Safari lodges at Victoria Falls: prices and what's included

Victoria Falls lodges side by side

The table lists the places near the falls whose own site or listing calls them a lodge. Some are town guest lodges rather than safari camps: Safari.com describes Batonka as an urban boutique guest lodge, not a safari camp³.

The lodges with game viewing on the doorstep sit outside town. Travel Butlers notes some 5-star lodges upriver in the Zambezi National Park⁴, and the sections below compare those lodge by lodge.

Want something cheaper? See where backpackers stay in Victoria Falls. Golden Days Lodge in Livingstone has apartments with a kitchenette⁵, which helps if you’re comparing self-catering stays in Victoria Falls. Hotels and every other kind of stay are in the where to stay details.

How much does a safari lodge at Victoria Falls cost?

A night at a safari lodge near Victoria Falls costs US$288¹ to $1,150⁶ per person sharing, depending on the lodge, the season and how much the rate covers.

The gap is mostly about what’s included. The cheaper lodges are bed and breakfast or half board. The dearer ones add meals, game activities and transfers (see the table under “Where the safari lodges sit”).

When rates change

Victoria Falls Safari Lodge’s Standard Room rate goes up halfway through the year:

Wild Horizons, which runs Old Drift Lodge, The Elephant Camp and The Wallow Lodge, splits the year into seasons:

• Green season: 11 January to 31 March and 1 November to 20 December⁷
• Mid-season: 1 April to 31 May⁸
• High season: 1 June to 31 October 2026 and 21 December 2026 to 10 January 2027⁸

Matetsi’s lowest price is a low-season offer that Safari.com lists for 8 January to 31 March 2027⁶.

Seeing the falls costs extra too. International day visitors pay US$58⁹ (checked October 2026) at the main gate of the Victoria Falls Rainforest in Victoria Falls National Park, a fee raised in February 2026¹⁰. More on Rainforest entry and viewpoints.

Where the safari lodges sit

The safari lodges split into two groups: lodges on the edge of town, and camps in the parks and concessions upstream or further out.

Victoria Falls Safari Lodge is the closest to town, 3 km¹¹ from the city centre, and its rate includes a free shuttle to town and the Rainforest¹. Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe is small: most places are no more than 3 km¹² from the falls.

Lodges further out swap convenience for quiet. Adventure Life says staying about 20 minutes outside town largely removes the helicopter noise, and that most of the better properties outside town offer complimentary shuttles¹³ in.

The Boma at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

The Boma, a dinner and drum show on the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge estate, runs 7pm to 10pm¹¹. Lodge guests can walk to it; everyone else can book The Boma dinner and drum show. Expect:

• a four-course meal¹¹ with campfire soup and a braai (barbecue) buffet
• traditional dancing, drumming and storytelling¹¹
• a mopane worm eating challenge¹¹, if you’re brave

Can you do a safari from a Victoria Falls lodge?

Yes. Zambezi National Park is a five-minute drive¹⁴ from Victoria Falls town, and the lodges inside it build game viewing into the rate:

• Victoria Falls River Lodge: two game activities², such as a morning or afternoon game drive.
• Old Drift Lodge: a luxury tented lodge on the banks of the Zambezi River with morning or afternoon game drives⁸; you can explore the park by road, by river or on foot¹⁵.
• Matetsi Victoria Falls: game drives, walking safaris, birdwatching, canoeing, boating and fishing⁶.

Staying at a town lodge? You can book a Zambezi National Park game drive with hotel pickup, or read the Zambezi National Park guide first.

Botswana is close as well: Victoria Falls is a few km from Botswana and Namibia¹⁶. Many visitors take a day trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana¹⁷, such as this Chobe day trip with lunch.

On the river, Tongabezi, which runs the Livingstone Island trips, says Devil’s Pool is usually open mid-August to late December¹⁸. Wild Horizons puts the start later, at mid-September¹⁹. If your dates fit, see the Livingstone Island and Devil’s Pool tour.

Who safari lodges suit, and who they don’t

Safari lodges here are set up for couples, groups and families with older children. Families with young children, tight budgets and anyone who wants to walk to the falls may find a better match elsewhere.

Couples and groups

• Couples: Victoria Falls River Lodge’s 8 Malachite luxury tents²⁰ are pitched as a retreat for couples.
• Groups and extended families: the River Lodge’s villas are designed for multi-generational families, friends and smaller groups²⁰.
• A private house: the Matetsi River House is exclusive use for up to 8 people in four bedrooms⁶.

Families: children’s ages

Age limits differ more than prices do, so check this table before anything else:

At Old Drift Lodge, which Wild Horizons calls family-friendly¹⁵, children aged 7 to 16 pay 50%⁸ of the adult sharing rate. At the River Lodge’s Malachite and Treehouse suites, children pay the full sharing adult rate².

Less of a fit

• You want to stay right by the falls: The Victoria Falls Hotel calls itself one of the world’s classic five-star hotels²², overlooking the falls, with Classic Rooms from $664²³.
• You’d rather not drive far: Matetsi is around a 45-minute drive²⁴ from Victoria Falls.
• You’re on a tight budget: town guest lodges and backpackers’ places cost far less (see the table at the top).

Not staying at The Victoria Falls Hotel? You can still visit Stanley’s Terrace, but non-residents must pre-book with the Food & Beverage Coordinator²⁵.

Booking rules: deposits, cancellations and check-in

Wild Horizons publishes deposit, payment and cancellation terms for its lodges on its specials page. For Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, only the check-out time is listed here:

How long to book for: Wild Horizons suggests three to four nights¹⁹ at Victoria Falls, and Travel Butlers advises at least a couple of nights²⁸.

Questions people ask