Christopher & Charlotte McBride

The Founders of McBrides Camp

Few safari camps in Africa can genuinely claim to have been born from wildlife research rather than tourism. McBrides Camp is one of them.

Christopher and Charlotte McBride founded McBrides Camp in the heart of Zambia's Kafue National Park with a simple vision: to live and work in one of Africa's last great wilderness areas while contributing to the understanding and conservation of its wildlife.

More than two decades later, that vision continues to shape every aspect of the camp.

Christopher McBride

Christopher McBride is a respected wildlife researcher, author and conservationist whose work has focused extensively on lions and Africa's wild places.

He is widely recognised for his work on lions and is the author of several books, including The White Lions of Timbavati, Operation White Lion, Living with Lions and Liontide.

In 2000, Christopher and Charlotte established McBrides Camp as a research outpost in Kafue National Park. At the time, tourism was not the primary objective. The camp served as a base from which Christopher could continue his wildlife research while documenting the extraordinary ecosystems of Kafue.

Today, at 85 years of age, Christopher remains closely connected to camp life. Although he no longer guides guests, he continues to spend significant periods at McBrides Camp, where he remains actively engaged in writing and documenting his lifetime of experiences in Africa's wilderness.

"McBrides Camp was not created as a conventional safari lodge. It grew from a life dedicated to wildlife, research and Africa's wild places."

The McBrides Camp Story

Charlotte McBride

Alongside Christopher throughout this journey has been Charlotte McBride.

As co-founder of McBrides Camp, Charlotte has played a central role in building and developing the camp into the unique safari destination it is today.

Her commitment to hospitality, conservation and guest experience has helped create the warm and welcoming atmosphere for which McBrides Camp has become known.

While the camp has grown over the years, Charlotte's philosophy has remained unchanged: to provide guests with an authentic safari experience that remains respectful of both wildlife and wilderness.

Unlike many safari lodges that were conceived as tourism businesses from the outset, McBrides Camp began as a working research base.

Situated within one of Africa's largest national parks, the camp provided a unique opportunity to observe and study wildlife in an area that remains largely untouched by development.

Over time, visitors who shared Christopher and Charlotte's passion for wilderness began requesting opportunities to experience this remote corner of Kafue for themselves.

The camp gradually evolved into a safari destination while retaining the values upon which it was founded.

✓ Respect for wildlife
✓ Conservation through responsible tourism
✓ Exceptional interpretation of the bush
✓ A deep appreciation for wilderness
✓ Authentic safari experiences

A Legacy of Conservation

Kafue National Park is one of Africa's largest and most important protected areas, supporting extraordinary wildlife and more than 500 bird species.

Christopher and Charlotte's long-term commitment to the park has contributed to raising awareness of Kafue's ecological significance and helping visitors develop a deeper understanding of its wildlife and conservation challenges.

For guests visiting McBrides Camp, the experience is about more than simply viewing wildlife. It is an opportunity to connect with a place shaped by decades of research, conservation and passion for Africa's natural heritage.

"The greatest luxury in Africa is not opulence. It is authenticity." McBrides Camp Philosophy

The McBrides Story Continues

More than two decades after its founding, McBrides Camp remains true to its origins.

Guests continue to experience one of Africa's great wilderness areas from a camp that was built not for mass tourism, but from a genuine love of wildlife, conservation and the remarkable landscapes of Kafue National Park.

The story of McBrides Camp is, above all, the story of Christopher and Charlotte McBride — two people whose lives have been dedicated to understanding, protecting and sharing Africa's wild places.