes are upon us on this one!

And here is a bit more about Victoria’s first hand experience at Chiawa Camp: Safari Journal – Lower Zambezi.   We would love to talk with you about planning a visit. Why not be one of the first guests to experience the brand new, yet historic Chichele Presidential Lodge?? Give us a call at 800-700-3677 or e mail [email protected].