Wild Horizons has opened the 60-room Waterfalls Lodge on Reynard Road in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, adding mid-scale choice to a market long dominated by Safari Lodges. The purpose-built Hotel sits within walking distance of the falls and town center, pairing waterfall-inspired design with flexible board options. Guests may trade the included breakfast (or dinner for half-/full-board plans) for a meal at the operator's rim-top Lookout Café above Batoka Gorge. The opening advances Zimbabwe's push for value-oriented stays that keep travelers in town longer and spread spending to local businesses. It also closes a mid-market gap left when the 294-room Kingdom Hotel shuttered in 2023.
Key Points
- Why it matters: Fills a mid-priced lodging gap and supports Victoria Falls' slow-travel strategy.
- 60 rooms with AC, Wi-Fi and waterfall-themed decor.
- Guests can swap lodge meals for Lookout Café views over Batoka Gorge.
- Fifteen-minute walk to town; ten-minute drive to rainforest gate.
- Developed by Wild Horizons, part of Tourvest Group, creating 70+ local jobs.
Snapshot
Waterfalls Lodge is pitched as "refined, accessible accommodation" rather than a classic all-inclusive bush property. Twin or king en-suite rooms come with air-conditioning, ceiling fans, modern bathrooms and complimentary Wi-Fi. Shared facilities include two swimming pools, landscaped gardens and an all-day restaurant. Dining flexibility is a key selling point: B&B guests may swap their breakfast for sunrise plates at the Lookout Café, while those on half- or full-board can choose either breakfast or dinner cliffside. The hotel's central location means most shops, activity operators and craft markets are reached on foot, reducing transfer costs for budget-conscious visitors.
Background
Victoria Falls welcomed 440 000 international arrivals in 2024, up 32 percent year on year, yet its room inventory skews toward premium Safari camps and heritage hotels. Industry analysts have warned that the lack of affordable in-town beds hinders longer stays and limits community spending. Wild Horizons-already operating Cruise boats, transfers and activities-responded by breaking ground on Waterfalls Lodge in early 2024. Constructed within an existing hotel zone, the project restored adjoining greenbelt land and incorporated water-saving fixtures alongside locally sourced furnishings. Construction generated 250 temporary roles; ongoing operations support more than 70 permanent positions plus an extended supply chain.
Latest Developments
Flexible Dining Broadens Market Reach
By allowing breakfast or dinner credits to be redeemed at the Lookout Café, the lodge leverages one of Victoria Falls' signature dining attractions without forcing guests to pay out of pocket. The café's cantilevered deck, suspended 394 feet above the Zambezi's Batoka Gorge, routinely sells out at sunset. Bundling access into room rates removes friction, particularly for cost-sensitive travelers comparing package deals with Zambia's rapidly expanding Hotel strip across the border. Early bookings show two-night average stays trending toward three, suggesting the policy is lengthening visits and lifting ancillary tour sales.
Mid-Scale Gap Finally Plugged
Since the Kingdom Hotel closed during the pandemic, Victoria Falls has lacked a 3- to 3.5-star option within town limits. Waterfalls Lodge's USD 145-to-185 rack rates undercut heritage icons by 25-40 percent while remaining above budget guesthouses, positioning it to absorb pent-up group and family demand. Tour operators say the opening will ease itinerary design for multi-night Zambezi circuits connecting Botswana's Chobe and Hwange National Park, both reachable by road in under two hours.
Analysis
Wild Horizons' move signals confidence in Victoria Falls' rebound yet also acknowledges shifting traveler priorities. Surveys show 73 percent of global travelers want their spending to benefit local communities, and Waterfalls Lodge's urban location channels foot traffic directly into small restaurants, craft markets and activity kiosks. The company's sustainability record-raincoat-rental micro-enterprises and wildlife-education programs-adds credibility that resonates with values-driven Gen Z and millennial audiences. From an air-lift standpoint, Zimbabwe's Civil Aviation Authority reports Victoria Falls Airport will exceed its pre-COVID seat capacity by Q4 2025, helped by new FlySafair and Qatar Airways frequencies. The additional beds ease pressure on peak-season rates and diversify product for tour wholesalers wary of single-property dependence. For Wild Horizons, the Hotel deepens vertical integration: guests can book everything from river cruises to airport shuttles in-house, lifting share-of-wallet and smoothing revenue seasonality. The project's scale is modest compared with Zambia's 200-room Radisson Blu Resort now under construction, yet its community-centric blueprint may offer a replicable model for other frontier destinations balancing growth and authenticity.
Final Thoughts
Waterfalls Lodge adds a much-needed mid-scale layer to Victoria Falls, pairing affordability with thoughtful design and community linkage. As airlines restore capacity and visitor numbers climb, demand for rooms that sit between backpacker digs and luxury camps will only intensify. Wild Horizons' urban-lodge concept shows how operators can diversify portfolios while still celebrating place-an approach likely to influence future developments along the Zambezi corridor. Travelers seeking comfort, flexibility and proximity to the falls now have a fresh option in Waterfalls Lodge Victoria Falls.