Flatdogs Camp

My wife and I were fortunate enough to spend 12 nights at Flatdogs last month and upon reflection we regard our ‘in camp’ and ‘out of camp’ experiences with Flatdogs in the Luangwa as one of the most memorable safari trips we enjoyed across the last 20 years. It is not our modus operandi to stay at one camp for such an extended duration, especially as first time visitors. However, Flatdogs had been on my ‘bucket list’ to experience for many years and this heartfelt desire, coupled with seamless direct comms with Jess from the outset, made it an easy decision to make and one which is hindsight was more than justified. As the popular advertising slogan goes, ‘if Carlsberg did safari camps’… then IMO they would look and ‘feel’ an awful lot like what Ade and Jess have created and helped to cultivate over the years in what is a spectacular camp location overlooking the Luangwa River and beyond into South Luangwa NP itself. Without going off on too much of a tangent by listing what I regard as being cornerstones and the pre-requisites of what makes for an exceptional safari camp, suffice to say Flatdogs has long since thought of them all and has them in spades, which truly elevates the guest experience. One of these cornerstones that I would like to make quick mention of is the importance of having an exceptional team of ‘in camp’ staff in place and at Flatdogs this is strikingly evident. I would stake claim that the staff and team at Flatdogs were perhaps the friendliest, most amenable, attentive and professional staff that my wife and I have had the pleasure of getting to know and befriend in over 20 trips on safari in Africa. We arrived as guests but we certainly felt after 12 nights that we were leaving newly found friends behind. I could wax lyrical about all the wonderful people we met during our stay individually by name but to avoid singling anyone out, I would just say each and every one of the Flatdogs family we met along the way were a pleasure, a true asset to Flatdogs and a huge part of what I feel helps to make Flatdogs so special. Our safari experience was also second to none. They do not call the Luangwa ‘the valley of the Leopard’ for nothing it seems and our visceral experience of this adage became apparent less than one hour past our arrival in camp when a female leopard decided to take down a rather unfortunate Bushbuck not 30 yards from where we sat eating dinner – what an exhilarating beginning to our Flatdogs adventure and the hits kept on coming, clocking 20 separate Leopard sightings across the 12 days in the park, which including several sightings of ‘Lucy’ the queen of Mfuwe and of the archetypal stalking behaviour in using the deep crevices and gulley’s as cover from their potential prey… incredible to witness. In a broader sense, the South Luangwa NP is alongside the Okavango Delta, in being the most visually beautiful and habitat diverse areas in Southern Africa that I have witnessed on safari. The topography

Great situation on the Luangwa river. Great game dives and guides. Food is excellent. Accommodation is comfortable but somewhat dated

I simply can’t praise this establishment highly enough. We went as two couples and had a fantastic time. The staff are courteous and thoughtful without coming across as insincere. All things were very tasteful- as compared to other places we stayed no blaring sports tv, for example. Food was outstanding as well. Highly recommended.wildlife excursions were similarly high caliber- so many leopards! Yotam was an outstanding guide/companion.

A wonderful three-night stay at Flatdogs to celebrate a significant birthday. The staff were amazing, very friendly and attentive. As a single traveller it was great, feeling part of a big family yet also with space for quiet relaxing times. The chalet was beautifully furnished with much more provision (small kitchen and lounge area) than expected. The game drives were amazing with our excellent guide Kennedy and spotter Elias. They did all and had a keen eye to make many sightings whilst giving information and having interesting conversation during our stops. Being so close to the park entrance was also a great advantage. The selection and quality of food was first class, exceeding expectations. Thank you to all the Flatdogs team for such a memorable time.