Sussi & Chuma Lodge

Highlights

• 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls on the Zambian bank
• Game drives and guided walks in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
• Sundowner cruises and canoeing on the upper Zambezi
• Exceptional riverine birding from the treehouse decks
• Private viewing deck on every treehouse
• Infinity pool and riverside Livingstone Bar
• Guided tours of Victoria Falls included
• Africology spa treatment room above the riverbank

Information

• Lodge type: Luxury treehouse lodge
• Location: Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Livingstone, Zambia
• Lodge size: 12 treehouses and 2 two-bedroom Chuma Houses
• Recommended stay: 2–5 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes — Livingstone and the Victoria Falls area are a malaria zone; take prophylaxis on medical advice
• Getting there: 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls, about 15 minutes' drive from Livingstone town and 25 minutes from Livingstone Airport (shared return transfer included); no light-aircraft flight needed

Experience Sussi & Chuma Lodge on the Zambezi River

Sussi & Chuma Lodge is an A&K Sanctuary treehouse lodge on the Zambian bank of the Zambezi River, 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls inside the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Twelve thatched treehouses stand on stilts in a grove of giant ebony trees, linked by raised wooden walkways, with two private Chuma Houses set apart for families and small groups.

The name honours David Livingstone's loyal companions Susi and Chuma, who carried the explorer's body to the coast after his death in 1873 so it could be returned to Britain. It is a fitting tribute for a lodge within a short drive of the waterfall Livingstone made famous.

Elephants wander through the grounds, hippos grunt from the shallows below the decks and the riverine forest is alive with birds from first light. With the thunder of the Falls, real wildlife on the doorstep and not a single internal flight between them, this is a superb starting point for a Zambia safari.

Rooms and Suites

The lodge has two styles of accommodation: 12 treehouses for couples and families, and two private Chuma Houses for families and groups who want a place to themselves.

Each treehouse is built into the living canopy of the ebony forest, with the bedroom opening onto a private viewing deck over the Zambezi. Inside you'll find:

• King or twin beds under mosquito nets
• Air conditioning and overhead fans
• Freestanding bath and rainfall shower
• Mini-bar, Africology toiletries and bathrobes
• Yoga mats and a digital safe
• Complimentary Wi-Fi

The two Chuma Houses each have two en-suite bedrooms, a lounge, a dining area, a wooden deck and a private plunge pool. Every house comes with its own chef, house staff, vehicle and private guide, so you set your own schedule from the first morning to the last.

Cuisine and Wine

Meals are served in the main lodge, out on the deck or around the boma fire. Breakfast and lunch are laid out buffet-style, dinner is a set three-course menu, and private dining can be arranged for a special occasion.

Drinks, including premium brands, are included in the rate. Packed lunches are prepared for full-day excursions, and the riverside Livingstone Bar is the natural gathering point for a sundowner.

Facilities

All the shared spaces are in the main lodge: a lounge, dining area, the Livingstone Bar, a sunset deck, the boma and a large infinity pool with loungers overlooking the river. Wi-Fi is complimentary in reception and the treehouses, mobile signal reaches most of the lodge, and a backup generator keeps the lights on. The medical centre and hospital in central Livingstone are about 25 minutes away by road.

Activities

Shared activities are included in the rate and run from the lodge:

• Game drives in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
• Guided walks in the national park
• Guided tours of Victoria Falls (the Heritage Fee is charged separately)
• Sundowner cruises on the Zambezi
• Canoeing on the upper Zambezi
• Local village visits
• Seasonal catch-and-release fishing (closed from December, generally reopening on 1 March)

Private vehicles and guides, spa treatments and Livingstone's famous adventure activities are booked at extra cost through the lodge. Those adventure activities include white-water rafting below the Falls, the bungee jump from the Victoria Falls Bridge, helicopter flights over the gorge and, in season, a swim at Devil's Pool on the lip of the Falls.

