Victoria Falls

Visiting Victoria Falls

An iconic Southern Africa destination is within reach if you are already visiting South Africa. The following are a few of our favourite options in Victoria Falls. We recommend at least 2-4 nights at the falls to get the full experience. We have selected these lodges & Hotels based on personal experience of visiting the lodges, in order to be able to best recommend what might suit our clients. Some lodges are better suited for a family or multi-generational holiday, whereas others are set up for a luxurious honeymoon or couples’ getaway. Please get in touch if you would like assistance sorting through the options to find the right one for you!

Arial View of Ilala Lodge

Ilala Lodge is a beautiful family run Hotel within the town of Victoria Falls. Ilala is the closest Hotel to the Victoria Waterfall and you can hear the falls and see the spray from certain areas at the Hotel.

  • Closest airport: Victoria falls Airport, +/- 25 minutes’ drive (transfers will be arranged)
  • Perfect for: Families, couples & small groups – children of all ages welcome
  • Budget: From USD246 per person per night
  • Earthstompers rating: Classic Lodge (4 Star)
  • Exclusivity:  Big lodge; 73 rooms
Arial view of Palm River Hotel

The Palm River Hotel is the more upmarket sister of Ilala Lodge and is situated 4 kilometres upstream from the famous Victoria Falls. The Hotel is located on the banks of the mighty Zambezi river.

  • Closest airport: Victoria falls Airport, +/- 25 minutes’ drive (transfers will be arranged)
  • Perfect for: Families, couples & groups – children of all ages welcome
  • Budget: From USD328 per person per night
  • Earthstompers rating: Luxury lodge (5 Star)
  • Exclusivity:  Big Hotel; 73 rooms
Stanley Livingston

Stanley & Livingstone Boutique Hotel is situated in the Victoria Falls Game Reserve and is only a 15 minutes’ drive from the Victoria Falls.

  • Closest airport: Victoria falls Airport, +/- 30 minutes’ drive (transfers included)
  • Perfect for: Couples & small groups – children of all ages welcome
  • Budget: From USD445 per person per night
  • Earthstompers rating: Superior luxury lodge (5 Star +)
  • Exclusivity:  Small-Medium lodge; 16 Suites
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 Tsowa Safari Island is situated in Zambezi National Park; upstream from Victoria Falls. This is a surreal place, gently set apart from the busy world.

  • Closest airport: Victoria falls Airport, +/- 1hour’s drive (4×4 game viewer and boat transfers included)
  • Perfect for: Couples & small groups – children over 12 is welcome
  • Budget: USD 445
  • Earthstompers rating: Luxury (5 Star )
  • Exclusivity: Small lodge; 8 Suites

You can fly into Victoria Falls International Airport and there are daily scheduled flights:

From Cape Town we use Airlink. Connections through Johannesburg are also possible.

From Johannesburg (OR Tambo International Airport) we use Cemair and FlySafair

From Kruger (Kruger Mpumalanga National Airport) area we use Fastjet. Connections through Johannesburg is also possible

These lodges and Hotels are all 4 or 5-star rated, so it can be difficult to understand the level of the lodge and experience, especially since they are so unique.  We have therefore rated them according to personal experience.

  • Classic:  4 star or unrated
  • Luxury:5 star
  • Superior Luxury:5 star +
  • Premium:5 star ++
  • Mission #1 is to see the falls themselves!  We recommend a guided tour to the Falls.
  • Seeing Victoria Falls by helicopter is the only way you can get a sense of the scale of this natural wonder.
  • Join a Zambezi River cruise, which is a great way to watch an African sunset. We saw hippo & crocodile, and even a herd of elephant crossing the iconic Zambezi, all while sipping our gin & tonics. This was fun!
  • For the more adventurous, try swimming in Devil’s Pool, a natural pool right on the edge of the Falls. You can book this through your hotel, or we can help you arrange this activity.
  • We always enjoy the cultural experiences when I’m visiting a foreign country, and I would recommend doing a village visit while in Zambia or Zimbabwe.  The one I did included a visit to a local market, and cooking lunch with a local family in the village, which was an unforgettable glimpse into local life.

There are many more activities on offer, such as white-water rafting, bungee jumping, or Chobe day trips.  Please chat to us about options.