Old Drift Lodge sits on the banks of the Zambezi River inside Zambezi National Park, just 4.5 kilometres from Victoria Falls town. With only 14 suites, a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice award, and wild elephants wandering between the suites, it has built a reputation as one of the most exceptional safari lodges in Zimbabwe. But what do guests actually think once they arrive? We’ve gathered real reviews and firsthand experiences to help you decide whether Old Drift Lodge is the right fit for your Victoria Falls trip.
Arriving by Boat: The First Impression
Most safari lodges meet you with a shuttle. Old Drift Lodge meets you with a 15-minute cruise up the Zambezi. Guests are transferred from Victoria Falls town by boat, passing hippo pods and riverside birdlife before the lodge appears through the tree line. Reviewers consistently single out this arrival as setting the tone for the entire stay. As one guest described it, the experience felt exceptional from the very first moment on the water.
The Suites: Luxury Tented Living on the Zambezi
Old Drift Lodge offers ten double tented suites and four family suites, each with air conditioning, a private lounge, indoor and outdoor showers, a free-standing claw-foot bath on the deck and a plunge pool overlooking the river. Three of the double suites include a raised rooftop star bed – a platform where guests sleep under open skies listening to the Zambezi current and distant hippo calls.
The design draws on the heritage of the original 1898 “Old Drift” settlement, blending brass basins, billowing mosquito nets and bygone-era furnishings with modern comforts like Wi-Fi, USB charging and climate control. Reviewers frequently describe the suites as spacious and beautifully finished, noting that they feel genuinely luxurious without losing the sense of being immersed in the African bush.
Family suites feature two inter-leading bedrooms separated by a sliding canvas door, each with its own en-suite bathroom – a layout guests with children praise for giving everyone privacy without being split across the lodge.
Elephants at Your Plunge Pool: Wildlife at the Lodge
The wildlife encounters at Old Drift Lodge start before guests even leave their suites. The lodge sits within a natural elephant corridor and herds regularly walk between the tents and the main lodge, drawn by fresh vegetation and the water in private plunge pools. Reviewers describe watching entire elephant families drinking from their pools just metres away… encounters that many call the single most memorable moment of their trip, even more than seeing Victoria Falls.
Beyond the elephants, the Zambezi riverfront brings hippos, crocodiles and an impressive variety of birdlife. Game drives into Zambezi National Park offer sightings of lion, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wild dog, sable antelope and eland. Guests should note that game densities here are lower than in larger parks like Hwange or Chobe, but the combination of river, bush and in-camp wildlife creates a varied and intimate experience.
What’s Included: Activities and Experiences
Old Drift Lodge operates on an all-inclusive basis. The nightly rate covers airport transfers, all meals and local drinks (including most alcoholic beverages), two daily scheduled safari activities, a guided walking tour of Victoria Falls and lunch at the Lookout Café. The only additional costs are the Victoria Falls park entrance fees, sustainability and conservation levies and optional activity add-ons.
Daily activities rotate between morning and afternoon game drives in open 4×4 vehicles, walking safaris along the Zambezi with a professional guide, and river cruises complete with sundowners. Guests consistently remark on it in their Old Drift Lodge reviews: no two days feel the same. The safari host meets with each guest daily, ensuring every experience is shaped around them rather than a fixed programme
For guests seeking more adrenaline, the lodge can arrange white-water rafting in the Batoka Gorge, bungee jumping from the Victoria Falls Bridge, zip-lining, helicopter flights over the falls, or swimming in the Devils Pools at Livingstone Island. These are charged separately.
Dining: What Guests Say About the Food
Food at Old Drift Lodge draws some of the most enthusiastic comments in guest reviews. The kitchen produces a fusion of international and Zimbabwean dishes across three daily meals, with a continental buffet and cooked-to-order options at breakfast, buffet or à la carte lunch and a multi-course dinner that changes nightly. Tea, coffee and rusks are available for early risers heading out on game drives.
Guests with dietary requirements note that the chef accommodates requests readily, often preparing off-menu dishes. Multiple reviewers describe the food as five-star quality, calling out the creativity and freshness of every meal. Drinks – including local wines, beers and spirits – are included in the rate.
Staff and Service: The Human Side
If one theme dominates Old Drift Lodge reviews, it is the staff. Guest after guest singles out individual team members by name – guides like Vusa, Admire, Presha, and Jeremiah, along with the front-of-house and housekeeping teams. Reviewers use words like exceptional, incredible and unforgettable. With only 14 suites, the staff-to-guest ratio allows a level of personalised attention that larger hotels cannot match.
Security is discreet but thorough: guards patrol at night, an intercom connects each suite to reception, and staff escort guests between suites and the main lodge after dark – a practical necessity given the elephants and other wildlife roaming the grounds.
Is Old Drift Lodge Good for Honeymoons?
In a word: yes. The star bed suites are tailor-made for couples…. falling asleep under the Milky Way while listening to the Zambezi is an experience reviewers call ‘unforgettable’. Sunset river cruises, private bush dinners and the intimate scale of the lodge add to the romance. Multiple honeymoon couples describe their stay as perfect, with several saying they could not think of a single thing that could have been better.
Is Old Drift Lodge Suitable for Families?
Old Drift Lodge welcomes children aged seven and above. The four family suites each have two en-suite bedrooms with a shared lounge, giving families space without feeling separated. Children are welcome on game drives and river cruises but cannot join walking safaris (minimum age 16). The lodge also offers a 50% rate for children aged 7 to 16 sharing with adults, which helps manage the cost of what is undeniably a premium property. Reviewers travelling with older children highlight the elephant encounters and the boat transfer as particular highlights for younger guests.
Setting the Scene : A Few Things Worth Knowing Before You Arrive
- Game density: Zambezi National Park is not the Okavango Delta. Wildlife sightings on drives are less predictable than at lodges in denser game reserves. The trade-off is the unbeatable proximity to Victoria Falls and the in-camp elephant experience.
- Price point: Old Drift is a luxury product priced accordingly. Guests who mention cost almost always conclude that the inclusive nature of the rate and the quality of the experience justify it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Old Drift Lodge
Guests consistently rate Old Drift Lodge as one of the top luxury safari lodges near Victoria Falls. Reviews highlight the spacious tented suites with private plunge pools, the exceptional Zambezi River location, outstanding staff, and wild elephant encounters right at the lodge. The lodge holds a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice award.
Rates are fully inclusive: airport transfers, all meals and drinks, two daily safari activities (game drives, walking safaris, river cruises), a guided tour of Victoria Falls, and lunch at the Lookout Café. Park entrance fees (approximately $60 per person) & levies are the only additional costs.
Old Drift Lodge is highly rated for honeymoons. Three suites feature private rooftop star beds, and the intimate 14-suite lodge offers personalised service, sunset Zambezi cruises and romantic bush dining.
Yes. The lodge has four dedicated family suites with inter-leading bedrooms. Children aged seven and above are welcome. Children under 16 cannot join walking safaris.
The lodge sits inside Zambezi National Park. Guests regularly see elephants walking between suites and drinking from plunge pools. Game drives offer sightings of lion, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, wild dog, and sable antelope.
Old Drift Lodge is 4.5 km from Victoria Falls town and approximately 7 km from the falls themselves. Transfers are by luxury boat cruise along the Zambezi, taking about 15 minutes.
Ready to Experience Old Drift Lodge?
Old Drift Lodge combines luxury, wilderness, and one of the world’s great natural wonders in a way that very few properties can. Whether you’re celebrating a honeymoon, planning a family safari, or simply want to wake up to elephants and the Zambezi, this lodge delivers on its promise.
