Victoria Falls Safari Club: Our full report
Victoria Falls Safari Club sits on the same plateaued site as its sister lodge Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.
However, it has a more exclusive feel to it and should be considered a completely separate entity. The Victoria Falls Safari Club is not suited to families, but rather geared towards adult travellers seeking an upmarket option. It's a short ten-minute drive from town and the Victoria Falls, and about half-an-hour's drive from Victoria Falls Airport.No one at Expert Africa has stayed at Victoria Falls Safari Club yet, but we have visited several times, and on our last visit to Zimbabwe in June 2018 we did drop in to check on the updates.
The Victoria Falls Safari Club consists of 20 rooms of which 16 are 'Club Rooms' and 4 are 'Club Suites'. Accommodation is arranged in two thatched blocks either side of the main area, all looking out over the bush and a water hole in front of the Club. The rooms are very spacious and airy, and the decoration and furnishings all feel very contemporary, modern and new.
The rooms at the Safari Club are spacious, with a contemporary and, in some instances, quite quirky design. Double or twin beds sit under draped mosquito nets, with bedside tables each side. Doors lead out onto a small balcony, with lovely views out to the national park and over the Club’s waterhole.
Every room has its own complimentary mini-bar and tea-and-coffee making station, as well as an espresso machine. The rooms are fully air-conditioned, and there's complimentary WiFi throughout. A digital safe sits within the wardrobe, larger than most we've seen in other hotels and lodges in Africa and incorporates a plug point in the door, so gadgets and batteries can charge while safely locked away.
The en-suite bathroom is open-plan, though there’s a pull-down screen to separate the bathroom and bedroom for privacy. A washbasin is set into a vanity unit with a wall-mounted mirror above, and there’s a freestanding bathtub to one side and a large shower built into a corner. A separate cubicle with a door houses the toilet. A few luxury toiletries are provided, as well as a dressing gown, hung on some pegs next to the bath. We particularly liked the wooden, branched chandelier hanging in the bathroom - the inspiration from nature and Ndebele design in decoration is prevalent throughout the Club.
The suites at the Victoria Falls Safari Club are exactly the same as the Club Rooms, just with the addition of a lounge area to the side. Although these are a little more spacious, we wouldn't consider this extra space worth the additional cost for a couple sharing.
The Safari Club's main area is known as the Safari Lounge and is for the exclusive use of residents. It's an open, split-level concrete and wooden decked space with a thatched roof. The individual dining tables and seating areas here offer great views out onto the adjacent bush and waterhole. We understand from the team at the Safari Club that it’s common to see bushbuck, kudu and hyena – there have also been rare and sporadic sightings of wild dog and leopard too.
Also found in the Safari Lounge is the Club's bar which is open from 11:00 every day. Each evening between 17:30 and 18:30 the bar hosts complimentary sundowners, including cocktails and snacks. This is well worth visiting on at least one evening as the sun sets behind the waterhole in front of the Club.
Although Victoria Falls Safari Club is off-limits to non-residents, Club guests are able to use the facilities on offer at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge (just a two minute walk away), including the swimming pool. A large, multi-level pool was built at the Safari Club in 2017, with keycard access for exclusive use by guests of the Club.
Activities can be booked at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge using the dedicated activities centre: whether you're looking for cultural visits or adrenalin excursions, they are all on offer here (at an additional cost).
The Club offers complimentary shuttle transfers to and from Victoria Falls town. These leave Victoria Falls Safari Lodge at 60 minute intervals, starting at 7.40am, with the last bus departing at 9:40pm. The bus returns to Safari Lodge from town on the hour, every hour from 8.00am through until 10.00pm.
In addition to the activities on offer off-site, Victoria Falls Safari Club also has its own gym, as well as a spa offering a range of treatments. Guests of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge and the Falls Safari Suites may use the spa as well.
Our view
Victoria Falls Safari Club is a luxurious and exclusive hotel, perfect for anyone looking to stay a short-distance outside of Victoria Falls Town. Accommodation is very modern, and a lot of thought has gone into the design and decoration of both the rooms and the Club Lounge. This isn't a place for young families, but works well couples or solo travellers looking for a more modern base away from the hustle and bustle of town.
Zimbabwe expert
Geographics
- Location
- Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
- Ideal length of stay
- We’d recommend a stay of two to three nights at Victoria Falls Safari Club, depending on how many activities you wish to take part in while staying in Victoria Falls.
- Directions
- Victoria Falls Safari Club is accessible by a road transfer from Victoria Falls Airport, which is about half-an-hour away. Guests coming from Botswana can travel from Kazungula by road too, this takes about an hour-and-a-quarter.
- Accessible by
- Fly-and-Transfer
Food & drink
- Usual board basis
- Bed & Breakfast
- Food quality
- On our last visit to Victoria Falls Safari Club in June 2018 we didn't spend long enough at the lodge to sample any of the cuisine. Given the level of quality of the rest of the lodge however we have no reason to doubt that the food would be of a similar, high standard. The menu did look extensive and very appetising. A light lunch is served between 12.00 and 2.00pm and then afternoon tea is brought out onto the deck between 3.30 and 4.30pm.
Dinner, chosen from an a la carte menu, is served between 7.30 and 10pm.
We'll be returning to Victoria Falls Safari Club in due course when we'll be sure to update this section in more detail. - Dining style
- Individual Tables
- Dining locations
- Indoor and Outdoor Dining
- Further dining info, including room service
- Meals can be served on guest’s balcony on request and room service is possible.
- Drinks included
- There is a complimentary mini bar stocked with wine, beers, soft drink and water in every room.
