About this hotel
General information
Tongabezi is an eco-lodge on a rocky bank of the Zambezi, set where the river bends west towards the sunset, about 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls. It began as a handful of tents with bucket showers; today it is a small cluster of thatched cottages and individual houses linked by timber walkways above the water, run by Green Safaris.
Every cottage and house has its own river deck and a personal valet who looks after the day-to-day. Life follows the Zambezi: boat outings at dawn and dusk, candlelit dinners on a floating platform, and an electric dhow that glides silently on hydroelectric power. An organic garden laid out on the old tennis courts supplies herbs, vegetables and fruit, while the Tongabezi Trust School and a community farm at Mukuni are part of the lodge’s work with neighbouring villages.
Location
The lodge sits on the Zambezi near Simonga village, about 12 km upstream of Victoria Falls and a short drive from Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Livingstone’s international airport is around 25 minutes away by road, and the lodge arranges transfers.
Sports & leisure
Much of the programme is included in a stay: sunrise or sunset power-boat cruises on the Zambezi with drinks and snacks, a quiet three-hour electric dhow cruise for six to eight guests, a walk along the Zambian edge of Victoria Falls, open-vehicle game drives in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, river fishing, guided cycling routes from 5 to 100 km, an organic garden tour, an island picnic, Livingstone’s markets and a visit to a vocational training centre in Simonga. Around the full moon, when the river is high, a lunar rainbow can appear over the Falls. A gym comes with a personal trainer.
- At extra cost: boat trips to Livingstone Island and a swim in Devil’s Pool, the natural pool on the lip of the Falls, when water levels allow
- Helicopter and microlight flights over the Falls and the gorge
- White-water rafting through the rapids below the Falls
- A guided walking safari in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in search of rhino
- Visits to Simonga village, the Mukuni community farm, the Tongabezi Trust School and a tree-planting programme
For children
The lodge team are experienced childminders, and children’s menus are prepared on request.
Restaurants & bars
The main dining room is raised above the bank so that every table looks over the river, with the Hangout lounge and The Lookout close by; a bar sits beside the lap pool. Any meal can be served privately on a cottage or house deck. The lodge’s signature is the Sampan Dinner — three candlelit courses on a floating platform in the Zambezi, with dishes delivered by canoe — and by day guests are taken by boat to a three-course picnic lunch on one of the river’s islands.
Swimming
A long lap pool lies on a sunny deck with a poolside bar, and the lodge’s original, smaller pool, also with a bar, remains in use. The Honeymoon House, The Bird House, The Nut House, The Dog House and The Garden House each have a private plunge pool.
Rooms
The lodge is made up of River Cottages right on the bank and a set of individual houses, each with its own character — from the wall-less Tree House to the two-bedroom Dog House and Garden House for families and friends.
Air conditioning, a digital safe, a private deck or terrace, private lunches and dinners on request, complimentary laundry and a personal valet.
River Cottage
One of five riverside cottages with high ceilings, large timber-and-glass windows and doors opening onto a wide deck over the Zambezi. Double or twin beds, for two guests.
The Honeymoon House
A thatched house for two, the original model for today’s Tongabezi, with a double bed, an indoor shower and an open-air bath looking over the river. A private deck with a dining table and a plunge pool.
The Bird House
A clifftop house with a king-size four-poster and an open-air claw-foot bath beside the river. Folding doors open from the lounge onto a large deck over the Zambezi with a private plunge pool; an extra bed can be added.
The Nut House
A fully enclosed house on two levels: a four-poster bed upstairs, and a lounge with a log fire, dining area and bathroom with a claw-foot bath below. Folding doors lead to a raised river deck with an infinity plunge pool.
The Tree House
A wall-less house built into the cliff around the trunks of four trees and open entirely to the Zambezi, with a king-size bed under a canopy net, a reading corner and a bath with river views. For two guests, with use of the shared plunge pool.
The Dog House
A house for four with two bedrooms (one king, one king that converts to twins), a lounge with a double-sided fireplace, a bar and three decks above the river. A private plunge pool; at high water the Zambezi flows beneath the house.
The Garden House
A house for four set back from the river, with two en-suite bedrooms and a dining room and lounge with a log fire. A covered open-air lounge opens onto its own garden and plunge pool.
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.