Baines' River Camp
Colonial-style solid build · Chiawa GMA, on the Zambezi bank · Founded by Tim Featherby
Mid-range
Outside the gate
Owner/family-run
If fishing is the reason you are coming, this is the specialist. All angling here is catch-and-release, and the tigerfish season peaks from late August into November. The build is solid rather than tented, which suits guests who want air conditioning and a door that locks.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Solid brick-and-thatch rooms, not canvas, with air conditioning
- Longest season among nearby camps, open March to November
- Self-drive is permitted, with maps from the reservations team
- Family Suite with two rooms and two bathrooms
- Tigerfish seasons: September to November and March to April
Cons
- No children under the age of 6
- Gravel access road needs a 4x4 in the rainy season
- Per-night rack rate not published; only package specials are
- All angling is catch-and-release only
What's here
- Swimming pool
- Wi-Fi
- Bar
- Family rooms
- Air conditioning
- Laundry
Arranged from the lodge:
- Game drives
- Boat trips
- Guided walks
- Birding
- Fishing
Read from Baines' River 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. Lower Zambezi National Park charges its own entry fee for every day you are inside. Here is what that adds up to.
- Park entry$25 if you are with a licensed operator instead of self-driving.
- $30per person, per day
- VehicleUnder 3 tonnes, foreign registered.
- $15per vehicle, per day
Three nights means three days inside, so two adults sharing one vehicle pay $225 in park fees before anyone pays for a bed.
Camps inside the park bundle a bed-night levy and community fee on top, which together run $85 to $120 per person per night. That is the number that lands on your invoice, not the gate fee.
The full fee schedule for Lower Zambezi National ParkRates at Baines' River Camp
Packages from $1,995 for four nights. That is the 2026 four-night tiger-fishing special, roughly $499 per person per night. The per-night rack rate is not published.
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, gathered July 2026. Always confirm with the lodge. Two things shift the real comparison here. First, camps inside the park add $85 to $120 per person per night in bundled park and conservation fees, and most quote that separately. Second, camps in the Chiawa game management area carry no national park entry fee at all unless you cross into the park, which is why a GMA bed can work out far cheaper than the headline rate suggests.
Questions about Baines' River Camp
Is Baines' River Camp good for families?
Yes, for families with children six and older. Baines' does not accept children under 6, but it has a Family Suite with two rooms and two bathrooms built for families and small groups, alongside separate suites pitched at couples or solo travellers.
Can you self-drive to Baines' River Camp?
Yes. The camp's own FAQ confirms self-drive is permitted, with the reservations team providing maps and directions. A 2x4 or 4x4 normally covers the gravel access road, though a 4x4 is needed in the rainy season. The reservations team can also arrange a local flight instead.
What does the rate at Baines' River Camp include?
The camp states that its rates cover accommodation, activities, meals and drinks, though the standard per-night rack rate is not published. A current four-night tiger-fishing package runs about $499 a person a night, so ask for a like-for-like quote on dates outside that package.
Is fishing at Baines' River Camp catch and release?
Yes. All angling at Baines' is catch and release, with the best tiger-fishing from September to November and March to April. The camp is the main tiger-fishing specialist on this stretch of river, and its brick-and-thatch rooms with air conditioning suit anglers who want a solid build rather than canvas.