Special interests
- Luxury
- Victoria Falls Safari Club is a modern bush lodge built with great attention to detail. Its luxurious rooms have panoramic views over the surrounding bush and a productive waterhole, giving its guests a peaceful and fairly natural environment – despite their proximity to the bustling town of Victoria Falls.
- See ideas for Luxury in Zimbabwe
Children
- Attitude towards children
- Children under 12 years of age are not permitted at Victoria Falls Safari Club.
- Property’s age restrictions
- No under 12’s
- Special activities & services
- None
- Equipment
- None
- Generally recommended for children
- Given that this is quite an upmarket camp, with an age restriction stating no under 12's, we'd be inclined to not recommend this option to families travelling with children, even those with children a little older than 12. Certainly Victoria Falls Safari Lodge or for larger families Victoria Falls Safari Suites , next door to the Club, would be the more logical option for anyone travelling with children and wishing to still stay in this area.
- Notes
- A shallower children's pool can be used at Victoria Falls Safari Club's sister property Victoria Falls Safari Lodge. However, this children's pool is less than 3m away from the deep end of the adult pool with no barrier in place. The pool at the Safari Club is also unfenced. At both, children should be supervised by a parent or guardian at all times.
Our travellers’ wildlife sightings from Victoria Falls Club
Since mid-2018, many of our travellers who stayed at Victoria Falls Safari Club have kindly recorded their wildlife sightings and shared them with us. The results are below. Click an animal to see more, and here to see more on our methodology.
100% success
100% success
50% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
0% success
Communications
- Power supply notes
- A back-up generator is available for power outages
- Communications
- There are phones in each of the rooms at Victoria Falls Safari Club and there is good mobile reception as well as complimentary and reliable WiFi available throughout.
- TV & radio
- There are no televisions in the rooms but the Club Lounge does have a television above the bar. Sport and news channels are usually on during the day.
- Water supply
- Mains
- Water supply notes
- Bottled water is provided in all of the rooms for guest’s to use. There is no need to drink the tap water, although we are informed it’s perfectly safe to do so.
Health & safety
- Malarial protection recommended
- Yes
- Medical care
- The closest doctor can be found in Victoria Falls Town, with any more serious issues being referred to Harare or even Jo'burg if necessary.
Swimming pool warning: Please be aware that the swimming pool at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, accessed by Safari Club guests, does not have a barrier between the children's pool and deep main pool, and the pool at the Club is not fenced. Young children should only swim under strict adult supervision. - Dangerous animals
- Moderate Risk
- Security measures
- Guards patrol the whole property day and night.
- Fire safety
- Fire extinguishers are positioned around the Club and each room contains instructions on what to do and where to go in the event of a fire.
Activities
4WD Safari
Birdwatching
Boat trip
Canoeing
Cultural excursion
Elephant encounter
Helicopter
Kayaking
Microlight
White-water rafting
Extras
- Disabled access
- On Request
- Laundry facilities
- A complimentary laundry service is provided for guests of the Safari Club. Clothes are usually returned within 24 hours.
- Money
- Each room at The Safari Club has an electronic safe.
- Accepted payment on location
- All major currencies are accepted for cash payments, and American Express, Mastercard and Visa are all accepted at Victoria Falls Safari Club.
Other lodges in Victoria Falls
Alternative places to stay in this same area.
Ilala Lodge
Exceptionally well located between the Victoria Falls and the town of the same name, Ilala Lodge has comfortable rooms, a friendly atmosphere & great food.
Victoria Falls Hotel
With its unique setting, authentic style and excellent service, the Victoria Falls is one of the world’s most iconic hotels.
Batonka Guest Lodge
Small, comfortable and in lovely gardens, Batonka Guest Lodge is a perfect base for exploring the Victoria Falls away from the bustle of the town.
Victoria Falls Lodge
High on a plateau a short distance outside Victoria Falls Town, the comfortable Victoria Falls Safari Lodge overlooks its own waterhole.
Sprayview Hotel
In close proximity to both the town and the Victoria Falls themselves, Sprayview is a value-for-money hotel in a convenient location.
The Elephant Camp
The Elephant Camp is a luxury tented camp in its own private concession within Victoria Falls National Park, just 15-minute's drive town.
Old Drift Lodge
A lovely addition to the options in Victoria Falls, the stylish Old Drift has a great location in Zimbabwe's Zambezi National Park, with a range of activities.
Palm River
Palm River Hotel offers a high-quality stay in a picturesque location on the banks of the Zambezi, with excellent food and a shuttle to the Victoria Falls.
Gorges Lodge
Gorges Lodge has spectacular views from its perch on the edge of the Batoka Gorge. Although it is out of town it isn't too far from the main attractions.
Pioneers
Located a five-minute drive from the buzz of Victoria Falls town, the mid-size Pioneers offers a relaxing stay in one of Zimbabwe's most iconic destinations.
Zambezi Sands
Zambezi Sands is a stylish new camp with a range of activities on a remote stretch of the Zambezi River.
528 Victoria Falls
528 Victoria Falls is a charming, owner-run, boutique B&B in a leafy suburb of Victoria Falls town, offering an oasis of calm in an often-busy location.
Matetsi River Lodge
Situated in the private Matetsi Reserve, Matetsi River Lodge offers luxury suites, game drives and river activities within reach of the Victoria Falls.
Victoria Falls Suites
Just out of the town, Victoria Falls Safari Suites offers an exclusive, relaxing and luxurious base from which to explore.
Mpala Jena
In Zambezi National Park, Mpala Jena offers a luxurious but eco-friendly experience, within easy access of the Victoria Falls.
Matetsi River House
Situated in the Private Matetsi Reserve Matetsi River House offers families and small groups privacy, game drives and access to the falls.
