Shongwe Lookout
Highlights
- Two-tier Lookout Tower with views of the Zambezi River and the Victoria Falls spray
- 23 rooms in three types — studio, deluxe and executive — set in teak-shaded gardens
- Chef Jason's restaurant: local ingredients in European-style dishes
- Infinity pool, bar, firepit and free WiFi throughout
- Bungee, gorge rafting, helicopter flights and Zambezi National Park game drives arranged at reception
- Massage, hair and beauty treatments at Oasis Spa next door
- Laundry service and famously friendly, attentive staff
Information
- Lodge type: Boutique Guesthouse
- Location: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe — 1 km from town, 2 km from the falls
- Lodge size: 23 Rooms
- Recommended stay: 2-5 nights
- Malaria risk: Yes — Victoria Falls is a malaria area. Take prophylaxis; risk peaks in the November–April rains.
- Getting there: Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA) is about 20 km away, a 20–30 minute road transfer. Scheduled flights from Johannesburg take about 1 hour 45 minutes. No light-aircraft leg is needed.
Discover Tranquility and Adventure at Shongwe Lookout
Shongwe Lookout is a 23-room boutique lodge in the leafy suburbs of Victoria Falls town, one kilometre from the shops and restaurants and two kilometres from the falls themselves. It is the best-placed small lodge in town for travellers who want the action of Victoria Falls on the doorstep and a quiet garden to come home to.
The signature feature at Shongwe Lookout is the Lookout Tower, a two-tier viewing platform rising above the rooftops. From the top you look out over the Zambezi River and Zambezi National Park to the column of spray from Mosi-oa-Tunya, "the smoke that thunders". It is at its most spectacular at sunrise with a coffee in hand, or at happy hour as the sky turns orange over the river.
Shongwe Lookout is a bed-and-breakfast lodge with an infinity pool, a proper restaurant, a lively bar and one of the warmest welcomes in Victoria Falls. It is the ideal first or last stop on a Zimbabwe, Botswana or Zambia safari.
Rooms And Suites
Shongwe Lookout has 23 rooms in three categories, all arranged around the Lookout Tower among lush tropical gardens and teak trees. Every room has air-conditioning, tea- and coffee-making facilities, free WiFi and bright décor featuring the work of local artisans.
- Studio Rooms: peaceful and private, with two single beds and a shower — ideal for friends or solo travellers.
- Deluxe Rooms: a king-size bed, a double vanity, and both a bath and a shower.
- Executive Rooms: the most spacious option, with a king-size bed, bath and shower, and a private veranda over the gardens.
The rooms at Shongwe Lookout face the gardens rather than the falls, so the views are saved for the tower. After a day of rafting, flying or walking the rainforest in the spray, the rooms offer exactly what you need: a cool, quiet room, a hot shower with good pressure and a very comfortable bed.
Cuisine And Wine
Shongwe Lookout's restaurant is run by Chef Jason, who takes fresh local ingredients and uses them in European-style dishes, from a hearty breakfast through to a relaxed dinner. Breakfast is included in the rate. Lunch and dinner are à la carte, which makes it easy to eat in one night and try the town's restaurants the next.
The bar at Shongwe Lookout is one of the most sociable spots in Victoria Falls. It has an inventive cocktail list, a daily happy hour, and the option of taking your drink up the tower to watch the sun set over the Zambezi. The firepit in the garden is where evenings end, with stories from the gorge traded under the stars.
Facilities
Shongwe Lookout's facilities centre on the garden: an infinity pool with sun loungers, a firepit, and shady lawns under mature teak trees full of birdlife. Around them you'll find everything a Victoria Falls base needs:
- Lookout Tower with two viewing tiers
- Restaurant and bar
- Infinity swimming pool and sun terrace
- Reception and activities desk
- Lounge area
- Laundry service
- Free WiFi throughout
- Free on-site parking
Shongwe Lookout's size is its great strength. With only 23 rooms, the staff know your name by the second morning, and the service has the personal touch that the big Victoria Falls hotels struggle to match.
Activities
Shongwe Lookout's reception desk books the full range of Victoria Falls activities, most of them within a 10–15 minute drive of the lodge. The choice runs from the gentle to the genuinely terrifying:
- Guided tour of the falls: the rainforest path in Victoria Falls National Park, with views across the full width of the falls
- Bungee jumping: 111 metres from the Victoria Falls Bridge into the Batoka Gorge
- White-water rafting: the grade 5 rapids of the Batoka Gorge, best in the low-water months
- Helicopter flights: the "Flight of Angels" over the falls and the gorges
- Zambezi sunset cruise: hippos, elephants and birdlife on the upper river
- Game drives and guided walks: in Zambezi National Park, just upstream of town
Shongwe Lookout makes an excellent base for day trips further afield too, including Chobe National Park in Botswana, a little over an hour's drive away via the Kazungula border.
