The River Club | Livingstone Luxury Zambia Safari Safari Lodge

We take a boat across the immense Zambezi, a river that’s seen adventures and crocodile in its waters since the dawn of time. Getting to the other side is adventure enough itself and we are brimming with enthusiasm as we arrive at The River Club, a stunning boutique safari lodge that’s elevated to overlook a bend of the river. We’re just 18km upstream from the ‘Smoke that Thunders’ (close to Livingstone in Zambia), but it couldn’t be more serene – in fact, it’s going to be hard to tear ourselves away to engage in some of the more adrenaline-packed activities at the falls. Sipping our welcome drinks, we gaze across the vast river over several pods of boulder-like hippo into the Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe, lush at this time of year. Though he lives on the property, we’re flattered that the owner, Peter Jones, immediately comes over to introduce himself. He tells us that the lodge was first established during the times of Livingstone as a settler trading post, then it was the site of a love-fuelled murder, and that it’s now a holiday destination for royalty and Hollywood stars!

Ingrid, the friendly manager, walks us to our luxury river suite, which is set amid magnificent trees on the banks of the river. The moment we enter, we leave our city-selves behind. Light and spacious, our suite has a vaulted ceiling supported by Roman-like columns that leads out onto a huge deck and private pool. It feels like a sanctuary within an oasis of green, and we smile as we realise we can view wildlife right from our deck or through floor-to-ceiling windows – whether in the sitting area or lying in our bed. Of course, I have to test this out… Lying on our romantic bed, draped in mosquito nets, I stare out into the wild, revelling in my surroundings. The Rhodesian teak furniture captures my partner’s attention, while I discover a claw-foot bath that also takes advantage of views of the Zambezi – only I’ll be enjoying them while surrounded by bubbles! I step outside and listen to the quiet sounds of nature – the gurgle of the river, the warble of a passing bird and the plop of what could be a crocodile or hippo – feeling pure contentment. Suddenly my partner runs past and jumps in the pool with a loud splash, and I laugh out loud. After all, there’s no shortage of peaceful moments to be found here.

Just 18km upstream from the falls and the historical town of Livingstone, The River Club offered us the chance to experience the Zambezi in every possible way; whether in quiet contemplation, on game drives in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, or during adrenaline-packed activities like bungee jumping and microlighting. A village tour allowed us to find out how The River Club benefits the local community; they assist children with schooling, create income-generating activities and work towards preserving the town’s heritage. Whether your style is to enjoy G&Ts with the hippo or to get involved with community projects, The River Club has you covered.

• Boutique safari lodge with 11 suites (seven one-bedroomed river suites, two one-bedroomed luxury river suites with pool, one two-bedroomed luxury river family suite with pool and the two-bedroomed Princess Mary Suite with pool). The lodge has a rim-flow swimming pool, curio shop, spa, gym, tennis courts and snooker room as well as its own helipad.
• Secluded location upstream from Victoria Falls, owner-run and flexible schedules.
• Swimming, spa treatments (additional cost), tennis, croquet, boules, snooker, nature walks, sundowner boat cruises, gym, fishing (additional cost), game drive or rhino walk (additional cost), cultural tours (additional cost), horse riding (additional cost), helicopter flights (additional cost), microlight flights (additional cost), various tours of Victoria Falls (Zambia or Zimbabwe, additional cost) and a variety of river and Victoria Falls gorge activities (additional costs).
• Children aged six and above are welcome, and kids’ activities available.

• Not only do African safari lodge prices shift with the seasons, they also change based on your length of stay, room type, travel party composition, special offers, if your trip involves stays at sister lodges – and for more reasons besides.
• It’s worth noting that depending on your itinerary, your lodge cost will make up about 75–85% of your total safari trip cost.
• Our safaris are tailor-made to match your personal safari dream, we’d be delighted if you’d allow us to create a bespoke proposal for you.  Simply enquire now – our quotes are complimentary and obligation-free.
• However, to help you get an idea of safari lodge prices we’ve created three safari-lodge categories with various price ranges, to find out more click here.