Tongabezi Lodge in Zambia for the Holidays, Dr. Livingstone?

by Ann Brenoff (RSS feed)
Oct 8th 2010 at 9:02AM

"Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" The man to whom Sir Henry Morton Stanley posed that now-famous question was Scottish missionary David Livingstone, who had been out of contact with the world for several years when Stanley found him. Livingstone explored these parts of Zambia and today, his legacy lives on with much named in his honor.

The banks of the Zambezi River is where the 5-star Tongabezi Lodge is located. The lodge was founded in 1990 and consists of small cottages, each assigned its own valet to care for his guests and act as a private concierge. Game drives, bush walks and boating rips are all included in the price. Nearby Victoria Falls can be seen either by boat or helicopter and the best views may be from Livingstone Island, where one can also take a swim in the Devil's Pool, a unique falls experience where conflicting water currents allow for (semi-)safe swimming described as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The lodge is the first river lodge at Victoria Falls in Zambia, and it's offering a three-night holiday package that combines celebration with Zambian traditions at Christmas and New Year's. The all-inclusive costs for each three-night stay is $1,350, which includes accommodations, meals, bar drinks, one spa treatment and all entertainment.

Gallery: Zambia TongabeziHoliday Package

Guests are met by singing and dancing women in traditional garb. As the sun sets, guests are invited to join in a drumming session, playing on hand-crafted Djembe drums. The drummers teach guests how to play African rhythms and about the history and cultural significance of drumming. Dinner is a braai, a Zambian rendition of barbecue.

Christmas or New Year's Eve celebrations include a performance by the national dance troupe, the Traditional Maramba National Dance Group. Dances represent the 73 tribes of Zambia. The performance is followed by a five-course dinner under the stars by candlelight.

The next day, guests are taken for brunch to Chundu Island, which overlooks the Zambezi River, for which Zambia was named. The Tongabezi Choir will perform. And dinner is light snacks around the campfire with mulled wine.

There is free time each day to allow for trips to Victoria Falls or viewing hippos in the river. There are game drives nearby in the Mosi-oa-Tunya (translates to: the smoke that thunders) National Park.

A visit would perhaps explain why Livingstone was content to lose himself here.

Tags: africa, african travel, holidays, zambia