Name: Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma
Address: Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Livingstone 00000, Zambia, Livingstone, Livingstone, Livingstone, 00000, Zambia
Rating: 10

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Victoria Falls Airport

Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma

Livingstone

Sanctuary Sussi and Chuma was the first camp on our recent safari and it certainly set a high bar for those to come.  From the luxurious accommodations to the incredible staff, everything and everyone contributed to making our stay memorable.  

We have taken several trips with Abercrombie and Kent and have always been impressed with how they take such good care of their clients.  This has never been so evident as it was this time.  My wife misplaced her passport and all of the Chobe Chilwero staff and Kebby, our A&K tour director, turned out to search for it.  After turning the camp upside down to no avail, it was decided that my wife would need to get a temporary passport.  Ingrid, the camp manager, went into high gear.  She and two of her security staff took us to the local police station so we could file a police report (which entailed getting an officer to come to the station on his day off), and to immigration so our Zambia visa could be extended.  She made an appointment for us at the U.S. embassy in Lusaka for the next day to get a replacement passport and, as all of the commercial flights were sold out, arranged a charter flight for us to get there.  All of this was done in a calm, professional and caring manner which made the situation much less stressful.  

The good news is that my wife found her passport that night and we were able to avoid having to make the trip to Lusaka for a replacement.  We will never forget the effort put forth by Kebby, Ingrid and the Sussi and Chuma staff to help us.  As far as we are concerned they are all Rock Stars.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  We also are now even  bigger fans of  A&K and Sanctuary Retreats.  They really do take excellent care of their clients.  

Sussi and Chuma Delivers

While the accommodations were definitely 5 star. There were some parts of our stay that could have gone much better. 
1. A family member got food poisoning and the owner was insensitive about insisting it’s not food poisoning. She went so far as to blame the sickness on irrational causes. 
2. The owner approached me and my partner and the literal first thing she said was attempting to out us as gay. Given that it is a life sentence in jail in Zambia to be gay, this made both me and my partner very uncomfortable and scared. 
3. The WiFi is a sham. We were visiting with a group of 12 and no one had WiFi that worked properly. 

Other than the owner, Ingrid, the staff was perfect and went above and beyond. 

Accommodations and staff excellent. Management unprofessional.

We arrived at Sussi & Chuma to a welcoming party of elephants which blocked our entrance momentarily. There are no fences and the elephants hung around. But you're safe and at night you will be accompanied to go to your unit, they don't like you walking on your own. Even though this is a tree-top venue. In camp there are bush buck who made home there, a clutter of monkeys who always try to steal something but the staff on the deck have hand catapults to keep the peace. Squirrels, magnificent birds and magnificent staff and hospitality. In short: a 5 star-plus experience. Brilliant guides and staff all round. Zambian folks are super friendly. We spent a night in Livingstone Town; food & music which was also superb. We visited the Vic Falls three times with our kind guide Shadreck. AND: The Vic Falls defy description. Their  rhinos are guarded 24-hours 365 days, not de-horned. One of my best traveling experiences ever. I've been around.

Gob smacked; Fantastic experience

We loved our stay at Sanctuary Sussi and Chumi. A magical setting above the Zambezi River we had a brilliant stay the tree houses are so lovely … our daily trips game driving or on the river or seeing the rhino’s were fantastic.( and of course Victoria Falls ) The staff were great the food and wine were wonderful and Lezinah the lodge manager was so good at her job and we so enjoyed talking to her.

Great stay at Sussi and Chumi in Zambia 

This facility is wonderful.   Individual spaces with privacy and luxury.   We loved the interiors and comfort of a high end property but the feeling of being the african bush on safari.   The food is SPECTACULAR!!!  We loved everything about our experience here.  The managers Hugh and Katie are client experience focused and made the trip all the more special and intimate for us.  

A MUST DO PROPERTY!!  

Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma was our last Sanctuary camp on our three week tour of Botswana and Zambia, but our first one in Zambia.  And it's entirely possible that Sanctuary saved the best for last.

First off, Sanctuary handled the entire transfer from Botswana to Zambia, which could not have been easier or run more smoothly.  Once in Zambia, we were off to Sussi & Chuma.  Like all Sanctuary camps, we were greeted warmly by the camp managers Michele & Jerrard, who run an exceptional camp...and love it!  It really shows in their friendliness, professionalism and willingness to assist in any way possible.

After our greeting, we went into the main lobby area for camp review and to meet our stellar driver Eddie.  All of Sanctuary's drivers are exceptional, but Eddie was in a class by himself....he was amazing and was exceptionally knowledgable, friendly, and organized (something that's hard to do "in the bush").  Michele and Eddie provided all of the information and activities that we would be enjoying during our 3-night stay and actually managed to schedule us on a helicopter ride over the falls, something that we didn't decide to do until the last minute.  Aided by Thaniwe at the front desk (who is brilliant, thorough and one of the nicest people in the world), our revision in schedule was quickly confirmed and it was off to our room.

