Newsletter
December Newsletter Highlights
Dear Kafunta Friends!
I hope you enjoyed a merry Christmas and that you’re still carrying a little of that festive cheer with you.
In South Luangwa, Betty and the team were very much in the thick of it over the holidays: welcoming guests, sharing Christmas greetings, and yes… getting properly soaked. The rains have well and truly arrived, and the valley is slipping into its lush, green season.
This has truly been our most incredible year yet, and it’s entirely thanks to the people who make Kafunta what it is: our wonderful team on the ground, our lodge and camp guests (many of you returning again and again), and our trusted partners who continue to believe in what we do.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
As the year ends, our little Kafunta world is happily scattered across the globe. Anke and Ron are spending the holidays at their home in Australia, Paige is enjoying some well-earned time off in the UK, Rona is back in South Africa for now, and I’m home in Belgium, writing these final words of the season.
And by the time you read this newsletter, Kafunta will have closed for the rains, and most of our staff will be taking a well-deserved reset.
Thank you to Zambia Tourism
The year also ended on a high note with a lovely recognition from the Zambia Tourism Association at the Tourism Excellence Awards gala held on 29th November. We were awarded 2nd Runner-Up for Best Safari Lodge.
Our amazing Betty was there to receive the award on behalf of us all — a proud and well-deserved moment that reflects the passion, care and teamwork of our entire staff.
Thank you ZTA!
Congrats to the Graduates
Finally, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported Project Luangwa during the Big Give Christmas Challenge, which was a smashing success. The funds raised will serve to finance the Foundation Programme. This year, 23 students graduated from the programme and are now stepping confidently into their next chapter, continuing higher education, or going straight into employment.
To each of them: congratulations. Your futures are bright, and we are so proud to have been part of your journey through Project Luangwa.
Guest Photography
And a newsletter without wildlife photos would be an oddity! So I’d love to share a few images captured by our guest Bernie Bolton, who visited us in November. A beautiful way to revisit the season through fresh eyes — and a reminder of just how special South Luangwa is.
Best wishes for the new year
On behalf of everyone at Kafunta, we wish you a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2026.
We hope to have the privilege of welcoming some of you to share the extraordinary wilderness of South Luangwa.
Thank you for being part of the Kafunta family. It truly means more to us than words can say.
