Masuwe Lodge
Highlights
- Nine wilderness chalets, a secluded Hide-Away and the two-bedroom Family Nest
- Hilltop main deck overlooking a floodlit waterhole and the Masuwe River
- Unfenced private concession bordering Zambezi National Park
- Just 7 km from Victoria Falls town and the Falls
- Guided tour of Victoria Falls and town transfers included
- A daily game drive or guided bush walk included
- Family Nest with private plunge pool, kitchenette and braai
- Hide-Away with indoor double shower and outdoor bath for two
- Sundowner cruises, bungee jumping and white-water rafting a short drive away
- Traditional African and international cuisine with local drinks included
Information
- Lodge type: Safari Lodge
- Location: Masuwe concession, bordering Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
- Lodge size: 9 Wilderness Chalets, 1 Hide-Away, 1 Family Nest
- Recommended stay: 2–5 nights
- Malaria risk: Yes — Victoria Falls is a malaria area. Take antimalarials year-round; risk is highest in the wet season, roughly November to April
- Getting there: 17 km (about 20 minutes' drive) from Victoria Falls Airport; 7 km (about 10 minutes) from Victoria Falls town; about 40 minutes by road from Livingstone Airport, Zambia. Return Victoria Falls Airport transfers are included
Discover The Luxurious Wilderness Of Masuwe Lodge: An Unforgettable Victoria Falls Safari Adventure
Masuwe Lodge is an all-inclusive safari lodge on a private, unfenced concession bordering Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe, just 7 km from Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa. It gives you the rare double: a genuine bush lodge with a waterhole below the deck, and the Falls, the town and the Zambezi's adventure scene ten minutes up the road.
Masuwe Lodge sits on a hilltop above the dry bed of the Masuwe River and the open grassland of the Chamabonda Vlei, surrounded by around 1,000 hectares of wild bushland. Elephants amble down to drink in full view of the main deck, bushbuck and warthog pick through the lodge gardens, and after dark a spotlight on the waterhole turns every evening drink into a game drive from your chair.
Masuwe Lodge wraps the essentials into one rate, which is the lodge's greatest trick:
- All meals and local brand drinks
- Return Victoria Falls Airport transfers
- Return transfers into Victoria Falls town, as often as you like
- A guided tour of Victoria Falls and an informal town tour
- One wildlife activity a day, either a game drive or a guided walk
Masuwe Lodge is one of the very best answers to a question we hear constantly: how do you see Victoria Falls without staying in a busy town hotel? Wake to birdsong in the bush, spend the morning in the Falls' spray, and be back on the deck for sundowners as the waterhole comes alive.
Rooms And Suites
Masuwe Lodge has 11 units: nine wilderness chalets, one Hide-Away chalet and a two-bedroom Family Nest, each built from local stone and canvas under a high, vaulted thatched roof and shaded by mature trees.
- Wilderness Chalets (9) – compact and comfortable, with king or twin beds draped in mosquito netting, ceiling fans and air conditioning, a safe, and a stone en-suite bathroom with shower. Glass sliding doors open onto a private deck with bush views.
- Hide-Away (1) – the honeymoon choice, tucked into a private corner overlooking a small waterhole, with an indoor double shower, an outdoor bathtub for two and a mini-bar.
- Family Nest (1) – an upstairs master en-suite with a king-sized bed and treetop views, a second bedroom with its own bathroom, an indoor living area, a kitchenette with mini-bar, and outside, a shaded deck, a private plunge pool and a family-sized braai.
Masuwe Lodge's chalets balance rustic charm and modern comfort superbly: high thatch keeps them cool through the heat of the day, and every deck faces the bush rather than a neighbour. Book the Hide-Away early; with only one, it is always the first room to go.
Cuisine And Wine
Masuwe Lodge serves a full-board menu of traditional African dishes alongside international favourites, with all meals and local brand drinks included in the rate. Breakfast is taken on the main deck with the waterhole in view, lunch is relaxed and light, and dinner is a candlelit affair under a sky full of stars.
Masuwe Lodge's kitchen caters readily for vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free diets. Mention any requirement when booking and it will be waiting for you. Local beers, wines and spirits are on the house; premium brands are charged separately.
Facilities
Masuwe Lodge's main area is an open, thatched hilltop pavilion with panoramic views over a floodlit waterhole, the Masuwe River and the Chamabonda Vlei beyond. Shaded, breezy and wonderfully unhurried, it brings together:
- Dining area, lounge and open-plan bar
- Large viewing deck over the waterhole
- Swimming pool on the hilltop
- Sunken fire pit for evening drinks and stargazing
- Open tented spa for massages
- Coffee station
- WiFi in the reception area
Masuwe Lodge was among the first bush lodges built around Victoria Falls. Its original stone structure has been beautifully restored under a new thatched roof, and the kitchen and bar have been completely rebuilt. The standout, though, is the team: many of the staff have been with Masuwe since the early days, and the warmth of their welcome is exactly what brings guests back.
Activities
Masuwe Lodge includes one wildlife activity a day, a 4x4 game drive or a guided walk on the concession and in the neighbouring Chamabonda section of Zambezi National Park, plus a guided tour of Victoria Falls and transfers into town whenever you want them.
