?
Mana Pools

Tembo Plains Camp

A jazzy camp on the Zambezi River with private pools, boating safaris and photo ops galore
Start a trip

Chat to an expert

Get in touch with us and one of our travel experts will answer any questions you may have and help create your dream trip.
or call us on +1 (646) 542 0667
Jonty
Eve
Kristin
4.9 out of 5 stars   Average guest rating
Design your own trip

Customize one of our recommended trips or design your own from scratch

Start a trip
Chat to an expert
Get advice and suggestions to make this your perfect trip.
eve
or call us on: +1 (646) 542 0667
Our guests rate us excellent
4.9/5 (940 reviews)

About Tembo Plains Camp

Just east of Zimbabwe's famous Mana Pools, sits the Sapi Private Reserve where vast and lush forests hide furtive leopard, and herds of elephant are seen wallowing in the Zambezi River. Named after Africa's magnificent tuskers, Tembo Plains takes its cue from nature, with meal times to suit your safari and sublime river views from bed. There are few other properties with as many luxe points in the area, and with only four tents, you'll feel suitably spoiled. Tembo Plains is just the place to embrace the wild, then return for evenings spent in the utmost comfort.

+ Read more

From $1,190 person/night

Camp
4 Tents

What you'll love

Each tented suite comes with a private plunge pool overlooking the river. If that isn't the stuff of dreams, we don't know what is.

Insiders tip

Sapi is perfect for all you shutterbugs, with few other 4x4s to spoil your shot, incredible wildlife, and a professional Canon camera thrown in with every room.

Something to think about

Tembo has a fantastic family suite but if your party includes children under 12 years, you'll have to keep looking.

The property

Tembo Plains isn't your average safari camp and the keen-eyed amongst you will notice weathered Zanzibari doors and subtle nods to the iconic Zimbabwe Ruins in its design, whilst also retaining that classic canvas look. The central tented area has an interactive kitchen where delicacies from home and further afield are served at alfresco tables - with your choice of vino from the wine cellar. Inside, there are leather sofas, a bar area, and a spa for relaxing moments in between safari adventures.

+ Read more

The rooms

The suites at Tembo combine the look of a luxury chalet with that of an explorer's tent. Underneath a billowing canvas roof, you'll find an enormous bed protected from mosquitos by sheer curtains, intricate, tassled rugs and, curved stone walls that create a private bathroom. Enjoy soaking in the clawfoot bathtub or take in the view from your open-air shower. Outside, there is a wrap-around deck to catch those glorious panoramas and a plunge pool. The Tembo Suites have two bedrooms, a shared lounge, and a dining area.

+ Read more

Activities

In the golden hours of dawn or dusk, depart on a boating safari down the Zambezi or canoe past the reeds to capture the birdlife in flight. On game drives, keep your camera and Leica binos at the ready to spot elephant, African painted dog, herds of buffalo and plenty more plains game. Venture into the wildlife-rich Mana Pools or explore the petrified forest where there are several dinosaur footprints to marvel at. Breakfast and lunch are often served on the road, so timing is no issue.

+ Read more

Positive impact

Tembo Plains Camp is owned by Great Plains which is dedicated to creating lasting, sustainable conservation solutions for the world's iconic wildlife and wilderness areas. Through their model of compassionate protection and intelligent management, funded by low-impact tourism, they integrate communities, governments, and the private sector. Embracing the concept of 'Conservation Tourism', they prioritise environmentally sound practices while ensuring benefits directly support conservation efforts without a negative impact on the land or wildlife.

A contribution of $95 per guest, which is included in the nightly rate, goes towards the above goals.


About Mana Pools

Design your own trip

Pick a trip, selected and curated by our travel experts, then choose your properties - we have 100s of handpicked options to suit every style and budget.

Start with one of our trips or design one from scratch.

What our guests are saying

4.9 / 5
Based on 940 reviews
Hannah
Mar 2025 • 9 nights in South Africa
Everything went super smoothly and everyone was very helpful along the way!
Susan
Feb 2025 • 16 nights in Tanzania and Kenya
Annie was our travel consultant and she was excellent! She answered all questions in a timely manner and provided... Read more
Yuet
Feb 2025 • 6 nights in Tanzania
From her first email, Joana treated us as family. She asked thoughtful questions and offered responsive suggestions.... Read more
Guest
Feb 2025 • 11 nights in Tanzania
Jenna was great handling the lodging, and Bekim from Exito travel was great handling the flights. I would use... Read more
Ana
Feb 2025 • 12 nights in Tanzania
I mentioned this on the previous page.
Guest
Feb 2025 • 9 nights in Kenya
Annie Irankunda went to all lenghts and further to make my trip to Kenya lovely. She helped with all the things I... Read more
kiba point 3 6934621121 o

Not sure where to go?

Try our trip wizard to find your dream trip

Start the wizard
home newsletter cover
Explore the world from your inbox

Join our newsletter with all the good stuff to help you design your own trip

By joining you agree to our privacy policy.