Ilala Lodge Hotel is a family-run hotel that offers luxury and comfort in the heart of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Centrally located, Ilala Lodge Hotel is ideally situated in the hustle and bustle of town, offering guests an ideal place to begin their journey. The hotel is within walking distance of all historical sites, restaurants and activities in Victoria Falls.
Ilala Lodge Hotel.
A Prime Location
Located on the Zimbabwean side of the mighty Zambezi River, Ilala Lodge Hotel is geographically the closest hotel to the magnificent Victoria Falls and is easily accessible to the town centre. Proximity to the Falls doesn’t make Ilala remote; in fact, it's even closer to the small town of Victoria Falls.
Experience Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls, located on the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, has some of the most astounding views of any natural World Wonder - take a look at our series of Victoria Falls sunrises to get inspired! The massive sheet of falling water is mesmerizing and awe-inspiring, as is the view down the chasm itself. The natural rainforest on the Zimbabwean side of the Falls is a unique habitat to over 400 plant species, numerous birds species and small antelope and primates. The nearby Victoria Falls National Park, as well as the towns of Victoria Falls and Livingstone, offers additional activities.
Вид на водопад Виктория с высоты птичьего полета.
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Key Viewpoints of Victoria Falls
- A set of stairs leading down into the gorge, the only viewpoint below the top level of the gorge. All afford great views looking towards Devil’s Cataract and New Falls where you can see the river starting to erode the next fault line.
- Looking west towards Devil’s Cataract, you can see it in full length, with views of the gorge and the river far below.
- The best views of Main Falls with beautiful rainbows in the afternoon. However, when the river is in flood, little can be seen due to torrents of spray, with a peak flow rate of 700 000 cubic metres per minute.
- Provides wet and intermittent views of Livingstone Island and Rainbow Falls in high water.
- Aptly named, the geography of the falls creates a horseshoe-shape on the eastern side of Livingstone Island. This is the highest section of Victoria Falls at 108m.
- So named as it leads along the cliff edge next to the Rainbow Falls to the most eastern edge of Zimbabwe. This is where the turbulent water from the falls exits and continues downriver.
- This last viewpoint is away from the falls following the gorge south, bringing you to view the famous Victoria Falls bridge, which links the countries Zimbabwe and Zambia.
The Bushtracks Express Train starts its journey at Zimbabwe’s iconic Victoria Falls Station before departing on its route through Victoria Falls National Park the Victoria Falls Bridge, where guests enjoy the stunning view of the Falls. A feat of engineering the Victoria Falls Bridge was built in 1905 as part of Cecil Rhodes' vision to link the Cape to Cairo.
Victoria Falls Bridge.
When to Visit Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls can be experienced differently at different times of the year.
- From April to July, the Falls are full and spectacular, as they are at their peak flow. They create an impressive wall of water and visitors are sure to get wet as they walk through the dense rainforest from the spray. Photos are a bit trickier to get from the ground at this time of year.
- For the best game viewing, visit the Falls from late August to the end of December.
The history of Victoria Falls is a fascinating one based primarily on the monumental discovery of the Falls by Dr. David Livingstone in 1855. When he and his exploratory team first encountered the ‘Smoke that Thunders’, he saw ‘…scenes so lovely they must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight.’ Livingstone’s discovery and the history surrounding it intrigue many Victoria Falls visitors. Tours of this UNESCO World Heritage site give great insight into this history.
Victoria Falls: The Dark Majesty
Accommodation at Ilala Lodge
The hotel has a lift and features 34 rooms. The friendly staff at the reception desk are happy to answer any questions. The hotel has a range of facilities for guests with disabilities. The hotel has wheelchair-accessible facilities. The hotel is classically elegant, set in beautiful grounds and is close to the Falls as well as the buzz of Victoria Falls Town. Ilala Lodge is the closest hotel to the Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwean side and offers a comfortable and charming base for your explorations here. There are 56 rooms here, all ensuite and with influences of colonial style in their design.
