frequently asked questions

Tsowa Safari Island is located on an island in the Zambezi River, 40km upstream from Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe. The lodge offers a river-based safari experience with access to the Zambezi National Park area and day trips to see Victoria Falls. Tsowa is ideally located off the Kazangula Road, half way between Victoria Falls Town and Kasane Town with access into Chobe National Park.

We recommend that guests fly into Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe. From there, road transfer arrangements can be made to reach the island.

For more information visit, https://www.tsowasafariisland.co.za/contact-us/. Our reservations team can also arrange transfers from Livingstone Airport in Zambia and Kasane Airport in Botswana.

Arrival guests are transferred in a closed, air-conditioned vehicle to our private entrance within Zambezi National Park, where they are met by a guide and continue by open 4x4 game vehicle to the river's edge. From there, it is a short boat transfer across the river to the island.

Guests can be collected from Victoria Falls Town, Victoria Falls Airport, Kasane Airport, Kasane Town or Livingstone Airport, with transfers from other locations available on request. Your reservations consultant will confirm your collection point, transfer time and any relevant travel details prior to your arrival.

For more information on our recommended routes visit; https://www.tsowasafariisland.co.za/contact-us/ .

Parking arrangements are available for self-drive 4x4 guests before the boat transfer.

As Tsowa Safari Island is located within Zambezi National Park, access is subject to the park's gate operating hours. The park gates are open from 06:00 to 18:00 (March–October) and 05:00 to 19:00 (November–February). Outside of these hours, the gates are locked and no entry or exit is permitted.

To ensure a smooth arrival, guests should book flights that allow sufficient time to complete their pre-arranged transfer before the park gates close. The latest recommended arrival times are 14:00 for flights into Livingstone Airport and 15:00 for flights into Victoria Falls Airport. Guests arriving from Botswana or Zambia should also allow extra time, as transfer durations involving international border crossings are approximate and may vary depending on immigration procedures.

Our reservations team will provide all transfer details and can assist with selecting the most suitable flight times for your stay.

Tsowa Safari Island’s rate includes 4x4 transfers in an open game viewer vehicle from our 4x4 pickup point and a boat transfer to the island, accommodation, guided island walks, fishing (however, no fly fishing equipment provided), all meals (brunch, high tea and dinner), teas and coffees, bottled water, soft drinks, house wines, sparkling wines, local beers and non-premium brand spirits, basic laundry. Guests can also choose an additional 2 activities per day, the activities being: game drives in the Zambezi National Park, guided game walks in the Zambezi National Park, guided canoeing and sunset cruises. For guests staying 3 days or longer we also offer a full day return transfer to Victoria Falls (entrance fees to the Rain Forest, private guide, refreshments and any other activities are not included). All activities are weather dependent and subject to availability.

For more information about our rates visit; https://www.tsowasafariisland.co.za/rates/.

Your stay at Tsowa Safari Island includes luxury accommodation, all meals and a range of guided safari and river experiences. The following items are not included:

• Flights
• Road transfers to our private entrance to Zambezi National Park
• Park entrance fees
• Isibindi Foundation levy
• Victoria Falls Rainforest entry fees
• Guided tour fees for Victoria Falls (if requested)
• Unspecified transfers
• Premium spirits and liqueurs
• Imported beers
• Non-house wines
• Items of a personal nature
• Gratuities
• Specialist fishing trips (available at an additional cost and must be pre-booked)

If you have any questions about what is included in your booking, our reservations team will be happy to assist.

Tsowa Safari Island offers tented safari accommodation on the Zambezi River. Each tent is 10m x 3.5m including an inside bathroom, outdoor shower and a verandah overlooking the river. We offer two room types; River View Safari Tents and River Deck Safari Tents.

For more information on the accommodation visit, https://www.tsowasafariisland.co.za/rooms/.

Tsowa Safari Island is a small, intimate camp with a total of 9 Tented Suites.

The tents are not air-conditioned. However, the safari tents are designed for comfort in the natural island environment, shaded by the forest canopy and are all equipped with fans.

Wi-Fi is available, but due to the island location, connectivity can be limited or intermittent. Cellular coverage may also vary.

Included activities are:

• Guided game drives in the Zambezi National Park
• Guided game walks in the Zambezi National Park
• Zambezi river cruises
• Birding excursions
• Guided island walks
• Guided Canoeing on the Upper Zambezi
• Fishing

For guests staying three nights or more, we are pleased to offer a complimentary return transfer to the Victoria Falls Rainforest.

For more information on our offered experiences visit: https://www.tsowasafariisland.co.za/experiences/

Yes. Day trips to Victoria Falls can be arranged and may incur an extra cost depending on guests length of stay. Guests should discuss this with the lodge or reservations team in advance so that transfers and timing can be planned properly.

For more information visit https://www.tsowasafariisland.co.za/experiences/day-trip-to-victoria-falls/ .

Unfortunately no children under the age of 12 years are allowed at Tsowa Safari Island.

Triple room arrangements may be possible if one of the guests is aged between 12 and 16 years; however, guests should confirm their family rooming requirements with the reservations team prior to booking.

Yes. Tsowa Safari Island is located within the Zambezi National Park, which is in a malaria-endemic region. Guests are advised to consult their doctor or travel clinic before travelling to determine whether antimalarial medication is recommended for them.

Yes. We offer long-stay discounts for guests staying at a single Isibindi Africa lodge or combining stays across multiple Isibindi Africa lodges.

Long-stay rates include: accommodation, all meals, water, soft drinks, local beers, house wines and non-premium brand spirits, teas and coffees, safari drives in the Zambezi National Park, guided island walks, safari walks in Zambezi National Park, kayaking and sunset cruises on the Zambezi river and return transfers to our private entrance to the Zambezi National Park.

For more information visit https://www.tsowasafariisland.co.za/package-special/long-stay/ .

Tsowa Safari Island offers Pay Stay specials during selected travel periods, giving guests the opportunity to extend their safari at exceptional value.

Our current Pay 3, Stay 4 offer is valid during May:

Book three consecutive nights at Tsowa Safari Island during May and receive your fourth night free.

Pay Stay offers are subject to availability and cannot be combined with any other promotions. Please contact our reservations team for full terms and conditions and to check availability.

For more information visit: https://www.tsowasafariisland.co.za/package-special/island-explorer/

Yes. Tsowa Safari Island offers special SADC resident rates on selected accommodation during selected travel periods. These preferential rates are available to residents of Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries and are subject to limited availability.

View the SADC Rates here: https://www.isibindi.co.za/rates/sadc-rates/

Please note that Tsowa Safari Island accommodates guests aged 12 years and older. We recommend contacting our reservations team to confirm current SADC rates, availability and proof of residency requirements before booking.