By Dickson Bandera
VICTORIA FALLS — For 28 consecutive years, Victoria Falls Safari Lodge has been recognised for excellence by the Association of Zimbabwe Travel Agents (AZTA), extending one of the longest-running award records in Zimbabwe’s tourism industry.
The latest recognition came at the 2026 AZTA Awards on 19 September, when the lodge was again named Zimbabwe’s Best Safari Lodge.
But behind the 28 awards is a tourism business that has spent more than three decades developing a distinctive visitor experience around wildlife, accommodation, conservation, food and the natural environment of Victoria Falls.
The lodge is part of Africa Albida Tourism, whose origins date to 1994. Victoria Falls Safari Lodge subsequently became one of the group’s flagship properties and is now part of the wider Victoria Falls Safari Collection.
Located approximately four kilometres from Victoria Falls, the lodge occupies a private estate overlooking the surrounding bushveld and Zambezi National Park.
Its architecture is deliberately African, with thatched roofs, timber structures and extensive views of the wilderness.
The property has 72 rooms, comprising standard rooms, waterhole-facing rooms and duplex suites. A major feature is the waterhole, where guests can observe wildlife without having to leave the lodge.
Elephants, buffalo, kudu and other animals are among the wildlife that can be seen around the waterhole, making wildlife viewing part of the accommodation experience.
That is one of the lodge’s defining characteristics in Victoria Falls: the safari begins at the hotel.
More than a place to sleep
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge operates as part of a larger tourism complex that includes Victoria Falls Safari Club, Victoria Falls Safari Suites, Lokuthula Lodges, Victoria Falls Safari Spa and The Boma – Dinner & Drum Show.
The lodge itself offers accommodation, dining and leisure facilities, including the MaKuwa-Kuwa Restaurant and Buffalo Bar.
The Boma provides visitors with an African dining and entertainment experience, while the spa adds a wellness component to the destination.
The property also provides shuttle services connecting guests with Victoria Falls and the town, allowing visitors to combine the lodge’s bush setting with the attractions of the resort town.
Conservation is part of the story
The property’s contribution to Victoria Falls extends beyond hospitality.
In 1999, Victoria Falls Safari Lodge and conservationist Charles Brightman established the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit (VFAPU). The initiative began with three scouts and developed into a dedicated conservation organisation working to protect wildlife around the Victoria Falls area.
The lodge has also been associated with conservation initiatives such as the Vulture Culture Experience, which raises awareness about endangered vultures, as well as recycling and other environmental programmes.
This conservation dimension has helped give the property a broader tourism identity: visitors are not only consuming the destination but can also encounter some of the work involved in protecting its wildlife.
When did the award streak begin?
The lodge’s current 28-year consecutive AZTA record dates back to 1999.
Historical reports provide useful markers for the progression of the record. In 2010, the lodge was reported to have won its 15th consecutive AZTA award. By 2019, the sequence had reached 23 consecutive awards, followed by the 27th in 2025 and the 28th in 2026.
There is an important distinction, however. The AZTA categories have been described differently over the years, including Best Safari Lodge and Best Resort Hotel. For that reason, the most precise formulation is that the documented uninterrupted AZTA winning streak began in 1999, rather than claiming that 1999 was necessarily the property’s first-ever award.
Other recognition
The AZTA record is only one part of the property’s award history.
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge received TripAdvisor Certificates of Excellence from 2011 to 2019 and entered the TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Hall of Fame in 2015.
It has also received recognition through the World Travel Awards, including Zimbabwe’s Leading Safari Lodge in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
The property has also featured in international safari awards and rankings.
Its environmental credentials date back to 2000, when it received a Green Globe Distinction Award associated with environmental practices in its development.
What makes it different?
Victoria Falls has no shortage of hotels, lodges and safari properties. Victoria Falls Safari Lodge’s distinguishing feature is the way it brings several elements of the destination together.
A guest can visit the waterfall, return to a lodge overlooking the bush, watch elephants at the waterhole, enjoy a sunset, dine at the property and experience traditional entertainment — all within the same tourism estate.
That combination has allowed the lodge to position itself between Victoria Falls tourism and safari tourism, rather than relying solely on proximity to the waterfall.
And that may be the most significant story behind the 28-year award record.
The trophies recognise the property.
The waterhole, wildlife, conservation work, accommodation, food, people and setting explain why it has remained a significant part of Victoria Falls’ tourism landscape for so long.
