Exploring Victoria Falls at the riverside oasis of Palm River Hotel

Being one of the 7 Natural Wonders of Nature, Victoria Falls are a big bucket list item, and being based in South Africa for awhile now, let alone working in the safari industry, I knew I had to make a trip here happen! So after a week on safari in Botswana it was a perfect fit to end the trip with a visit to the falls and see what the hype was about!

For my second night I was able to stay at The Palm River Hotel thanks to a connection through my friend Africa Hidden Gems, which is a beautiful 5 star waterfront property located on the banks of the Zambezi River, just a 10-minute drive from the town and the falls. It’s an amazing launchpad to explore the falls and all the activities the area has to offer, but also just relax and decompress after a long flight or safari.

Coming out of the hotel’s beautiful lobby and dining area, the grounds of the Palm River felt like a riverside garden oasis, with an infinity pool stretching across the lawns, tall indigenous trees with monkeys swinging around the branches (like, all the time!), leaves fluttering down from the trees, and the river calmly lapping in front of you. After a week of 5am starts and lots of game drives, I was so ready for a day to relax by the pool, and this was the perfect place to do it.

The hotel has Deluxe Rooms, Deluxe Suites, Executive Suites, Honeymoon Suites, a Presidential Suite and the private Palm River Villa. All 73 rooms have a panoramic view of the river and gardens. What I loved was that the hotel was constructed around the indigenous trees so nature is the priority and us visitors just get to traverse on and enjoy the surrounding ambiance.

For my visit to the Falls themselves, I went around 4pm and would recommend visiting for 1-2 hours if you are exploring on your own, though there are guided tours and also helicopter rides (which would be SUPER epic so do this please!!). There are a bunch of different viewpoints you can see the falls from and if it’s anything like my visit, prepare to get WET wet (see this reel I made to the end for nature’s greatest shower!!!). The falls really are spectacular, such a powerful force of nature, and the rainbows and magical lighting make it all the more special.

If you want to come visit this world wonder and stay at the beautiful hotel, send me a message at kellie@adventurelust.travel and let’s chat!