Tongabezi Lodge
Location
The lodge is about 12 kilometres upstream from the falls, giving easy access to the thrills of the adventure capital of southern Africa. Livingstone Airport is about 40 minutes by vehicle, and it’s about the same to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park.
Our favourite abode, for the limbs growing through its floors, is the Tree House. For space, seclusion, a pool, and even a gym, then Tangala Private House is perhaps the ultimate option.
The central communal facility, known affectionately to some as the ‘hang out’, is a substantial, open-sided thatched building overlooking the river. There’s ample space for comfortable lounging and eating in the shade or on the terraces, with meals in fine weather taking place on a deck jutting out over the waters.
Need other options? There’s the Lookout, a multi-level wooden structure with two lounges and a library. Then there are a couple of pools, a gym/spa, and a firepit where sundowner cocktails seem to taste even sweeter than usual.
Experiences
- Of course, you must head to Victoria Falls. The lodge can arrange for you to visit Livingstone Island on the very lip of the mighty cascade and for you even to lie in the waters while looking over the precipice.
- For a rather more sedate and relaxing experience of the Zambezi, opt for dinner on a Sanpan pontoon in the middle of the river.
- Another option for exploring the river, perhaps for some birdwatching and dinner on a sandbank, is to go out on an electric dhow.
- Have a guided tour of the lodge’s onsite organic community garden, an outreach programme that also happens to provide delicious and sustainable ingredients for everyone.
- Discover nearby Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, which hosts Zambia’s only white rhino population.
- Perhaps on the way to Livingstone’s Museum, visit the vibrant market or the school that the lodge supports.
Alongside the Falls, there are several excellent excursions including meaningful community visits. Its luxurious and characterful houses and cottages suit solo travellers, couples and families (who might debate whether the best address is the Garden House or the Dog House). Multigenerational groups of family and friends enjoy staying side by side in the mix of cottages along the riverbank.
Talk to us about designing your journey >
From the Team
“At Tongabezi, by all means lean over the edge of Victoria Falls – it’s an irresistible thrill – but do yourself a favour and see it from the air as well. Only a helicopter really shows you what you’re dealing with.”
Why Plan Your Safari with Journeysmiths
Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want your safari to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.Every journey we design begins with listening. Whether you’re travelling as a family, a couple, or across generations, we take time to understand how you want your safari to feel – not just where you want to go. From there, we carefully weave together exceptional places, trusted guides, and seamless logistics to create journeys that flow naturally and feel entirely your own.
Positive Impact
We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.We prioritise working with properties that collaborate with local communities and address location-specific needs from education to anti-poaching. We assess our partners to ensure the people we work with share our values of ensuring our trips continue to act as a force for good. Here we share some of the positive impacts your stay here contributes to.
Great Places to Combine with Tongabezi Lodge
Tongabezi Lodge works beautifully as part of a wider African journey. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.Tongabezi Lodge works beautifully as part of a wider African journey. We often pair it with contrasting environments to create a sense of flow and variety.
Impeccably luxurious and with a prime location for encountering the wildlife wonders of the lower Zambezi Valley, Sausage Tree Camp was deservedly included by the BBC in a programme on the world’s ten best luxury destinations.
Built entirely by the hands of the local community, Kaya Mawa is the epitome of luxurious rustic chic. Featuring an excellent range of room and house options, all with views over the clear waters of Lake Malawi, Kaya Mawa has been listed by Conde Nast as one of the world’s top ten most romantic places to stay.
Dinaka’s private Kalahari concession centres on permanent waterholes that pull wildlife close, while the opportunity to spend time with San Bushmen adds a cultural depth few camps can match.
This former presidential holiday home has been transformed into a cluster of superb lodges offering seclusion and luxury right at the heart of one of Africa’s great national parks.
Tucked away in a quiet corner of Kafue National Park – itself a place that’s noted for its remarkably low visitor numbers – Musekese Camp is as quietly intimate as a safari camp gets. Peaceful is an understatement.
Completely Delightful
"We had a very interesting mix of camps in Botswana and Zambia all completely delightful in wonderful settings and with excellent food, ambience and staff. The guides and drivers were all brilliant and so knowledgeable about the fauna and flora ."
Zambia is the path less-travelled, which means that a safari here is always one with guaranteed privacy. It’s also an experience of how African exploration always used to be, with bush camps deep in game-rich territory and walking safaris led by expert guides. Authenticity can still be comfortable, so amazing food and perfectly-placed accommodation are just as Zambian as the wilderness.
Indulge in a luxurious Zambian getaway. Start with the awe-inspiring Victoria Falls, then venture into the wilderness for an exclusive safari, encountering Zambia's diverse wildlife while unwinding in stunning accommodations, creating an unforgettable African adventure.
We’ve compiled a list of our favourite experiences to inspire your imagination.
Three of Africa’s great rivers set the scene for your Zambia safari. The Zambezi, the Luangwa and the Kafue rivers are all of different character and have national parks named for them.
Whether on foot, canoe or open vehicle - Zambia is the perfect place for a real family safari adventure. You can track elephants and giraffe walking with an expert guide. You can paddle a stable Canadian canoe down the Zambezi watching zebra and antelope drinking at the water’s edge.