Exclusive-use safari camp opens on Zimbabwe’s Jafuta Reserve near Victoria Falls

 A new seasonal tented camp on Zimbabwe’s private Jafuta Reserve is set to offer travellers a quieter, more immersive alternative to the traditional Victoria Falls experience.

Located just 15 minutes from Victoria Falls International Airport, the newly launched Victoria Falls Tented Camp by Chiefs Tented Camps has been developed with private group travel in mind. Operating during the March to September 2026 season, the exclusive-use camp caters primarily to the international incentive and luxury group travel market.

Developed in partnership with Shearwater, the camp responds to growing demand for dedicated group accommodation near Victoria Falls, particularly during peak travel periods when many of the region’s boutique lodges are booked out well in advance.

Set within the privately managed Jafuta Reserve, the camp occupies an active wildlife corridor frequently used by the area’s elephant population as they move between surrounding protected wilderness areas. Guests can expect regular wildlife sightings in a setting that feels far removed from the bustle often associated with one of Southern Africa’s busiest tourism hubs.

Accommodation comes in the form of luxury en-suite canvas tents designed with a low-impact footprint and an emphasis on blending into the surrounding landscape. The camp initially features 40 tents accommodating up to 80 guests sharing, although the setup can be expanded for larger bespoke groups exceeding 100 guests.

While the camp positions itself within the luxury safari market, its focus extends beyond high-end accommodation. Conservation, education and community engagement form a central part of the experience, with elephant-focused activities and educational encounters linked to ongoing conservation work in the region.

Guests can also expect guided bush experiences, wildlife photography opportunities, river-edge sundowners and cultural programming featuring local artists and storytellers. Evenings are designed around open-air dining, campfires and uninterrupted time in nature.

According to Allan Johnston of Chiefs Tented Camps, the concept was born from a gap in the Victoria Falls market for dedicated group inventory.

“Victoria Falls has long been a leading incentive destination, but over time the availability of dedicated group inventory has diminished as the market shifted toward smaller boutique properties,” says Johnston.

“What we’ve created at Jafuta is a private canvas camp where groups can come together in one place, in the bush, without compromise, close to the Falls, but completely immersed in nature.”

Through special arrangements with Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, guests can also access quieter routes into nearby protected areas, including Chamabondo National Park and Zambezi National Park, avoiding some of the region’s busier tourist entry points.

The off-grid camp has also incorporated several sustainability measures, including plans to gradually introduce solar energy and partnerships with certified recycling and waste-management providers in Victoria Falls.

Bookings for the 2026 season are now open to incentive planners, corporate groups, travel trade operators and DMC partners.

Source: Exclusive-use safari camp opens on Zimbabwe’s Jafuta Reserve near Victoria Falls (19/05/2026)

New Hotel Development Threatens Livingstone's Elephants

(12th August 2020)

A controversial new hotel development is underway on a riverside site which is located within the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, a short distance above Victoria Falls. The site adjoins the Maramba River, marking the border of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

A computer generated visualisation of the Mosi-oa-Tunya Livingstone Resort development

A similar development, proposed in 2006 by Legacy Group Holdings for the same plot of land, raised serious concerns over the listing of the Falls as a World Heritage Site, resulting in UNESCO insisting on a moratorium being imposed on all developments in and surrounding the site.

The development was eventually ruled as being unsuitable within the National Park, and especially for a site designated as a wildlife corridor - important for allowing the free movement of local elephant herds to and from the river and minimising potential human-elephant conflict.

This new development appears to be going ahead on this site despite all these concerns.

'A Done Deal'

A scoping meeting for the development was held in Livingstone on 26th October 2018 where the plan presented to residents and stakeholders was to develop 80 hectares in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park at the confluence of the Maramba and Zambezi Rivers by putting up a 18-hole golf course, 2 hotels, conference centre and supporting facilities. 

The plans for the ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya Livingstone Resort’ included two three-floor hotel complexes (to accommodate 300 visitors and also including staff accommodation blocks), three swimming pools, a 600-seater conference centre, 450 chalets, 18-hole golf course, two river jetties and a slipway on the site.

