Overview
Rustic, romantic
Sindabezi is small, rustic lodge on its own island in the middle of the Zambezi just inside the Zambian border, reached by boat or canoe.
It is an intimate spot with just five open fronted chalets perched on stilts with wonderful views across the water and wilderness beyond. Rooms are lit with hurricane lamps, candles and starlight at night. A bubble bath here is a must.
Explore the falls and all the adventure activities in the area. Along with nearby sister lodge Tongabezi (whose facilities you’ll have access to), Sindabezi has a wonderful relationship with the local community and supports fabulous projects which you can visit during your stay.
Facts
At a glance
-
Five thatched chalets
-
Dining area and firepit
-
Plunge pool
-
Can be booked exclusively
Experiences
-
![Tongabezi Lodge Zambia 6]()
Victoria Falls
Celebrate one of Africa’s most famous natural icons, Victoria Falls, from within Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park on the Zambian side of the Falls.
-
![Tongabezi Lodge Zambia 4]()
Floating dinner
Dine in true Sindabezi style while anchored offshore in the Zambezi River on a floating platform. This is a breakfast or dinner experience quite unlike any other. Attended by waiters, each meal is paddled out one course at a time to your private sampan.
-
![Toka Leya Camp Victoria Falls Livingstone 14]()
Birdwatching
Join a guide on a walk around the island with binoculars and a bird book to spot some of Sindabezi’s diverse birdlife. Or if you would prefer to range a little further afield, you can take one of the boats and float around the nearby islands to see what you can find.
-
![Tongabezi trust 1]()
Twaabane Creative Centre
The Twaabane Creative Centre is a brand-new project for the Tongabezi Trust School team, and they’d love the chance to show you what it is all about. This colourful, happy space is designed to share creative, artisanal, and practical skills to not only the children but also the adults in our Simonga Community. If you are new to sewing or sustainable farming, come and join a class!
-
![Tongabezi trust 2]()
Mukuni Organic Community Farm
Come and explore some of 1,200 hectares of sweetveld, which is rapidly becoming a fully sustainable, organic community-run farm. The team absolutely loves to teach travellers about their sustainable farming techniques, from alley cropping to grazing rotation and even to the homemade fertilizer and pesticide they use.
-
![Tongabezi school]()
Village tours
The tours within Simonga Village provide a joyous opportunity for guests to learn, engage and share stories with our wonderful community. A local team will lead the tour, which is conducted in a respectful manner, and will introduce you to people who they know are happy to chat with the group and share the stories that they have to tell. This is an unforgettable way to experience a small slice of local Zambian life.
Community & Culture
For over 30 years, Sindabezi's (and its sister lodge, Tongabezi's) founders Benjamin and Vanessa Parker have nurtured and empowered local communities in Simonga and the larger Kazangula area. They funded and built the Tongabezi Trust school, Tujatane, which has educated the children of Tongabezi staff and the community in general since 1996. This has been particularly welcome in the area which has otherwise struggled with educational funding and materials. The school has grown from just 15 pre-school children to over 190 students and is completely funded by donations.
A new project for the Tongabezi Trust School Team is The Twaabane Creative Centre, a space is designed to share creative, artisanal, and practical skills to not only the children but also the adults in the Simonga Community.
The Tongabezi team also promotes healthy environments and small-scale farming in neighbouring communities by planting indigenous trees, including fruit-bearing species, and local sustainable farms in sourcing produce.
Footprint
Tongabezi is a low impact lodge constantly working towards less noise, fewer emissions and minimising the impacts on local flora and fauna as much as possible.
The bulk of wood supplies from sustainable forests in the Copper belt near Ndola. A Vivreau still and sparkling bottling system saves 20,000 plastic water bottles a year and around 2,000 tin cans. An onsite, custom made purification plant recycles water to be used for irrigation and to feed the Tongabezi wildlife dam.
Reforestation is vital in Southern Africa where so many people depend on coal to cook, clean and keep warm. Whilst the lodge is working to replace coal stoves with sustainable grass and stick-fuelled ones, they are also hard at work replacing the trees that have been cut down.
Example trips
Get inspired
Browse our example trips and get in contact to start planning your very own adventure.
-
Example trips
Get inspired
Browse our example trips and get in contact to start planning your very own adventure.
What makes us different
Why Niarra
Niarra Travel is a forward-thinking travel company headquartered in London born out of a passion to do things differently.
In Swahili, a Bantu language spoken by millions in Eastern, Central and Southern Africa, the name Niara means "with utmost purpose" and our team are united by a passion for exploration and a belief that the right kind of travel can make the world a better place.
Our Travel Researchers are here to create incredible trips with a positive impact for you.
-
Unforgettable experiences
Creating your trip is entirely collaborative and our Travel Researchers are here for every step.
-
Positive impact
Curated sustainable experiences and accommodation that maximize the benefits to local people and place.
-
Fairness and transparency
An open, competitive pricing structure that ensures more money goes to where it's needed in the destination.
