Old Drift Lodge
Old Drift Lodge is a luxury lodge located inside the Zambezi National Park in a peaceful location on the banks of the Zambezi River.
Old Drift Lodge is built on and named after the Old Drift river crossing, where the early settlers and locals were able to cross the mighty Zambezi. The design of the lodge combines elements of its history, including old artefacts and iconic photographs of the early settlers, with spacious and luxurious accommodation. The lodge offers wonderfully warm hospitality with very attentive and welcoming staff. A stay here really offers the best of both worlds – the peace and tranquility of being located on the banks of the Zambezi and yet close enough to Victoria Falls to head into town for a full or half day to enjoy the attractions there, including lunch at the lodge’s Lookout Café which is included as part of your stay.
Rooms
The 14 well-appointed suites are raised on wooden decks and are linked by slightly raised walkways. All have air-conditioning, ceiling fans and en suite plumbed bathroom facilities, including a free-standing outdoor bath and indoor and outdoor showers. Further facilities include a comfortable seating area, writing table, mini bar and tea and coffee station. To the fore of every suite is a furnished verandah with private plunge pool. Three of the suites are ‘Star Suites’ with a raised sleep out deck extension, allowing for optional nights under the stars. Four of the suites are suitable for families and have a second, smaller, en suite bedroom to the rear of the suite.
Central Areas
The spacious public areas are also built onto low wooden decking and comprise of a lounge, bar and both indoor and outdoor dining areas as well as a sunken fire pit where guests can enjoy pre dinner drinks.
Facilities
Wi-Fi – Yes
Power for Charging – Yes
Swimming Pool – Yes
Habitat & Wildlife
Victoria Falls, known by the local Kololo tribe as ‘Mosi au Tunya’ (the smoke that thunders), is one of the “Seven Natural Wonders of the World” heritage sites and one of the largest and most spectacular waterfalls on earth.
Victoria Falls National Park is a small park that encompasses the falls themselves and the immediate surrounding countryside, including the town of Victoria Falls.
Spanning a width of some 1,700 metres, the waters of the mighty Zambezi actually plunge down five distinct waterfalls, separated by islands which account for just over 300 metres of the total span. Four of these falls are in Zimbabwe: The Devil’s Cataract, Main Falls, Rainbow Falls and Horseshoe Falls, and one, The Eastern Cataract, is in the bordering country of Zambia. The average height is just less than 100 metres.
During the peak flood season (April and May), the flow increases to some 625 million litres per minute. At this time, the spray makes viewing of the falls from the ground almost impossible and it is advisable to take an aerial view on what is commonly referred to as a ‘flight of angels’. By September, the waters of the Zambezi have dropped significantly to allow views of the individual falls. This remains until March when the river starts to rise again.
David Livingstone was the first European to ‘discover’ the falls when he visited them in November 1855. He later wrote, “no one can imagine the beauty of the view from anything witnessed in England. Scenes so lovely must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.” He named them after his Queen, for the first and only time deviating from his practise of naming places and features after their local native names, in this instance “Mo ku sa tunya mosi” (nowadays shortened to mosi-au-tunya). The David Livingstone statue can be found near the spectacular Devil’s Cataract viewpoint.
The rainforest area is filled with many species of fig, mahogany and date palm groves, as well as an impressive list of birds and smaller mammals such as vervet monkeys, baboons and bushbuck.
From the centre of Victoria Falls town, the Falls are a leisurely 10 minute walk away.
The Zambezi National Park stretches along the banks of the Zambezi River from Victoria Falls town in the east (where it borders Victoria Falls National Park) to the Matetsi Safari Area in the west, close to the border with Botswana. The park suffered from poaching during the early 2000s but the emergence of several camps from 2012 onwards has re-established the park as a wonderful Zambezi River destination offering varied game viewing opportunities. Along the river, elephants, hippo, crocodiles and a wide range of water birds are common. In the dry season elephant numbers swell and large herds of buffalo are also attracted to the permanent waters of the Zambezi. General game includes kudu, impala, warthogs, bushbuck, baboons, waterbuck and giraffe, whilst predators such as leopard, lion, wild dog and hyaena are spotted with increasing regularity. The birdlife is spectacular too.
Activities
Activities in the Zambezi National Park include twice daily game drives, guided walks or boat cruises. The lodge operates a shuttle into Victoria Falls town and includes a guided tour of the Falls and one breakfast, brunch or lunch at the Lookout Café. Aside from a tour of the Falls themselves, some of the many optional activities which can be undertaken during your visit to the Victoria Falls include:
‘Flights of Angels’ helicopter tours over the Falls. The shorter flights concentrate on the Falls themselves, while the longer flights include flying over the Batoka Gorge below Victoria Falls.
Trips to Livingstone Island on the Zambia side of the Falls – you can plan for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea on the island and can also take your swimming costume and include a swim in Devil’s Pool – a natural rock pool on the edge of the falls!
White water rafting – experience some of the finest white water the world has to offer (dependant on water levels).
For those that like to be active, other excursions include a full day canoeing on the upper Zambezi, horse-riding and an array of adrenaline-fuelled activities such as a bungee jump, gorge swing and zip line.
Most excursions can easily be booked direct at the property, but some do require advance booking to secure availability.
Seasons
Old Drift Lodge is open all year round, though it is the rainy season from November to March.
Children are welcomed from seven years of age and with family suites sleeping up to four guests, the lodge makes a great base for those travelling with children who want comfortable surroundings and a range of activities available.
Wild Horizons, owners of Old Drift Lodge, established the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting conservation awareness, education and the empowerment of local communities. The Trust is situated within the Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary and works in collaboration with authorities, local communities, and other stakeholders to protect the area’s indigenous fauna and flora. The Trust has a wildlife veterinary clinic, a rehabilitation centre and conducts wildlife research projects.
The Trust has established a ‘Community Outreach and Training’ program which works closely with local communities to mitigate human-wildlife conflict, provide opportunities for conservation education, and support a range of projects to empower self-sustainability. This includes vegetable and subsistence crop growing in the local villages, erecting fences on village boundary lines to prevent wild animals from damaging crops or posing a threat to the safety of the communities, and providing the machinery and transport required to cut thatching for homes. They also transport school children to the Trust to learn about wildlife conservation and interact with ambassadors working there.
Wild Horizons also offers support to game scouts and sponsors the Victoria Falls anti-poaching unit, as well as supporting a number of community projects, schools and an old age care home.
