PROPERTY HIGHLIGHTS:
- Voted as one of the top lodges in Africa, this mult-award winning resort sits on the banks of the Zambezi River which hugs the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- Royal Chundu, the first and only Relais & Châteaux property in Zambia, is a sanctum of tranquility and untouched natural beauty on the gentle upper Zambezi River.
- This hideaway of tranquility interwines romance and adventure with a genuine focus on community in every touch. Further downstream lies the iconic Victoria Falls, only 30km away.
- Zambia’s first and only Relais & Châteaux property, Royal Chundu encompasses two luxurious thatched lodges, River Lodge and Island Lodge, both with kaleidoscopic views of the Zambezi River. 14 beautiful villas are offered, with 10 villas perched on the banks of the Zambezi River and four on the private Katombora Island, each with their own lounge, deck and outdoor bath.
- Canoe the Zambezi River’s waters or set out on a sunset cruise.
- Tiger fishing challenges serious fishermen and novices alike.
- Returning from their excursions, guests can sample divine spa treatments with natural African ingredients or enjoy Zambian cuisine, watching stars light up the sky over the river.
EXCLUSIVE LUXE VOYAGER VIP BENEFITS & BEST PRICE
We negotiate rates & benefits for our clients directly with the hotels’ senior management. Our rates match or in many cases are lower than the best online rate for the property. Our clients also enjoy a suite of extra VIP privileges and recognition while staying at a partner hotel.
- Complimentary room upgrade on arrival.
- Daily complimentary buffet breakfast for two.
- Up to $100 dining or spa credit per stay, and or in-house dining / spa discounts.
- Welcome amenities (wine/chocolates/fruit) and card from the GM.
- Complimentary private airport transfers.
- Complimentary roll-away bed if required.
- Early check-in and late check-out.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi.
- Enhanced recognition through VIP status at all touch points in the guest experience.
A complete or partial suite of VIP benefits will be offered, subject to the property T&C, including availability, category of room & length of stay.
ACTIVITIES:
The Zambezi River is full of photographic potential, a place for photographers of all levels to lose themselves in. While floating down the river on a boat cruise, there’s plenty reason to raise the camera whether that’s for the sunrises and sunsets , and the golden light they shed on the river and its banks; the elephant herds and other wildlife in the reserve across from us; and even the elusive otters and leopards and less elusive hippos and crocodiles wading in the water. Along with wildlife and land (and water) scape photography, you can practice your portraits, on friends, family, and other travel partners, with the Zambezi as your backdrop.
What better way to watch the magically winding Zambezi River and its descent into Victoria Falls than from above in a helicopter? Get up close to the Falls while flying over the gorge – an adventure that guests always return from renewed, with stories ad infinitum. This is no doubt one of the best ways to photograph the largest sheet of falling water in the world. Royal Chundu offers guests riveting heli transfers from the airport that take you over the Falls before delivering you to our doorstep at Royal Chundu’s helipad. Venture a little further, if you wish, over the neighbouring game reserve, taking in the wild sights.
Explore the lifeblood of Victoria Falls by canoe, going boldly into the waters of the upper Zambezi River, where hippo and crocodile roam. Travel downstream in an inflatable canoe, with one of our local guides to accompany you. Your journey starts at the Katombora rapids and continues through the channels of the Zambezi’s islands. Let your guide take the reigns or join in, the choice is yours, as you make your way to a special picnic spot beneath jackalberry trees on a riverbank. Look out for the hundreds of different bird species that call this region home. Other avenues for water exploration include our cruise boat and motorised inflatable canoe.
We invite you to meet the people who call the riverbanks around Royal Chundu home, the faces we interact with daily, the hearts who remind us just what makes this part of the world so special. We exist in unison with the surrounding villages of Mushekwa and Muluka. We exist because they do. Discover more about our community on a walk through the villages. Learn more about the ways of Zambia, and by extension, Royal Chundu. We will escort you to and from the village by boat, slipping along the Zambezi River to the welcoming wave of your guide from the village – one of the mothers of Mushekwa. Discover more in our blog, The Ubuntu of the Upper Zambezi.
Most people are familiar with the Great Migration through the Serengeti and Masai Mara, and they’re familiar with the salmon run as they migrate from the ocean to river, but have you heard about the annual Parrotfish Run? Every year, from June to August, the Parrotfish Run takes over the Zambezi River, upstream from Victoria Falls. After the heavy rains, millions of fish from the floodplains are pulled downstream by the main river current. Once they hit the smaller rapids, they make for an easy catch for fishermen perched and waiting with their handwoven fishing baskets, made of reeds and palm tree leaves.
