Time + Tide: An African Safari Experience of a Lifetime

Africa Calls

Back in 2018, after a beautiful wedding in the Seychelles (off the coast of Eastern Africa), Chad and I traveled to Madagascar to photograph Miavana. It’s a private luxury island owned and managed by family-owned Tide + Tide. Miavana was truly out of this world and left a lasting impression, one we’ve been raving about since. 

We’ve traveled many times to East Africa to create photographs for Render Loyalty (our passion project centered around photographing wildlife and donating back to our conservation partners), but COVID delayed our return to the magnificent continent for several years. Needless to say, we were anxious to return! After a lot of planning, we got the trip scheduled for December 2021. But then, Omicron happened. And with our wedding schedule, we sadly had to postpone our trip. But we finally made it back to Africa this November. We ventured to Zambia for the first time and chose to stay at two of the luxury safari camps Time + Tide offers.

Time + Tide: Wild Luxury

Said so beautifully on their website: 

“They say time and tide wait for no man and that the most beautiful things in life can pass us by if we’re not careful. Now and then, we need to reconnect with nature, with ourselves, and with one another to feel fully alive. That’s our definition of luxury, pure and simple. A journey with Time + Tide gives you the sense of space you need to live in the moment. We help you find your sense of place in some of the most untouched destinations on Earth.”

After a long journey that started in Hawaii, we passed through Doha and then on to Lusaka, Zambia. We overnighted at Latitude 15 which turned out to be the perfect place to rest up after the long journey (their spa was incredible and it was so nice to have a gym available to us after our long flights).

Time + Tide: King Lewanika Camp

The next morning, we caught a bush flight to a remote airstrip in Luawa Plain, Zambia. We were picked up next to the dirt airstrip in the open-air vehicles from Time + Tide and immediately headed off to their King Lewanika camp — which is located in the pristine Liuwa Plain National Park. We arrived during the dry season which meant the landscapes were especially dry, the golden grasses and duney sands were absolutely beautiful. 

At the Time + Tide camp, we were greeted by the hospitable King Lewanika team and then shown to our amazing tent (which was one of six on the property). In fact, that particular camp was the only permanent camp in the entire national park, which gave it an astounding level of authenticity, simplicity, and intimacy.  We truly were the only people for miles. It was a serene experience, to say the least. 

On our very first safari run during our stay at Time + Tide’s King Lewanika camp (not 10 minutes from our tent), we stumbled upon the resident lion pride. There were 14 of them feeding on a fresh wildebeest kill. The adults were resting after their meal while the cubs continued to gnaw on the carcass and play. Most impressive of the pack was the male lion, who a prior guest had affectionately named ‘Bon Jovi’. With no other lion packs in the park (they were decimated before the park was protected), Bon Jovi was unrivaled as the alpha lion of the land. He didn’t have a single scratch on him. He had a beautiful mane (with high and low lights) that looked salon-fresh. He is truly magnificent. The pride of lions, wildebeest, birds, and hyenas became the focal points of our photography during our stay on the Liuwa Plains. 

We quickly settled into Time + Tide’s safari cadence. We rose at 5 am to get breakfast, went on safari from 5:30 to  10 am, went back to camp for some downtime before lunch, and off to shoot again around 3 pm. Until finally we’d finish the day with a sunset cheers to another incredible day on an African safari!

Time + Tide: Chinzombo Camp

From Time + Tide’s King Lewanika camp, we took a bush flight to Lusaka (Zambia’s capital), and then to Mfuwe. From there, we drove into South Luangwa National Park, from which point we finally headed to Time + Tide’s Chinzombo camp. By the time we arrived, it was dark, which meant the wildlife was everywhere. We saw lions, elephants, crocodiles, and (since Chinzombo is situated atop the Luangwa River and is only accessed by boat), lots of hippos.

Chinzombo — somehow even more luxurious than Time + Tide’s King Lewanika camp — truly took my breath away. We stayed in their 2 bedroom/2 bathroom family tent, which included its own private plunge pool and terrace. Immediately we were taken by the level of luxury, the immaculate design, and all of the beautiful photographs of Norman Carr — a prominent British conservationist who helped pioneer the walking and photo safari. He also helped establish conservation efforts in South Luangwa National Park and throughout South Luangwa.  Note: a great way to learn about the history of South Luangwa is through the accounts of Delia and Mark Owens in the book Eye of the Elephant, which documents the poaching crisis of South Luangwa Park (as well as its revival). 

 During our time at Time + Tide’s Chinzombo camp, we slipped into the same safari routine we had at the previous camp. Rising before dawn, crossing the river, and heading out into the camp to explore.South Luangwa’s wildlife was incredibly diverse. We saw large herds of elephants, prides of lions, leopards, hippos, giraffes, and many beautiful birds. It was everything we could have hoped for and more. It was truly a treasure trove for wildlife viewing and safari photography.

Similar to Liuwa Plain National Park, we can’t wait to return to see South Luangwa National Park during the wet season. Apparently, during that season, the river will rise to meet the camp, which must be more than 20 feet high. From one season to another in Zambia, the landscapes and wildlife transform tremendously. It’s like a completely different place. Another reason to return!

Time + Tide: Safari Service Unmatched

Throughout our stays at both Time + Tide camps (and on their island, Miavana), we were stuck by the generosity and genuine kindness of all the staff members. We had two particularly phenomenal safari guides who worked diligently to ensure each hour was special for us. 

From teaching us about the landscapes and wildlife on the safaris to surprising us with special cocktails and meals under the stars to the most luxurious tent accommodations — Time + Tide provided an incredibly warm, exciting, and enriching experience. It was ‘wild luxury’ down to every last detail. We’ll never forget it. It’s truly the ultimate honeymoon, anniversary, or holiday-of-a-lifetime destination and we can’t wait to go back!

If you’re interested in African wildlife and supporting the conservancies dedicated to protecting them, check out our passion project, Render Loyalty. 20% of every sale goes directly to our conservation partners.

And scroll to view the rest of the photos from our unforgettable Time + Tide trip!

Explore more experiences in Africa: