A Great Safari Lodge Stay In Zambia

The Thorntree River Lodge was perfect for our safari lodge stay in Zambia

We had a great time at our safari lodge in Zambia Our great African adventure.  The Thorntree River LodgeThe location of the hotel was in the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National ParkOn the banks of the Zambezi River.  With only 12 rooms we enjoyed a quiet, relaxing stay with beautiful views throughout the day and night.  

It would have been nice to just relax in the resort.  We didn’t want to miss out on the opportunity for more Explore wildlife in Zambia.  We had some fascinating close encounters on the resort.  The daily game drives were a great way to add more excitement.  Animals were always spotted on our Zambezi River Cruises.

One day, we chose to Explore Victoria FallsAir and land transport  Victoria FallsIt was also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We enjoyed every aspect of our stay in the Thorntree River LodgeIt was a real treat.

Relaxing Safari Lodge on the Water

We crossed the border to Zambia from Zimbabwe after our Rovos RailTrain trip from Pretoria to Victoria Falls.  We met our private guide at the border crossing.  Nevi picked up us and drove for approximately 45 minutes to reach our destination. Thorntree River Lodge.  Nevi began to educate us as he pointed out sights along the way.  He made sure that we didn’t miss the giraffe he saw on the long driveway leading into the resort.  What a welcome!

We were welcomed by singing staff, cool towels and a drink when we arrived.  Standing beside the murmuring waterfalls cascading on the wall brought instant peace.  The feeling of peace lasted the entire time we were there.

We entered the lobby area to explore the public spaces.  The lobby had many places to relax.  Outside, the tables were placed so that the Zambezi River was visible.  We saw a swimming pool with loungers.  A large fire pit was also available for evening gatherings.  The scene was quite magical at night.

We enjoyed beautiful weather and a stunning view of the river.  The sunrise views were stunning in the mornings.  We had a clear night sky, as there was no light pollution.

Our stunning home for three days at Thorntree River LodgeA perfect safari lodge experience in Zambia.

Our Safari Lodge in Zambia Offers A Luxurious Suite

The resort was divided into 12 buildings.  We were amazed at the large open space in our suite.  The large King-sized bed was even equipped with a mosquito net.  Although we did not encounter any bugs during our visit.  A large sitting room provided a place to relax indoors.  

The bathroom had a large soaking tub.  After bouncing around in a safari jeep for hours, this was a welcome spot.  There was also an indoor and outdoor bathroom.

Our suite had a large patio with plenty of space to relax.  We could see the Zambezi River.  We also learned that the path along this river is often a place where animals wander.  First warning of wildlife on the site.  We were sure that a small animal would visit the pool we had for ourselves during our stay.  But we did see that.

Each room has a fully equipped mini-bar that is stocked to your specifications and replenished when necessary.  We never opened the mini-fridge to store anything other than cold water because wine, beer, and alcohol were included in our package.

Our suite at the Thorntree River LodgeWe were offered a luxurious stay at our safari lodge in Zambia.

Cruise on the Zambezi River

The day we arrived, we were greeted by a group of people who welcomed us to the Thorntree River LodgeWe booked a Sunset Cruise.  Nevi picked us at the dock and we set off down the Zambezi River.  It was a great experience to watch the moon rise over water during our stay.

We knew they were near because we heard them calling.  When Nevi pointed out what looked to be rocks, we were unsure.  We finally saw the heads of the hippo at the water’s level as we got close.  We saw the hippo yawning in the distance when we returned to the beach at sunset.

Nevi was once again right. We saw what looked like an underwater tree branch. It turned out that it was a large, crocodile.  We saw what appeared to be a baby crocodile as we cruised along the shore.  Then we found out it was probably only 5 years old and not even close to its full size.  After seeing the sharp teeth, we were glad we didn’t plan to swim in crocodile infested water.

As we traveled downriver, we encountered different rapids.  We were originally planning to go kayaking on this trip but we changed our minds when we saw the rapids.

The First Sunset View in Zambia

We saw elephants on the other shore as we cruised.  When we got closer, the elephants were bathed in golden light as the sun set in the sky.

Nevi chose a quiet area and we sat down to watch the sunset.  We enjoyed the great African traditions we first experienced on our Rovos RailTrain trip from Pretoria to Victoria Falls. Nevi served drinks and snacks as we admired the orange glow of the sky.

Our sunset river cruise in Zambia was the perfect way for us to begin our safari lodge stay.

Warnings about wildlife on our Safari Resort

During our initial briefing we were warned about the animals that we would be encountering.  Signs warned of hippos and crocodiles.  We were not allowed to leave our room after dark.  We used the flashlight on our front door to alert security when we were ready to eat.  They checked the paths to see if there was any wildlife, and then escorted from our suite back.  

We heard hippos in the Zambezi River all day long.  While we saw both crocodiles and hippos on Wildlife adventures in ZambiaWe never found them in the resort.  We did see other wildlife nearby.

We were not at all surprised when we saw the baboons roaming around the resort.  They were often seen wandering along the path near the river and climbing in the trees.  

A large group of smaller monkeys invaded the trees near our front door one day.  They didn’t seem to be willing to give up at all.  Our room was equipped a radio, a flashlight and an air-horn.  We knew how to use the radio and the flashlight, but we were not told what to do with an air horn.  We figured that it would be loud enough to scare the monkeys.

The air horn certainly moved the monkeys.  But it also attracted staff from across the resort to our suite.  We learned that air horns were only to be used for major emergencies.  We learned a lot during our safari lodge stay.

The Resort has a Great Wildlife Surprise

We were thrilled to see a giraffe on the driveway when we arrived at the resort.  This was the first indication that we were in for a truly unique experience.  Then we saw elephants in close-up on the resort.

David was exploring the resort the first day when he stopped at the library.  This was a quiet place to relax.  The excitement increased when he spotted an elephant standing right in front of the window.  The elephant seemed frustrated that he couldn’t smell David or assess the risk.  Eventually, the elephant group wandered about the resort and moved on.

I was alerted at that point and went to the library.  Staff kept guests away from the road.  From the resort’s entrance, I was fascinated to see the elephants walk across the driveway.  They munched on tree leaves and did not hurry to leave.

Our safari lodge in Zambia was a great way to begin our stay.

Great Animal Sightings On The following are some of the ways to improve your own ability to speak. Game Drives

Our Great African adventure is plannedWe want to make the most of our wildlife encounters.  We had some initial wildlife sightings on our Rovos RailTrain trip from Pretoria to Victoria Falls.  We looked forward to early dawn and late night We went on a game drive during our stay at Zambia.

The African Big Five were top of our list for animal sightings – elephants, rhinos, buffalo, lions and leopards.  During this safari, we had close encounters with rhinos and elephants.  On our next Sabi Sabi Earth Lodge: Game drivesWe saw them all in South Africa.

As you can see, We drove through the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park Finding giraffes or zebras was always a delight.  They ate close to us and walked across the road.  When we approached, different antelope species fled.  Baboons watched us pass and hid.  

We had such Game drives are a great way to see animals.Our safari lodge stay in Zambia. 

We finished our stay at the Zambezi River just in time for sunrise

Our first sunrise cruise on the Zambezi River at 6am was a wonderful experience.  On our last morning, we were thrilled to be back on the water.  As the boat approached, we were captivated by the sunrise. In the distance, we could only make out hippo heads. 

Nevi settled us in a quiet section of the river while we watched the sun rise over the trees.  We ate a breakfast snack and enjoyed some much-needed coffee while enjoying the view. When we looked the other way, we saw the full moon setting.  The perfect spot was found very early in day.

As soon as the sun rose, we went out and saw how different morning views looked.  As we cruised near the shore, we saw many different types of birds.  Many were hunting early morning insects.  We found another group of hippos further downstream.  They floated along while we slowly passed.

Early in the morning, the Zambezi River is calm and crystal-clear.  We saw beautiful reflections on the water.  It was magical feeling like you were suspended in time.

We had to go back.  As we approached the resort, we saw it for the last time from the water.  This was a great way to end our safari stay in Zambia. 

Victoria Falls Day Tour

We saw the waterfall mist on the horizon when we arrived in Victoria Falls by train.  As we crossed the Victoria Falls Bridge, from Zimbabwe to Zambia we got a much better view.  We were glad we had planned some time for the Victoria Falls. Explore Victoria Falls in different perspectives.

We began our visit on the Zambian side.  When we arrived, a rainbow welcomed us.  As we walked upstream, we could see the rushing waters just before they fell off the cliffs.

We wandered down the path with a Victoria Falls from above.  After we crossed the Knife Edge BridgeOur final views of the path were from this side. Danger Point.

We still had more to see.  The view of Victoria Falls did not end there. Helicopter tour of the Falls.  From this vantage point, we had stunning views of both the Zimbabwean and Zambian sides.

When we left Zambia, we flew to our final destination and saw Victoria Falls for the last time. Sabi Sabi Earth lodge.  It was great to see Victoria Falls in so many different ways during our safari lodge stay. 

Great Food And Drink

The best luxury stays are not complete without the best food and drinks.  During our stay in Thorntree River LodgeThe culinary team was excellent at making us happy with every meal.  

We left for our adventures before breakfast was served.  Nevi made sure to serve us a coffee and a small snack at sunrise. After our early-morning activity, we were served a massive breakfast.  We thought we wouldn’t make it through when we saw the huge continental starter platter.  Then we had a great choice of hot meals with a special dish every day.  Some days we made healthier decisions than others.

We ate on the patio, which had a great view.  There was a vegetarian option on every day’s menu.  We had no problem finding desserts for our lunch.

Every day, afternoon tea was served on the patio.  We sampled the sweets and savory options.  We were usually still full after lunch and only snacked once on some fresh fruits.

Dinner was served when we returned from our afternoon drives.  We had a look at the menus for dinner early in the morning and made our selections to ensure that the chef would be ready when dinner time arrived.  The menus were delivered in our daily activity guide to our room, so we could plan our dinners ahead.  The lunch and dinners include wine or cocktail of your choice.

We ate under stars every night because the sun set early.  Around the patio, candles were placed on well-spaced tables.  One night we had a treat, and ate at the lower floating dock.  The dinners we had were always romantic, quiet and peaceful.

Every day we ate, drank and enjoyed ourselves.  The setting was perfect for enjoying the meals in our safari lodge during our stay in Zambia. 

Enjoy a relaxing and exciting safari lodge stay in Zambia

Our safari lodge in Zambia was both relaxing as well as exciting.  The lodge was a relaxing and exciting experience. Thorntree River LodgeOur suite was luxurious, and the views were unbeatable.  Customer service was outstanding from the moment we arrived.  Our personal guide Nevi took us to the airport where we would be staying for the next time. Our great African adventure. 

We filled our days up with amazing Animal adventures in Zambia.  One day, we may even Explore Victoria Falls.  We only had 2 full days, so it was difficult to decide which day trips we would do.  We didn’t have enough time to do all the other activities that were offered by the resort.  We also took time to relax in our luxurious surroundings. 

We were certainly spoilt on our visit to Thorntree River Lodge.  It certainly set a bar high before we flew to the next Sabi Sabi Earth lodge.

Have you ever stayed in a safari lodge in Zambia?  Did you enjoy your stay at Thorntree River Lodge?

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