 A satellite image of the area which has been modified to show the development site 

and proposed original development, including golf course.

The development is proposed by Mosi-oa-Tunya Resorts Holdings who have appointed Mukuba Property Development Company Limited to develop the proposed project site. The project is funded by the Zambian National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA).

Mukuba Pensions and Properties were represented at the scoping meeting by Daniel Holmes, and NAPSA represented by Rennie Mushinge (Mr Mushinge informed the meeting that he had previously been involved in the 2006 Legacy application). It was announced that DSA Architects, from South Africa, have been appointed architects for the project. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), a legal requirement, was being undertaken by DH Engineering Consultants from Lusaka.

Local resident Gill Staden attended the scoping meeting, a requirement of the ESIA, and recorded in the Livingstone biWeekly Newsletter (7th November 2018):

"It hadn’t been well advertised so few people pitched up for it... Both Rennie Mushinge and Daniel Holmes spoke with confidence that the development was a done deal... . I felt that the meeting was just a box to tick [exercise]" (Staden, 2018).

A public disclosure meeting was held on the 14th of March 2019 to address concerns raised at the scoping meeting and those that were received via email and social media. 

A revised proposal was presented to develop 16.85 hectares in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park at the confluence of the Maramba and Zambezi Rivers by constructing two hotels, a conference centre and supporting facilities. The planned 18-hole golf course was abandoned in favour of a golf 'chip and putt' course and bowling green covering an area of approximately 0.98 hectares. The car parking facility would have space for 452 cars.

The proposed project cost is estimated to be $149 million and the construction works will be completed over a two year period.

Private Concession Within National Park

The developers are believed to have been offered a 50-year lease to operate the site as a private tourism concession within the National Park. Mr Mushinge added that the development would include new regional facilities for wildlife officers as part of their commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (Staden, 2018).

It is believed the developers are currently in advanced discussions with Radisson Hotels to operate and manage the hotel once complete. Earlier reports (and the ESIA) named Hilton Hotels as potential operators.

Map showing the World Heritage Site (thicker red line) and highlighting the location of the Maramba River development (yellow line). Note the thick green border around the core of the site - indicating the 500m 'buffer zone.' Also note the river and riverine fringe extending upstream is also included within the World Heritage Site From p.39 of the Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya 2007-2012 Joint Integrated Management Plan

Positive Spin

At the 2018 scoping meeting the developers expressed that belief that the  development would be environmentally sensitive and that it would actually improve the environment, as well as creating jobs and boosting the town's tourism economy.

The developers claimed that the wildlife value of the site would actually be improved by the planting of many trees and development of water features, and that birdlife would benefit from this. The landscaping would including the planting of more trees along the riverside fringe so that the development would not be visible from the Zambezi River (Staden, 2018).

Pushing the Limits

The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) was finalised in June 2019 and presented at a public meeting in Livingstone in September 2019. [You can download the full Environmental and Social Impact Assessment here.]

Two key development constraints on the development are detailed. 

Firstly, all developments within the National Park/World Heritage Site area are required to be below the 'average tree height' so as not to visually intrude on the skyline. The summary section of the ESIA reports that the "hotel buildings are going up to 16.4m which is below the average tree height (18-20m)" (ESIA Report, page ix). However a few pages later it is stated that "The two hotels... are 16.15m high. The ecologist has confirmed that there are trees on the project site which are above 18m high. All structures on site are below tree height." (ESIA Report, page xix)

Clearly there is an element of confusion here, not just over the height of the buildings (16.15 or 16.4 m high?) but also the definition of the restriction - the requirement being below average tree height, rather than below the maximum tree height. There is no detail given in the ESIA as to the calculation of average tree height, which indicates an average tree height of 18-20m - when this is actually the maximum tree height. 

Nearly all other tourism developments along the river are situated in similar open wooded habitat and have been limited to two or three floors. This development appears to be pushing four or five floors. 

 A riverside view of the proposed Mosi-oa-Tunya Livingstone Resort.

Secondly, developments along the riverine section of the National Park area are required to leave a 50m non-developed buffer strip along the river frontage to protect trees and shield development from the river. The development as currently proposed (and shown in the NAPSA promotional video) appears to extend right up to the river, with no fringing trees remaining.

