Ndole Bay Lodge offers the best beach lodge accommodation on Lake Tanganyika, Zambia. It is situated on the South Western shore of Lake Tanganyika in far Northern Zambia near the small town of Nsumbu and just outside Nsumbu National Park.
There are a variety of ways to get to Ndole Bay Lodge depending on your time constraints and budget.
Click on the below options:
The roads in the far North of Zambia are in varying states, depending on the route and time of year. However in general they are all steadily being improved and apart from the very height of the wet season all are passable in a higher clearance vehicle and 4×4 is rarely needed. It is a good idea to make sure you carry a good spare and ensure your jack and tools are the correct sizes.
Northern Zambia makes for great road trips, and you can tailor your trip to suite your interested and time available. All the below routes/maps and suggestions are our opinions only, please rely on your own directions.
Just after the small town of Serenge turn left to go to Mansa. Serenge to Mansa = 365kms of mixed condition tar (3 hours). The worst section is over the bridge.
Drive from Mansa towards the town of Luwingu and then onwards until you hit the left turn off 10kms before Kasama: 335kms of mostly good tar (4 hours). If you reach Kasama, you have gone too far.
From the left turn off before Kasama to Mporokoso = 175kms of mostly good tar (2.5 hours).
From Mporokoso to Nsumbu = 175kms of gravel road in mixed conditions (3 hours). Ensure to use a 4X4 vehicle with good tyres and keep a spare tyre accessible just in case.
Note: These times are dependent on your driving speeds, please add on if towing a trailer or driving slowly. Consult google maps for up to date information.
In total its 855kms and approx 13 hours from Lusaka to Kasama in a day.
From Kapiri to Mpika: 446kms of mixed condition tar roads (7 hours). Take care for potholes between Serenge and Mpika.
From Mpika to Kasama: 214kms of tar road (3 hours).
Kasama to Mporokoso: 175kms of majority good tar road (2.5 hours).
From Mporokoso to Nsumbu = 175kms of gravel road in mixed conditions (3 hours). Ensure to use a 4X4 vehicle with good tyres and keep a spare tyre accessible just in case.
Note: These times are dependent on your driving speeds, please add on if towing a trailer or driving slowly. Consult google maps for up to date information.
Drive up the Great North Road and turn left at Mpika. Take care on this road as there are potholes between Serenge and Mpika.
From Mpika to Kasama: 214kms tar road (3 hours)
From Kasama to Mpulungu: 204kms tar road (3 hours - road has many potholes).
Our speedboat transfers will take around 2.5 hours to reach Ndole Bay Lodge, weather dependent.
Secure car parking is available at Pendulum fisheries at a small cost. Ask us for up to date information on parking on booking.
The local ferry can be caught from the main ferry terminal, travelling only on week days, the cost is around $10 per way and take around 6 hours to cross to Nsumbu Harbour.
Note: If you catch the ferry we must know in advance so we can collect you from Nsumbu Harbour, this is around 15 mins by boat away from the lodge or 25 mins by car.
Note: These times are dependent on your driving speeds, please add on if towing a trailer or driving slowly. Consult google maps for up to date information.
The waterfalls of the North are a little known gem and well worth the visit! See the map for the waterfalls along each route to/from Ndole Bay Lodge.
Chishimba Falls is located along the route between Kasama and Mporokoso, about 30 mins outside of Kasama.
Nutumbuchusi Falls is a smaller and very beautiful falls with a nice campsite nearby. Its 186kms from Mansa, turning left at Kawambwa (3 hours).
Lumungwe and Kabweluma Falls are side by side between Kawambwa and Mporokoso. They call Lumungwe Falls, "Little Victoria Falls" and it has a campsite right on the top of the falls. Kawambwa to Lumungwe Falls is 50kms of gravel taking about 1 hour. Kabweluma Falls has an almost 360 degree set of falls, both are well worth the visit. Recommended in dry season as the gravel road between Kawambwa and Mporokoso is not in a good state but passable in a high clearance 4X4 car.
Lumungwe Falls to Mporokoso is 93kms of gravel taking about 2 hours.
Note: These times are dependent on your driving speeds, please add on if towing a trailer or driving slowly. Consult google maps for up to date information.
Mutinondo Wilderness is an amazing landscape located along the drive on the Great North Road. Its about 25kms off the main road but well worth the visit to do some the the amazing walks over the large almost perfectly round rock hills.
Its 393kms from Kapiri to Mutinondo Wilderness Lodge (6 hours).
