Even though it’s only about a 30-minute drive from the airport in Livingstone, Sussi & Chuma Lodge feels like entering a magical realm where rushing river and a chorus of birdsong soundtrack every moment. The epic setting on the Zambezi is best appreciated from up high, which is why the elevated design and network of walkways make so much sense. (Look out for elephants walking underneath, especially in the dry season, when they like to have a scratch on the trees.) Days here unfurl with the rhythm of the surrounding, awe-inspiring nature. Wake up at this luxury Zambian treehouse lodge and enjoy coffee on the waterfront deck of your thatched-roof suite for that first hit of caffeine. You’ll need it to fire you up for all the activities on offer here: morning game drives in Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park to see zebras, giraffes and buffaloes; visits to Victoria Falls from both the Zambian and Zimbabwean sides; water-based activities such as rafting, fishing and even swimming in the Devil’s Pools at the edge of the falls when the season’s right. Lunch of freshly delivered local meat, cheese and vegetables is followed by dips in the infinity pool overlooking the Zambezi, spa treatments accompanied by the gentle sounds of the river, or browsing the curated edit of African-crafted items in the on-site Bush Boutique. But there are lots more Zambian adventures to pack in outside your luxury Victoria Falls lodge too, with rhino encounters, walking safaris, helicopter flights to spot crocs and hippos lurking in the water below and visits to the women’s projects in Nakatindi village supported by A&K Philanthropy. Sundowner cruises signal the end of the day before you return to the lodge for atmospheric evenings. The Firefly Bar overlooks the river by the sunset deck – a lovely spot to wind down before a delicious dinner of local ingredients or, once a week, the freshest seafood grilled on the barbecue, and nightcaps around the crackling firepit down on the water’s edge. Sleep comes easy at Sussi & Chuma Lodge; perhaps it’s the cocooning circular design of the treehouse suites, the white-noise effect of the constantly flowing river – or perhaps it’s just the contentment of knowing you’ve spent your day maximising your Zambian safari adventure.