A hand-picked selection of lodges and camps. Click through their name to visit their own website directly.
Wilderness Toka Leya
A Wilderness camp set on the banks of the Zambezi within Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, a short game drive from Livingstone. Its riverfront rooms look out over island channels upstream of the Falls, with elephant and hippo often visible from the deck.
Victoria Falls Waterfront
A Safpar property spread along the Zambezi just upstream of the Falls in Livingstone, popular as a base for river and adventure activities as well as a stay in its own right. River-facing rooms sit right on the water’s edge, with the sound of the river as a constant backdrop.
Taita Falcon Lodge
An Everwild lodge perched on the edge of the Batoka Gorge below Victoria Falls, named for the rare falcon that nests on the cliffs nearby. Its chalets look straight down into the gorge and the Zambezi’s white water, a dramatic contrast to the riverfront lodges elsewhere in the area.
Maramba River Lodge
An independent lodge on the banks of the Maramba River just outside Livingstone, set in gardens that draw regular visits from vervet monkeys and birdlife. It offers an easy, laid-back base close to town, with the Falls and the Zambezi’s activities a short drive away.
Mukwa River Lodge
A Residence Collection property on the Zambezi outside Livingstone, upstream of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, combining a boutique, design-led feel with a riverside setting close to town. Rooms open onto the water, with the river and its passing wildlife as the main draw.
Sussi & Chuma Lodge
Sussi & Chuma Lodge, an A&K Sanctuary, stands on a bend of the Zambezi inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, upstream of the Falls. Twelve chalets are built on stilts among giant ebony and jackalberry trees, each with a private deck over the river. The name comes from Abdullah Susi and James Chuma, the two men who guided David Livingstone through this country and carried his body to the coast after his death.
Tanyati Villa
Tanyati Villa stands on the bank of the Zambezi outside Livingstone, on the same riverside estate as Mukwa River Lodge and sharing its facilities. Four en-suite suites take up to eight adults and two children, exclusive-use only, with a heated infinity pool, a cinema, a wine cellar and a library, and a chef, butler and guest liaison manager for the group alone. Days are built around Victoria Falls, river cruises, village visits, Zambian cooking classes and the Mukwa organic garden and school of music and art. Children of all ages are welcome. Twenty minutes from Livingstone airport.
Thorntree River Lodge
Thorntree River Lodge sits on the Zambezi inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, upstream of the Falls and about twenty minutes from Livingstone airport, which makes it one of the easier camps in this guide to reach. Eight suites and two family suites each have a plunge pool, and the main area runs from lounge to dining room to a riverside deck with an infinity pool and a firepit, with a spa and a gym alongside. Days combine the river and the park: cruises, canoeing and fishing, game drives, and rhino tracking on foot in the small park population. Guided visits to both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides of the Falls can be arranged, as can helicopter flights over them. The Ngwana Club looks after younger guests. Solar powered, all ages welcome.
Tongabezi
Tongabezi sits on the Zambezi upstream of Victoria Falls, on a quieter stretch of river than the Falls themselves. Accommodation is five thatched river cottages plus a set of individually designed houses, each with a private valet. Days revolve around the water: canoeing, sunset cruises on an electric dhow, island picnics, fishing, and dinners served from a sampan on the river. Guided visits to the Falls run from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides.
Sindabezi Island
Sindabezi Island is a small private island in the Zambezi, about twelve kilometres upstream of Victoria Falls. Five open-sided thatched chalets look out over the river and the national park beyond. There is a plunge pool on the island, and dinners are sometimes served on a floating sampan. Guests can also use activities at sister lodge Tongabezi.
