Tintswalo at Siankaba

Highlights

• Seven tented suites on one of two forested islands, connected to the main lodge on the other by raised walkways and suspension bridges
• A maximum of 14 guests, so the island never feels busy
• 38 km upstream of Victoria Falls and 48 km from Chobe National Park in Botswana
• Sunset cruises, mokoro trips, guided forest walks and village visits included in the rate
• Air-conditioned suites, two swimming pools and spa treatments in your own suite
• Catch-and-release fishing on the Upper Zambezi
• Lantern-lit dinners in the riverine forest and seasonal island picnics

Information

• Lodge type: Luxury tented treehouse camp
• Location: Upper Zambezi River, upstream of Livingstone, Zambia
• Lodge size: 7 tented suites (maximum 14 guests)
• Recommended stay: 3–4 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes. Livingstone and the Upper Zambezi are a malaria area all year, with the highest risk in the November–April rains. Take antimalarials.
• Getting there: 38 km upstream of Victoria Falls. Allow about 1 hour by road from Livingstone Airport (the last 8 km on a dirt track), then a 5-minute boat ride to the island. There is no airstrip at the camp, so fly into Livingstone. Airport road transfers are included.

Tintswalo At Siankaba: Seven Tented Suites On The Zambezi River

Tintswalo at Siankaba is a seven-suite tented treehouse camp on the Zambezi River, 38 km upstream of Victoria Falls and 48 km from Botswana's Chobe National Park. The suites stand on one forested island and the main lodge on a second. It never holds more than 14 guests, which makes it the antidote to the busy Falls hotels downriver. You are close enough for a morning at the Falls, and far enough away that the evenings belong to the river and the birds.

Arrival sets the tone. The road leaves the tar west of Livingstone for an 8 km dirt track down to the riverbank, where a small reception and curio shop wait beside the jetty. From there it is five minutes by motorboat through narrow channels to the island, and the mainland drops away behind you.

The camp was built with a light hand. Its teak-and-canvas suites stand in the tree canopy, linked by raised walkways and suspension bridges so the forest floor below stays untouched. Siankaba first opened in 2002. Tintswalo took over in 2022 and gave it a complete refurbishment, and has since added air-conditioning to every suite, a second swimming pool and a refurbished sundeck over the river.

For us, the staff are what set this place apart. The welcome is warm without being scripted, and the team's pride in their island and the neighbouring villages comes through on every walk, meal and boat trip. Expect rich birdlife in the canopy, trees prized locally for their healing properties, and long views across the water to the Zimbabwe bank.

Rooms And Suites

All seven suites stand together on one island, raised among the trees at the water's edge and connected to the main lodge island by a suspension bridge. Each suite has a private balcony hanging over the Zambezi and looking across to Zimbabwe. Every suite is named after an indigenous tree, a theme carried right through the camp.

Inside, the teak-and-canvas rooms are built around a large bed with river views. The en-suite bathroom has a Victorian bath, a separate shower, a double vanity and a dressing table.

• Air-conditioning and ceiling fan
• Mosquito nets
• Minibar and tea and coffee station
• Private safe
• Hairdryer

Honeymooners should ask for the Honeymoon Chalet. It adds a private garden deck with sun loungers and its own dining area, so you can have dinner for two without leaving the suite.

Cuisine And Wine

Meals are full board with house drinks included. Breakfast is served on the terrace above the river, lunch on the deck, and dinner by lantern light in the forest dining area.

Dinners are sociable, shared with fellow guests and the management team, and the voices of the local village choir carry through the trees. Menus change with the season and lean on fresh ingredients with a Southern African accent. Couples who want privacy can book a seasonal picnic on a neighbouring island or along the forest nature trail, at extra cost.

Facilities

Two swimming pools, a river-facing bar and an open-sided main deck are the heart of the camp. The main lodge holds the lounge and dining areas, and the Trumpeters Bar pours cocktails and ice-cold drinks with the Zambezi sliding past below. The original pool sits in a forest clearing on the larger island, while the newer pool and the refurbished sundeck look out over the river.

• Main deck with lounge and dining areas
• Trumpeters Bar
• Two swimming pools and a sundeck
• Fire pit for after-dinner drinks
• Curio shop at the mainland reception
• Spa treatments in your suite
• Free Wi-Fi and laundry included

Activities

Your rate at Siankaba includes sunset cruises, mokoro trips, guided nature walks, a village walk and a visit to the community primary school. Everything Livingstone is famous for is close by at extra cost, from bungee jumping to white-water rafting, and the camp books it for you.

