Reviews of Tongabezi
(92%) From 38 travellersThey do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa.
| 
Good location for relaxing end of trip
Was lovely being situated by Zambezi. Lodges in need of refurbishment as bit scruffy and gave the impression of being dirty as for example the bed cover where it should have been white was grey as old and the Mossy net was yellowed did not fit well and generally tatty.
We found it of no great benefit having our personal valet and felt that this job had been created so we would have to tip him generously. Pool needed refurbishing. Breakfast and dinner were good but lunch was outstanding
Expert Africa comments
We were pleased that these travellers generally had a good stay at Tongabezi, however we were sorry that these travellers had a problem with the linen. Ben (the director of Tongabezi), has informed us that all their linen is going to be upgraded before the end of the year. Put this review into context by reading about their trip as a whole.
Romantic, riverside lodge
We had a lovely stay at Tongabezi as the first stop on our honeymoon. The staff really did a great job of making us feel welcome and organizing activities for us. The river cabins were small, yet very comfortable. The food was excellent for all meals, though breakfast tended to be served late and a little slow in coming which was problematic for early AM activities.
Insects are a big issue due to it's location. The staff kept the cabins sprayed, and made sure that the curtains were shut in the evening which really helped keep the bugs out. They offered a "sanpan" dinner, where they bring your dinner out to a raft in the river. This was wonderful, except for the bugs.
While Tongabezi's location is very tranquil, it is about a 30 minute drive to the falls and all activities there. So, if your goal is to maximize your exposure to the falls themselves, stay closer to town.
Tongabezi review
Fabulous lodges with superb food and excellent activities included.I can fully recommend the Sindabezi and Tongabezi lodges; they are safari luxury personified. The food, service and accommodation were fabulous and offered us a wonderful rest with a touch of excitement, hippos and elephants in camp at night, along with an opportunity to canoe down the Zambezi ( avoiding hippos, crocs and whirlpools! ) and even a trip into Livingstone resulted in us witnessing the birth of a baby elephant on the road side. The inclusive trips on the river in early morning & at sundown were especially appreciated as was the trip into the market.
Read more about the whole tripGreat bubble bath at Tongabezi
This was a great place to end our holiday.
The room, the view and service were great, as were the activities. We even went on a helicopter ride over the Victoria Falls, paid for by us, but arranged by the lodge and taken to the airport and waited for.
The laundry service was also very good.
My only criticism was that the mats in the room needed a good clean to remove stains.
Honeymoon at Tongabezi
Wow, what a place!!!
After the experiences we had on our honeymoon (Azura Mozambique and camps in Botswana), Tongabezi really raised the bar!!! A stunning location on the hippo-infested Zambezi with outstanding facilities and quite brilliant cuisine. The "Nut House" where we stayed is probably the most amazing place we will EVER stay.
We wished we could have had longer to spend enjoying Tongabezi as we spent a lot of time enjoying the wonderful activities that the Zambezi has to offer at Livingstone, in particular the white water rafting with Bundu Adventures and the helicopter trip which both come highly recommended.
Tongabezi review
We can think of worse places to wait for your flight home. We stayed at Tongabezi to be close to the airport the next day, but we got another great day of holidays.
Super service and nice accommodation. And we managed to slip in a visit to Victoria Falls.... At the end of our trip throughout Namibia we did not see much wildlife, but we weren't really expecting any.
Lovely camp and location
As a relaxing camp following 9 days on safari it was ideal. The cottages were delightful and there were lots of activities to choose from if you wanted to be active. The majority of the staff coundn't have been more helpful and friendly.
Trega , our valet was a star !
Tongabezi review
Attractive location on the banks of the Zambezi and a good base to view the Victoria Falls and, although this involves a drive, it could not be faulted.
Our experience on Livingstone Island with lunch so close to the edge of the Falls was really worthwhile. Helpful and charming staff, well schooled
Tongabezi review
The Nut House was just great. The service by our valets was outstanding. The whole Tongabezi team is very professional.
Big variety of activities. Due to our brief stay, we have just been to the falls, overflew them with a helicopter and visited the Livingstone museum.
One comment regarding the food; it was not to the level of Kapani/Kakuli; some further effort should be made with respect to the cusine.
great location and beautifully designed
The bedroom/bathroom was comfortable. Food was good, wine was limited to a house wine which was of a very mediocre standard.
Service was poor, apart from that at dinner which was very good. ( different staff?). Breakfast was always late.
Our 'personal valet' simply did not have a clue. The bedroom alert system - a field telephone - was not functioning. We drew this to his attention, asking him to have it seen to. Next day, When we needed it we found it still to be unusable. My husband walked to reception to report it. Nothing happened! Another visit to reception and a complaint to the Manager had it repaired without delay. Our valet said he 'forgot'. This, we feel is a serious omission given that one is asked not to leave the bedroom without a guide at night. In the event of an emergency there were no means of contacting anbody.
Expert Africa comments
Tongabezi's management has since commented that the member of staff in question has received further training to ensure that standards are upheld and to ensure that similar situations do not arise in the future. They are also considering of providing each room with an emergency whistle so that should any similar breakdowns occur in the future, these can be used in the unlikely event of an emergency.
The management comments that the lodge is also working on upgrading its house wine list and is looking at introducing a premium wine list (for which a supplement will be payable locally over and above the inclusive price).
We have always believed that acting responsibly is the only way to approach tourism and we're one of
the few companies to hold AITO's original coveted 5-star status for responsible tourism. It's a lead
that others are now following.
