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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

265 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, 53 of our travellers have recorded their wildlife sightings at Ilala Lodge.
Leopard

0% success

Hippo

100% success

Elephant

55% success

Buffalo

15% success

Zebra

15% success

Showing 11-20 of 265
Duration
Arrival date
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
Coulsdon, UK

"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
Alex
Algarve

"Ilala Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 31 May 2023
"Such a pretty place in the middle of Victoria Falls - so very handy to both walk to the Falls and into the town itself. You have to accept the constant noise of the helicopters overhead - but inevitable of course.

The rooms are large if functional but sitting on your patio with the elephants wandering past to enjoy the waterhole can't be complained about!

The food was superb - amongst the best we had all trip." See all these reviews: 16n in Namibia; 3n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

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

Elephant

10 sightings

Mr & Mrs. E.
Zurich

"Ilala Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 21 Apr 2023
"- nice lodge with perfect location for vic falls visit on foot
- bush bucks passing through the gardens is lovely
- negative: constant heli noise due to the proximity to the falls
- one night loud music from the nearby restaurant" See all these reviews: 7n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Good
Facilities:
Good
Rooms:
Good
Food:
Good
Mr & Mrs G
Cottenham

"Great 2 days at Vic Falls"

2 nights Arrived 11 Dec 2022
"Convenient location close to the entrance of the Victoria Falls National Park and Zambia boarder. The room was well appointed with air conditioning and ensuite bathroom. We could see the mist from the Falls from our bedroom patio, as well as the breakfast / dining room veranda. The staff were friendly and helpful, booking a taxi to take us to a nearby restaurant on our first night. Breakfasts offered a good variety of options. We ate in the hotel restaurant after our sunset river cruise, which was also good.

We enjoyed all the activities that the area had to offer (booked independently through wild horizons). We particularly liked the little bamba sunrise tram ride onto the victoria falls bridge. We also enjoyed the lookout cafe for drinks & lunches. On the sunset cruise we saw crocodiles, hippos and a variety of birdlife. On the drive from the Botswana / Zimbabwe border to the lodge we also saw an elephant.
N.B. The white water rafting departs at 7am, so it needs to be booked at least the day before." See all these reviews: 12n in Namibia; 4n in Botswana; 2n in Zimbabwe
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Good

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

Elephant

1 sighting

Mr D.
Chelmsford

"Ilala Lodge review"

2 nights Arrived 8 Nov 2022
Experience Report
Overall Rating:
Excellent

Location:
Excellent
Service:
Excellent
Activities:
Excellent
Rooms:
Excellent
Food:
Excellent
Facilities:
Excellent
Showing 11-20 of 265
93%
265 reviews of Ilala Lodge by travellers since August 2007
Overall rating by our travellers
186
69
9
1
0
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