Our housekeeper Esther escorted us to our room and was exceptionally proud of her work....as she should be.  Our room was beautiful, spacious, well equiped and immaculate thanks entirely to Esther.  She was the best.  Our room had a lovely balcony that overlooked the Zambezi River (amazing), a bathroom to revival the highest 5-star hotel in Paris, a perfect-sleep providing bed and every amenity that one could think of.  

Obviously, we were here for the animals and the Falls, but the Spa at Sussi & Chuma should not be missed.  Run by Malala, we each had one of the best massages we ever had...her hands were magic.  And the spa is situated right long the river (as is the entire camp), so the sound of rushing water while getting the massage was not to be missed.

And one thing we never missed was a meal as the food provided was some of the best we ever had.  Our servers Boston, Oliver and Carrin insured that we not only got plenty to eat, but also experienced all sorts of new foods and delicious local dishes.  Collectively, they were exceptional...knowing the menu, learning exceptionally quickly where our tastes lie and friendly/helpful with any request or question that we posed.  And the bartender, Rodger, always made sure that our cups were filled with only the best mixed drinks, beers or wines around.  He was amazing!

The food and meals themselves are simply beyond words...beautifully prepared, perfectly seasoned & cooked and a feast for the senses.  In three days we never had one item that wasn't perfection on a plate.  It was the best.

We can't wait to return to Sussi & Chuma and hope until then all of the wonderful staff continuing to share their love of hospitality was all those guest lucky enough to visit them!  The Best!!

An experience beyond words!!

Wonderful!   Absolutely wonderful.   Thoroughly recommend 

We stayed 3 nights at Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma and from the moment we landed in Zambia to being dropped back off at the airport we were looked after by the fantastic staff.  Our lodge was lovely, very comfortable and the outdoor deck overlooked the Zambezi.   Our guide (Shadrick) was very knowledgeable and polite, and he explained the local flora and forna during the cruises (sunset and sunrise), game drive and walking safari.  We also took tour of the Zambia side of the Victoria Falls and local village, and added a helicopter ride over the Falls and through the gorge, which we highly recommend.   All the trips were very interesting and enjoyable and we felt safe throughout.  

On our last day we relaxed by the pool and enjoyed being pampered at the fantastic spa.  The food, drink and service were all first class. A big thank you to the team (led by Hugo and Kate) who made our stay so special !

Fantastic!    We highly recommend

From the start, the Sanctuary at Sussi and Chuma excelled. Edward, one of the guides collected us from the airport after a well organised transit through the arrivals. We were greeted by the management with drinks and snacks on arrival. They then guided us through the check-in procedure as well as the property. We quickly found out that our stay was going to be totally personalised to our needs and the lodge was there for us.  The food throughout out stay was excellent and served wherever we wanted. We never ate dinner in the same place twice. The luxurious lodge we stayed in was immaculate and kept so by they very attentive and efficient housekeeping staff (Memory). The game drives and river experiences were led by Edward who was calm, personable and extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of African flora, fauna and even the stars above. The management spoke to us several times a day to ask what we needed or would like to do during out stay. All of the staff were courteous, happy to help and extremely polite. Despite the location in the Zambian bush, we never felt insecure as there is 24/7 in house security who escort you around the property at night (due to the wildflife) and there is a guide on call 24/7 if you have questions, a change of plan or one of the local animals wanders into the lodge area. I cannot recommend the Sanctuary enough, all I can say is that we will return for another stay at some point in the near future. A note about ‘value’. This is a luxury resort and therefore not ‘cheap’ but what you get in return makes it worth while and good value.

An amazing and personalised experience from the outset

My stay here had a profound affect on me. The amazing setting in the midst of the National Park right on the banks of the amazing Zambezi River was just the start.
After the lovely welcome I was taken along the wooden walkway to my tree house which was beautifully appointed and with a view to die for (hippo and crocodiles incuded). I even got used to seeing bush buck, elephants and worthogs on my way to lunch sometimes 
I was there for some peace and quiet but also wanted to experience the adventures the location provides. Of course there was the Victoria Falls, from both sides, even a swim to Devils pool to be right at the edge. With game drives, walking safaris and river cruises I saw and learnt so much about the flora and fauna of the Park under the guidance of my extremely knowledgeable guide.
After all my activities I was always welcomed back to the tranquility of the lodge by the wonderful staff team, lead by Kate and Hugo. As a foodie I found the meals amazing, the hardest thing for me was deciding what to choose.
Having thought this would be a once off trip I find myself already trying to plan how I can get back there again.

Adventure, beauty and tranquility all in one place

My friend and I had a delightful stay at Suissi & Chuma.  We were greeted by the manager and a welcome drink with a tour of the beautiful property situated right along the Zambezi River.  The tree house was well equipped and very comfortable, with a lovely view of the River.  We loved having the weights, bands, and yoga mat, too. The food was excellent and we especially enjoyed lunch out in the bush as well as the sundowners boat ride with drinks and apps.  The sunset was one of the most spectacular we have ever seen.  Monkeys are all around the property, as well as deer, elephants, and crocodiles (near the river's edge) but you are well protected and perfectly safe.  The highlight of our stay here was seeing seven white rhinos at a watering hole.  Would highly recommend.

Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma

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