BONGWE HOUSE

HOUSE DESCRIPTION

Bongwe's Livingstone Guesthouse is situated at the southern end of Livingstone, opposite the 5* Royal Livingstone and is very close to the Victoria Falls. The house can sleep up to 8 people and is rented out of a self catering basis. There is a fully equiped kitchen and air-con in the rooms. Outside you will find a fantastic garden with bbq area and swimming pool. The extensive grounds are fenced and safe to walk and explore, even during elephant season. The grounds offer a great view of the river valley and the towering plume of "smoke" from the Victoria Falls can be seen from the southern border fence. During high water the Falls can be heard throughout the day and night. Located 1km from the lion and elephant sanctuary you can not only hear the lions roaring in the evening and early mornings, but you can also visit these big cats first hand should you wish (The sanctuary charges a fee to interact with lions and cheetah - please contact us to make a booking in advance). If you like birding then the extensive trails and rolling hills surrounding Bongwe Villa will allow you to see a large array of species. The birding is also excellent around the garden and pool area. The local village is a short walk away and excursions can easily be arranged or you can explore themselves (between Nov - Apr it is an easy walk (no elephants), for the rest of the year you will have to go by car/taxi to be on the safe side). Please contact us if you would like to book a tour in advance (a fee is payable to the local community). If cycling is your thing then the village route also offers the shortest way back to town (6km) and the roads and tracks are unpaved and mostly used by donkey and carts. Its a fun and enjoyable place for a ride (bikes not provided but can be hired from a local operator. You can also bring your own). Night time sees us far enough from the town to not hear the local bars and traffic which allows for the authentic sounds of the African night. The large open fireplace is a great place to sit and stargaze while enjoying a cold beer or Gin and Tonic, perfect for a rustic BBQ (braai) or just a quiet thought or two. For those that prefer to remain connected to the world at large we provide free Wi-Fi within the Villa so you can continue to stay in touch with those not lucky enough to be with you. It isn't the speediest of connections due to our location, but is perfectly fine for browsing, social media and emails. We probably average about 1 to 2Mb/s. The 4 bedroom self-catering house has a fully equipped kitchen, 2 en-suite bedrooms and a shared bathroom for the other two bedrooms. Each downstairs bedroom has air-conditioning and mosquito nets. Upstairs in the "attic" is another bedroom with up to 8 single beds with mosquito nets. This could be ideal for kids sharing whilst the parents sleep peacefully downstairs. There is no air-conditioner in the upstairs bedroom, but fans are available on those warm nights. There is a large living room and two dining areas, including a place to eat on the outside patio. There is a also a refreshing pool in the garden with sun loungers and comfy seating areas in the shade. The kitchen is fully equipped and we will provide some of the basics prior to your arrival such as milk, cooking oil, condiments and a few other extras. We highly recommend that you do a shop prior to your arrival. We have a reasonable Shoprite supermarket in town as well as a Spar. You can also phone ahead of your arrival and provide us with a shopping list which we can buy for you before hand. We will charge a small fee to cover our costs. For those who prefer not to worry about cooking there is a chef available for daily hire who can look after your needs or we can include a complete meal package at additional reasonable rates. Please contact us for rates. Please note that the gardens and swimming pool may be shared with other guests of our self-catering camp which includes 9 walk-in safari tents, all en-suite with showers and hot running water. The camp is quiet and scattered around the grounds, far enough away from the villa to not impose on your stay. There is a daily maid service provided free of charge. She will clean the house and wash the dishes each day. She can also provide a laundry and ironing service if you wish, but this will be an extra charge which you can negotiate with her at the time. There is 24 hour security on site