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Each standard room has French doors which open onto a small patio which leads onto the gardens beyond, where animals such as warthog are often seen grazing. The two deluxe suites are located on the upper floor and are larger, ideal for honeymooners or families wishing to add an extra bed for a child into their room. The hotel has recently completed the construction of a new wing to enhance those rooms in the original building and give more options to visitors. Rooms on the top and middle floors have patio doors onto their own balcony, while those below open onto a veranda, which leads directly onto the lawned gardens. Clever design means that the lower tier of rooms is set slightly further forward from the upper tier, thereby minimising any noise from the patios above.
The rooms are split into four categories, but in each one there’s an en-suite bathroom and separate shower, air conditioning, an overhead fan, satellite TV, WiFi access, phone, tea- and coffee-making facilities, insect repellent, and an electronic safe that’s large enough to fit a laptop. The "standard" rooms in the original wing are adequately sized, with enough space to store luggage and still be able to move around the room freely. From early 2017 these standard rooms are being upgraded with new bathrooms to bring them to the same level as the new "deluxe" rooms.
The "deluxe" rooms in the new wing, where we were fortunate to stay on our most recent visits to Ilala, are larger and tastefully furnished. Crisp, white linens and a light-green throw blanket and pillows top the bed, whose contemporary dark-wood headboard adorned with a decorative tapestry doubles as a wall behind the bed. Along with a large wooden custom-built wardrobe you’ll find a simple vanity desk beneath a big mirror, and an upholstered chair with a folding table set with magazines of local interest. These rooms each have a minibar and Nespresso machine, sockets for most international plugs and a USB port. Simple beige curtains open to reveal sliding glass doors onto the balcony, where two iron-framed chairs and a table overlook the gardens with views over the bush to the mist rising from the Victoria Falls in the distance. The bathrooms are very spacious and modern with twin ceramic basins and a large glass-screened shower boasting a very generous water flow.
- Two "standard" suites are located on the top floor of the old wing. These suites have a double bed and a separate single bed. Another bed can be added to accommodate a family of four.
- Two "executive" suites are on the top floor of the new wing. The décor here is similar to the ‘deluxe’ rooms, but the suites have a freestanding bath as well as a shower in the bathroom. They also have their own lounge, separated by large sliding wooden doors, and both the lounge and the bedroom open onto a large balcony, with a table and chairs, as well as a couple of sunloungers.
- Finally the Strathearn suite is Ilala's answer to a presidential suite. Similar to the 'executive' suites but larger, with the option of in room dining & private chef. The Strathearn also has a hot tub on its private balcony.
Services such as a baggage storage service, safe, currency exchange service and cash machine ensure a comfortable stay. Wireless internet access allows guests to stay connected while on holiday. The tour desk offers assistance with booking excursions. Souvenirs can be purchased at the gift shop. A garden provides extra space for rest and relaxation in the open air. Guests arriving by car can park their vehicles in the garage (no extra charge) or in the car park (no extra charge). Other services include a 24-hour security service, a babysitting service, a childcare service, a car hire service, medical assistance, a transfer service, room service, a laundry service, a coin-operated laundry and a hotel shuttle bus. Babysitters are available on request. IIlala Lodge is a good place for families.
Dining at Ilala Lodge
The award-winning Cassia Restaurant at Ilala Lodge Hotel is famous for its delicious gourmet cuisine and attracts guests worldwide. Diners can see the spray and hear the sounds of Victoria Falls, locally known as the ‘Smoke That Thunders’, while they enjoy the al-fresco dining under the starry African skies that the Cassia Restaurant offers. There are two restaurants to choose from here, the Palm Restaurant which serves a la carte dishes ranging from international to African cuisine, and Kubika which serves more unusual delicacies including kudu, crocodile and ostrich. When water levels are high, guests can enjoy views of the spray that rises up from the torrent of water at the Falls, witnessing the "smoke that thunders" first hand.
