In spite of the headlines, travellers, who know Zimbabwe intimately, will testify that a safari holiday to this beautiful country is a special experience! Your travel itinerary will have to include a stay at the family-friendly Lokuthula Lodges in Victoria Falls.
Lokuthula in the local siNdebele actually means ‘Place of Peace’ – over your stay, you will certainly discover why. In the absence of mass tourism, the surrounding 80,000ha of African bush still bears the same astounding, unspoilt landscapes that led the famous 19th century English explorer, David Livingstone, to write; “scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight”.
Consequently, he named the nearby majestic falls – which are just 4kms from the lodge, in honour of Queen Victoria. Today, the falls are one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.
The Lokuthula Lodges form part of the Africa Albida Tourism hospitality group, which consists of a collection of establishments within Victoria Falls, as well as theExtraordinary Collection, which also operates several top-notch safari destinations in South Africa’s Limpopo and Mpumalanga provinces.
Situated within the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge estate, adjacent to the unfenced Zambezi National Park, Lokuthula offers a breathtaking escape. It is no wonder why many of their previous guests had many wonderful things to say about the facilities at Lokuthula and the excellence in hospitality that they received from the staff during their stays.
Accommodation at Lokuthula Lodges
Accommodation at Lokuthula consists of 31 thatched lodges that offer exceptional value for money. The lodges may be booked on a full self-catering or bed and breakfast basis.
A split-level design, open-fronted with drop-down blinds, affords guests at the lodges spectacular views of the unspoilt bushveld and a nearby waterhole attracts a wide variety of local wildlife and birdlife.
All lodges are designed for comfort, flexibility and privacy. They have a relaxed, rustic feel and come with comfy beds; air-conditioning in the downstairs bedrooms; ceiling fans in the lounge and loft bedroom; digital safes for valuables; telephones; tea/coffee-making facilities and mosquito nets.
The two sofa beds in the lounge may be used to accommodate two extra people while fully-equipped kitchens make self-catering for your family or group a pleasure.
There is a lounge, terrace and braai area for family get-togethers.
Facilities at Lokuthula Lodges
Besides ample, secure parking for vehicles, facilities at Lokuthula Lodges include The Boma Café for guests that check in on a B&B basis. There is also a refreshing three-tiered swimming pool for those hot summer days, a children’s playground as well as a well-maintained volleyball court for those that enjoy the game.
At The Boma – Dinner & Drum Show, you can expect sumptuous dinners accompanied by entertaining drum shows. It’s certainly a fun-filled dining and entertainment experience!
The iconic Buffalo Bar, located on the same estate, is known for its sundowners and cocktails.
There is also a residents’ lounge above The Boma Bar, which comes with satellite TV for those, who cannot stay away from their favourite sports etc. Reliable Wi-Fi is available at Lokuthula Lodges’ reception.
For your convenience, they also offer laundry services.
Activities at Lokuthula
There are many activities at Victoria Falls suited for all tastes – from relaxed tours to mild adventures and adrenalin-pumping thrills.
Besides game drives or bush walks into the nearby national parks, try Bungee Jumping from the railway bridge that crosses one of the Victoria Falls gorges. You can also experience the thrill of white water rafting or more sedate canoeing on the Zambezi River.
Take the family or a loved one on a leisurely helicopter flight over Vic Falls – it is called the flight of Angels for a reason!
Thrill-seekers will also love several local high-wire activities – a zipline, gorge swing and flying fox as well as canopy tours and abseiling.
The Devil’s Pool, where people can swim on the edge of Victoria Falls when the river’s flow is low, is a major attraction for adrenalin junkies.
Zambezi River sunset boat cruises above the Vic Falls are also a major attraction.
Reviews from previous Lokuthula Lodges guests
“We spent three nights here and had an amazing time! Warthogs, baboons, mongoose, monkeys, impala, and other small animals walked around freely on the property within a few meters of us. This was quite an experience for someone who’s used to only seeing squirrels around. The property was clean and well maintained, as were the beautiful and spacious lodges. Everyone was friendly and helpful. We really appreciated the free shuttle buses to either Vic Falls or to the Vic Falls town where we could shop for supplies or souvenirs, or go out for dinner at one of the many restaurants. The Boma entertainment dinner was well worth attending. Colourful and interactive dancers as well as great food. There were other onsite restaurants available as well where you could watch the elephants and other wildlife spending some time at the nearby watering hole. Great photo ops. Lokuthula lodges felt and looked like paradise. We would highly recommend staying here either as a couple or as a family,” wrote Guy the Canuck, who was visiting from Canada, on their TripAdvisor page.
TheRainbowSA added; “We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Lokuthula Lodges. The staff are the friendliest and most welcoming that we have met anywhere. The lodges are lovely (ideal for families who want to self-cater) and the property is spectacular. The view from the main safari lodge is amazing. We loved the dinner and drum show at The Boma, the vulture feeding and of course the Victoria Falls. We had the most romantic candlelit dinner at Makuwa kuwa restaurant (in the safari lodge) where we watched a herd of elephants and hundreds of buffalo drinking at the waterhole right from our table. Wonderful facilities, delicious food, endless activities and the perfect mix of safari and falls – this really is the ideal place to stay to experience the very best of Zimbabwe.”
“The Lodges are very suitable for purpose and conveniently located with superb transport into town. Wild animals roam freely to your door step. The thatching provides very cool canopy in the hot summer days,” said wetmanu86.
Lokuthula Lodges is located at Stand 471 Squire Cummings Avenue, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Here is their location on Google Maps. For bookings, call +26 3 83 284 3211/ +27 (0) 11 516 4367; email res@extraordinary.co.za or visit them online at www.africaalbidatourism.com/where-to-stay/lokuthula-lodges.
