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Ilala Lodge
Ilala Lodge
Ilala Lodge
Ilala Lodge
Ilala Lodge
Ilala Lodge
Ilala Lodge
Ilala Lodge

Reviews of Ilala Lodge

Wildlife sightings and reviews

259 independent comments and wildlife information from our travellers who have visited Ilala Lodge and kindly agreed to share their thoughts. They do not necessarily represent the views of Expert Africa

Wildlife sightings by our travellers
Starting in Jul-2019, 46 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Ilala Lodge.
Leopard

0% success

Elephant

54% success

Buffalo

18% success

Zebra

18% success

Showing 1-10 of 259
Duration
Arrival date
Flying Dutchmen
NL

"Ilala Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 12 Feb 2024
"Ilala Lodge is a very LARGE lodge with many rooms. If you seek an intimate boutique atmosphere: this is NOT your accommodation. Ilala welcomes touring cars full of guests.

A nice garden, 2 small pools, very nice food, good Wifi. Postoffice next door.

One thing to take into consideration: during the day you constantly hear the helicopters fly over. Luckily they don't fly at night." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
A&L Polo
USA

"Ilala Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 23 Dec 2023
"From one hand we spent a terrible night there since we couldn't sleep because of the night music from a nearby club.

From another hand we learned next morning how they are trying to fight this situation which is not depend on them and they also settled an issue with us by moving us to the sister hotel Palm River with with very quiet surroundings.

Regarding the location relative to the waterfall - it's perfect walking distance.

So, we would recommend to check about loud music if you sensitive for the matter and go there at weekend or holiday (as we did)." See all these reviews: 7n in Kenya; 3n in Rwanda; 3n in Botswana; 3n in Tanzania; 2n in South Africa; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Good
Service:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Peter & Olga
France

"Ilala Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 7 Nov 2023
"Ilala Lodge is a good place to stay when passing through Victoria Falls." See all these reviews: 7n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Mr & Mrs V.
Leiden

"Ilala Lodge review"

1 night Arrived 3 Nov 2023
"We had just a one night stay al Ilala Lodge.

It's a conviently located and beautiful hotel and a good place to spend a day without having to go out. The rooms are spacious and clean, the restaurant is excellent with the piano player as a charming bonus.

Two points of critcism:
- rooms are expensive
- the all-day-long helicopter rides are a bit of a nuisance" See all these reviews: 7n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Good
Service:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Caro G
United Kingdom

"Lovely Ilala Lodge"

2 nights Arrived 27 Sep 2023
"Ilala Lodge is the closest hotel to Victoria Falls but is still a 10-15 minute walk away. The cost to get into the Falls was a bit of a surprise at $55 each but the experience is amazing.

The sales guys trying to sell you stuff on the way is a bit of a hassle but they are harmless enough, just trying to make a living.

The hotel is delightful and the restaurant for breakfast and dinner very good. We booked the sunset cruise on the Ra-Ikane and it was brilliant. A small wooden boat, there were 8 of us plus the captain and a chap serving drinks and snacks. The captain was very knowledgeable about the wild life and the Falls, and really enhanced the experience.

We went for a walk but felt quite hassled with everyone wanting to sell us something, we were told later that if you say you are from Zimbabwe they leave you alone.

Thehotel has 2 pools which are great for catching some sun.

Staff were friendly and helpful. We had to keep our windows shut when not in the room as the baboons can be a pest. We saw 2 hippos on the lawn after the cruise just happily eating the grass." See all these reviews: 5n in Zimbabwe; 4n in South Africa
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Mrs C.
London

"Ilala Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 13 Sep 2023
"This felt like the biggest hotel we stayed in. It definitely had an international feel and all the facilities you would want from such a hotel.

Staff were professional and helpful, food was good, and there was plenty to do and see for my stay.

I visited Zambia to go to the Devil’s pool and also saw Victoria Falls from Zimbabwe.

A delicious lunch at the Lookout cafe was worth it for the views as well as the food.

All transport and transit arrangements worked like clockwork.

Lovely pool and a chance to see some local wildlife including baboons, hippos , antelopes, meerkats, warthogs, giraffes and elephants." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia; 3n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Sightings Report

Buffalo

Multiple sightings

Elephant

Multiple sightings

Zebra

Multiple sightings

Mr W & Ms W + kids
NL

"Ilala Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 30 Jul 2023
"Nice rooms in a convenient location to visit the falls. Food at the lodge was really nice as well. Also very easy to book activities from the reception and these were always well organised.

One small thing concerned the swimming pool. It looked real nice and was very cool on a hot day. But they seem to put something strange in there, because it caused some skin irritation and really hurt if you got even a drop in your eyes." See all these reviews: 15n in Namibia; 5n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Average
J & K
jackievokes@gmail.com

"Ilala Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 27 Jul 2023
"Very beautiful lodge with lovely room and views towards the falls.

The staff were welcoming and helpful and the food was delicious. It was well placed within a 20 minute walk of the bridge linking to Zambia with views of the falls and gorge and only 10 minutes to the national park. Situated close to a good local restaurant within a few minutes walk." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Sightings Report

Elephant

2 sightings

Never too old
London

"Ilala Lodge review "

2 nights Arrived 6 Jun 2023
"Ilala Lodge is comfortable, clean and in walking distance of Victoria Falls.

Staff were friendly and helpful, and the food was good.

We did the sunset cruise provided by the Lodge and it was one of the highlights of our visit." See all these reviews: 6n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Activities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Sightings Report

Buffalo

4 sightings

Elephant

1 sighting

Family P
Cirencester

"Ilala Lodge review"

3 nights Arrived 5 Jun 2023
"A well located hotel with helpful staff.

Sadly, the pool was out of action during our stay due to reroofing of the surrounding building- however, free transport was available to use the pool at the other hotel a short drive away." See all these reviews: 13n in Botswana; 3n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Good
Showing 1-10 of 259
93%
259 reviews of Ilala Lodge by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
182
67
9
1
0
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