African safaris are often a once-in-a-lifetime experience. And if you’re looking for an option that promises private views of wildlife from your very own living room, then Mpala Jena Private Villas need to be on your radar. Offering the complete hospitality triangle of exceptional staff, authentic local experiences, and unforgettable accommodation, this is one holiday I won’t soon forget.
While this stay was hosted, all thoughts and opinions are our own.
Luxury in seclusion at Mpala Jena Private Villas
Setting the scene
Nestled along the Zambezi River, Mpala Jena offers a wide range of refined, immersive safari experiences
Most travellers who make it to Victoria Falls, the eponymous town home to one of the largest waterfalls on Earth, come in search of thunder and roar. Of the Zambezi in full spectacle. Of helicopter shots that capture its furious plunge into 250 kilometres of rock-gnawing cataracts and steep-walled gorges. It is all deliciously primed for an adrenaline rush.
Our senses are usually tuned to nature at its most ferocious and flamboyant, especially when Africa comes to mind, more so when the word wild enters the conversation. Big game. Bigger moments.
But a few steps, or rather a few rapids, upstream from the high-octane hoopla, across the Zambezi in Zimbabwe, the hum of the falls softens into birdsong and the deep, unhurried grunts of hippos.
Rising improbably in the middle of nowhere, a pair of villas with thatched roofs and lime-washed walls appear like a scene lifted from the end of a faraway fairytale, the sort where a lost princess might stumble upon a hidden home deep in the woods.
About the villas
With only five suites and a private villa option, it is ideal for guests seeking exclusivity
Mpala Jena Private Villas is a newly opened, discreet hideaway designed for well-heeled travellers seeking respite from the sensory overload of Victoria Falls. This is a place where riverine wilderness and stillness are just as intoxicating as big-game sightings, which, yes, you will still get a fill of.
The best part is that some of the finest sightings take place through the arched windows of your villa, which open directly onto a waterhole. We watched zebra drift in at dusk as hippos lingered lazily nearby.
Designed as villas lifted from the slopes of Itria in Puglia, Italy, Mpala Jena Private Villas are located 5 km away from their parent camp, Mpala Jena. Made of limestone, the striking façade cuts a captivating figure.
Guests can observe wildlife from the comfort of their living room
Connected to a central living-room hut, with a bar at one end and dining at the other, the lobby feels more like a home than a hotel.
In September 2025, under the Great Plains Conservation umbrella, the iconic African eco-tourism organisation founded by National Geographic filmmaker-explorers Dereck and Beverly Joubert introduced two new exclusive-use villas. Designed by villa owners Kevin and Shannon Lang in collaboration with architect Julia Rutherford and award-winning interior designer Tracy Kelly, the villas maintain a blend of elegance and authenticity.
“These exceptional residences redefine both luxury and seclusion, answering the growing desire among our guests for expansive private retreats, ideal for extended families and longer stays.” – Dereck Joubert, CEO of Great Plains.
The first thing that struck me as we arrived at the hotel was its striking Puglian style, a time-tested sustainable design form from 14th-century Italy.
Luxuriate in an oversized bathtub with a good book after a long day of exploring
Each villa features three generous riverfront suites, a private swimming pool, and dedicated staff, including a butler and a guide. Interiors are cool, airy, and layered with natural textures, while outdoor pavilions provide peaceful spots to watch wildlife wander by.
Inside the rooms, you’ll find all the worldly luxe mod cons, despite the far-fetched geographical coordinates: freestanding bathtubs, canopied four-poster beds fitted with Egyptian-thread-count sheets, double-sink vanities, generous closet space, a reading nook, and sumptuous, spaciousness throughout.
But the soul of the villas is anchored in African arts and crafts and vernacular materials, almost as if nature’s elements were picked directly from outside. Rattan furniture, rope chairs, handwoven rugs, and reed-lined ceilings are all produced locally in Swaziland. Whether it is the green colour palette of African mahogany or the beiges drawn from the sand outside, the leaf pattern omnipresent in artworks, linens, and upholstery blurs the line between inside and out.
Things to do
While private open safaris, like the rest of the high-end African wilderness camps, are very much part of the experience, it is the guides who are expertly knowledgeable and offer insights and perspectives that change the way you safari. Mine, Gerald, also came in handy as a butler when we were worn out in the wilderness, setting up bush picnics and champagne sundowners in the middle of nowhere.
Being located on the river’s edge, Mpala Jena Private Villas also gives you a rare opportunity to watch water-based wildlife up close through their private jetties. My jetty driver would flaunt his control over the boat, taking it through rapids and navigating hippo-trodden and elephant-crossing waters. I just sat wrapped in a cosy blanket, drinking lattes from spill-proof Stanley cups that convert into holders for beer and a selection of wines from the box bar on the jetty itself.
A guided half-day tour of the Victoria Falls is also included.
What else is there to do?
- Visit the local markets, treasure troves of keepsakes and African curiosities.
- Take a helicopter ride over Victoria Falls.
- If you enjoy walking, as I do, explore the trails along Victoria Falls National Park and make your way to all 16 of the viewpoints.
- Eat at the Look Out Café from Wild Horizons in the Victoria Falls town. This one has a view die for.
Staff: standing ovation
I can not say enough about the team who looked after us during our stay, they were simply rockstars!
Finally, a word on the staff, to whom I became deeply attached in just two days. It was one of the heaviest goodbyes I have ever had to say to a hotel team.
Gerald Sibanda, my guide, sat with me every evening by the fire, sharing stories of the wilderness and of a culture that is among the oldest in human history. He explained totem names and what they signify with such patience and pride. He asked me to close my eyes and offer a quiet prayer to a thousand-year-old baobab tree, revered for its wisdom and presence, a moment that felt intimate and sacred.
The chef learned to make Indian-style masala chai and customised every meal to suit my vegetarian preferences, adjusting spices with such thought and care. After I reached for extra African chilli sauce one evening, courtesy of my Indian palate, a small bowl appeared at the table the very next day without me having to ask. My butler, Solomon, began listening to Bollywood music, again courtesy of my being Indian, and saved my playlist on his phone as a remembrance of me.
Jacob Ncube from housekeeping made up my room almost every 15 minutes I stepped out. Savannah Dupreez, the manager, would come to greet me first thing every morning, always with warmth and sincerity.
I have never experienced that level of staff interaction and heartfelt attention on any of my hotel trips before.
Discover more about Mpala Jena Private Villas
Price: Nightly rates at Mpala Jena Private Villas start from $6,370 (£4,765*) on an all-inclusive basis.
Information: Since most African safaris are best arranged through travel agencies, you can seek assistance from Journeysmiths. They offer tailor-made itineraries to Africa, including Mpala Jena Private Villas, Victoria Falls.
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