Experience the beauty of the Zambezi River at sunrise and sunset as the colours of dawn and dusk form the backdrop of your guided cruise. This is a firm guest favourite at Royal Chundu, a chance to relax while our guides whisk you down one of Africa’s grandest rivers, a river of myth and romance, in one of our spacious, pontoon boats. Watch crocodiles slip off the banks under water as you approach and listen to a chorus of snorting hippos, while you have a morning cup of coffee or a sundowner G&T in hand.
“I felt my lungs inflate with the onrush of scenery—air, mountains, trees, people. I thought, This is what it is to be happy”. These words of acclaimed poet, Sylvia Plath, perfectly echo our own sentiments when it comes to Katombora, our private island in the middle of the Zambezi. Step off the boat onto our wild islet downstream from River Lodge and discover this untamed microcosm of nature in the Zambezi for yourself. Join us for a guided walk through the island, adorned with python creepers, 23 baobabs, and 2,000-year-old jackalberry trees. Our experienced guides will share their knowledge with you about the traditional and medicinal uses of the flora you will come across on the island. Untainted by development or animals, beside the odd baboon, this area represents the perfect ecosystem at play.
A journey in Africa brings a sense of calm to the mind, whether enjoying the continent’s wild and rugged expanses or its remote and peaceful corners. Discover this peace with natural and holistic treatments through the healing hands of our local massage therapists. Treatments are enjoyed in the privacy of your own suite, indoors or out, with the gentle sounds of the Zambezi River playing a song of serenity throughout your spa experience. Royal Chundu’s therapists all possess an understanding of the pressures and demands placed on our guests by modern life.
Royal Chundu is renowned among the professional angling fraternity for its superb tiger-fishing location. It is the choice of serious fisherman and offers an exciting introduction for the novice. Our unstressed waters vary from virgin island eddies and shallow rapids to deep flowing channels which boast the powerful tigerfish, bream, and the prized Upper Zambezi yellowfish. Cost includes boat hire, fuel, and an experienced skipper and fishing guide. Feel free to use your own fishing equipment or the lodge’s gear which is available for hire.
Our guides have grown up on the banks of the Zambezi. They know the river’s depths and inhabitants like the path that winds from their homes to the water itself. The calls of the African fish eagle and the sounds of the bleating-warbler have formed the background music of their childhoods. On a cruise down the Zambezi, our guides will impart their knowledge of nature with you, pointing out the range of birdlife waiting to be sought out. Spot the finchlarks and flufftails tempting birdwatchers from the riverbank trees or the jacanas and kingfishers normally found beside hippos and crocodiles in the shallower reaches.
Chat with one of our expert travel designers today to begin planning your perfect vacation
Call: +852 9465 4577
Email: travel@theluxevoyager.com
The award-winning Royal Chundu, camouflaged along the banks of the Zambezi River and hugging the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, is a hideaway of untold tranquility where romance and adventure are intertwined for the perfect getaway. Further downstream lies the iconic Victoria Falls, only 30km away. Royal Chundu was created in complete harmony with its natural surroundings and embraces the tradition and geography of the area while incorporating stylish and sophisticated accommodation, world class service and sumptuous pan-African cuisine. Family-owned and run and a Relais & Châteaux member, Royal Chundu encompasses two lodges, River Lodge and Island Lodge, both with kaleidoscopic views of the Zambezi River.
Set on a private stretch of riverbank on the Zambian side of the Zambezi River, Royal Chundu is just upstream from iconic Victoria Falls, making it the ideal base to explore this world wonder whether you are a honeymoon couple, a family with children or someone who wants to indulge themselves with a majestic stay on the Zambezi. At the heart of Royal Chundu lies River Lodge, offering ten grand and spacious suites. Overlooking both the Zambezi River and Zimbabwe’s Matetsi Private Game Reserve on the opposite bank, River Lodge promises spectacular vistas and even a bit of armchair game viewing. Sit on your private deck to watch and listen as the magic of the Zambezi unfolds before you: hippos snort and jostle in the river while the cries of African fish eagles interrupt the rumbling background roar of Victoria Falls.
River Lodge:
The larger of Royal Chundu’s two lodges, River Lodge scatters 10 suites along the riverfront with wooden decks ensuring intimate and serene views accompanied by uninterrupted privacy. These luxurious suites gaze across the Zambezi River, and peer into neighbouring Zimbabwe’s picturesque landscape. Thatched roofing and interior furnishings echo the Zambezi hues and accentuate the surrounding natural beauty. An outdoor boma for dinners around the fire as well as a lounge and bar encompass the main area. In close proximity to a helicopter pad, River Lodge is easily accessed and welcomes children.
