Thorntree River Lodge

You cannot get a better location than Thorntree, on the banks of the Zambezi river. Stunning sunsets, hippos calling, lunch on the river - all exquisite. Our guide was Phillip - such a wonderful man with incredible knowledge and respect for Victoria Falls, the Thorntree and the Zambezi River. Delicious food, excellent service - walk with the Rhinos! Wow! There is nothing like it. A tour of Victoria Falls followed by a relaxing massage - simply heaven.

We ended our African safari adventure at Thorntree Lodge, and it was the perfect way to finish the trip. The lodge itself is beautiful, with spacious and tastefully designed rooms that feel both luxurious and connected to the surrounding nature. Waking up to peaceful river views and the sounds of wildlife made it incredibly relaxing after the excitement of the safari. One of the highlights of our stay was the rhino walk, which was such a unique and unforgettable experience. Being able to observe these incredible animals up close while learning about conservation efforts made it even more special. We also loved the boat trip on the river, where we were able to see hippos and crocodiles in their natural habitat. Watching them from the water as the sun began to set was a truly magical experience. Our guide, Nevy, made the stay even more memorable. He was knowledgeable, friendly, and clearly passionate about the wildlife and the area. His insights and stories added so much to each activity and made every outing feel special. The lodge is also ideally located for visiting Victoria Falls, which was an absolute highlight and a real bucket-list moment. Seeing the falls in person was breathtaking and the perfect addition to the end of our journey. Overall, Thorntree Lodge was the perfect place to unwind after our safari—combining comfort, incredible wildlife experiences, and easy access to one of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders. Highly recommended as a final stop on an African adventure.

What a great way to start off an African safari!! Beautiful views of the Zambezi River from both the main area and our rooms. The staff were fantastic, the food great, and our guides Quentino and Lister were two of the best! We enjoyed an evening pontoon ride on the Zambezi River and an exhilarating walk with rhinos – amazing!! We only wish we had another day to stay there.

We can not recommend this lodge enough. It is beautifully situated on the Zambezi River. The staff was fantastic. Quentino (Q), Lister, Lucky, Elvis, Rachel, Bernadette, Mercy, Helen and others were so caring. This camp is situated in a national park and one afternoon a herd of elephants passed by our waterfront accommodations entertaining us for hours. We had safari drives, boat cruises, visiting a local village (that they are building health clinics and school for). We were there for their Zambian Independence Day made it even more special.

Our stay at Thorntree was lovely. Our room had the most incredible view, with elephants wandering around the property. It was amazing to watch them from the comfort of our room and such a unique experience. Claudia was a brilliant guide, calm, knowledgeable, and full of enthusiasm. The rhino walk on our departure was unforgettable. Being up close to these magnificent animals was a real privilege and something I will never forget. The team at Thorntree made us feel completely at home. Mercy and Bernadette, in particular, were warm, welcoming, and so thoughtful. It was wonderful to learn about the African Bush Camps Foundation and their work with Maunga Primary School. Hearing that the school now has government approval to become a secondary school was inspiring. It means children can continue their education locally instead of having to drop out. It was clear how much care goes into supporting the community. The food and service were brilliant. Every meal was scrumptious, beautifully presented, and more than enough to leave you satisfied. Thank you to the entire team for such an incredible and memorable stay. I would for sure recommend Thorntree to anyone looking for a meaningful and unforgettable bush experience in Livingstone.

I'm so glad we chose Thorn Tree for our stay close to Victoria Falls! Everything was perfect: service, food, accommodations, and location (right on the Zambezi - each room overlooks the river where elephant, baboons, hippos, and other animals can be spotted). We especially enjoyed watching the baboons play right outside our tent and move from branch to branch of a jackal berry tree. I can not say enough about the people that work here. Warm, friendly, welcoming - everyone we met made us feel special. The food was so delicious and the presentation was on point. Nevy, our guide, was the best! He taught us about the area, culture, animals, and Victoria Falls. His suggested activities were spot on, and we enjoyed every single one of the experiences he provided! Activities included seeing the falls from both sides, a sunset cruise, lunch cruise, rhino trek, and a visit to a local village. These experiences were unforgettable! It was hard to say good-bye after our 3 nights here, and writing this review has me dreaming about returning to this idyllic place.

Outstanding experience! Thorntree River Lodge exceeded our expectations in terms of accommodations, food and beverage offerings, staff friendliness, guides knowledge and expertise, and location! I highly recommend this lodge

Wonderful! Walking into the room we were amazed at the luxury and attention to detail. 5* accommodations. As before with African Bush Camps all is top level. Guides, food, bedding, bathroom, beverages and friends made

My wife and I were fortunate to have the pleasure of spending 3 nights at Thorntree River Lodge last month (June 2025) and overall our stay there ranks as perhaps the most complete and memorable ‘in camp’ experience we have enjoyed in over 20 trips to Africa. Having been mistreated and let down at short notice by our original reserved property, Larissa and African Bush Camps stepped in valiantly to ‘save the day’ for us by offering to provide alternative accommodation and to host us at Thorntree instead, which in hindsight turned out to be an absolute blessing. The camp location, our accommodation, the ambience created, the quality of food and the impeccable standard of service we received at Thorntree throughout was absolutely first class. I cannot emphasize enough just how wonderful the ‘on the ground’ team at Thorntree are as staff and as people. We arrived as guests but felt even after just 3 nights that we were leaving friends behind. Everyone was so engaging, so friendly but equally so attentive and professional without it ever feeling obtrusive or forced in any way. We loved that despite Thorntree certainly being a luxury property in every way, the atmosphere, driven by the staff was warm, relaxed, unpretentious yet utterly seamless at every turn, a fine balance which in our experience, is difficult to find. I could wax lyrical about every member of the Thorntree team individually, but a special mention must go out to our indomitable guide, Claudia who was the star of the show. She really looked after us so well during our chosen activities, whether that be cruising the mighty Zambezi by speedboat, accompanying us in tracking protected White Rhino of the Mosi-Oa-Tunya NP or guiding us around the Falls themselves, including hand holding us through immigration as we crossed to view the falls from the Zim side. I honestly do not have one negative thing to say about our time at Thorntree. It was perfect from beginning to end and if anything, we were sorry to leave and could have easily stayed longer. It is an experience for us that will live long in our memory, and an opportunity we remain grateful for. If you are fortunate enough to have the chance and means to stay at this wonderful camp, grasp it with both hands, you will not be disappointed, as there can be no better placed option in the area to reside at and experience all that Livingstone has to offer.

The resort was amazing. I felt like I was living the life of the rich and famous. The resort, rooms, views, food and service were outstanding. Thank you for making my time with my daughter to special.