Old Drift Lodge
Highlights
- 14 canvas suites (10 double, 4 family) facing the Zambezi River
- A private plunge pool, outdoor bath and outdoor shower in every suite
- Inside Zambezi National Park, 7 km upstream of Victoria Falls
- Arrival by boat up the Zambezi River
- Game drives, river safaris, guided walks and a guided Falls tour included
- Main lodge with 360-degree views: river to the north, waterhole to the south
- Superb birdlife photography from the riverbank decks
Information
- Lodge type: Luxury tented lodge
- Location: Zambezi National Park, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
- Lodge size: 14 suites (10 double, 4 family)
- Recommended stay: 3–5 nights
- Malaria risk: Yes. Victoria Falls is a malaria area. Take prophylaxis; risk is highest in the November–April rains
- Getting there: 4.5 km from Victoria Falls town. About 35 minutes by road from Victoria Falls Airport, then 10–15 minutes by boat. No light-aircraft leg: scheduled flights land at Victoria Falls Airport
A Luxury Lodge, Old Drift Is Perfectly Positioned On The Banks Of The Zambezi River
Old Drift Lodge is a 14-suite luxury tented lodge on the Zambezi River, inside Zambezi National Park and 7 km upstream of Victoria Falls. It is the closest lodge within the national park to the Falls, only 4.5 km from Victoria Falls town. Yet you arrive by boat, and the only traffic you'll meet is hippos.
Old Drift Lodge takes its name from the river crossing it sits beside. Around 1898 this shallow ford, originally Sekute's Drift, was the busiest crossing between Southern and Northern Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe and Zambia). Supplies were ferried over and cattle swum to the far bank. Wild Horizons opened the lodge on the site in 2018.
Old Drift Lodge gives you two holidays in one. You get a real riverfront safari, with wild elephants wandering between the suites. And Victoria Falls is close enough for a guided tour, a helicopter flight or a sunset cruise in the same stay. It is one of the finest small lodges in the Victoria Falls area and a standout in our selection of Victoria Falls Lodges, a short run upriver from the Victoria Falls themselves.
Rooms and Suites
Old Drift Lodge has 14 canvas suites, 10 doubles and 4 family suites, spaced along the Zambezi riverbank and raised on timber decks for the view. Every suite has a private lounge, indoor and outdoor showers, an outdoor bath facing the river and a private deck with its own plunge pool. These are some of the most beautiful outdoor bathrooms in Zimbabwe. A clawfoot tub on the veranda with the Zambezi sliding past is the picture most guests take home.
Old Drift Lodge family suites have two interconnecting bedrooms and sleep up to five. The plunge pool earns its keep on the hottest afternoons of October and November. Every suite includes:
- Air-conditioning, a fan and a heater
- Mosquito nets
- A complimentary mini-bar
- Tea and coffee station
- In-room safe, hairdryer and dressing gowns
Cuisine and Wine
Old Drift Lodge includes all meals and house drinks in the rate; only premium brands are charged extra. Meals move between the indoor dining room and tables on the deck, so breakfast, lunch and dinner all come with the Zambezi River as the backdrop. The wine list is well chosen. Evenings end at the firepit set into the riverbank deck, a nightcap in hand, with hippos grunting somewhere downstream.
Facilities
Old Drift Lodge's main area has 360-degree views, north across the Zambezi River and south over a waterhole in Zambezi National Park, so something is usually drinking on one side or the other. The lodge has a lounge with a fireplace, a library, a bar, a dining room, a riverside deck and a firepit. For birdlife photography it is one of the best lodges near Victoria Falls: the riverbank decks put African fish eagles, kingfishers and waders within range of a long lens.
- Wi-Fi and mobile signal
- Activity desk for booking Victoria Falls excursions
- Laundry service (included)
- Secure parking for self-drive guests
Activities
Old Drift Lodge includes game drives, river safaris and guided walks in Zambezi National Park, plus a guided tour of Victoria Falls. The rainforest entry fee for the Falls tour is extra. Shuttles to Victoria Falls town are included, so the Falls, markets and restaurants are an easy half-day away. Game viewing in Zambezi National Park is good rather than dense. Elephant, buffalo and hippo are the regulars, so pair Old Drift with Hwange if the full Big Five matters to you.