Island Lodge:
Be transferred by boat to Katombora Island, wrapped in the watery embrace of the Zambezi. With only four spacious villas on the island, Royal Chundu’s Island Lodge illuminates tranquility, exclusivity and privacy. The well-appointed suites, splashed with cobalt blue and earthy palettes, open up onto private decks overlooking the river rapids. Refresh in the infinity pool and in the evenings relax in a riverfront bathtub – the perfect romantic getaway.
River Lodge
The larger of Royal Chundu’s two lodges, River Lodge scatters 10 suites along the riverfront with wooden decks ensuring intimate and serene views accompanied by uninterrupted privacy. These luxurious suites gaze across the Zambezi River, and peer into neighbouring Zimbabwe’s picturesque landscape. Thatched roofing and interior furnishings echo the Zambezi hues and accentuate the surrounding natural beauty. An outdoor boma for dinners around the fire as well as a lounge and bar encompass the main area. In close proximity to a helicopter pad, River Lodge is easily accessed and welcomes children.
Island Lodge
Be transferred by boat to Katombora Island, wrapped in the watery embrace of the Zambezi. With only four spacious villas on the island, Royal Chundu’s Island Lodge illuminates tranquility, exclusivity and privacy. The well-appointed suites, splashed with cobalt blue and earthy palettes, open up onto private decks overlooking the river rapids. Refresh in the infinity pool and in the evenings relax in a riverfront bathtub – the perfect romantic getaway.
We aspire to serve dishes that you won’t find anywhere else, dishes with a distinctly Zambian flavour, from our poached seasonal cumquats and watermelon feta salad, to our berry-smoked quail. Savour the region through dishes created by our insightful chefs, who not only use ingredients from the land around us, but who hail from Zambia themselves. All our fresh supplies are sourced from farms within a 3 km radius of Royal Chundu, not only to minimise our carbon footprint, but to provide income for our local community and ensure authenticity through freshness and taste. Our freshly-caught fish, namely bream, are bought from local fishermen while our own free-range chickens provide our eggs. All water at Royal Chundu is recycled and purified on the premises and all biodegradable waste is disposed of sustainably via our wormery, which feeds our vegetable garden.
Dining Experience
Dining at Royal Chundu is an integral part of your experience with us. Meandering teak walkways lead to the main lodge, where pan-African and international cuisine is prepared by our Executive Chef, including a traditional tasting menu, where every dish is paired with one of South Africa’s celebrated wines. Both our lodges have indoor dining areas and viewing decks for outdoor meals beside the Zambezi.
Boma Dining
Enjoy a traditional Zambian evening dining outside in Chief’s Boma, our lodge barbeque area. Dinner is cooked on open-flames and includes many local delicacies, while Zambian drumming and Makishi dancers, the masked dancers of Zambia, provide the entertainment.
Private Dining
Delight in the privacy of your own suite with in-room dining. Weather permitting, experience lunch or dinner on a private boat cruise or on a picnic, complete with a table set with silver on a Persian rug on the riverbank. There are full bar facilities on the mainland and on the island for you to enjoy your favourite tipple at.
Royal Chundu has a fantastic Children’s Club that welcomes children of all ages. Starting off with a fun treasure hunt to acquaint themselves with the dedicated staff, children can take part in activities ranging from stargazing and insect hunting to flower pressing and cooking lessons.Once the children have settled in, you may want to head for the Royal Chundu Spa, floating serenely on the Zambezi and where pampering relaxation is the ultimate goal. Enjoy a Swedish massage in the spa or in the privacy of your suite, rejuvenating treatments such as a rooibos and lavender clay wrap or a pressure point foot massage beside the gorgeous infinity pool.
Spa
The healing hands of our sisters ofer modern spa treatments infused with Zambian health and beauty rituals, in a beautiful setting surrounded by the magical elements of Mother Nature. Our spa treatments are done from the luxury of your room overlooking the ever-peaceful Zambezi River.
Pool
On the Zambian side of Victoria Falls, next to Livingstone Island, you’ll find Africa’s most dangerous infinity pool. Devil’s Pool has been luring curious travellers for centuries thanks to its beauty and unusual location.
Bar
There are full bar facilities on the mainland and on the island for you to enjoy your favourite tipple at.
Area & Location
Area, Country
Kazungula, Zambia
Nearest Airport
Livingstone International Airport
Local Currency
Zambian Kwacha (ZMK)
Time Change
GMT +2
Language
English
Best time to go
May through October
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