Tongabezi Lodge

Highlights

• Eleven riverfront units: five river cottages and six individually designed houses
• Just 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls on the Zambian bank of the Zambezi
• A personal valet for every cottage and house
• Guided tours of Victoria Falls and game drives in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park
• Boat trips to Livingstone Island and, at low water, Devil's Pool Victoria Falls
• Sunrise and sunset boat cruises, electric dhow cruises, canoeing and tiger fishing
• Sundowners on a private Zambezi sandbar
• Founded in 1990, part of the Green Safaris family since 2020

Information

• Lodge type: Luxury river lodge
• Location: Zambezi River, Livingstone, Zambia
• Lodge size: 5 river cottages and 6 houses
• Recommended stay: 2–5 nights
• Malaria risk: Yes — Livingstone and Victoria Falls lie in a malaria area; take prophylaxis on medical advice
• Getting there: 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls; about 25 minutes by road from Livingstone's Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport, which has direct scheduled flights from Johannesburg

Tongabezi, The Most Beautiful Zambezi Lodge Close To Victoria Falls

Tongabezi Lodge is a Green Safaris river lodge on the Zambian bank of the Zambezi, 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls, with five river cottages and six private houses spread along a wooded stretch of shoreline. Ben Parker and the late Will Ruck-Keene opened it in 1990, making it one of the first lodges on the Zambian side of the Falls, and it joined the Green Safaris family in February 2020. It is built for couples: open-sided rooms facing the river, dinners served wherever you choose, and days with no fixed timetable.

Every cottage and house comes with its own valet, who looks after you from arrival to departure and knows the river, the Falls and Livingstone inside out. Spend the day doing nothing on your veranda with hippos grunting below, or fill it with the Falls, the gorge, the river and the national park — the staff will shape it around you. We rate it the most beautiful Zambezi River lodge near the Falls, and our own stay is written up in "Tongabezi Lodge Victoria Falls".

Rooms and Suites

Tongabezi offers eleven units in two styles: five river cottages and six named houses, each built for privacy and almost all with elevated views over the Zambezi. Every unit has a large bed draped in mosquito netting, an en-suite bathroom, a private veranda or balcony and the services of a personal valet, and five of the six houses have a private pool.

The Honeymoon House: The first house built at the lodge, and the natural pick for honeymooners. Secluded and open-fronted, it has a private pool and a terrace above the river that is made for dinner under the stars — or you can join other guests on one of the river decks.

The Tree House: Set into the cliff face against the basalt, the Tree House has a sustainable pine deck woven between the branches of ebony trees. The open-plan room frames the Zambezi from every angle, with a king-size bed under a canopy-style mosquito net, a freestanding claw-foot bath, lounging space and a private balcony for in-room dining.

The Bird House: Perched high for sweeping views over the Zambezi, the Bird House is the adventurous couple's choice, with a private pool, a balcony and sun loungers looking straight out over the water.

The Nut House: The most intimate of the houses, built for two, with river views and its own private pool.

The Dog House: A two-bedroom house for a family or group of four, raised high above the river, with a king-bed room and a second room that converts to twins. It has its own plunge pool, a central lounge and dining area with a double-sided fireplace, air-conditioning, and a private vehicle and boat when booked by four or more guests on a full rate.

The Garden House: The second family house, sleeping four and the only one without elevated river views, set in its own private garden with a plunge pool and room to spread out.

The River Cottages: Five thatched River Cottages line the riverbank, Each with a double bed or twin beds under mosquito nets, a ceiling fan, a writing desk, a seating area and an en-suite with twin basins, a walk-in shower and a freestanding bath. Wide private verandas open straight onto the Zambezi.

Cuisine and Wine

Meals at Tongabezi Lodge can be taken almost anywhere: in your own room, on one of three open-air river decks, at the communal table, or out on the water. Every cottage and house has a dedicated dining area, and the central guest area adds public dining spots for those who like company.

Sociable guests can share the long communal table, hosted by the manager, while couples can take a private table on a river deck or book an entire floor of the Lookout, the lodge's multi-level wooden deck on the water's edge. The Sampan dinner is the lodge's signature: a boat anchored offshore, each course delivered by canoe, and sometimes a local choir singing from the bank.

Facilities

The lodge's central guest area holds indoor and outdoor dining spaces, a bar, a library, a swimming pool fed by a small waterfall, and wooden viewing decks over the river. The Lookout and the Hangout are two riverside chill-out zones, and a sunken fire pit becomes the gathering point after dinner. Laundry, airport transfers and a tour desk are on hand, and WiFi is available in and around the central guest area. The property is unfenced, so wildlife moves through freely; keep an eye out when walking between rooms at night.