Spa And Wellness
Shongwe Lookout guests use Oasis Spa, a small day spa on the neighbouring Shongwe Oasis property, a few steps from reception. Oasis Spa offers deep-tissue and couples' massages, as well as hair and beauty treatments for anyone needing a refresh after long-haul flights or a week in the bush.
Oasis Spa treatments at Shongwe Lookout can be booked in advance or on arrival at reception. For many guests, the perfect afternoon in Victoria Falls is a massage, a long swim in the infinity pool and a sundowner up the tower.
Shongwe Lookout: Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Shongwe Lookout from Victoria Falls?
Shongwe Lookout is two kilometres from Victoria Falls and one kilometre from the centre of Victoria Falls town in Zimbabwe, about a five-minute drive from the rainforest entrance to the falls. The lodge's Lookout Tower gives views across the Zambezi River to the spray rising from the falls, so guests can see Mosi-oa-Tunya at sunrise and sunset without leaving the property.
Is there malaria at Shongwe Lookout in Victoria Falls?
Yes. Shongwe Lookout lies in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, which is a malaria area. Travellers staying at Shongwe Lookout should take antimalarial prophylaxis and use insect repellent, particularly at dusk. The risk is highest during the November to April rainy season. See a travel clinic or doctor about the right medication before departure.
How do you get to Shongwe Lookout?
Shongwe Lookout is about 20 kilometres from Victoria Falls International Airport (VFA), a road transfer of roughly 20–30 minutes. Scheduled flights from Johannesburg to Victoria Falls take about 1 hour 45 minutes, so no light-aircraft connection is needed. Uyaphi.com arranges flights and airport transfers to Shongwe Lookout as part of a tailor-made itinerary.
What room types are available at Shongwe Lookout?
Shongwe Lookout has 23 rooms in three categories. Studio Rooms have two single beds and a shower. Deluxe Rooms have a king-size bed, double vanity, bath and shower. Executive Rooms are the most spacious, with a king-size bed, bath, shower and a private veranda over the gardens. All rooms at Shongwe Lookout have air-conditioning and free WiFi.
What is included in the Shongwe Lookout rate?
The Shongwe Lookout rate is quoted per person per night sharing, in US dollars. It includes accommodation, breakfast, the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority 2% levy and VAT where applicable. Lunch, dinner, drinks, flights, transfers, activities, gratuities and travel insurance are extra at Shongwe Lookout. Rates vary by season, and Uyaphi.com quotes them as part of a full safari itinerary.
When is the best time to stay at Shongwe Lookout?
Shongwe Lookout is open all year, and the best time to stay depends on what you want from Victoria Falls. February to May brings the highest water and the most dramatic spray, with the thickest spray around April. August to December brings lower water, clearer views of the rock face and the best white-water rafting in the Batoka Gorge, which is an easy drive from Shongwe Lookout.
In Conclusion
Shongwe Lookout is one of our favourite small lodges in Victoria Falls. It offers great value, sits two kilometres from the falls, and has a view from its tower that most larger hotels in town would love to have. With 23 rooms, a proper restaurant, a sociable bar and staff who look after you as if you were the only guests, it is the easy choice for two or three nights of Victoria Falls done well.
Why: Shongwe Lookout puts the falls, the gorge, the bridge and Zambezi National Park within minutes, then gives you a quiet garden, an infinity pool and a sundowner up the tower to come back to. It suits honeymooners, families, groups of friends and solo travellers equally well.
How: Shongwe Lookout works best as the opening or closing chapter of a longer safari. Pair it with the elephants of Hwange National Park, the rivers of Chobe in Botswana, or the canoe trails of the Lower Zambezi. Uyaphi.com handles flights, transfers and activities so that everything is in place when you land at Victoria Falls International Airport.
When: Come between February and May for the thunder and the spray at full flood, or between August and December for clear views of the falls and the best rafting on the Zambezi.
Uyaphi.com has been planning tailor-made African safaris since 1999. After 27 years of sending travellers to Victoria Falls, we know which room to book, which month suits your plans and how to fit Shongwe Lookout seamlessly into the rest of your trip. Tell us what you're dreaming of and we'll build your Victoria Falls adventure around you.
Rates form part of a safari itinerary
Shongwe Lookout Rates
Per person per night sharing
Rates are in US Dollar
*Rates may vary according to season
- Accommodation
- Breakfast only
- Zimbabwe Tourism Authority 2% Levy
- Inclusive of VAT where applicable
- All flights and transfers
- All other meals and drinks
- Travel insurance
- Items of a personal nature
- Activities booked through the activities
- Gratuities
- Single Supplement Surcharge
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Zimbabwe Travel Topics
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