Shiwa Ngandu, Colonial estate in Muchinga Province, Zambia
Shiwa Ngandu is an estate in Muchinga Province featuring an English-style manor house set within expansive grounds that contain natural lakes and wildlife reserves. The main house and several outbuildings were constructed using locally sourced materials.
Sir Stewart Gore-Browne established the estate in the 1920s, employing hundreds of workers to move construction materials across newly built access roads. The project represented a major development point in the region during the colonial period.
The local Bemba people named the founder Chipembere, acknowledging his role in building a working community with schools, shops, and a hospital within the estate grounds. This name became a mark of respect that endured among nearby communities.
The property can be reached by charter flights to the private airstrip or by driving west from the main road between Mpika and Chinsali. The dry season offers the best conditions for visiting when roads are passable and wildlife is most active.
The estate continues to produce essential oils and citrus blossoms today, preserving agricultural practices rooted in its founding era. The restored manor offers just a handful of guest rooms, allowing visitors to experience the daily rhythm of working life on the grounds.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
