- A 5-star, all-inclusive lodge set inside Zambezi National Park, directly on the river upstream of Victoria Falls.
- Fourteen river-facing suites — ten doubles and four family suites — each with a private plunge pool, deck and outdoor bath.
- Unfenced and on a natural elephant corridor, so wildlife moves freely through camp; guests are escorted after dark.
- The rate covers meals, local drinks, two daily activities, a guided Falls tour and airport transfers.
- Roughly thirty minutes from Victoria Falls Airport, reached by road and by boat along the Zambezi.
Why Old Drift Lodge
Old Drift Lodge solves the oldest problem in Victoria Falls: how to sit beside the great river, deep in wild country, yet still reach the waterfall in minutes. Most Falls accommodation sits in town. Old Drift sits inside Zambezi National Park, on its own stretch of riverbank about four and a half kilometres upstream of the Falls — a true safari address with the spray of Victoria Falls almost within earshot.
The lodge takes its name from the original Old Drift, the river crossing and first European settlement on the Zambezi before the Victoria Falls Bridge opened in 1905. That sense of history suits the place. This is not a hotel with a view of a garden; it is a small, elegant camp on a living river, where the water, the light and the wildlife set the rhythm of the day.
The Suites & Star Beds
There are fourteen suites in all — ten double suites and four family suites, the family units interleading so parents and children stay side by side. Every suite faces the Zambezi, raised on a timber deck among riverine trees, and each comes with its own private plunge pool, a generous deck with loungers, indoor and outdoor showers, and a free-standing outdoor bath set above the water. Inside, the mood is classic safari: natural timber, canvas and glass, soft linen, and sliding doors that fold the river straight into the room.
The signature experience is the star bed. On a clear, warm night, guests can have their bed made up on a private platform under the canvas canopy, lanterns lit, with the sounds of the river and the bush all around and the Zambezi stars overhead. It is the kind of night that defines a stay here — luxury stripped back to its best and simplest form.
Wildlife & Activities
Because the lodge is unfenced and sits on a natural elephant corridor, wildlife comes to you. Elephants wander through camp by day, hippos call from the channel at night, and a guide walks guests to and from their suites after dark. It is one of the few luxury lodges this close to the Falls where the bush genuinely surrounds you.
The all-inclusive rate carries two activities a day. Game drives work the floodplains and woodland of Zambezi National Park for elephant, buffalo, lion, zebra and plentiful plains game; guided walking safaris read the bush on foot; and the river itself delivers sunrise and sunset cruises among hippo, crocodile and some of the finest birding on the Zambezi. A guided tour of Victoria Falls is included, and the lodge also arranges the region's adventures — the helicopter Flight of Angels, white-water rafting and more — on request.
The Main Lodge & Dining
The heart of camp is a handsome open-sided main lodge with 360-degree views — the Zambezi to the north, a waterhole to the south — and a wide timber deck built around a sunken firepit for evening drinks. Meals are a highlight of the all-inclusive stay: unhurried breakfasts after the morning drive, light lunches over the river, and dinners that move between the deck, the boma and private settings as the mood takes. Local drinks are included throughout.
Service is warm and genuinely Zimbabwean — attentive without being formal, and quick to turn a simple request into a quiet surprise, whether that is a bush breakfast on a sandbank or a bath drawn above the river at dusk.
Victoria Falls Within Reach
The lodge sits about four and a half kilometres upstream of the Falls and roughly thirty minutes from Victoria Falls Airport. Arrival is part of the experience: guests transfer by road into the national park and, conditions allowing, finish the journey by boat along the Zambezi to the lodge jetty. A guided tour of Victoria Falls is built into the stay, and the town's shops, restaurants and adventure operators are a short drive away whenever you want them — yet far enough that camp always feels wild.
Best Time to Visit
Old Drift is open year-round. The dry months of May to October bring the strongest game viewing, as animals draw to the river and the bush thins out. February to May is peak flow for Victoria Falls, when the spray is at its most dramatic. The green season, November to March, is lush and quiet, with superb birding, newborn wildlife and lower rates. For a stay that balances full game viewing with a powerful Falls, the shoulder months either side of the dry season are hard to beat.
Rates & How to Book
| Location | Zambezi National Park, ~4.5km upstream of Victoria Falls |
|---|---|
| Rooms | 14 river suites (10 double, 4 family) with plunge pools |
| Open | Year-round |
| Board | All-inclusive — meals, local drinks, 2 daily activities, Falls tour & transfers |
| Best for | Couples, families & safari-and-Falls combinations |
Old Drift Lodge is sold fully inclusive of meals, local drinks and two activities a day, with the guided Falls tour and airport transfers included; park and conservation fees and adrenaline activities are extra. We hold current nett rates and tailor each stay — combining Old Drift with Hwange, Mana Pools or Chobe for the complete Zimbabwe journey. Contact us for live pricing and availability.
Planning your own Victoria Falls safari? Talk to a Beyond Africa Safaris specialist, browse our tailor-made Zimbabwe packages, read our guide to Zimbabwe's best lodges, or message us on WhatsApp for private, custom pricing.
