Tembo Plains Camp

Nestled in a thicket of riverine forest on the edge of the Zambezi River within the Sapi Private Reserve, adjacent to the iconic Mana Pools National Park, Tembo Plains Camp is a wonderfully elegant base from which to explore some of Zimbabwe’s prime wildlife viewing areas as well as learn about the conservation work with which the camp is so heavily involved.

There are just four tented suites here, so it is a very small camp and one that can truly deliver on offering personalised experiences, albeit with a focus on there being a friendly atmosphere in camp at all times. The main area is a huge canvas and stone space – the design of the stone walls is a nod to the mysterious ruins at Great Zimbabwe – and houses the lounge, bar, library and dining areas. Guests can relax here during the day and enjoy the superb Zimbabwean hospitality for which the camp is renowned as well as the excellent food – the camp is the only Relais and Chateaux property in Zimbabwe. The atmospheric wine cellar is a great place for dinners whilst the sprawling deck offers a great vantage point for ad-hoc wildlife viewing in the afternoon and a place to congregate around the campfire on return from the afternoon activity.

The camp offers a wide range of activities and ways to explore the bush; game drives are great for getting up close and personal with all of the big game that inhabits the area, whilst guided walks offer an opportunity to learn about the smaller things often missed on game drives. Boat and canoe safaris, as well as catch and release fishing are also offered.