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Ilala Lodge's communal area contains a pleasant lounge area near reception, with a second lounge added 2017. The Palm Restaurant is a focal point of the main area and offers dining both indoors and outdoors, with live piano music in the evenings. On our last visit, in May 2023 we sat outside and saw a full moon rising behind the spray of the Falls - it was wonderful. Adjacent to the restaurant is a good-sized swimming pool, with a smaller and shallower children’s pool at one end, and sunloungers with umbrellas for shade. Beside this is an open-air cocktail bar with comfortable chairs and sofas - a great spot to enjoy a drink on a warm balmy evening. As well as soft and alcoholic beverages, snacks can be ordered here throughout the day.
When we stayed at Ilala Lodge in May 2023, the food was excellent and extremely varied. Note that The Palm is popular, so it is advisable to reserve a table for your meals on arrival. Breakfast is very good indeed. An extensive buffet of freshly baked breads, muffins, fresh fruit, yoghurt, cheeses and cold meats with a hot breakfast cooked to order will set you up for the day ahead. Lunch is a relatively light menu with a selection of salads, sandwiches, burgers, fish and chips or steak and chips. Dessert was a choice of vanilla waffle (with banana, praline ice cream and caramel sauce), a seasonal fruit platter or a trio of seasonal fruit sorbets.
The dinner menu at The Palm is varied and imaginative, with starters such as soup of the day, gemsbok tartare, crocodile frikadelle, crumbed brie cheese, and a springbok and pancetta samosa. There is also a duck salad or beef and asparagus salad. For the main course there was a choice of blesbok shank, crocodile and porcini risotto, pan-roasted ostrich fillet, duck breast, olive and feta chicken supreme, beef tenderloin, kudu wellington, baked tilapia (a local fish) and marinated sirloin. Drinks are not included with meals. A complimentary minibar is available in all the rooms. Once this is used up then it is restocked and you are charged for it.
Activities and Excursions
As a holiday destination, Victoria Falls is simply the ultimate all-round experience. The scenery, the wildlife, the activities and the culture and history combine to offer a fantastic adventure. Explore the lush wilderness surrounding the town on a game drive, surf the rapids on a Zambezi River white-water rafting expedition, get your heart racing as you bungee jump off the Victoria Falls Bridge, or view the Falls from the exhilarating angle of Devil’s Pools on the edge of the plunging water.
Courtesy of the activity centre at Ilala Lodge you can book the many activities offered in the Victoria Falls area, from the relaxed to the strenuous. One appealing option, at additional cost, is a sunset cruise on the Ra-Ikane riverboat - which is named after one of the first guides to lead Dr Livingstone on the Zambezi. There’s an open bar on board with snacks provided; when we joined the cruise these included 'crocodile bites', cocktail sausages and a variety of nuts, crudités and dips. The cost for this trip is extra but it's a thoroughly enjoyable way to spend a few hours. There are a number of other boat operators on the river so this isn't the most tranquil of trips.
- River Activities: Relive the historical journey taken by David Livingstone by exploring the mighty Zambezi River aboard the Ra-Ikane. The boats boast old world charm, setting a romantic and intimate scene whilst you sit back, relax and take in the surrounding views. Embark upon a leisurely 10 minute stroll from Ilala Lodge Hotel to enjoy the Falls at your own pace, or simply visit the Ilala Lodge Hotel Activity Centre to arrange a guided tour. Watching the sunset from the middle of the Zambezi River, with the spray of the falls behind you, is an incredibly popular activity.
- Adrenaline Activities: To get your heart racing in the best possible way, try out the 111m Bungee Jump off the world-famous Victoria Falls Bridge - one of the most popular activities in Zimbabwe.
- Scenic Flights: Viewing the spectacular Victoria Falls from the air is one of the most breath-taking and exhilarating activities in Africa. By far the most popular option is the “Flight of Angels” helicopter trip over the Falls. However, guests can also enjoy 22-minute and 30-minute helicopter flights. Take a helicopter flight over Victoria Falls to witness one of the seven wonders of the natural world from the air.