Old Drift Lodge guests pay separately for all other Victoria Falls activities. The activity desk arranges them:
- White-water rafting in the Batoka Gorge
- Helicopter flights over the Falls
- Bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls Bridge
- Zip-lining across the gorge
- Lunch at the Lookout Café above the Batoka Gorge
Child Friendly
Old Drift Lodge welcomes children aged 7 and over. It has four family suites with interconnecting bedrooms, children's menus, and game drives and river safaris the whole family can share. The private plunge pool on every suite deck keeps younger guests happy between activities, which makes Old Drift one of the best family bases at Victoria Falls.
Old Drift Lodge: Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Old Drift Lodge?
Old Drift Lodge is on the south bank of the Zambezi River inside Zambezi National Park, Zimbabwe, 7 km upstream of Victoria Falls and 4.5 km from Victoria Falls town. It is the closest lodge within the national park to the Falls. It stands on the site of the Old Drift, a river crossing used around 1898 between what were then Southern and Northern Rhodesia.
Is Old Drift Lodge in a malaria area?
Old Drift Lodge is in a malaria area. Victoria Falls and Zambezi National Park carry malaria risk all year, highest during the November–April rainy season. Guests should see a travel doctor about antimalarial prophylaxis before travelling, sleep under the mosquito nets provided, and use repellent and long sleeves in the evenings. Families wanting a malaria-free safari should consider Madikwe or the Eastern Cape instead.
How do you get to Old Drift Lodge?
Old Drift Lodge is reached by road and boat. Guests fly into Victoria Falls Airport (VFA), then take a road transfer of about 35 minutes to the lodge jetty, followed by a 10–15 minute boat ride up the Zambezi River. Return transfers from Victoria Falls Airport or Livingstone Airport in Zambia are included in the rate. There is no light-aircraft transfer to the lodge.
What is included in the rate at Old Drift Lodge?
Old Drift Lodge rates are all-inclusive. They cover accommodation, all meals, house drinks, the in-suite mini-bar, game drives, river safaris, guided walks, a guided tour of Victoria Falls, shuttles to Victoria Falls town, airport transfers, laundry, emergency medical evacuation cover, the 2% tourism levy and VAT. Excluded are flights, visas, premium drinks, gratuities, rainforest entry fees, the conservation levy and paid Victoria Falls activities.
Can children stay at Old Drift Lodge?
Old Drift Lodge accepts children aged 7 and over. The lodge has four family suites with two interconnecting bedrooms sleeping up to five, children's menus, and game drives and river safaris suited to young guests. Every suite has a private plunge pool, which helps in the heat. Victoria Falls is a malaria area, so parents should discuss prophylaxis for children with a travel doctor before booking.
When is the best time to visit Old Drift Lodge?
Old Drift Lodge suits different seasons for different reasons. Victoria Falls is at peak flow from roughly February to May, when the spray is spectacular but can hide the view. Game viewing in Zambezi National Park is best in the dry season from July to October, when animals come down to the river. June to August gives the best all-round balance of good water and good game.
In Conclusion
Old Drift Lodge is the answer for travellers who want Victoria Falls and a real safari without packing twice. You get 14 canvas suites on the Zambezi, each with its own plunge pool and outdoor bath, inside a national park and just 7 km from the Falls. Elephants walk through camp, hippos keep you company at the firepit, and the Falls tour, game drives and river safaris are all in the rate. Few lodges anywhere in Zimbabwe put this much of the country's best within a 15-minute boat ride.
Old Drift Lodge works best as three to five nights at the start or end of a Zimbabwe safari. Fly into Victoria Falls Airport, settle in on the river, then carry on to Hwange for the big herds or across to Chobe in Botswana. Come between June and October for the strongest game viewing, or between February and May to see the Falls in full flood.
Uyaphi.com has been planning safaris across Zimbabwe and southern Africa since 1999, 27 years of matching the right lodge to the right traveller and the right season. We'll build the whole trip around you: flights, transfers, lodges and every activity, with no booking fees and no credit card surcharges. Tell us when you'd like to travel and we'll put Old Drift Lodge exactly where it belongs in your itinerary.
Rates from US$ 610.00 Per person per night
Old Drift Lodge Rates
Per person per night sharing
Rates are in US Dollar
*Rates may vary according to season
- Accommodation, all meals and drinks
- Complimentary mini bars in the rooms
- Return Victoria Falls Airport / Livingstone Airport transfers
- Shuttle to Victoria Falls town
- Laundry
- Emergency Medical Evacuation cover
- 2% Tourism levy
- VAT on accommodation
- All Flights
- Visas
- Premium brand drinks
- Gratuities
- Curios
- Items of a personal nature
- Rainforest Entry Fees
- Conservation Levy
- Private vehicle use
- Travel insurance
- Additional shuttles and transfers
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