As with other hotel developments along the river, they will have to protect the site from the night-time wanderings of hippo, which come out of the river to graze (and will be attracted by the managed lawns). This will involve developing and managing a barrier of some form along the river frontage, leading to further development of this supposedly protected strip.

The project descriptions also include mention of a boathouse, slipway and jetty, and pump house on the site. These do not appear to be shown in the promotional video or any of the ESIA development site plans.

The site of this development adjoins the UNESCO World Heritage Site along the Maramba River. The 2007-2012 Joint Integrated Management Plan, submitted by Zambia and Zimbabwe to UNESCO as part of the requirements of the World Heritage listing, detailed a 500m buffer zone surrounding the site. There is no mention of this restriction in the ESIA.

Unsuitable Development

During the Legacy debacle, the Zambia Environmental Agency resolved in 2007 that a the proposed development was not acceptable within the National Park.

The Legacy proposal was also ultimately rejected as the site is a designated wildlife corridor, being used by local elephant herds to access the river for drinking water, an essential part of mitigating for elephants and minimising potential human-elephant conflict. Increasing habitat fragmentation through fenced developments in the surrounding area have channelled elephant movements into this last narrow remaining zone, and they are often seen crossing the main road by tourists on their way to and from the Falls. The area is one a their favoured winter feeding grounds, the elephants particularly attracted to the winterthorn (Faidherbia albida) seed pods.

 

Elephants crossing the main road to the Falls near the Maramba River.

Increased Pressures

This development, along with others which have displaced elephants from their traditional feeding and home ranges, all increase the potential of fatal people-wildlife conflicts occurring in the area. These animals have less and less wild space to roam, and with other pressures such as drought are more likely to be drawn to agricultural land or urban gardens. Recent residential developments in Dambwa South, adjoining the Livingstone Sewage works, have added to these pressures, causing regular conflict between residents and elephants.

In December 2019 Sky News correspondent Alex Crawford reported on conservation efforts to track elephant movements with GPS radio collars (Sky News, 4 December 2019). The report highlighted the impact of climate change and drought in driving human-elephant conflict pressures. Whilst this may be true for longer term patterns, in the case of the Livingstone area it is human development pressures which are directly driving elephants into conflict with people. The development of a new hotel complex and golf course on this site will significantly increase these pressures.

Fatal Encounters

People-wildlife conflict, especially fatal encounters with elephants, have resulted in large numbers of deaths in recent years on both sides of the river, including the tragic death of a respected guide, Chiinga Siavwapa, on this very site in September 2019 (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 15 September 2019). A total of five people were killed in the Livingstone region in 2019 as a result of conflict with elephants (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 30 July 2020). 

A nearby hotel development, Maramba River Lodge (opened in 1995), suffered the tragic death of two tourists in an elephant attack in November 2017 (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 12 November 2017).

Elephants brought into conflict with humans are ultimately shot as problem animals.

At a public consultation held in Livingstone in September 2019, resident Claire Whitehead, said the project should be prevented.

“Let’s take action on this and make submissions. Do we want to lose this last elephant corridor in the area? Do we want to lose our elephants? Do we want yet more fenced developments inside the national park, on the border of the World Heritage Site? What effect will it have on the already stressed elephants? How many more lives will be lost?" (Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 28 September 2019).

Official Launch (3rd July 2020)

President Edgar Lungu performed an unveiling and ground-breaking ceremony at the site on 3rd July 2020.

President Edgar Lungu unveils a plaque during the ground breaking ceremony of the Mosi-oa-Tunya Livingstone Resort on Friday, July 3,2020 [Photo: State House Press Office - Zambia Facebook Page]

A NAPSA promotional video, released on the same day, shows visualisations of the development - including hotel blocks up to five storeys high and a swimming pool and open boma area fringing the river - and details the hotel as boasting "200 luxurious rooms, of which 20 are stand alone villas, a four-star standard fully equipped conference facility seating up to 500 people." 

