Ndole Bay Lodge offers the best 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.
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Ndole Bay Lodge utilities an airstrip situated inside Nsumbu National Park for charter flights, there are no scheduled airlines flying to Lake Tanganyika yet.
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. We meet all flights at the airstrip, and after a 5 minute car ride it is then about 40 minutes by boat to Ndole Bay Lodge, a great introduction to the wonders you will see during your stay.
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.
Proflight Zambia offers scheduled flights to Mansa, where you can self organise a hire car or taxi to bring you directly to the lodge.
This will still take 4 hours from Mansa to reach Kasama, then you can either head to Mpulungu to meet one of our boat transfers or drive the rest of the way, from Kasama to Mporokoso is tar road taking around 2 hours then Mporokoso to Nsumbu is on varied states of gravel road taking around 4.5 hours (revised Jan 2020).
They did offer scheduled flights from Lusaka and Ndola to Kasama which met our road transfers to Mpulungu (2 hours) to connect with our high speed boat transfers to Ndole Bay Lodge (2.5 hours). Unfortunately, these flights have ceased until the upgrades on Kasama Airport has been completed.
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.
Below is an overview of the highlights on the various routes to Ndole Bay, these are what we consider the best of the far North and hope you get to see at least some of them!
Currently in estimated times (revised Jan 2020);
From Mpika to Kasama (tar road): 2 hours.
From Kasama to Mporokoso (tar road): 2 hours.
From Mporokoso to Nsumbu/Ndole (gravel roads in varied states, majority is in excellent condition *update January 2021*): 2.5- 3 hours.
This 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.
Currently in estimated times (revised Jan 2020);
From Serenje to Mansa (tar road): 4.5 hours,
From Mansa to Mbereshi (tar road): 2.5 hours. (The turnoff is called Lufubu on google maps).
From Mbereshi to Mporokoso (gravel road on mixed states): 3 hours. (Ntumbuchusi is not far after the Mbereshi turnoff and is very pretty).
From Mporokoso to Nsumbu/Ndole Bay (gravel roads in mixed states): 4.5 hours
This 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. Alternative popular stopover is Samfya beach.
Currently in estimated times (revised Jan 2020);
From Mpika to Kasama (tar road): 2 hours.
From Kasama to Mpulungu (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 $5 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.
This 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.
Currently in estimated times (revised Jan 2020);
Once you have sen 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.
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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.
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.
Currently in estimated times (revised Jan 2021);
From Mpika to Kasama (tar road): 2 hours.
From Kasama to Mpulungu (tar road): 3 hours.
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.
