The River Club - Things to Do

@ The Lodge

Things to do in and around the lodge

Download our In-house Activities Fact Sheet on a B&B OR Fully Inclusive basis.

Surrounded by natural beauty, astounding wildlife and steeped in itself history, The River Club enjoys an elevated position along the banks fo the Zambezi River. The property is 50 acres in extent with the main lodge itself surrounded by serene gardens beneath indigenous riverine forest. Wander the pathways listening to a chorus of birdsong or relax on a the main terrace overlooking the water or in the privacy of the balcony in front of your suite. There are no early wake-up calls unless you request it.

There is a variety of on-site facilities available to all guests to enjoy; chill at the infinity main-area swimming pool with forever-views over the river, play croquet or boulés on the lawn between the main building and Summerhouse; play board games in the library such as chess or backgammon (or just read a book); play snooker in the Snooker / TV room (so much to do TV seldom utilised!). Or make use of the tennis court, the gym, the nature / running trail and the Summerhouse

Other on-site activities include; evening sunset cruises, catch-and-release Fishing, Island Picnic Lunches on our island in front of the lodge (LOW water only) or book a massage or other treatment. You can even send the children off for a KIDS @ THE CLUB guided walk.

In-house activities that require road transfers include; a guided Tour of Zambian-side of Victoria Falls, a trip to the local Simonga Village (where many of our staff live), a game drive in the local nearby National Park, a trip to explore Livingstone Town which offers interesting places like the Railway-Jewish Museum and Livingstone Museum, the local Reptile Park (kids love it), a curio and a cultural market or book a tour of Jewish Areas.

Sunset River Cruise - embark at the lodge jetty; no transfers required

The best way to settle into being on our awesome river is to sit back and relax on one of our evening sunset cruises. Take binoculars and camera with because you never know what you might see as the boat drifts quietly along. The helmsman has eagle-eyes on the look-out for anything and everything that may be moving on or in the water or on the river bank. The south bank is in fact the Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe which teems with all sorts of wildlife. The birdlife is pretty amazing too! Sunset cruises come with snacks and house-brand drinks included.

The River Club’s Zambia-side Tour of Victoria Falls – with return road transfers

For those of us who live here and love our very own Natural Wonder, it’s not possible to say WHEN the best time of year to see the waterfall is because it changes with seasonal Zambezi River levels and is magnificent whenever you come: April / May to sometime in July or August – is when Victoria Falls lives up to its local name and the smoke truly thunders because its high water. January to March / April and again some-time in July / August to late September is Medium Water and the smoke is still thundering but not quite as much. September / October to mid-December is low water and the gorge itself is a beautiful sight to see, not to mention the availability of the adrenalin-pumping activities available at this time. We suggest you have a look at our GUIDE TO VISITING VICTORIA FALLS here so you can form your own views about when to come. Or if you have a set time of year planned, you can see what to expect.

Game Drives

Take a short drive in our Game Viewer into this nearby park. Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is the smallest in the country but the most visited due to its proximity to Victoria Falls. It is home to a good number of plains game such as buffalo, giraffe and zebra, and various species of antelope like impala and waterbuck (to name two), other interesting inhabitants range from small to large such as warthog and elephant (who pass through whenever they feel like it). This park is also home to several white rhino – the only ones in Zambia. However you need to do a Game Walk to see those – read more under the IN THE AREA link. This park is too close to town to allow for large predators to live there so don’t look for lions and leopards! For game drives don’t forget your binoculars, cameras, hats and insect repellent.

Bird Lover's Paradise

People travel to Africa from all over the world to see the Schalow’s Loerie and the African Finfoot, residents at The Club. Other birds to try and spot in the area include the African Skimmer and native Fish Eagle whilst the Taita Falcon and Black Eagle can be found in the gorges below the Victoria Falls.

Fishing

The sport-fish the Zambezi River is most famous for is the Tigerfish. With its propensity to fight and it’s razor sharp teeth, it’s easy to see why the Tigerfish is related to the equally famous Piranha of the Amazon! The upper Zambezi has around 200-species of fish but the other famous family is the Bream, or Tilapia – these are a favourite eating-species. Fishing with The River Club is catch and release only but we do have indigenous Zambezi Bream on our menu procured from a professional fish-farm not far upstream. Fishing is not available during the breeding season December to March each year.

Visiting Simonga Village

The River Club has been involved with the local community since 2000, helping improve the lives of the people who live in our area. Join us for a visit to a nearby village to see our initiatives in action, to spend quality time in the environment of these traditional African settlements and to immerse yourself in the local culture of our beautiful land.

General History and History in Particular

Co-founder of The River Club, Peter Jones is passionate about the history of Livingstone and you will find much on the subject at the lodge itself. Did you know this lodge has TWO kosher kitchens! The River Club also offers guided trips through Livingstone that provide glimpses into the fascinating Jewish heritage of this town and visits to the Livingstone and Jewish Museums are also arranged.