Watch the NAPSA Promotional video for the development [Facebook, NAPSA page, 3 July 2020 - external link, opens in a new window].

Latest News - Work Begins

Development of the site has already started, with access roads developed, heavy machinery on site and land cleared of trees. Residents report that the elephants now walk up Sichango road (the tar road to the Boat Club and Waterfront) - potentially bringing them into conflict along this busy 'people corridor' - used by vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians. 

On 7th August a local charity, the Conservation and Tourism Society (CATS), launched patrols to mitigate human wildlife (elephant) conflict among the people living near and around the National Park with a 24-hour elephant response team.

There are reports that National Park rangers are being deployed on a nightly basis to warn the elephants away from the site, often having to resort to firing gun shots to scare them away. Residents are reportedly using fire-crackers to deter elephants from their properties.

Sign the Online Petition to Limit the Impacts of this Development

An online petition against the development of the site has been started by Nina Siavwapa, Chiinga's widow. Chiinga was a passionate conservationist and campaigned for the protection of the elephant corridor. Whilst the development of the hotel has already started, it is not too late to influence this development. 

Save the Elephant Corridor in Livingstone, stop the development of the Radisson Hotel!

References

Sky News, 4 December 2019 - Elephants fitted with tracking collars as drought leads them to kill humans in Zambia - 4 December 2019

Staden, 2018 - Livingstone Bi-Weekly Newsletter, 7 November 2018. Available online (external link, opens in a new window).

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 12 November 2017 - Elephant tramples two tourists to death in Livingstone, Zambia - 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 15 September 2019 - Elephant kills Renowned Livingstone tour guide 

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 28 September 2019 - Livingstone residents to oppose the construction of a Golf course, Hotels in the Mosi-O-Tunya National Park -

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs, 30 July 2020 - Elephant kills man

Further Information

Download the full Environmental and Social Impact Assessment here.

2007-2012 Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya Joint Integrated Management Plan) [pdf, opens in a new window]

Zambia/Zimbabwe Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya 2016 State of Conservation Report to UNESCO (including 2016-2021 Joint Integrated Management Plan) [pdf download]

Zambia/Zimbabwe Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunya 2017-8 State of Conservation Report to UNESCO [pdf download]

NAPSA Promotional video for the development [Facebook, NAPSA page, 3 July 2020]

Are fences the way forward for cat conservation?

Source: Africa Geographic
Date: 11 June 2013
By: Chloe Cooper

Conservation-minded people seem to think that fencing in our big cats may be best for their safety (see previous blog post Half of Africa's Lions Facing Extinction). It seems entirely contradictory that people who are striving for the openness of borders and the development of transfrontier parks and conservation areas are among those who are supporting the notion of erecting fences and creating separate reserves in order to contain our wildlife. Transfrontier areas aim to extend park boundaries across countries and through human settlements in order to re-establish the ancient migration pathways throughout Africa, as the same time equipping people with the tools required to live harmoniously with the wild animals. It is a spectacular thought. Imagine an Africa of yesteryear – a wild continent, rich in resources, wonderful wildlife, cultural celebration and the sustainable living ethic of a greedless nation. Without the introduction of capital to the continent and the financial implications associated with success, it is possible to imagine that we would not be facing a conservation crisis such as the one that faces us today.

Part of what makes lions such a remarkable success as a species was investigated in an article published by Africa Geographic in May – ‘Brawn and Brains’ by Anthony Ham. He observed that lions in the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) were a lot calmer and more confident than their relatives beyond the border. Those lions living nearer to human settlements demonstrated fear and skittishness when approached by a vehicle, while the cats in the CKGR were not unnerved. It is an obvious association. Lions preying on livestock outside park boundaries are shot and killed, so they have developed a fear of anything human. Those who prey on game within reserves are not at risk of attack by humans, thus they do not fear them.

