Adventure rowing through Africa's wilderness

Row Safari is not simply a safari — it is an expedition. Over six unforgettable days, you become part of a small team travelling 120km through one of Africa's greatest wilderness areas, experiencing wildlife from the unique perspective of the river itself. By day you row through landscapes few people will ever see. By afternoon you relax in luxury safari camps before enjoying game drives, walking safaris and exceptional hospitality. It is adventure, conservation and luxury combined into one extraordinary journey.

Row Safari grew from the internationally recognised Row Zambezi expeditions, which have explored more than 3,000km of African waterways over the past fifteen years. From the first 1,000km expedition in 2011 onwards, the team has pioneered expedition rowing in Africa while raising over $100,000 for clean water and conservation initiatives.

In 2011 RowZambezi rowed 1,000km from Chavuma (the border with Angola) to Victoria Falls. In the 2014 Moon Row expedition we undertook the first nonstop row through the day and night along the 250km length of Lake Kariba in Zambia. In the same year we rowed a further 250km through the Lower Zambezi to the border with Mozambique. In 2018 we undertook the first rowing expedition through a national park in Africa, covering 850km of the Kafue National Park including the remote Kafue Flats. The 2024 RowZambique Expedition completed our journey along the Zambezi River with an 800km row through Mozambique to the Indian Ocean.

Because it offers something increasingly rare: genuine adventure. This is not a scheduled tour viewed through a vehicle window. It is an active journey where every kilometre is earned, every wildlife encounter is authentic, and every evening ends with the satisfaction of having travelled through Africa under your own power.

It is both. The days are adventurous and physically engaging, but the evenings are spent in carefully selected safari lodges offering excellent food, comfortable accommodation and world-class wildlife experiences. Think “soft expedition” rather than endurance challenge.

Your day starts with an early breakfast and a morning safety briefing from the expedition team. You’ll be on the water by around 08:00, rowing between 25–40km through stunning wilderness with wildlife all around you. You’ll arrive at the next safari camp by midday, with the afternoon free for walking safaris, game drives or simply relaxing. Evenings include night drives, good dining and swapping stories under the African sky.

Day 1: Arrive in Lusaka and transfer by charter flight to the Kafue National Park. Settle in at your first safari camp with a safety and orientation briefing.

Days 2–5: Four days of rowing covering the journey downriver to Mukambi Safari Lodge, with overnight stays at safari camps along the route. The specific camps may vary between expeditions depending on availability, but each offers a wonderful base for afternoon walking safaris, game drives and night drives. The rowing legs range from 25km to 40km, with the final leg launching from the Mayukuyuku river point and finishing at Mukambi for a second night.

Day 6: Take part in a hands-on conservation activity before transferring back to Lusaka and flights home.

A typical RowSafari expedition has 8–12 participants. Group size is limited by the eight chalets at each safari camp, which can be taken by solo Explorers or by couples, making it a truly exclusive experience. You’ll be supported by a professional expedition team including the Expedition Leader, a medical officer, river guides, rangers, a mechanic and a photographer.

You need some light experience of sculling — you don’t need to be a competitive rower, but you should be comfortable handling oars and maintaining a basic rowing stroke. If you’re a club rower or have done recreational sculling, you’ll be well prepared.

We use the custom-built RowZambezi triple sculling boats, specifically designed for expedition rowing on African rivers and made of Kevlar. Each boat carries three crew members: an experienced RowZambezi guide in the bow seat and two guest rowers. Motorised support boats accompany the rowing boats at all times.

If you enjoy an active lifestyle and can comfortably exercise for several hours at a moderate pace, you’ll be well suited to Row Safari. This is about endurance rather than speed. Nobody is racing — you simply become part of a team moving through one of Africa’s most spectacular landscapes.

Yes. We’ll provide guidance on fitness preparation and rowing technique ahead of the expedition. Where possible, we may also arrange a group practice session covering capsize drills, boat handling and our on-water emergency procedures before you arrive in Zambia.

One of Row Safari’s greatest luxuries is that while the journey is adventurous, your evenings are anything but rugged. There is no camping, no sleeping bags and no roughing it — just exceptional safari lodge hospitality in remarkable locations.

You’ll stay at lovely safari camps along the Kafue River — including Hippo Lodge, McBrides, Musekese, Lufupa and Mukambi. The specific camps used depend on which expedition you join and availability, but each offers comfortable accommodation, good dining, and safari activities including game drives and walking safaris. This is not camping — it’s a genuine luxury safari experience.

You fly commercially to Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. From Lusaka, we arrange a charter flight into the Kafue National Park — a spectacular way to arrive. The return flight from Mukambi back to Lusaka is also included.

We’ll provide a detailed packing list closer to the expedition. In general, you’ll need lightweight, quick-drying clothing suitable for rowing, sun protection (hat, sunglasses, high-factor sunscreen), comfortable safari wear for evenings, and any personal medications.