Masuwe Lodge game drives cross open vlei and mopane woodland where sable, roan, buffalo, wildebeest and giraffe graze, and where lion and leopard are seen by the lucky. Elephants are regular visitors at the lodge waterhole itself.
Masuwe Lodge also puts every Victoria Falls adventure within a 10-minute drive. Optional, at extra cost:
- Bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls Bridge
- White-water rafting on the Zambezi below the Falls
- The gorge swing
- Helicopter flights over the Falls
- Sundowner cruises on the upper Zambezi, with hippo, elephant and superb birdlife
- Picnics and high tea overlooking the river
National park entrance fees, including entry to the Victoria Falls rainforest, are not included.
Child Friendly
Masuwe Lodge welcomes families, and the Family Nest is one of the best-designed family units in Victoria Falls: two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living area, a kitchenette, a private plunge pool and a braai, all under one thatched roof.
Masuwe Lodge keeps young explorers busy with nature walks on the grounds, a waterhole that delivers elephants to the deck, and a lodge pool for the hot afternoons. Included transfers into Victoria Falls town make it easy to fit in a morning at the Falls and still be back for a swim before lunch.
FAQ
Where is Masuwe Lodge?
Masuwe Lodge is a safari lodge on a private, unfenced concession bordering Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe, 7 km from Victoria Falls town and the Falls. Victoria Falls Airport is 17 km away, about a 20-minute drive, and return airport transfers are included. Livingstone Airport in Zambia is roughly 40 minutes by road, including a border crossing, which makes Masuwe Lodge an easy bush base for both sides of the Falls.
Is Masuwe Lodge in a malaria area?
Yes. Masuwe Lodge lies in the Victoria Falls area of Zimbabwe, which is a malaria risk area all year, with the highest risk in the wet season from roughly November to April. Guests at Masuwe Lodge should take antimalarial prophylaxis prescribed by a doctor or travel clinic, use insect repellent from dusk to dawn, and sleep under the mosquito nets provided over every bed.
What is included in a stay at Masuwe Lodge?
A stay at Masuwe Lodge includes accommodation, all meals, local brand drinks, return Victoria Falls Airport transfers, return transfers into Victoria Falls town, an informal town tour, a guided tour of Victoria Falls, and one wildlife activity a day, either a game drive or a guided walk. National park entrance fees, premium drinks, flights, laundry, gratuities and adventure activities such as bungee jumping and rafting are extra.
Is Masuwe Lodge good for families?
Masuwe Lodge suits families well because of its Family Nest, a two-bedroom, two-bathroom unit with an upstairs king-bedded master suite, a second bedroom, a living area, a kitchenette, a shaded deck, a private plunge pool and a braai. Children can join nature walks on the Masuwe concession, and the included town transfers make trips to Victoria Falls simple. Age limits for game drives and adventure activities vary, so confirm them when planning.
How many nights should you stay at Masuwe Lodge?
Two to five nights is the ideal stay at Masuwe Lodge. Two nights covers the included guided tour of Victoria Falls, a game drive and a sundowner cruise on the Zambezi. Three to five nights leaves time for white-water rafting, a bungee jump or a helicopter flight over the Falls, plus slow afternoons by the pool watching the waterhole. Masuwe Lodge also combines well with Hwange National Park or Chobe in Botswana.
When is the best time to visit Masuwe Lodge?
The best time to visit Masuwe Lodge depends on what you want from Victoria Falls. The Falls run fullest from about February to May, when heavy spray can hide the view. June to September brings clearer views, cool dry days and strong game viewing as animals gather at water. October to December is hot and the Falls are at their lowest, but wildlife concentrates at the waterhole in front of Masuwe Lodge.
In Conclusion
Masuwe Lodge is the answer for travellers who want Victoria Falls and a real safari lodge in the same stay, without paying for, or packing for, two separate destinations. Just 7 km from the Falls, it delivers elephants at the waterhole, game drives into Zambezi National Park, and the thunder of Mosi-oa-Tunya ten minutes down the road. Its all-inclusive rate takes care of meals, local drinks, airport and town transfers, a guided tour of the Falls and a daily wildlife activity. It is one of the finest-value lodges on the Zimbabwe side.
Getting to Masuwe Lodge is simple: fly into Victoria Falls Airport and the lodge collects you for the 20-minute drive. We usually recommend two to five nights, either as a standalone Falls break or as the opening or closing chapter of a longer safari through Hwange, Chobe or the Okavango Delta. Come between February and May to see the Falls at full thunder, or between June and September for clearer views and superb game viewing.
Uyaphi.com has been planning tailor-made African safaris from Cape Town since 1999. In 27 years we've learnt how to shape a Victoria Falls stay around the season, the right chalet and the rest of your journey. Tell us when you'd like to travel and who's coming, and we'll build your Masuwe Lodge stay around you, from the Hide-Away for two to the Family Nest for the whole clan.
Rates from US$ 415.00 Per person per night
Masuwe 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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Zimbabwe Travel Topics
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