When I asked Sabi Sand professional field guide Jason Kipling to comment on the ‘border-safety’ intelligence lions seem to possess, he related this level of association to the behaviour of elephants in Botswana. He told me that the wildlife conservationist Pat Dewil had reported that elephants demonstrated vastly different behaviour within just a few metres of a hunting zone. In the hunting area, they became fearful and anxious; when they moved just a few strides away into a ‘safe’ zone, they became calm and relaxed – a replica of the behaviour in lions, as described by Anthony Ham. This information plays a vital role in the movement to protect Africa’s lions. Jason is of the opinion that containing lions within the protective borders of national parks and reserves is the only way forward if we are to save the species from extinction due to human conflict and hunting. He emphasised that the risk of lions being killed in areas like the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, where livestock grazes nearby, is much higher due to the lack of fencing separating predator and prey. One would think that this activity is likely to result in poor quality lion-viewing due to the stresses experienced by animals that have been exposed to the trauma of shootings.

n more ways than one, the loss of lions will devastate Africa – that much is certain. It is not purely the job of ‘greenies’ to protect a species. It falls upon the shoulders of governments to promote the glory of their countries from a tourism perspective, in order to support economical demands. Jason provided me with some real insight into the not-so-welcome notion of physically segregating our wild lands and enclosing Africa’s biggest cat.

If any animal is to be kept within a boundary, we need to make sure that the balances are right in terms of numbers. National parks and private reserves probably have more lions than they can support, due to the fact that they promote business. However, if all the territories are not occupied and there is enough prey to support lions within the parks and reserves, there should be no resason for the cats to breach the fenced boundaries. In a nutshell: strict population control of both predator AND prey species needs to be practised if we want to successfully keep lions in fenced and protected game reserves.

For full artilce visit: Is Fencing in Our Big Cats for the Best?, Africa Geographic, June 2013

Botswana Bushmen win eviction reprieve

Source: Survival International
Date: 18 June 2013

Dozens of Botswana Bushmen threatened with eviction have won a significant court victory in their struggle to stay on their land.
Since the wildlife corridor between the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park was first proposed, the local and national authorities have pressurized the Ranyane Bushmen to leave. The corridor project was promoted by the US organization Conservation International (CI) – Botswana’s President Khama sits on Conservation International’s board.
The Bushmen in fact pose no threat to wildlife, alongside which they have lived sustainably for centuries, and many believe the eviction is in fact to benefit local cattle ranchers.
Last month the local council told residents that they would be evicted in just four days, and sent trucks and police to the settlement to intimidate them. The Bushmen went to court, and obtained a temporary injunction against their eviction.
Today, in a new hearing, the court ruled that no government officials can enter the Bushmen’s compounds without their consent; that their water borehole cannot be dismantled without warning; and that the Bushmen’s lawyers must be notified before any further attempt is made to resettle them.
The court also ordered the government to pay all the Bushmen’s costs. Survival’s Director Stephen Corry said today, ‘How many court cases does it take for human rights to prevail in Botswana? Isn’t it time for President Khama to stop the evictions of the Bushmen, Botswana’s first citizens, once and for all?’
Read More:
Bushmen Want to Live in Peace on Their Land, Voice of America, 30 May 2013
Botswana’s High Court has issued an interim injunction regarding the case between the Ranyane Bushmen of Botswana and the government. It pertains to whether or not the government can remove the Bushmen to make way for what may presumably be a wildlife corridor. Both parties are set to reconvene in court on June 18.
However, Survival International, an organization that focuses on promoting the rights of people who live in tribes, reports that the Bushmen were told on May 28, that they would be forcibly removed from their land.
The NGO said that the Ranyane Bushmen, which number only several hundred now in southern Botswana, continue to be threatened with eviction from their land. This, even after the high court ruled in 2006 that the forced removals were unlawful and unconstitutional. Bushmen have since taken the Botswana government to court several times, alleging that the government continues to harass and threaten them.
The land that the Ranyane Bushmen live on lies between the Central Kalahari Game Reserve and the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. It is also occupied by settlers and farms.
Botswana denies plans to evict Bushmen, South Afrian Times, 27 May 2013
This week the indigenous rights group Survival International claimed that the Botswanan authorities were going to evict the community, which has lived in the southern settlement of Ranyane for generations. But Botswana government spokesman Jeff Ramsay said the allegations were false. "The government of Botswana has no plans to remove those who want to stay at Ranyane," he said.