Kapiysha Hot Springs is a famous natural hot spring that has been walled into a small pool. From Mutinondo to Mpika is 100kms (2 hours drive). Its 117kms from Mpika to Kapiysha Hot Springs lodge (2 hours dependant on which route you take).
Kapiysha Hot Springs to Ndole Bay Lodge can be done in a day: 515kms (8 hours).
Note: These times are dependent on your driving speeds, please add on if towing a trailer or driving slowly. Consult google maps for up to date information.
Once you have seen the lake in the distance and have come down the mountain range before Nsumbu, take the first left turn (sign post for Ndole on the right side of road, same road as to go to Mpende Fisheries). From here it will take about 25 mins on ungraded gravel road to reach the lodge.
The last 7kms to the lodge is in poor condition.
Ndole Bay Lodge utilities an airstrips situated inside Nsumbu National Park for charter flights, there are no scheduled airlines flying to Lake Tanganyika yet. There will be a new strip opening up in July 2022, Chisala Strip, which is still inside Nsumbu National Park but much closer to Ndole Bay cutting down transfer times and costs. Inquire as to if this is available at your time of booking.
For private jets that require a tar strip, you can utilize Mbala Airport. From there we can organise car transfers to Mpulungu and then boat transfers to the lodge as required.
We can help you book a charter flight from any major airport in Zambia, although the best prices are generally based from Ndola international. We do not take any commissions on charters and normally will put you directly in touch with them to make payments.
Once you book an airport transfer, we meet the flights at the airstrip, and transfer you by car and boat back to the lodge. The scenery is an amazing introduction to your holiday on Lake Tanganyika.
The key to getting a good price on a charter is making sure you have enough people to fill the plane, most charter planes in Zambia work on 4, 8 or 10 passengers. If you are short numbers we are happy to advertise and help you fill a plane, although of course this cannot be guaranteed.
For the real adventurous there is a helicopter landing pad at Ndole Bay, however private helicopter charters in Zambia are extremely expensive.
Ndole Bay Lodge has a reliable fleet of twin engine craft which make lake crossings enjoyable, comfortable and safe. Pick ups are easily arranged for flights from the local airstrip.
In Mpulungu, safe parking for vehicles and any trailers is possible with prior arrangement. The trip across the lake from Mpulungu to Ndole Bay Lodge passes dramatic cliffs, valleys, headlands and beaches.
The looming outcrop of “Kapembwa” (spirit of the lake) or Yendwe valley shrouded in tropical fog ensures something unique.
Depending on your budget, a range of boats are available for hire from Ndole Bay, making the trip anywhere from two to six hours, all with experienced coxswains and safety equipment. Inquire on Booking for which boat is best suited to your party size.
Ferry
A government operated ferry travels between Mpulungu and the small township of Nsumbu where Ndole Bay is located. The ferry “Stella” travels week days in each direction with a cost of around $5 per way. The ferry departs either point at between 0730 and 10 am and takes about 6 hours. Ndole bay offers free pickups and drop-offs to the harbour in Nsumbu for guests booked with us. A great way to share a local experience, the ferry service runs on schedule and there are toilets on board as well as drinks and snacks, all seating areas are shaded. Please check with us on the latest schedules for the ferry. The ferry departs from the old Saint George fishery in Mpulungu and Standard Fisheries, depending on the day of week.
Secure parking for vehicles is available at Pendulum fisheries for a small cost, speak to the manager on duty.
Drive up the Great North Road and turn left at Mpika. Take care on this road as there are potholes between Serenge and Mpika.
From Mpika to Kasama: 214kms tar road (3 hours)
From Kasama to Mpulungu: 204kms tar road (3 hours - road has many potholes).
Our speedboat transfers will take around 2.5 hours to reach Ndole Bay Lodge, weather dependent.
Secure car parking is available at Pendulum fisheries at a small cost. Ask us for up to date information on parking on booking.
The local ferry can be caught from the main ferry terminal, travelling only on week days, the cost is around $10 per way and take around 6 hours to cross to Nsumbu Harbour.
Note: If you catch the ferry we must know in advance so we can collect you from Nsumbu Harbour, this is around 15 mins by boat away from the lodge or 25 mins by car.
Note: These times are dependent on your driving speeds, please add on if towing a trailer or driving slowly. Consult google maps for up to date information.
More than 100 years later, that description of Lake Tanganyika still holds true. Africa’s most magnificent stretch of water, crystal clear, calm, warm, mysterious and very, very deep.
