Zambezi Dusk

We spent the Christmas and New Years period at Zambezi dusk and had the best time. The location is beautiful and the staff were incredible. The food was delicious throughout - for breakfast there was always fresh fruit, juices, whatever drinks you wanted and the option to have a cooked breakfast or one of the daily breakfast specials (for example homemade cinnamon rolls), yoghurt and granola. Lunches were buffet style and varied everyday, and for dinner we had many different options: some days we could preorder 3 courses from a menu and others were a buffet style - one day we had a braai with salads and sides which was amazing. A few trip highlights include surprise sundowners on an island on the river on Christmas Eve, Christmas lunch, day trips to Chobe National park in Botswana and Victoria Falls, New years celebrations, and of course the daily river cruises where we always saw hippos and crocodiles - as well as lots of birds! I was also lucky enough to spend my 21st birthday there and the staff made it really special - from a champagne breakfast to lunch at the Royal Livingstone hotel, to an evening surprise performance from the local choir with drinks and snacks followed by a birthday dinner with a lovely birthday cake - it was the most special day in the most special place. Thank you so much Zambezi Dusk for the best holiday!

Just perfect - have never felt so relaxed and restored! We stayed for 10 days over Christmas and New Year. Booked out in entirety for a large group of family and friends and honestly, have to say it’s been the best break we’ve had in a long time (husband declared it his most relaxing holiday EVER!) It’s hard to put my finger on exactly why this was just the best holiday ever - so while I’m sat at the airport waiting to head home , I thought I’d give a full review. The setting is idyllic (right on the Zambezi river bank); the staff are wonderful (have never been so well looked after); the food outstanding (in 10 days our lovely chefs never repeated a meal), sundowner river cruises are magical - nothing like an African sunset from the water; super comfortable bed and tented accommodation meant falling asleep to the sounds of the African bush and hippos in the river. The bird life is also glorious! (with the exception of the trumpeter hornbill who was a tad too friendly and came to see us every morning with his unique greeting - we managed to fall out of love with him, noisy little critter; although quite cool too to have him almost touching distance away). Zambezi Dusk has that unique blend of slightly rustic/at one with nature but with lots of boutique/luxury touches too A special word of thanks to the staff. It was like being looked after by personal butlers - but never intrusive. Lawrence and Fisher were brilliant. Coffee, G&Ts, Cocktails, or just a lime and soda - whatever my little heart desired just appeared. And our dining table was set up beautifully every evening , with such care and attention to detail. The chefs and kitchen team were fabulous too. Food amazing! Christmas (perhaps the best Turkey I’ve ever had)., New Year and a 21st birthday celebration , all handled in style and absolutely delicious (and I definitely over-indulged!). They also coped admirably with an egg allergy - even producing a separate tray of egg free pancakes just for one. Guided tours to Vic Falls super easy with Fabian the lodge’s knowledgeable guide, who didn’t bat an eyelid when the younger members of the party declared they would hike down to The Boiling Point at the Falls and back in 30+ degrees. Fabian just went and got them more water and led off on the walk. A day trip to Chobe organised by the lodge too. Also thanks to O’Brien the lodge’s driver and Patrick the boat skipper. Felt very safe being transported around by them. Thank you Zambezi Dusk team - it was a WONDERFUL stay. Hope to return!

We throughly enjoyed our stay at Zambezi Dusk. Situated on the banks of the Zambezi river, you wake up every morning to the sounds of birds and hippos. Not only do they have a great location but the staff went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable stay. We had not booked any activities before our arrival because we were unsure, but Sharon and Jonathan suggested activities and helped us book those activities. From Zipelining across the gorge, to a tour of the Mosi O Tunya falls both on the Zambian and Zimbabwen sides to game drives and the white Rhino walks. They coordinated all activities and arranged for our transfers from the lodge to every activity location. Mr Obrian,our guide,was always on hand to take us places and every car ride with him was equally an adventure. He is a wealth of knowledge from the history of the town, to plants, animals, birds, you name it. We enjoyed our tour of the falls with him, always patient and ready to teach and bring to our attention everything that we needed to see. Apart from the adventures around the town, we also took time to relax and enjoy all the beauty the lodge had to offer. We went on sunset boat cruises with our equally knowledgeable guides Fabian and Patrick who pointed out birds and wild life as we glided down the Zambezi. After a long day at the falls, the inhouse spa massages were just what we needed and helped us unwind and relieve muscle soreness. No adventure is complete without food. And the Chefs at Zambezi Dusk did not disappoint. We were well fed, the menu was very diverse and every meal was delicious. They would even pack us lunch or other snacks on the days our activities took us from the lodge for too long. They paid attention to all our needs and our waiters, Lawrence and Fisher, were courteous and always eager to please. We were definitely sad to leave and we cannot wait to go back soon.

Wish we had booked more than one night at Zambezi Dusk. A delightful rest stop on our adventurous travels. Very nice accommodations. Leisurely sundown cruise with cocktails on the Zambezi River - saw lots of wildlife: elephants bathing and playing in the shallows, hippos playing peak-a-boo. Baboons coming to the river to drink. Zebra, crocodile, antelope, eagles... Nice dinner overlooking the river. Sounds of hippos feeding at night. And Rhino Walk and Elephant Cafe nearby.

This lodge is close to Victoria Falls , but far enough away to avoid the noise of helicopters and microlights at Livingstone itself. For me it was a major plus; a chance to absorb nature. Cuisine was excellent. Normally a choice of two items for each course, but I'm sure that they would adjust to whatever you asked for. Great staff - difficult to find fault.

We chose this place because it’s family-owned and operated, and that personal touch was evident throughout our stay. It felt authentic and non-commercial, which we loved. The food was excellent, the staff were superb, and the rooms were very comfortable. While we experienced some big storms, there were also plenty of hot, clear days, so we were never stuck indoors. We absolutely loved everything—from the hippos and Victoria Falls to the rich local culture. The team went above and beyond to ensure we had an unforgettable experience and took incredible care of us. Would recommend 100 times over!