Journey with us

Seolo Africa will take you on an African adventure you won’t soon forget

Chundu Island
Rhino Post Safari Lodge
Rhino Walking Safaris
Masuwe Lodge
 

Island Safari FAQ’s

Answers to frequently asked questions

Travel recommendations

Should I take Malaria tablets when travelling to southern Africa?

The Zambezi National Park – Chundu Island – is situated in a malaria area and we recommend guests err on the side of caution.

One of the best ways to avoid contracting malaria is not to be bitten, so use the insect repellents provided by the lodges, generously and often. Long sleeves and light colours are recommended for evening wear.

Please take the anti-malarial prophylactics recommended by your doctor.

What are the Visa requirements for Zimbabwe?

Visa regulations in Zimbabwe differ in terms of category related to the country of your origin. Please click on the link below to see which category applies to you and follow the recommendations to ensure that all Visa requirements are met for your visit to Zimbabwe.

More about travel requirements

What is a KAZA Univisa and do I need one?

The KAZA (Kavango Zambezi) Univisa covers travel within Zimbabwe and Zambia and covers day trips into Botswana via the Kazungula border post.

Tourists save time and money because they only have to obtain one visa to visit both countries. For more information on this visa click here

Should you be travelling into Victoria Falls directly and not planning on visiting either Zambia or taking a day trip into Botswana, a KAZA Univisa will not be required and single entry visa will be sufficient.

Zimbabwe & surrounds

What is a private concession?

A private concession is an area within a national park which has been put out to tender to be developed and managed by a private enterprise for a specified period of time.

Chundu Island is a private concession operating within National Parks. These concessions pay a concession fee to the National Park which provides much needed income for conservation.

Why do we have to pay Conservation Fees?

The national parks charge daily conservation fees to all people entering and staying in a national park – whether they are staying in a private concession or in the national park’s own accommodation. These fees go toward conservation and anti-poaching costs which are not covered by the accommodation rates.

How far is Chundu Island from Victoria Falls and can I see them from the lodge?

Chundu Island is 21kms upriver from Victoria Falls, approximately an hour and a quarter’s safari drive through the Zambezi National Park. From a high vantage point, the spray or mist from the falls can be seen up to 50kms away.

You cannot see this spray from the island because of the vegetation and low elevation. We offer a complimentary trip into town to go and see the falls on one day of your stay.

What is the recommended length of stay at Chundu Island?

If you want to take advantage of all the activities on offer, you should ideally spend at least 3 nights at Chundu Island. This, of course also depends on whether you are wanting to spend a night or two in town in order to view the Victoria Falls and participate in the extreme sport activities on offer there.

If you plan to overnight in town either before or after staying at Chundu Island, then 3 nights will probably be enough to cover most activities. If you do not wish to stay in town and prefer to take advantage of our complimentary transfer to Vic Falls, without missing out on any activities, then we recommend a minimum of 4 nights at Chundu Island as the town trip to see the falls will take up a full day.

Staying at our lodge

Is the tap water safe to drink?

The tap water at Chundu Island is both sand and UV filtered, but is not scientifically tested. Triple filtered drinking water is provided in glass bottles in the rooms, bar and dining room. Complimentary aluminium water bottles are provided for use at the swimming pool and on activities, and these can be refilled at the bar.

Filtered water is freely available at all of our lodges, and while we do not encourage the excessive use of plastic, bottled water is also available. We are currently investigating how to move from plastic to glass in the interests of conservation.

In the interests of conservation, we do not provide plastic straws or plastic bottled water.

Is there air-conditioning at the lodge?

No, we do not have air conditioning at the lodge or in the suites as we run entirely off solar power. Each area is well-appointed with ceiling fans, and each suite has two internal fans and one on the deck.

Do I need to bring my own adaptors?

Each room on Chundu Island is fitted with a variety of adaptors, so there is no need to bring an adaptor with you.

Is tipping expected, and how much should I give?

We are frequently asked to recommend a gratuity policy. While gratuities for exceptional service are very gratefully received by our staff, we would like to stress that they are at your sole discretion. We do not wish to make a recommendation, because we feel that this places pressure on the guest to pay a specific gratuity. However, if it is of help to you, the average tips received are approximately $10 per room per night for the guides, which we allocate according to which activities you have partaken in, with which guide, and the same again for the general staff.

You are welcome to tip guides individually if you so wish or to leave any gratuities with the receptionist, but we recommend that tips for the general staff to go into a kitty at the reception on checkout as there are some unseen staff members who otherwise would not receive a share in the gratuities.

Gratuities from the general kitty are shared equally among all staff except the guides.

Can we walk at all of your lodges?

Walks are offered from Chundu Island in the Zambezi National Park.

Can I go for a drive in my own car during the day?

From Chundu Island guests who have arrived in their own vehicles are welcome to join the ferry across to the Zambezi National Park at set activity times and may drive within the park using their own vehicles.

We do request that guests doing so book their (complimentary) ferry crossings with the receptionist, and indicate what time they plan to return. Please note that there is no driving in the Zambezi National Park allowed after dark.

