McBrides' Camp
Rustic thatched riverside camp with satellite bush camp and campsite · Central-north, at the Kafue-Mushingashi confluence · New management; founded by Chris and Charlotte McBride
Mid-range
Inside the park
Owner/family-run
Founded by Chris and Charlotte McBride and now under new management. The setting does the work: a river confluence, a hot spring, the ruins of Zambia's oldest copper mine and a sector of the park where you will rarely see another car.
Pros and cons
Pros
- A natural hot spring on the property
- Ruins of Hippo Mine, Zambia's oldest copper working
- Specialist birding with almost no other vehicles around
- Two activities a day, with tea, coffee and water included
- Self-drive and fly-in both possible, with a private airstrip
Cons
- Park fees and levies are charged separately
- Alcoholic drinks are not included in the rate
- No minimum age or family policy found
- Three to four nights recommended as a practical minimum
What's here
- Campsite
Arranged from the lodge:
- Game drives
- Boat trips
- Guided walks
- Birding
- Fishing
Read from McBrides' Camp's own website in July 2026. Anything not listed we could not confirm, which is not the same as it being absent.
What the park charges on top
The rate above buys you a bed. Kafue National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entryThere is no self-drive surcharge here.
- $20per person, per day
- VehicleForeign-registered vehicle under 3 tonnes.
- $15per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $165 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
The full fee schedule for Kafue National ParkRates at McBrides' Camp
From $360 pppn. Published 2027 international rates: $449 high season, $360 green season; SADC and Zambian tiers are lower.
What the rate covers is not confirmed. We do not know yet whether meals, drinks and activities are included, so read this as the bed only.
Every figure on this page is in US dollars.
Indicative 2026 rates from operators' own rate cards and published tariffs, gathered July 2026. Many Kafue camps quote on enquiry only. Watch two things when comparing: whether park fees are included (Mayukuyuku and Konkamoya include them, most others do not), and conservation levies of $30 to $40 a night at some camps. A caution on older guides: Lufupa River Camp, Lufupa Tented Camp, Leopard Lodge and Puku Pan all appear closed or dormant, Mukambi Plains Camp is simply the old name of Busanga Plains Camp, and the Jeffery & McKeith brand merged into Classic Zambia Safaris. We list none of them as live options.
Questions about McBrides' Camp
Can you self-drive to McBrides' Camp?
Yes. McBrides' own page describes both self-drive travellers and guests flying into its own private airstrip, though air access needs advance confirmation. The setting, at the Kafue-Mushingashi confluence with almost no other vehicles around, suits visitors arriving either way.
Is McBrides' Camp good for families?
We found no published minimum age for children or family room description across McBrides' seven riverside chalets, bush camp and campsite. Ask the camp directly what age it accepts and whether chalets can be booked together, since none of this is stated publicly.
What does the rate at McBrides' Camp include?
The camp's own page lists riverside chalet accommodation, lodge meals, two guided activities a day such as game drives, boat safaris, walking safaris or birding, plus tea, coffee, water and Wi-Fi. Alcoholic drinks, park fees, levies and transfers outside the park are charged separately.
How many nights should you stay at McBrides' Camp?
The camp's own page suggests three to four nights as a good starting point for most guests, though it sets no mandatory minimum. That gives enough time for the hot spring, the Hippo Mine ruins and the specialist birding that the camp is best known for.
Does McBrides' Camp have a campsite?
Yes. Alongside the seven main riverside chalets, our record notes a five-tent satellite bush camp and the separate McBrides Kafue River Campsite, giving a cheaper self-drive option in the same sector. Confirm current pricing and facilities for the campsite directly with the camp.