Child Friendly

Children aged nine and older are welcome in the treehouses when sharing with their parents, and the two Chuma Houses take children of any age. Children aged five to eleven may join game drives at the lodge manager's discretion; under-fives need the manager's approval and a private vehicle. Guided walks are for children aged 13 and older.

For families, the Chuma Houses are the clear choice: a private guide and vehicle mean game drives, Falls visits and meal times run at a child's pace rather than a group's.

Spa and Wellness

Treatments take place in an Africology spa room on stilts on the Zambezi riverbank, a short walk from the treehouses. Massages and other Africology treatments are offered with the river flowing past below, and the room has a shower, a changing area and indoor and outdoor treatment options. Spa treatments are charged extra; book them on arrival or ask us to pre-book them with your safari.

Sussi & Chuma Lodge – Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Sussi & Chuma Lodge, and how far is it from Victoria Falls?

Sussi & Chuma is an A&K Sanctuary lodge on the Zambian bank of the Zambezi River inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, about 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls. The drive from Livingstone town takes around 15 minutes and from Livingstone Airport around 25 minutes, mostly on tar. A shared return airport transfer is included in the rate, and guided tours of the Falls run from the lodge.

What accommodation does Sussi & Chuma Lodge offer?

Sussi & Chuma has 12 treehouses and two private Chuma Houses. The treehouses stand on stilts in ebony trees above the Zambezi, each with air conditioning, a freestanding bath, a rainfall shower and a private viewing deck. The Chuma Houses each have two en-suite bedrooms, a lounge, a dining area, a deck and a plunge pool, plus their own chef, staff, vehicle and private guide.

Is Sussi & Chuma Lodge suitable for children?

Sussi & Chuma welcomes children aged nine and older in its treehouses when they share with their parents. The two Chuma Houses accept children of any age and come with a private vehicle and guide, which makes them the best fit for young families. Children aged five to eleven may join game drives at the lodge manager's discretion, and guided walks in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park are for ages 13 and older.

What activities are included at Sussi & Chuma Lodge?

Stays at Sussi & Chuma include shared game drives and guided walks in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, guided Victoria Falls tours, sundowner cruises, canoeing, local village visits and seasonal catch-and-release fishing, which closes in December and generally reopens on 1 March. The Falls Heritage Fee, spa treatments, private vehicles and Livingstone's adventure activities, including rafting, bungee jumping, helicopter flights and Devil's Pool, cost extra.

Is there malaria at Sussi & Chuma Lodge?

Yes. Sussi & Chuma lies in the Zambezi valley near Livingstone, which is a malaria area all year, with the highest risk in the wet season from roughly November to April. See a travel clinic about prophylaxis before you go. The treehouses have mosquito nets, fans and air conditioning, and long sleeves and repellent after dusk do the rest.

When is the best time to visit Sussi & Chuma Lodge?

The best time to visit Sussi & Chuma depends on your priority. Game viewing in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park peaks in the dry months, roughly June to October, when animals gather along the Zambezi. Victoria Falls is in high water from February to May, generally peaking in March and April, when the spray can hide the view. Devil's Pool on the Zambian side usually opens from around August, water levels permitting.

In Conclusion

Sussi & Chuma combines visits to Victoria Falls with guided wildlife activities in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, all from a treehouse above the Zambezi. Couples get a private deck, a freestanding bath and private views over the Zambezi. Families and friends get a Chuma House with their own chef, guide and vehicle.

Two nights covers the Falls and a game drive. Three or four lets you add a sundowner cruise, a canoe outing, a spa afternoon and something with a bit more adrenaline. Come in the dry months, June to October, for the best game viewing, or from February to May to see the Falls in high water. Sussi & Chuma also works well before or after a longer Zambia safari to Kafue, the Lower Zambezi or South Luangwa.

Uyaphi.com has been planning African safaris from Cape Town since 1999, and 27 years in the business means we know how to fit a stay on the Zambezi into the bigger journey: the flights, the transfers, the right season and the right number of nights. Tell us when you'd like to travel and who's coming, and we'll build your Victoria Falls stay around you.