Age restrictions & Policies

What age restrictions apply at your lodges?

Children aged 6 and above are welcome, however the canoeing and bush-walks are restricted to children of 16 and over both for safety reasons and in accordance with the Zambezi National Parks policy.

A maximum of 6 children under the age of 12 can be accommodated on the island at any one time. Two family units can each accommodate 2 children (aged 6 – 16) in the kid’s bedroom. Two additional rollaway beds are available for children 16 and younger to create a triple in either the family rooms or island suites.

Family groups booking out the whole lodge are welcome to bring younger children – activity age restrictions will still apply.

Management reserve the right to return disorderly children during the cruise or drive if necessary before continuing. Children under the age of 6 by special request.

My child’s birthday is one month after our visit and he is very mature, surely an exception can be made to allow him to participate in safari walks?

Unfortunately not. Maturity levels are too hard to ascertain prior to arrival, and parents are often biased… We therefore keep our policy in line with Zambezi National Parks legislation which does not allow children under the age of 16 respectively to participate in walking trails. It is hard enough to get an adult to stand still in the face of a potentially threatening situation… we do not believe that it is fair or safe to test a child under these circumstances.

Is there any way that my child under the age of twelve can go to Chundu Island?

Yes. In the event of your family or group booking out the whole lodge, no age restrictions will apply to accommodation, however age restrictions for activities will remain in place. Children under the age of 6 are welcome by special request

DO YOUR SAFARI VEHICLES DRIVE OFF-ROAD?

At Chundu Island, we pride ourselves on our commitment to the environment and wildlife we are privileged to see. That means we are committed to maintaining our ‘No off-road Policy’.

We endeavour to make as little impact as possible on the area, and we do this by staying on demarcated roads. It is not only damaging to the environment, the flora, and the fauna, but it places unnecessary pressure on animals that cannot escape a vehicle that is intent on following them. We are happy to see the animals interacting in their natural environment without these pressures and are delighted to note that there is a move by conservation-conscious travellers towards responsible and sustainable eco-tourism.

What to pack for your trip

Summer (Sep – Mar)

  • Comfortable casual, cool clothing
  • Lightweight waterproof jacket
  • Swimwear
  • Hats
  • Sandals/slops

Winter (Apr – Aug)

  • Warm sleepwear
  • Warm layers for game drives and cruises

The guides will have warm fleeces and waterproof ponchos available for the evening safaris/drives

Year-round

  • Hats
  • Scarves
  • Warm jacket/windbreaker
  • Long cotton pants
  • Comfy, sturdy walking shoes
  • Cotton socks

On walking trails, we advise that you wear long trousers to limit the number of ticks that you might pick up and to protect your legs from grass scratches.

Other/general

  • Sunscreen
  • Binoculars
  • Cameras (and battery chargers)
  • Spare batteries
  • Lip balm
  • Contact lens solution
  • Spare glasses
  • Sunglasses
  • Reference books
  • Hair ties (for those with long hair)
What is included/excluded in the advertised rate?

Included in our rate

  • Accommodation
  • 2 Activities per person per day (See below) *Subject to weather/availability
  • Early morning tea/coffee in rooms
  • Breakfast served from 08h30 – 10h00 (English and Continental)
  • Buffet lunch served from 13h00 – 14h30
  • Dinner (3 courses) served from 19h00 – 21h00
  • Teas and coffees
  • Basic laundry (hand wash, dry & fold)
  • Local brand drinks (soft drinks, house wines, local beers & spirits)
  • Return transfers between Zambezi National Park Gate and Chundu Island (road/game drive + 5-minute pontoon hop)
  • Return road + 5 minute pontoon transfer to visit Vic Falls Rainforest (unguided) – One transfer per stay
  • Value-added tax (VAT) levied at a standard rate of 15%
  • Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) Tourism Levy

Excluded from our rate

  • Park fees (Zambezi National Park) per night
  • Premium spirits, liqueurs, imported beers and cellar wines
  • Purchases from the curio shop
  • In-room massage therapies
  • Fishing charters (for serious fishermen)*
  • Victoria Falls Rainforest park entry fees
  • Guided tour of the Falls (if required)
  • Unspecified Transfers
  • Optional gratuities
  • Items of personal nature
Canoeing on the Zambezi River

Sundowner and River Cruises

Island walks

Game drives

Fun Fishing (Specialist fishing on request)*

Victoria Falls Rainforest*

*Age restrictions apply to certain activities. Refer to our Child minding & Policies
*Victoria Falls Rainforest (Drop off & pick up ONLY) entry fees and guided tours of the Falls are not included.
*Please Note: all fishing is catch and release, except for fish that you would like the kitchen to prepare for you that day. No freezing or transporting of fish.

WHAT CAN I DO IF IT GET’S REALLY HOT WHILE I AM THERE?

We are dedicated to running an energy-friendly lodge. That means our lodge is run entirely by solar power. Because of this we do not use air conditioning systems or electronics that require high voltage. But, should temperatures get uncomfortably high we offer in-room fans that provide some relief from the heat or you can take a dip in our refreshing swimming pool.

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