Zambezi Dusk is a small, family-owned safari lodge on the bank of the Zambezi, upstream of Victoria Falls on Kazungula Road, Livingstone. It has three kinds of room: luxury safari tents, Superior Zambezi Chalets and the Zambezi Dusk Villa. The rate is fully inclusive, and the Falls are about 30 minutes away by road.
Three ways to stay
The Zambezi Dusk Villa is the private option. It suits a couple who want a place of their own on the river, or a family or group of friends who would rather share one house than be spread across separate rooms. Ask the lodge for the current layout and how many it sleeps; it depends on how the villa is set up for your party, and we would rather you heard it from them than read a number here that has changed.
The Superior Zambezi Chalets face the river and work well for couples and for families who want a solid roof and walls but don't need a whole house.
The luxury safari tents are the classic way to sleep in the bush: canvas, a proper bed and the river a few steps away. At night you hear hippos grunting and the odd fish eagle at first light. If you have never slept under canvas, this is a comfortable way to try it.
The lodge calls itself "small by design". In practice that means few suites, fewer people on the deck and more privacy. It is not a resort with a programme of entertainment.
What the rate includes
- Meals cooked with local ingredients
- Selected drinks
- Transfers to and from Livingstone airport
- Two guided boat safaris a day, leaving from the lodge
- Two daily activities from the lodge's guided experiences list
- One spa treatment, in your suite or outdoors, on stays of two nights or more
There is also a pool, a riverside deck, mosquito nets and repellent in every room, and a 24-hour emergency contact. For the detail on drinks, activities and what costs extra, read what fully inclusive means at Zambezi Dusk.
What the lodge arranges, but doesn't run
Bigger trips are run by licensed partners and booked through the lodge: Victoria Falls visits, Devil's Pool, the Chobe day trip (on request), bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls Bridge, tiger fishing, white water rafting, walking with rhinos and local market visits. Not all of these are included in the rate, and availability depends on the season and the river. Ask when you enquire which ones are covered for your dates.
Who it suits
- Couples and honeymooners who want quiet, a pool and a river view rather than a big hotel near the Falls. See honeymoon stays.
- Families who want a base where meals and transfers are already sorted. See family stays.
- Small groups of friends or relatives who want to take the villa or several rooms together.
It suits people less well if you want to walk out of the door into town every evening: the lodge is on the river road, not in Livingstone, and you will be driven to most things.
Paying and booking
Bookings are confirmed on full prepayment within three days of booking. US dollars and Zambian kwacha are widely accepted around Livingstone, but card machines can be unreliable away from town, so bring some cash for tips and market stalls. The FAQ covers the other questions people usually ask, and getting here explains the routes in.