Rooms for Friends at Vic Falls

Q: A group of friends, a total of 16 people, are considering travelling to Victoria Falls in October this year. Do you have any recommendations for reasonably priced places to stay for three nights? We would be interested in bed and breakfast accommodation or special packages. - Brenda Mohulatsi


A: One way of staying within a reasonable budget and keeping your group together is to opt for one of the backpacker hostels on the Zimbabwe side of the falls. Some offer excellent accommodation and facilities, attracting interesting and well-travelled guests, Shoestrings Backpackers, which is well located close to the town centre and the falls, is regarded by many as the best budget accommodation available at the falls. Brightly-painted and clean, it offers shared rooms with shared bathrooms, as well as single and double rooms with their own bathrooms. It has a reputation for having the most lively bar, so you will have to decide whether this suits your group. Prices range from only R75 per person in a shared dormitory to R132 per person in a private room. You can book through www.hostelworld.com. Alternative backpacker-style accommodation is available at Victoria Falls Backpackers. Recommended by the Lonely Planet guide, this lodge offers double rooms, dormitory-style rooms and camping from R113-R189 per person per night. Another choice is the Savanna Lodge, also located close to the town centre, which costs R190-R235 per person per night. Both these establishments are available on the www.hostels.com website. You could also book accommodation on the Zambian side of the spectacular falls. An option for your group could be Bushbuck River House, which is set in 105 acres of bush on the banks of the Zambezi. It sleeps only 14 people, but maybe you could persuade the management to fit in another two beds and rent you the entire property. It is a beautiful game estate, with a swimming pool, a boma for outdoor dining and a viewing platform overlooking the river. Prices range from R240 to R420 per person night. You can book this through www.safarinow.com. Another good option on the Zambian side is Kay's Guest House, which lies just a few kilometres from the falls. Accommodation, which ranges from rooms in the main house to chalets and self-catering rooms, are priced from R150-R300 per person. Rooms have air conditioning, TV and tea and coffee making facilities. You can book it on www.kaysguesthouse.com. If you would like to stay in a regular hotel, then one that may fit within your budget is the Sprayview Hotel, which is located about 2kms from the Victoria Falls on the Zimbabwe side and is regarded as the most economically priced hotel in the area. It has a swimming pool and the en-suite bedrooms are rooms are fitted with air-conditioning and fans. Double rooms are offered at around 100 US dollars per night, working out at around R400 per person per night. Book through www.hostels.com. (13/2/11)