Victoria Falls Safari Lodge: Our full report

High up on a plateau bordering the Zambezi National Park, the relaxed Victoria Falls Safari Lodge offers a comfortable place to stay while you visit Victoria Falls. This large, imposing wood-and-thatch building has spectacular views over the bush, the national park and a waterhole that attracts game all year round. The west-facing decks are also a great place from which to watch the sunset.

Victoria Falls Safari Lodge consists of 72 rooms: 51 standard rooms (including one disabled room), 15 deluxe rooms and six suites. Each room has a balcony overlooking the Zambezi National Park towards the sunset and most face the waterhole. All rooms have an en-suite bathroom with flush toilet, single wash basin, a bath and a separate shower. The rooms are a little dated and in need of an upgrade. We last visited about 13 years ago and they have not really changed at all.

Facilities in the bedrooms vary depending upon the room type, but all rooms have a safe, a telephone, air conditioning, a fan, mosquito nets, complimentary insect repellent and tea and coffee making facilities. The deluxe rooms and suites also have a minibar.

The main area of the lodge is situated on different levels. Upstairs from the main reception area is the Makuwa-Kuwa restaurant which offers a buffet breakfast and a la carte lunches and dinners and has views towards the waterhole. All the individual tables are decorated in brightly coloured tablecloths. Two floors below the restaurant is the Buffalo Bar, which serves drinks and snacks all day. A large deck leads out of the bar providing sundowners and pre- and post-dinner drinks while enjoying the game around the waterhole. There is also a curio shop, an internet café, a television lounge and Wi-Fi is available throughout the lodge.

Adjacent to the main lodge is the Boma Restaurant which provides a unique cultural experience. It is open for dinner every evening and specialises in traditional Zimbabwean dishes serving a four-course dinner cooked on a barbecue. As well as various local dishes the entertainment includes traditional dancers and singers. After dinner guests are invited to join in with some local drumming.

The lodge is located 3km from Victoria Falls Town (4km from the Falls themselves) and 24km from Victoria Falls airport. There is a courtesy shuttle bus that runs every hour to various locations in Victoria Falls conveniently stopping at the main points in town such as the market and the Falls.

Our view

Although the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge is pricier than some of the other properties Expert Africa features in Victoria Falls, its location on the boundary of the national park, overlooking its own waterhole, makes you feel that you are still on safari, even though you are in an international-style hotel. When we last visited (in November 2011) there were plans to build a new wing of the hotel and increase its capacity further.

Geographics

Location: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

Food & drink

Dining locations: Indoor and Outdoor Dining

Health & safety

Malarial area: Yes

Dangerous animals: High Risk