Activities

Activities at Tongabezi Lodge centre on the river, the Falls and Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Guided tours of Victoria Falls on the Zambian side, game drives in Mosi Oa Tunya National Park, boat and electric dhow cruises, fishing, island picnic lunches, cycling, the organic garden tour, village market visits and trips to the Livingstone Museum fill the days. Park and museum entrance fees are extra, and you can just as easily do nothing at all on your veranda.

The headline excursion is the Livingstone Island tour, to the lip of the Falls where David Livingstone first saw the cataract in 1855. It is booked at extra cost and depends on water levels, and swims in Devil's Pool are possible only at low water, usually from mid-August to mid-January. White-water rafting in the Batoka Gorge, helicopter and microlight flights over the Falls, and dinner aboard the Royal Livingstone Express steam train can also be added. Couples can be taken by boat to a private sandbar for sundowners on the river. The Zimbabwean side of the Falls is easy to explore too, at your own pace.

Spa and Wellness

Tongabezi offers in-room spa treatments, including massages, alongside a boutique gym with a spin bike, aerobic steps and mats. Between the two, it is easy to balance long river lunches with a workout or a massage on your own veranda.

Tongabezi Lodge FAQs

Where is Tongabezi Lodge?

Tongabezi Lodge sits on the Zambian bank of the Zambezi River, 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls, just outside Livingstone in southern Zambia. The nearest airport is Livingstone's Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport, about 25 minutes away by road, with direct scheduled flights from Johannesburg. The lodge arranges road transfers on request.

What accommodation does Tongabezi Lodge offer?

Tongabezi Lodge has eleven units: five thatched river cottages and six individually designed houses called the Honeymoon, Tree, Bird, Nut, Dog and Garden Houses. Every unit has an en-suite bathroom, mosquito-netted beds, a private veranda or balcony and its own personal valet. Five houses have private pools, and the two-bedroom Dog House and Garden House each sleep four.

Is Tongabezi Lodge in a malaria area?

Yes. Tongabezi Lodge lies in the Livingstone and Victoria Falls area of Zambia, which is a malaria area. Guests should speak to a doctor or travel clinic about antimalarial prophylaxis before travelling, and use insect repellent and long sleeves at dawn and dusk. Every room at the lodge has mosquito nets over the beds.

Can you visit Devil's Pool from Tongabezi Lodge?

Yes, seasonally and at extra cost. Tongabezi Lodge books the Livingstone Island tour, which runs to the lip of Victoria Falls when water levels allow. Swims in Devil's Pool, the natural rock pool at the edge of the Falls, are part of that tour and usually possible from mid-August to mid-January. Book early in peak months, as island tours are limited in numbers.

What activities are included at Tongabezi Lodge?

Tongabezi Lodge includes Victoria Falls tours, Mosi-oa-Tunya game drives, boat and electric dhow cruises, fishing, the Sampan dinner, island picnic lunches, cycling, village market visits and the Livingstone Museum. Park and museum entrance fees are extra. Livingstone Island, Devil's Pool, white-water rafting, helicopter and microlight flights and the Royal Livingstone Express also cost extra. Confirm current inclusions when you book.

How many nights should I stay at Tongabezi Lodge?

Two to five nights suits most guests at Tongabezi Lodge. Two nights covers Victoria Falls, a sunset cruise and a Sampan dinner. Three or more leaves time for Livingstone Island, Mosi-oa-Tunya game drives, rafting or a flight over the Falls, and simply enjoying the river. Many travellers pair the stay with a Zambian or Botswana safari for a full trip.

In Conclusion

Tongabezi Lodge is the stay we recommend when you want Victoria Falls on your doorstep but the Zambezi to yourself. It has eleven units on a quiet stretch of river, valets who know every guest by name, Sampan dinners on the Zambezi and sundowners on private sandbars.

Plan two to five nights, and time your trip to the water you want to see. For the Falls at full roar, come from March to May. For Devil's Pool and the clearest views across the gorge, come from mid-August to mid-January. From there, Tongabezi links easily into the great safari regions: Chobe and the Okavango in Botswana, or South Luangwa and the Lower Zambezi in Zambia.

Uyaphi.com has been planning African journeys from Cape Town since 1999. That is 27 years of building trips like this one, getting the order of camps right and timing them to the water levels. Tell us when you'd like to travel and what matters most to you, and we'll build your Tongabezi stay, and the safari around it, to fit.