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Victoria Falls is home to Old Drift Lodge. Victoria Falls National Park and Zambezi National Park both showcase the region’s natural splendor. The resort, located just 7 kilometers from Zimbabwe’s magnificent Victoria Falls, offers luxurious lodging with a view of the beautiful Zambezi National Park.
On the banks of the Zambezi River, Old Drift Resort is a brand-new, luxurious tented lodge that has an old-world charm while yet offering modern amenities. It is a bush paradise.
The sprawling Old Drift Lodge, which has 10 double suites, is located in the Zambezi National Park on the banks of the Zambezi River. Old Drift Lodge, which overlooks the powerful Zambezi River, is located where the river originally crossed in 1898.
Old Drift Lodge in Victoria Falls, which is 1.8 miles from Victoria Falls Crocodile Park, offers lodging with a restaurant and free private parking. Old Drift Lodge, a location frequented by elephants, buffalo, zebra, giraffes, lions, and many other creatures, is tucked away in this untamed wonderland.
The large canvas en-suite suites each include a private lounge, an outdoor bath that looks out over the Zambezi, a plunge pool, and indoor and outdoor showers.
Old Drift Lodge Zimbabwe Overview & Safari Guide
It’s certainly one of a handful of camps inside Zimbabwe’s Zambezi National Park, with common visits from elephants to the lodge, particularly later into the dry season.
The lodge boasts luxurious lodging overlooking the pristine Zambezi Nationwide Park, a mere 7 kilometers from the mighty Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Old Drift Lodge is nestled inside a wild paradise frequented by elephants, buffalo, herds of sable, eland, zebra, giraffe, kudu, waterbuck, and impala.
The primary lodge space has 360 diploma views, North dealing with the Zambezi & South dealing with a water gap.
A 7-kilometer stretch of river flows between the camp and the city of Victoria Falls, making Old Drift Lodge the closest lodge inside the Nationwide Park to Victoria Falls.
Overlooking the mighty Zambezi River, the positioning of Old Drift Lodge was as soon as the unique crossing level of the river, relationship again to 1898.
Referred to as “Clarke’s Drift”, and simply 7km upstream from the waterfall, it was the narrowest part of the river, making it the perfect crossing level.
Old Drift Lodge has 14 tented chalets, all barely raised on picket decks, and spaced out alongside the riverfront.
These chalets are fairly modern in design, their canvas partitions the one actual nod to a “tent”. Mild-colored canvas, glass sliding doorways, home windows, and excessive ceilings all create a well-lit house.
The sizeable open-plan bedroom has a four-poster mosquito internet enveloping a big king or twin beds, plus bedside tables, and a small dressing room behind the mattress with built-in cabinets that home the air con.
A seating space affords a house for leisure, with two comfy armchairs and a small espresso desk, a regionally made picket desk, and a dresser, plus a minibar, tea, and low station and ice-making machine.
Main off the dressing room, 4 of the chalets have a second en-suite bedroom (with a bath and bathroom), so cater properly to households with younger youngsters.
Again in the primary bedroom, a sliding canvas door opens into the equally spacious en suite toilet, with twin copper basins, a big glass-screened bathtub, and a restroom behind one other sliding door.
Step outdoors and you will find an outdoor bath, in addition to a free-standing ball-and-claw bathtub on the deck, with canvas curtains must you favor a bit extra privateness.
Plenty of thought has gone into the little touches in every tented chalet, whose facilities embrace toiletries, dressing robes, and slippers within the loos, together with mosquito repellent and bug spray, a hairdryer, and even hair straighteners!
There’s additionally a charging station by every desk, and worldwide USB plug sockets subsequent to the beds.
The sliding doorways from every chalet open onto a picket deck, with loungers positioned subsequent to a small plunge pool, looking to the river.
Your days will little doubt be stuffed with actions, however for these spending the afternoon siesta on the lodge, it is a great place for birdwatching, with loads of pied kingfishers, bee-eaters, and swifts flying previously.
On our most up-to-date keep, in October 2019, we noticed some kudu too.
Linking the chalets to the expansive tented primary space are wood-effect walkways, with common breaks permitting river entry alongside the pure migration routes of elephant, and generally buffalo.
Giant picket doorways open into the primary space itself, with cream canvas partitions, whitewashed wooden flooring, and folding glass doorways opening the total size of 1 aspect.
