About this hotel
General information
Royal Zambezi Lodge sits on a 200-hectare private reserve that runs for 3.5 km along the Zambezi, right at the edge of the Lower Zambezi National Park. Mana Pools lies across the water on the Zimbabwean bank, and the valley escarpment rises behind the lodge. Fifteen stand-alone canvas-and-thatch suites are tucked beneath mature trees; elephant, monkeys and baboons move freely through the grounds, and hippo and Nile crocodile are a fixture of the view from the decks.
The lodge is open all year and runs entirely on its own 480-panel solar plant. More than 80 per cent of the staff come from the surrounding villages, and the lodge supports local schools, drills boreholes and backs the conservation group Conservation Lower Zambezi. Stays include all meals, local drinks, two guided activities a day, laundry and transfers from the lodge’s own airstrip.
Location
The lodge stands on the Zambezi in the Chiawa area, minutes from the Lower Zambezi National Park. Guests land on Royal Airstrip, a private 1.8 km tarred runway 5–10 minutes’ drive away, on Royal Air Charters flights from Lusaka’s international airport that take about 30 minutes and run year-round in daylight hours. The lodge can also be reached by road in a 4x4, or by driving to Gwabi Lodge on the Kafue River and covering the last 40 km by boat.
Spa
The Royal Bush Spa sits on high ground above the Zambezi, with treatments given in an open-air pavilion or a private room to the sound of hippo and fish eagles, and a lounge for unwinding afterwards. The menu covers massage, therapeutic, beauty and skincare treatments, many built on local botanical ingredients, and the spa works with Dermalogica. A short foot or hand massage is included in every stay.
Sports & leisure
Guests choose two guided activities a day; guide, vehicle or boat can be private on request.
- game drives in open vehicles in the morning, afternoon and evening, plus night drives with spotlights in search of leopard, civet, porcupine, genet and aardvark;
- walking safaris with an experienced guide (June to August) and hikes up the escarpment behind the lodge, from gentle to demanding, with porters;
- canoe trips of two to three hours along a channel around a large island, ending with drinks on the bank where it rejoins the main river;
- boat cruises on the Zambezi with sundowners on a sandy island, boules on a sandbar and a spotlit return after dark;
- strictly catch-and-release fishing from aluminium boats for tigerfish, vundu and several kinds of bream, with fly-fishing tuition and tackle provided;
- birding, with more than 400 species recorded;
- a trip upriver past riverside villages.
For those who would rather stay put, there is the option of a day with no plans at all: the pool, the bar, the deck above the river, reference books in the lounge and an exercise machine by the pool.
For children
Activities are adapted for younger guests: a boat trip may pause for boules on a sandbar, children fish for bream rather than tigerfish, and game drives are paced to keep them engaged.
Restaurants & bars
Life centres on an open-sided pavilion that combines reception, dining room and a lounge with a large fireplace, with broad timber decks stepping out over the shallows of the Zambezi. Breakfast, continental or cooked to order, comes with a river view; lunch is served on the shaded veranda, as a picnic or as a buffet out in the park, and afternoon tea brings fresh baking. Dinner is taken on the decks under the stars, by the fire, by candlelight in the bush or in the suite. The Sausage Tree Bar sits downstream on a suspended deck above the river, beneath a sausage tree. The kitchen relies on local produce, including from the community initiative Zambezi Harvest.
Swimming
A shared infinity pool looks out over the Zambezi, and every suite has its own plunge pool.
Rooms
Fifteen stand-alone canvas-and-thatch suites, eight Deluxe and seven Presidential, each placed for privacy and a view of the river; two Deluxe suites can be combined as a family unit.
An extra-length sprung mattress with cotton linen and down pillows, armchairs, a desk, safe, telephone, Wi-Fi, bathrobes and hairdryer, turndown service, a shaded veranda and a private plunge pool.
Deluxe Suite
A suite with a king bed or twin beds, an en-suite bathroom, a shaded veranda facing the Zambezi and a 24 m² outdoor living area with a private plunge pool. Sleeps two.
Presidential Suite
A spacious suite with a king bed, a lounge, a copper bath and separate shower, in most cases an outdoor shower too, a day-bed sala and a 90 m² outdoor area with a plunge pool above the river. Two adults, with extra beds for children.
Family Suite
Two neighbouring Deluxe suites, each with a king bed and its own plunge pool, joined by a shared outdoor lounge overlooking the main pool and the river. Sleeps up to five.
Photos are for illustrative purposes only. Actual room layout, furnishings, décor, views and amenities may differ from those shown and may vary between rooms of the same category. Hotel and room descriptions are based on information provided by the property and are believed to be accurate at the time of publication, but are not guaranteed. The hotel may renovate or change its rooms, facilities, restaurants and services at any time without notice. The final details of your stay are confirmed at the time of booking. See our Terms of Use.