Chundu Island Lodge
Highlights
- Sole use of a private 1.4 km island in the Zambezi River, 21 km upstream of Victoria Falls
- Game drives and armed-guide walking safaris in Zambezi National Park
- Canoeing, sundowner cruises and catch-and-release tigerfish fishing on the Zambezi
- Only eight river suites, each with a private deck over the water
- Entirely solar-powered, with a no off-road driving policy in the park
- More than 400 recorded bird species, including African finfoot and Pel's fishing owl
- Complimentary scheduled transfers to the Victoria Falls Rainforest
- Kidz Zone programme and two Family River Suites
Information
- Lodge type: Zambezi Island Lodge
- Location: Chundu Island, Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
- Lodge size: 8 suites (6 River Suites, 2 Family River Suites)
- Recommended stay: 3-7 nights
- Malaria risk: Yes — Chundu Island is in a malaria area; antimalarial prophylaxis is recommended
- Getting there: 21 km upstream of Victoria Falls town; about 1 hr 10 min by road from the Zambezi National Park gate to the lodge jetty, then a 5-minute boat crossing; no light-aircraft access — fly into Victoria Falls Airport
Chundu Island: Unforgettable Safaris & Relaxation On The Zambezi
Chundu Island Lodge is an eight-suite, solar-powered safari lodge with sole use of a teardrop-shaped, 1.4 km island in the Zambezi River, 21 km upstream of Victoria Falls inside Zimbabwe's Zambezi National Park. Chundu Island sits in the middle of the river, reachable only by boat, so the town's helicopters and bungee jumpers are a world away while the Falls themselves remain half an hour's drive from the park gate. It is one of the finest ways we know to combine the Falls with a real safari in a single stay.
Chundu Island Lodge is built around the river. Huge Natal mahogany, Acacia albida and waterberry trees shade the lodge, and as the Zambezi drops in the dry season a soft white beach appears at the island's upstream end. Elephants drink on the banks, hippos grumble in the channels, and bushbuck families wander the island paths between the suites.
Chundu Island Lodge suits couples, families and small groups who want the Zambezi at their doorstep rather than a shuttle ride away. Mornings bring game drives or walks in Zambezi National Park, afternoons bring canoeing, fishing or the pool, and every evening ends on the water with a sundowner cruise. With only eight suites on the island, the atmosphere is quiet, personal and wonderfully unhurried.
Rooms And Suites
Chundu Island Lodge has eight suites: six River Suites facing the Zimbabwean bank and two Family River Suites looking across the river to Zambia. Every suite has its own private deck with a day bed over the Zambezi, twin or super-king beds, a bath and an outdoor shower, and an in-room safe. Ilala palm roofs, wooden decking and double-skin canvas walls give the suites a fresh, light island style, and the 10–20 m spacing between units keeps each one private.
Chundu Island Lodge runs on solar power, so the suites have no air-conditioning. Instead, three fans cool each suite, two above the beds and one on the deck. Every suite has charging points for phones, cameras and laptops, and low-voltage hairdryers are available at reception.
Cuisine And Wine
Chundu Island Lodge serves its meals in a dining room and on a dining deck with fire pits, set beneath an ancient Acacia albida, the island's most magnificent tree. The dining area is separated from the main lodge by a screen of indigenous bush, so dinner comes with its own view of the river and the sound of the night.
Chundu Island Lodge keeps a wine cellar stocked with South African wines, from crisp Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay to Pinotage and Cabernet Sauvignon for dinner. The island bar overlooks the seasonal beach and the national park bank, and Six Dogs gin is the house favourite. Guests who catch a bream or tigerfish on the day can have the kitchen cook it for dinner.
Lodge Facilities
Chundu Island Lodge centres on an open-plan, river-facing main area with a reception, lounge, bar, central fire pit and an expansive deck over the Zambezi. The swimming pool sits in its own cove just around the corner, overlooking the seasonal beach and the river, and is the perfect place to spend the heat of the day.
- Swimming pool overlooking the Zambezi and seasonal beach
- Main deck, lounge and island bar with a central fire pit
- Island shop with curios and local products
- Wi-Fi in the lounge area
- Complimentary basic wash-and-fold laundry
- In-room or on-deck massages (extra cost, book a day ahead)
- Full solar power system, with no air-conditioning or high-voltage appliances
- No wheelchair access
Safari Activities
Chundu Island Lodge offers game drives, walking safaris, canoeing, river cruises, fishing and birding, all within Zambezi National Park or on the river itself. Morning and afternoon game drives run for about 2.5 hours in open Land Cruisers after a short ferry crossing to the park, under a strict no off-road driving policy. Zambezi National Park and Victoria Falls National Park together cover 56,000 hectares of teak woodland, riverine forest and floodplain, home to elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, sable and a wide variety of antelope.