Wrought-iron lights grasp over comfy chairs and sofas, piled with cushions and gentle blankets for the colder evenings, and surround a central hearth – which creates a focus in the entrance of a bar and small library.
Pleasant workers – ever-current however unobtrusive all through our keep – are readily available to convey drinks and nibbles, attend to friends’ queries and provide help.
Within the eating space to the opposite aspect of the primary tent, tables are positioned beneath ceiling followers, in addition to on the deck trying over the river.
Outside lounge areas, with a mixture of picket and wicker furnishings, are shaded by massive cream umbrellas on a sequence of split-level decks main right down to a firepit and lodge.
Actions included at Old Drift Lodge are assorted: sport drives into the Zambezi National Park, river cruises, guided strolling safaris, lunch on the Lookout Café, and a guided tour of the Falls (excluding entry charges to the falls which must be paid direct).
Additional actions, which incur a further value, embrace fishing and canoeing, in addition to microlight and helicopter flights and a wide range of adrenalin actions – all might be organized by the lodge’s reception.
Be aware, although, that a few of these actions can get booked up some time prematurely, so do chat with us concerning the choices earlier than your journey.
In case you’re heading into Victoria Falls city for actions you may both be pushed in, or you may be transferred by the lodge’s motorboat, which cruises between right here and the Old Drift Lodge’s personal lodge, reverses Kalunda Island, only a brief drive from the city.
For any actions that can preserve you on the town for the total day, lunch is included at their sister institution, the Lookout Café, a big open-sided restaurant and bar in a surprising location atop the Batoka Gorge.
Old Drift Lodge Review
We’ve been actually impressed with Old Drift Lodge on all our visits. With an attractive location, trendy tents, and an improbable front-of-house staff, it’s an amazing lodge, both as a base for your go-to to the Falls or as a stand-alone lodge for a number of days of relaxed safari activities.
Location: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Splendid size of keep: We might recommend a keep of three or extra nights at Old Drift Lodge, which provides you with time to chill out on the lodge in addition to having fun among the many activities in Victoria Falls.
Instructions: The Old Drift Lodge is a 35-minute drive from Victoria Falls airport. You will then be transferred to the lodge by speedboat, which normally takes 10–15 minutes, relying on the wildlife you see along the way in which.
Standard board foundation: Full Board
Meals high quality: The meals we’ve had at Old Drift Lodge have at all times been superb, and their staff is in a position to cater to a wide range of totally different dietary necessities.
Tea, espresso, and rusks are on provided very first thing in the morning for those who’re heading out in a sport drive; in any other case a full breakfast is served from 7.00 am with a continental buffet, and sizzling dishes accessible to order.
Lunch is versatile, relying on the timings of your exercise and the variety of friends on the lodge. Both buffet or à la carte, there’s a mixture of salads, quiches, and meat and vegetarian dishes.
For friends in Victoria Falls for exercise, lunch is included in the Lookout Café with an amazing view right down to the river beneath. We loved freshly made tuna salad sandwiches and ice-cream milkshakes.
Dinner is once more buffet or à la carte relying on a variety of friends. We had a selection of vichyssoise soup or beef carpaccio for starters, adopted an intensive number of both pan-fried tilapia (regionally generally known as bream) fillet, grilled beef sirloin or sautéed vegetable curry, topped off with a selection of both vanilla and low bavarois or contemporary fruit for dessert.
On an earlier journey we had a standard braai (barbecue) of pork, rooster, beef, and fish, alongside numerous salads, freshly baked rolls, and a number of pickles, sauces, and dressings: all scrumptious.
Eating type: Combination of group eating and particular person tables
Eating areas: Indoor and Outside Eating
Price of meal e.g. lunch: Included
Drinks included: Filtered ingesting water is offered within the rooms and on the bar. Tea and low, in addition to gentle and a few alcoholic drinks, are included.
Additional eating information: Riverside dinners and personal eating choices can be found.
Kids
Perspective in the direction of youngsters: Old Drift Lodge welcomes youngsters over the age of seven in camp.
Property’s age restrictions: The lodge permits youngsters from the age of seven and upwards, although youngsters below 16 should share a room with a grownup.
The age restrictions for strolling within the nationwide park are 16 years previous.