Absolutely. The chalets are all double rooms and a non-rowing partner can accompany you on one of the support boats as well as join in the other activities in each camp.

RowSafari would be a wonderful way to experience your first time in Africa. You will be met and looked after by people who have good experience of Africa and of making you feel comfortable and at home. Zambia is a particularly friendly country and very welcoming to new arrivals.

Yes. Each camp has internet access and RowSafari will be carrying a mobile Starlink system, which we have already tested in the bush. You can also buy an eSIM for Zambia for your phone, which may have intermittent signal availability.

We will assess the weather conditions every day and plan our approach and activities accordingly.

Yes. We will ask you for your dietary requirements before joining RowSafari so that we are aware of any specific needs that you have.

The insurance you need will vary by personal circumstances; insurance packages that cover safaris in Zambia (or Southern Africa), flying in light aircraft and undertaking water-borne activities should be sufficient.

Safety is our absolute priority. Our expedition leader has over 15 years’ experience leading rowing expeditions on the Zambezi and Kafue rivers. We operate with strict on-water safety protocols, including daily safety briefings, constant 360° wildlife monitoring, and motorised support boats that carry out sweeps around the rowing boats at every stop. We have specific emergency manoeuvres for wildlife encounters: the “Croc Burst” (sprint), “Hippo Stop” (emergency stop) and “Elephant Turn” (rapid 90° turn). Every Explorer is fully briefed and practised on these before going on the water.

Each expedition carries comprehensive safety kit including 2–3 motorised support boats, VHF radios, satellite phones, GPS tracking devices, a full medical kit, life jackets, emergency thermal blankets, and specialist bespoke maps of the river. An Expedition Medical Officer is with the team at all times.

We have a dedicated Expedition Medical Officer on every RowSafari. The team carries a comprehensive medical kit and satellite communications for emergency coordination. Pre-identified emergency rendezvous points are established along the route, and evacuation procedures are planned in advance with the safari camps and park rangers.

Every expedition is different, which is part of the magic. From the river you’ll almost certainly encounter hippos, crocodiles, elephants and extraordinary birdlife. From camp-based safaris you may also see lion, leopard, buffalo and numerous antelope species. No two days are ever the same.

Yes. Every Explorer directly contributes to conservation through financial support, wildlife data collection and hands-on conservation activities. When your expedition ends, you leave not only with memories but with the knowledge that you’ve helped protect this extraordinary ecosystem.

Conservation is at the heart of everything we do. A portion of profits from every RowSafari goes to the RiverRoots charity, which supports conservation and clean water initiatives in southern Africa, including within the Kafue National Park.

RiverRoots is a charity focused on conservation and clean water projects in southern Africa. It was founded as part of the wider RowZambezi mission of “On Water for Water” — using rowing expeditions to fund and support environmental and community water initiatives.

There will be two RowSafari expeditions in 2027: RS1 will run from Sat 14th – Thurs 19th August 2027, and RS2 will run from Sun 22nd – Fri 27th August 2027. August falls within the dry season, offering ideal conditions for rowing and wildlife viewing. Many of our expeditions have taken place in July and August.

Places are limited by the eight chalets at each camp, with typically 8–12 participants per expedition, so we recommend booking early. Contact Tim Cook, the RowZambezi Founder and Expedition Leader, directly by email at info@rowsafari.com, or use the enquiry form below.

We are limited by the number of people we can take, and this has an impact on cost. The fee for a Rowing Explorer is $10,000; the fee for a non-rowing partner is $8,000. The price is all-inclusive, covering accommodation at safari camps, all meals and drinks, charter flights between Lusaka and the Kafue National Park, all rowing equipment, the professional expedition team, game drives, walking safaris, night drives, and conservation activities.

A non-refundable deposit of $1,000 is required on reserving a place on a RowSafari. The remainder of the payments will be required by 31st March 2027. Part payments between reserving a place and the final payment date are acceptable.

The $1,000 deposit is non-refundable, as it is used to secure accommodation and logistics commitments in Zambia. For cancellations of the remaining balance, the following policy applies based on notice given before the expedition start date:

• More than 60 days’ notice: full refund of any balance paid (deposit retained)
• 30–60 days’ notice: 50% refund of any balance paid (deposit retained)
• Less than 30 days’ notice: no refund

If you can find a suitable replacement Explorer to take your place, a full refund of the balance will be provided regardless of the cancellation date. We strongly recommend that all Explorers take out comprehensive travel insurance that includes trip cancellation cover. RowSafari is not liable for costs arising from circumstances beyond our control, including flight cancellations, travel disruptions or changes to entry requirements.

Visa requirements vary by nationality; we can advise on what you’ll need for Zambia.

If you’re interested in extending your time in Zambia, we’re happy to help with suggestions for additional safari or travel experiences including Victoria Falls.

Most people leave with incredible photographs. They also leave with something less tangible: the experience of travelling through one of Africa’s last great wildernesses under their own power, sharing sunsets, wildlife encounters and friendships that few adventures can create.