Bumi Hills Safari Lodge

Taking centre stage is the rim-flow pool overlooking Lake Kariba. Surrounded by lush botanicals and a terrace bar, the lodge has a particularly resort-like feel - ideal for R&R. There's an outdoor restaurant where meals are served to guests sitting privately. Ample breezy verandah seating as well as indoor lounges allow plenty of comfortable chilling. Kids and adults alike enjoy the game room with billiards table and the entertainment room with television. Kukondwa Spa sits adjacent to main area, offering a full menu of pampering spa treatments.

There are ten hotel-like rooms at Bumi, with ensuite bathrooms, air-con, ceiling fans, minibars, tea and coffee stations and private verandas. You'll have little sense that the bush is beyond the walls of these solid, well-built structures but they are comfortable - without being particularly luxurious by hotel standards. The ten premium classed rooms are larger than the standard version, with uninterrupted views of the lake. The ten standard rooms are located behind the premiums and have just partial views over the lake and smaller bedrooms and bathrooms.

Enjoy a drive around the lodge where you might spot a range of wildlife from elephant, buffalo and baboons to lion and leopard. Although beautiful, this region where game drives are conducted can be a little shy of game. That said, the waterholes and well-positioned hide platforms close to camp can yield some lucky sightings. Game walks are also offered but the real draw here is the lake itself, its myriad wildlife and the host of activists it makes possible. From boat cruising and fishing to birdwatching and sipping sundowners, Lake Kariba offers a spectacular variation on safari.