- Day Trips: Victoria Falls in located on the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, is mere hour’s drive from the border with Botswana, and is only 1 hour’s drive from the Hwange National Park. This convenient location renders it the perfect destination for a two incredible day-trips: the Chobe Day Trip and the Hwange Day Trip. For a top safari experience while visiting the Victoria Falls, don’t miss a day trip to Botswana’s Chobe National Park. For a very personal encounter with elephants, head to The Elephant Camp near Victoria Falls.
- Game Viewing Activities: The Victoria Falls National Park and the Zambezi National Park boast a vast array of wildlife, including elephant, impala, kudu, leopard, lion and buffalo.
- Cultural Activities: Immerse yourself in a world of Victoria Falls culture. Choose from a range of half and full-day village tours, enjoy a vibrant dinner and drum show or experience a burst of local food with a lunch or dining experience. Make a traditional Southern African ‘potjie dinner’ on the banks of the Zambezi River. You’ll be guided through the preparation process by professional chefs before embarking on an afternoon activity while your dinner cooks.
Choose from nature-based activities, cultural trips or the exhilarating options of bungee jumping and white-water rafting. Zimbabwe is a fantastic destination for a family vacation to Africa with your Teenagers. This stunning country offers fantastic safari, highly qualified guides, as well as exhilarating activities such as canoeing on the Zambezi or visits to the the awe-inspiring smoke that thunders, the famous Victoria Falls.
Additional Information
Guests arrive into either Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe) or Livingstone (Zambia) by air and then transfer to the hotel by road. There is a back up generator for use in the event of a power failure. There is a telephone in each room and the lodge has internet facilities for guest use in reception. On our last visit to Ilala Lodge the water was hot and the pressure was good. Every safari involves some risk, though the type and level vary depending on where you stay and the activities you take part in. Spending a night in a hotel is very different from camping in a remote bush setting; game drives usually carry fewer risks than walking safaris or canoe (mokoro) trips. Camps are often unfenced, wildlife often passes through, and medical care in remote areas can be distant.
Guides and camp staff follow established safety procedures, but it’s vital to listen closely, supervise children, stay alert, don't take any risks you aren't comfortable with and travel with comprehensive insurance. With sensible precautions, safaris are unforgettable and rewarding. The nearest hospital is in Victoria Falls town, close to the Lodge. Security guards patrol the premises day and night. Each of the rooms has an electronic safe large enough to fit a laptop. The lodge accepts Visa and Mastercard but not Amex or Diners Club. All of our trips are tailor-made, so we'll always adapt them to suit you. We’ll match you with the Specialist in our team who is best suited to help you. Based on our experience and your ideas, your specialist will create a detailed, costed itinerary. After you set off, you’ll be cared for by our partners in Africa, most of whom have worked with Expert Africa for decades.
| Hotel | Description |
|---|---|
| 528 Reynard | A beautiful new boutique hotel in Victoria Falls town, Zimbabwe. |
| Victoria Falls River Lodge | A private game lodge set in Zimbabwe's Zambezi National Park, just minutes from the magnificent Victoria Falls. |
| Palm River Hotel | Enjoys a privileged setting on the banks of the Zambezi River close to Victoria Falls, making it a chic and comfortable base for intrepid explorers. |
| Victoria Falls Hotel | Fondly known as the 'Grand Old Lady of the Falls', the Victoria Falls Hotel was established in 1904 welcoming visitors from throughout colonial Africa and beyond. |
| Matetsi Victoria Falls | Close to the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe and located right on the banks of the Zambezi river, the exclusive Matetsi Victoria Falls gives a refined touch to the modern safari experience, and is home to a fantastic array of wildlife. |
| Old Drift Lodge | An intimate property of only 14 suites and is in a fantastic location based on the edge of the mighty Zambezi and nestled within the Zambezi National Park, just upstream from the raging Victoria Falls. |
| Stanley & Livingstone Boutique Hotel | A tranquil retreat based only a short distance from the famous Victoria Falls. |
| Batonka Guest Lodge | Small, comfortable and in lovely gardens, Batonka Guest Lodge is a perfect base for exploring the Victoria Falls away from the bustle of the town. |
| Gorges Lodge | Has spectacular views from its perch on the edge of the Batoka Gorge. |
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