Included in the rate

• Daytime and sunset cruises by motorboat on the Upper Zambezi
• Mokoro trips of about two hours through the island channels with experienced river guides (subject to water levels). Children under 12 cannot join mokoro trips.
• Guided birding and tree walks on the island nature trails
• Village walk and a visit to the community pre-school and primary school

A guided tour of Victoria Falls and catch-and-release fishing are also arranged from camp.

At extra cost, booked through the camp

• Seasonal island picnics
• Livingstone Island tours operate for much of the year; Devil's Pool swimming is seasonal and depends on water levels
• Bungee jumping and gorge swings at the Victoria Falls Bridge
• White-water rafting below the Falls
• Helicopter flights over Victoria Falls
• Day trips to Chobe National Park in Botswana

Spa And Wellness

Spa treatments at Siankaba happen in your own suite. A therapist comes to you for massages, facials, manicures and pedicures, with the river and the birds as the soundtrack. Book a session after a day at the Falls.

Tintswalo at Siankaba FAQs

Where is Tintswalo at Siankaba and how do you get there?

Siankaba is a tented island camp on the Upper Zambezi River in Zambia, 38 km upstream of Victoria Falls. Guests fly into Livingstone Airport and drive about an hour west, the last 8 km on a dirt track, then take a five-minute boat ride to the island. Road transfers from Livingstone Airport are included in the rate. Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe and Kasane in Botswana are alternative gateways.

Is there malaria at Tintswalo at Siankaba?

Yes. Siankaba lies in the Zambezi Valley near Livingstone, which is a malaria area all year, with the highest risk during the November–April rains. See a travel clinic about antimalarial tablets before you travel, and use insect repellent from dusk onwards. The suites have mosquito nets and air-conditioning, which help, but neither replaces proper prophylaxis on a Zambezi River stay.

What activities are included at Tintswalo at Siankaba?

The rate at Siankaba covers sunset cruises, mokoro trips through the island channels, guided nature and birding walks, and a village walk with a visit to the community primary school. It also includes full board, house drinks, laundry and Livingstone Airport transfers. Mokoro trips depend on river levels and are not open to children under 12. Seasonal island picnics and Victoria Falls adventure activities, such as bungee jumping, rafting and Chobe day trips, cost extra.

Can you visit Chobe National Park from Tintswalo at Siankaba?

Yes. Siankaba is 48 km from Chobe National Park in Botswana, close enough for a day trip by road via the Kazungula border crossing. A Chobe day usually combines a morning game drive with a river cruise among the elephant herds, then returns to the island in time for dinner. Day trips cost extra and need a valid passport for the border, and Uyaphi arranges them as part of your itinerary.

What are the rooms like at Tintswalo at Siankaba?

Siankaba has seven teak-and-canvas tented suites raised in the tree canopy on one island, connected to the main lodge on a second island, sleeping a maximum of 14 guests. Each has a private balcony over the Zambezi facing Zimbabwe, plus air-conditioning, a ceiling fan, mosquito nets, a minibar and tea and coffee. Bathrooms have a Victorian bath, separate shower and double vanity. A Honeymoon Chalet adds a private garden deck.

When is the best time to visit Tintswalo at Siankaba?

Siankaba is open all year, and the best time depends on how you want to see Victoria Falls. March to May brings peak flood and towering spray. Devil's Pool usually opens during low water, approximately August–December, subject to river conditions, when views of the Falls are also clearer. June to August is cool and dry, while October and November are hot, when the suites' air-conditioning earns its keep.

In Conclusion

Tintswalo at Siankaba is where a Victoria Falls trip slows down: seven tented suites on a private Zambezi island, never more than 14 guests, and an exceptional team. You get the Falls and Livingstone's full adventure menu within an hour's drive, and cruises, mokoro trips and forest walks are already in the rate.

It works best as the beginning or end of a longer journey. Pair three or four nights here with a Zambian safari in the Kafue, at camps like Busanga Plains Camp, or in South Luangwa. Alternatively, cross into Botswana for Chobe and the Okavango Delta. Come between March and May for the Falls in full thunder. Devil's Pool usually opens during low water, approximately August–December, subject to river conditions.

Uyaphi.com has been planning African journeys since 1999. That is 27 years of knowing which camps deliver, which transfers run on time, and how to make the pieces fit. We are owner-run, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Tell us your dates and how you like to travel, and we'll build your Zambezi island stay around you.