Tongabezi has been one of the Zambian side's most celebrated lodges since the early 1990s, and it has earned that reputation by doing things slightly differently from the start. Sitting on the Zambezi bank around 12 kilometres upstream from Victoria Falls, the property is privately owned and carries the kind of character that only comes from genuine investment in a place over decades.
What sets Tongabezi apart is its accommodation model — a collection of individually designed houses and river cottages rather than a uniform row of rooms, each with its own personality and river outlook. Dining is equally unconventional, with meals served on floating pontoons, raised riverside decks, private terraces and around fire pits depending on the mood and the occasion.
The lodge also manages Livingstone Island, perched at the very lip of the falls, giving guests access to one of the more extraordinary swimming experiences in Africa. Community ties run deep too — Tongabezi helped establish and continues to fund a local school that now educates around 250 children.
