The Best Hotels in Victoria Falls

Matetsi Victoria Falls, on our list of the best places to stay in Zimbabwe, sits along a private stretch of Zambezi river, amid the unfenced wilderness of the Matetsi Private Game Reserve. With game-rich safaris at your doorstep and the mighty Victoria Falls, just an hour away, you can experience the ‘best of both worlds’ here. Each luxurious suite has a veranda that features enormous outdoor baths with unobstructed views of the Zambezi river.

Need to know: Enjoy exclusive access and daily game drives in the Matetsi Private Game Reserve. Spot herds of elephants and buffalo grazing beside spiral-horned kudus, packs of African wild dogs, large lion prides and elusive speckled leopards.

Situated in the wildlife haven of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Zambia, Wilderness Toka Leya lies some 12 kilometres from Victoria Falls’ misty cascade. Take in the Zambezi river from one of its stilted tented suites that blend in seamlessly with jackalberry, knobthorn and waterberry trees. This is one of our favourite Wilderness camps, and also in our Positive Impact Collection, due to their dedication to tree-planting projects and reducing environmental impact.

Need to know: Wilderness Toka Leya offers the extraordinary opportunity to track endangered white rhinos on foot in their natural habitat, under the expert guidance of Zambian Wildlife Authority scouts. 

Undoubtedly one of the best places to stay in Victoria Falls, Victoria Falls River Lodge is situated so close to its namesake’s powerful cascade that you can hear the roar and feel the mist on your face from its grounds. Set within the Zambezi National Park, which is a sanctuary for more than 400 types of birds, including African skimmers, Lanner falcons and Pel’s fishing owls, it’s a great spot for birdwatchers. All the villas are cleverly positioned on the riverside to ensure total privacy.

Need to know: Spend a night gazing at the inky sky, marooned on the private island of Kandahar in the Zambezi, sleeping in a luxury treehouse complete with an outdoor star bed on the rooftop deck.

Stanley & Livingstone Boutique Hotel is one of the best hotels in Victoria Falls for families. Little ones are treated to curated kids’ adventures with special touches such as caps and backpacks. The elegantly styled hotel offers a privileged spot amid the bushland of the Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve to glimpse the big five, while only a 15 minute drive to the thunderous falls. 

Need to know: Stanley and Livingstone Boutique Hotel diligently protects the endangered black rhino population within the Victoria Falls Private Game Reserve. You can take part in their immersive conservation experience to see them in the wild and learn about their plight. 

The Royal Livingstone Hotel‘s location in Zambia is hard to beat as you can marvel at Victoria Falls’ booming flow at the end of the hotel’s manicured garden, where zebras and giraffes ramble. Your stay here includes unrestricted access to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, letting you fully submerge yourself in this remarkable setting throughout the day, as the light shifts and rainbows rise from the mist. 

Need to know: As Victoria Falls rumbles in the background, learn about traditional food, storytelling, djembe drumming and Ngoni dancing and song during the hotel’s boma dinner, before retiring to your luxury suite.

If you’re wondering where to stay in Victoria Falls for unparalleled exclusivity while only an hour upstream from its mist-cloaked torrent, Royal Chundu River Lodge is a great choice. It has only ten suites strewn along its private riverfront, all made with traditional thatched roofing and spacious interiors that take their cues from nature and Zambian culture. Their wooden al fresco decks invite you to relish what feels like your personal slice of the Zambezi River.

Need to know: Royal Chundu River Lodge curates a plethora of unique experiences: cruise below the falls by jet boat, spot kingfishers and flufftails on a birding safari and visit nearby villages to learn about the way of life in this part of Zambia.

You can spy crocodiles slinking beneath the water or glimpse the antics of vervet monkeys at Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma, which hugs a tranquil curve along the Zambezi within Zambia’s Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park. Here, you can visit Victoria Falls during a guided walking tour and embark on exclusive walking safaris led by experienced guides. At the property, raised walkways wind above grazing elephants, leading to private treehouses, which open to viewing decks amid ebony trees.

Need to know: Retreat to Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma’s holistic spa, perched above the riverbank on stilts for a revitalising treatment while listening to the soft rush of water as grunting hippos wade along the Zambezi.

Built in 1904, The Victoria Falls Hotel is one of Zimbabwe’s oldest luxury hotels, decorated with sophisticated furnishings, ornate chandeliers and elegant marble accents. The hotel’s location near Victoria Falls is what sets it apart, with a private path to the entrance of its dense rainforest. You can also spot several of the falls’ gorges from the sprawling gardens around the property, adorned with pretty lily ponds.

Need to know: Enjoy the hotel’s renowned high tea from its terrace overlooking the sweeping silhouette of the Victoria Falls Bridge and the blankets of spray from Victoria Falls itself.

Oozing with romance, Tongabezi in Zambia is the perfect option for couples, just 12 kilometres from its staggering cascade. This eco-lodge on the Zambezi is also part of our Positive Impact Collection, with a serious commitment to sustainability, local communities and reforestation programmes. It offers a handful of private river cottages and sunshine-filled houses. Tongabezi’s stylish tree house is wonderfully romantic, tucked into a secluded spot among lush foliage featuring a clawfoot tub with unobstructed views of the river.

Need to know: At Tongabezi, you can dine beneath moonlight while floating on a sampan (a floating platform) in the middle of the Zambezi, with each course delivered to you by canoe.