Particular actions & providers: Youngsters under the age of 16 years could also be taken on a drive whereas the adults go for a stroll.
Tools: Day beds might be included within the household rooms.
Usually beneficial for youngsters: Old Drift Lodge has a comparatively mature and trendy really feel, and there are not any particular youngsters’ actions on provide, so we’d advocate it as extra appropriate for older youngsters.
Notes: The plunge swimming pools are unfenced, and wild animals typically stroll by the camp. Youngsters need to be supervised by their guardian or guardian always.
Old Drift Lodge Activities
The Old Drift Lodge provides visitors with a comprehensive look into a beautiful natural environment and is well placed within the National Park.
The available activities highlight the beautiful natural setting, emphasizing the variety of species that can be seen in the Park and swimming in the Zambezi below the surface.
A 4 x 4 game drive, river safari, or walking safari are all available for tourists to use while they explore the Zambezi National Park, allowing them to take in every part of this natural nirvana.
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The Falls Tour with a Guide (Zimbabwe)
Every year, around the month of May, Victoria Falls attain their peak. The look, sound, and fragrance are genuinely amazing, and it is humbling to realize that you are in the presence of Nature’s supreme masterpiece. No picture can even come close to capturing the truth… Nothing can get you ready for your first sight, either. Both the morning and the afternoon are dedicated to this excursion. A trained guide will accompany visitors as they explore the rainforest.
2. Guided Safari Walk
“When traveling, you may see Africa. On foot, Africa is felt, heard, and smelled. You get totally involved in your safari experience as the sun warms the back of your neck, the stray leaves crunch underfoot, and the dust from your footfall rise to meet you.
3. The Lookout Café for lunch (Including drinks)
Transfers are provided at no cost, and usage of the Lookout Café is all-inclusive. The café is located immediately below the famous Victoria Falls Bridge, which serves as part of the café’s backdrop, and is perched 120 meters above the raging rapids of the Zambezi River. It also overlooks the breathtaking Batoka Gorge.
4. Early and Late Game Drive
During a wildlife drive in an open four-wheel drive vehicle, visitors may learn about many interpretations of the bush and all of its residents as explained to them by our competent and appropriately educated guides. This authentically untamed, unfenced wilderness encounter takes place in the bush.
5. Early and Late River Safari
It is difficult to resist being enchanted by the soothing ebb of the stream when the famous river is right outside your door. The area around the resort is home to breathtaking, intricate ecosystems, and while the boat bobbles on the water, visitors can take in a 360-degree panorama of this wonderful setting.
Infrastructure
The power provides: Mains Electricity
Energy provides notes: Old Drift Lodge has a backup generator in case of a mains energy failure. Solar energy is used to run the geysers for every chalet, and there are plans to broaden this till the entire lodge runs on solar energy. All rooms have worldwide charging factors, together with USB sockets.
Communications: WiFi is on the market within the central areas and chalets.
TV & radio: There are not any TVs on the lodge.
Water provides: Other
Water provides notes: Water is pumped from the river, filtered, and handled. The loos have plumbed, sizzling showers, and flush bathrooms.
Malarial safety beneficial: Sure
Medical care: Employees members are first-aid skilled, and there’s a primary first-aid package within the reception. Smaller first-aid kits are carried by all guides while in action. The closest medical clinic is in Victoria Falls.
Harmful animals: Excessive Threat
Safety measures: Safety personnel are on the site around the clock, with armed guards at night time. There’s an intercom in every chalet to name by to reception, and workers escort friends to and from their chalets in the morning and after darkish.
Fireplace security: Fireplace extinguishers are situated in every tented chalet and all throughout the primary lodge.
Disabled entry: On Request
Laundry services: Everyday laundry service is included. Laundry might be washed by hand or machine and might be tumble dried on request.
Cash: Every chalet has digital security. The lodge is usually in a position to change small quantities of foreign money on request.
Accepted fee on the location: Fee might be made through Mastercard and Visa, in addition to money in South African rand, Botswana pula, euro, UK kilos, and US {dollars}.
Contact
- Telephone: +263-83 – 284457, 284231
- Mobile: +263-782 – 745111, 745113
- Email1: [email protected]
- Email2: [email protected]
- https://www.olddriftlodge.com/
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