- Walking safaris with an armed professional guide in Zambezi National Park, early morning or late afternoon
- Canoeing down the Zambezi in steady two-person inflatable canoes with a qualified river guide
- Sundowner cruises on an open-air barge with drinks and snacks
- Catch-and-release fishing for tigerfish and nembwe bream from the island or the lodge's boat, with rods and tackle supplied
- Island walks and birding, with more than 400 recorded species including African finfoot, Pel's fishing owl and Schalow's turaco
- Victoria Falls Rainforest, with complimentary scheduled transfers (park entry fees and guide extra)
- Helicopter flights over the Falls and Zambezi National Park (extra cost)
Victoria Falls, Mosi-oa-Tunya or "The Smoke That Thunders", is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the obvious day out from Chundu Island Lodge. Walk the rainforest trails opposite the main falls, then add whatever adrenaline suits you from town: white-water rafting below the Falls, bungee jumping off the Victoria Falls Bridge or ziplining across the Batoka Gorge, all booked at extra cost.
Family Friendly
Chundu Island Lodge welcomes families in two Family River Suites overlooking the Zambian bank, but children under six are accepted only when a group books the whole island. Minimum ages apply to activities: six for game drives, cruises and fishing, 10 for canoeing and 12 for walking safaris, and children must be accompanied by a parent on canoeing, game walks and island walks.
Chundu Island Lodge runs a daily Kidz Zone programme, posted on the activities board at reception. It includes a treasure island hunt, sand-castle building on the seasonal beach, fishing from the jetty, mini raft races, pizza making and "bush and island tales". No more than six children under 12 stay on the island at any one time, so it never feels like a kids' club.
Where is Chundu Island Lodge?
Chundu Island Lodge is on Chundu Island, a teardrop-shaped island about 1.4 km long in the Zambezi River, 21 km upstream of Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The island lies inside Zambezi National Park, and the lodge has sole use of it. Victoria Falls town and Victoria Falls Airport are the nearest gateways, so a stay combines easily with a visit to the Falls themselves.
How do you get to Chundu Island Lodge?
Chundu Island Lodge is reached by road and boat. Guests fly into Victoria Falls Airport and transfer by road to Zambezi National Park. From the park gate it is about 1 hour 10 minutes' drive to the lodge jetty, which doubles as an arrival game drive, then a five-minute boat crossing to the island. Road transfers from Livingstone in Zambia and Kasane in Botswana can also be arranged.
Is Chundu Island Lodge in a malaria area?
Yes. Chundu Island Lodge is in a malaria area, as is the whole Victoria Falls and Zambezi River region. Every suite has mosquito nets, but guests should still take antimalarial prophylaxis prescribed by a travel doctor or clinic, use insect repellent and cover up from dusk. Children and pregnant travellers should get specific medical advice well before travelling to the Zambezi.
What activities are offered at Chundu Island Lodge?
Chundu Island Lodge offers 2.5-hour morning and afternoon game drives in Zambezi National Park, walking safaris with an armed guide, and canoeing on the Zambezi in two-person inflatable canoes. It also runs sundowner cruises, catch-and-release fishing for tigerfish and bream, island walks and birding, with more than 400 recorded species. Transfers to the Victoria Falls Rainforest are complimentary, while park fees, guides, massages and helicopter flights cost extra.
Is Chundu Island Lodge suitable for children?
Chundu Island Lodge welcomes families in two Family River Suites, but children under six are accepted only when a group books the whole island. Minimum ages are six for game drives, cruises and fishing, 10 for canoeing and 12 for walking safaris. A daily Kidz Zone programme includes treasure hunts, sand-castle building, jetty fishing and pizza making, and no more than six children under 12 stay at once.
Does Chundu Island Lodge have air-conditioning?
No. Chundu Island Lodge runs entirely on solar power and has no air-conditioning. Each suite is cooled by three fans, two above the beds and one on the private deck. High-voltage appliances such as hairdryers and straighteners cannot be used, but low-voltage hairdryers are available at reception, and every suite has charging points for phones, cameras and laptops.
In Conclusion
Chundu Island Lodge is one of the best answers we know to the classic Victoria Falls dilemma: how to see the Falls without spending your nights in town. Here you get a private island, eight suites, the Zambezi on three sides and Zambezi National Park across the water. Game drives, walking safaris, canoeing and tigerfish all happen within minutes of your deck, and the Falls are an easy half-day away. It's a true safari and a true river holiday in one place, and it runs on sunshine.
Chundu Island Lodge works beautifully as the Zambezi chapter of a longer journey. Pair it with Hwange National Park for big elephant herds, or cross to Chobe in Botswana via Kasane. The timing is yours to choose. From roughly March to May the Falls are at their thundering, drenching best. In the drier months the island's white beach appears and wildlife gathers along the river, and October and November bring the most dramatic game viewing of the year.
Uyaphi.com has been planning tailor-made African safaris since 1999, and 27 years on we still build every trip around the traveller, not a template. Tell us when you'd like to travel and what you'd love to see, and we'll put Chundu Island Lodge at the heart of a Zimbabwe itinerary built entirely for you. We charge no booking fees and add no credit card surcharges.
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Chundu Island Lodge Rates
Per person per night sharing
Rates are in US Dollar
*Rates may vary according to season
- Accommodation
- Return Victoria Falls Airport transfers
- Return Victoria Falls town transfers
- All meals
- All local brand beverages
- WiFi (in reception area)
- Informal tour of the town
- Guided tour of Victoria Falls
- One daily wildlife activity
- All flights
- All transfers not mentioned above
- National Park entrance fees
- Premium brand drinks
- Transfers & activities not specified
- Optional gratuities
- Items of personal nature
- Laundry
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