African Bush Camps Thorntree River Lodge

Thorntree River Lodge occupies the bank of the Zambezi River inside Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park, a short drive from Livingstone and from Victoria Falls. The park is one of the few places in Zambia where white rhino live under round-the-clock ranger protection, and a walking safari to see them is one of the activities run directly from the lodge.

Ten suites — eight luxury suites and two family suites — each have a private plunge pool, a viewing deck over the river, an indoor and outdoor shower, a bathtub, and a stocked bar cart. The two family suites connect two tented rooms by a walkway so that parents and children each have their own en-suite space. Shared areas include a lounge and dining room with river views, a deck on the water's edge with a firepit and an infinity pool, a spa, and a gym.

Game drives run in the early morning and late afternoon in open four-wheel-drive vehicles. On the water, the lodge offers canoeing along the Zambezi — where hippos, crocodiles, and elephants are regularly seen from the canoe — as well as sunset river cruises and catch-and-release fishing. Helicopter flights over Victoria Falls depart nearby. The Livingstone Museum, a short drive away, covers archaeology, ethnography, and natural history across five sections and holds a collection of David Livingstone memorabilia and maps dating to 1690.

A children's programme called the Ngwana Club runs nature walks, cooking classes, storytelling, and arts and crafts, tailored by age. Airport transfers to Livingstone are complimentary.