Chimbwa: Luangwa landscape and the culture of Eastern Province

Chimbwa and its immediate surroundings

For a trip to Chimbwa, routes and landscapes in the surrounding area can also help with orientation. Malama Umoyo Bush Camp is a specific landmark there; route details depend on your starting point. The traditional ceremonies of Eastern Province provide another regional perspective.

Getting to Malama Umoyo Bush Camp

According to the operator, the camp is about 70 km from Mfuwe International Airport; the drive takes approximately two and a half hours and follows paved and unpaved roads. Another route from Petauke to the camp is 140 km long and takes five hours, according to the operator. It follows an unpaved road. The operator recommends a four-wheel-drive vehicle for this route; its more detailed route description says that four-wheel drive is required. From May to November, this access road is considered relatively easy to drive; during the remaining months, it can be difficult because of rain.

Another route from Petauke goes via Chipata and Mfuwe to the camp. The operator gives a distance of 340 km and a journey time of six hours. The road is paved as far as Mfuwe, then unpaved. These details refer to different routes and should therefore not be read as interchangeable journey times. Journey times and road conditions can vary. Check the route details before setting off, and take the season into account when planning the Petauke route.

Location, landscape, and accommodation

In the area around Chimbwa, the camp is located in the Lower Lupande Area within Malama Chiefdom. It sits on a bend in the Luangwa, opposite the national park. From there, you can look out over a lowland floodplain, with the Chindeni Hills in the background. The camp has three separate cottages: two with two bedrooms each and one luxury cottage.

Experiences on the Luangwa

Guests can watch the sunset over the Luangwa from their cottage verandas or a large wooden deck. Elephants cross the river there, waterbucks come to drink, and baboons play. These wildlife sightings are part of the guest experience at the camp. Malama Umoyo can arrange a visit to Mwelwa village on request.

Culture in Eastern Province

Eastern Province is home to the Kulamba Traditional Ceremony of the Chewa people of Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique. Every August, the ceremony attracts thousands of visitors from within the country and abroad who come to experience Gule Wamukulu. This dance has been recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

The annual Nc’wala ceremony of the Ngoni also takes place in Zambia’s Eastern Province: it is celebrated on the last Saturday in February in Mtenguleni village in Chipata. During the ceremony, the Ngoni honor God, ancestral spirits, and Chief Mpezeni for the first harvest and the food it provides. The dates fall at different times of the year: Kulamba takes place in August, while Nc’wala is held on the last Saturday in February. Check the latest event arrangements and dates before traveling.

Discover more destinations: Kasama, Chikomba, Chilongozi, Kakumbi

Go to the broader travel overview: Eastern Province.