Batoka Zambezi Sands

Zambezi Sands Batoka Africa is absolutely amazing! The river views are stunning, the tents are super luxurious, and we even saw impalas and monkeys right from our private deck. Every meal was thoughtfully prepared by the amazing chef and brought out by the “Minister of Happiness.”Dining under the stars with the sounds of the African bush and the Zambezi river in the background was exquisite. The staff were beyond exceptional—warm, professional, and always going the extra mile to make us feel welcome. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable, and the game drives were filled with adrenaline and unforgettable moments, from close encounters with buffalos to hearing roars from elephants that are inches away. Cruising into the African sunset was such a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Can’t wait to come back! I have been to many African countries but Zambezi Sands Batoka tops it all!

Amazing staff, food, and views! Unbelievable trip with friends and family. Thank you so much for hosting us-we don’t want to leave.

What an amazing experience!!! The facilities are second to none and the staff are fabulous! Highly recommended for the trip of a lifetime!

We’ve travelled across Africa before, but this was by far the most unforgettable safari experience we’ve ever had. From the moment we arrived, we were treated with the highest level of service, warmth, and care. Percy and Rose went above and beyond to plan every detail of our itinerary, and it was flawless from start to finish. Every day was a dream. We stayed at the most beautifully decorated lodge, with rooms that were both luxurious and full of character. The lodge is set right on the Zambezi River, which makes this location truly special and unlike anywhere else we’ve stayed. Waking up each morning to breakfast overlooking the river felt like something out of a movie. The food was absolutely spectacular. It was fresh, healthy, and full of flavour. The wholesome menu offered something delicious at every meal, and we were especially impressed by the thoughtful wine list featuring some excellent pairings. Every meal felt like a treat. Our safari guides, Martin and Robert, were incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, and so much fun. Thanks to them, we saw everything we hoped for: leopard, giraffe, zebra, hippo, and buffalo, all in just a few days. We even had the chance to go on a guided bush walk, a first for us, and it was absolutely thrilling to experience the wild from a whole new perspective. The highlight of our stay was a complete surprise. A magical bush dinner was arranged for our 10-year anniversary. It was so special and emotional, it brought me to tears. We felt truly celebrated and cared for. A huge thank you also to Marzi, our amazing hostess, who made everything feel effortless. She even arranged for our laundry to be done and had delicious, lazy lunches delivered to our room so we could completely relax between activities. We also explored Victoria Falls, took a breathtaking helicopter flight over the falls, and enjoyed a sunset boat drift on the Zambezi with Batoka, sipping drinks as the sky turned gold. Pure bliss. This was more than a holiday. It was an experience we’ll treasure forever. Three days of magic, thanks to an outstanding team who made every moment count. If you are considering a safari or a special trip in Africa, this is the one. We cannot recommend it highly enough.

Visiting the Victoria Falls was a lifelong dream and the highlight of this trip Having been on a few safaris in our home country of South Africa we decided to combine a trip to see the falls with a safari lodge stay. Having researched the options we chose Zambezi Sands for its location on the Zambezi River, the decor of the lodge and the very favorable reviews. The lodge is beautiful and the location, right on the river, is stunning however the glowing reviews of the service and food was not our experience. The first disappointment was that we were the ONLY guests at the lodge for our entire stay. Some may say this is great but for us it just felt awkward and disappointing. Given that we were the only people there the service was quite shocking If felt like we got the B Team … everyone except the Ranger/ Guide was young and inexperienced. The butler and his assistant extremely so - not knowing enough about the food, wine etc. Our Ranger was the saving grace, he found wildlife on game trips and the evening boat cruises were lovely. The food was also disappointing. Breakfast was the same every day and dinner, while tasty most evenings was way over catered. We asked for smaller portions but still felt we were wasting so much food. PROS The location The decor of the lodge Transfers - to and from the airport as well as to town and to our day trip to Chobe / Botswana border. Included game drives and sunset cruises Booking of day trips to Chobe and Vic Falls CONS NO AIRCON!!! it was blistering hot and there are no Aircon in the rooms or common areas NO WIFI in the rooms! There are not pools with every room … we were lucky to be allocated a room with a pool but not sure how one would survive the heat without a pool The include activities seemed to be non existent other than the game drives and sunset cruise All considered this was a disappointing trip. For the price we paid I do not feel it was worth it.

I am a seasoned traveller. I have a background in the airline, hotel, and travel industry. I changed career becoming a business owner within hospitality. Hence my about 365 posts on TripAdvisor concerns private travelling, for which I have paid in full. I find TripAdvisor a very useable tool. I am mindful, that I comment on someone’s business, hence I document my posts with photos. My focus is to help and inspire likeminded travellers. I am glad to read your notes, likewise I hope my posts are useful to you. I booked and prepaid a 6-night stay with Zambezi Sands by Batoka. A 5-night wellness retreat plus one night commencing on October 18th, 2023. The visit would combine the traditional safari lodge stay with a wellness retreat run by two instructors, who by training are medical doctors. SAFARI LODGE OR BOUTIQUE HOTEL This camp lands itself somewhere between a safari camp and a boutique hotel with tented suites. My view is, it is more of a boutique hotel than an authentic African safari lodge. The tented suites are spacious, a lot of m2. However, the amount of furniture and stuff inside kind of takes over the place and there is little m2 spared to make you feel you are not wearing the tent. Outside the tent is a terrace. Be aware! When you book, you either book a terrace or a terrace with a plunge pool. Please also note, there is NO swimming pool here. If you choose a suite with a plunge pool, you get two nice lounge chairs on the terrace. If you book with no plunge pool you get a terrace with two “bean bags” to lie on. Smart design, sure, comfortable – No. I am a seasoned safari traveller. I would never sign up for a pool on my terrace in a wildlife area. I have been to places, where we struggled with crocodiles in the pool, I have seen elephants drink pool water. I do not want to risk wildlife near my terrace because the water attracts them. I appreciate this is a personal thing. The suites come with a full tea tray and a stocked minibar. MISSING POOL The fact that you do not get a swimming pool here means you can only sit in a chair or a sofa in the common shared area. There is no common area with deck chairs, where you can chill and enjoy a conversation with likeminded travellers between activities. I missed that. Sitting in front of staff doing what they need to do all the time, well, not for me, really. I feel the staff need space and I need space. You either sit at a dining table or in a sofa, no patio with deck chairs, no shared swimming pool. COMMON AREA The designs here and in the tents have a Scandinavian feel to it. The choices here are classy and quality. Some “African” art has been added, but the overpowering feeling is that of Scandinavian designs. I think the common areas are wrong. There are two large sets of sofas, but no one remembered to separate these with plenty of m2. Although common areas are for socialising, you still need to be able to be in your group and have a bit of pr