Welcome to the Mpala Jena Private Villas

The Mpala Jena Private Villa offers exclusive Victoria Falls luxury accommodation and safari experiences along the scenic, tree-lined banks of the Zambezi River within Zambezi National Park.

The team of architects, including Craig Hayman, Hannah Charlton, and interior designer Tracy Kelly, crafted a retreat that exemplifies “Barefoot Luxury” at its best.

Their goal was to blend natural elements with thatched roofs in the main areas of the camp and flowing canvas luxury tents for the bedrooms. The villa merges indoor and outdoor living spaces, built under thatch and stone, seamlessly integrating into its natural environment.

– Dereck Joubert

Welcome to the Mpala Jena Private Villas

The Mpala Jena Private Villas are the epitome of Victoria Falls luxury accommodation and are intimate safari villas positioned along the beautiful tree-laden banks of the Zambezi River.

The Mpala Jena Private Villas nearby are situated on the white sandy banks of Zimbabwe’s Zambezi River and within the Zambezi National Park. 

The architect team of Craig Hayman and Hannah Charlton, along with interior designer Tracy Kelly, created a haven that epitomises “Barefoot Luxury” at its finest. 

The team aimed to incorporate natural elements by using thatched roofs in the camp’s main areas and flowing canvas luxury tents for the bedrooms. The villa is a blend of indoor and outdoor living spaces built under thatch and stone that seamlessly merge into its natural surroundings.  

– Dereck Joubert

The Camp

The Mpala Jena Private Villas are two exclusive 3-bedroom villas positioned on the banks of the Zambezi River, approximately five kilometres upstream from Mpala Jena.

Set within Zimbabwe’s Zambezi National Park, each villa offers families and small groups their own private space from which to explore the river, the surrounding landscape and Victoria Falls.

The Villas were designed to be completely different from the main camp. Inspired in part by the architecture of Puglia in southern Italy, the design combines rounded forms, hand-hewn stone arches, substantial stone walls and high thatched roofs.

Rather than reproducing a traditional safari camp design, the architecture was developed around circular forms and interconnected spaces that remain open to the landscape. Thick stone walls help keep the interiors cool during summer and warm during winter, while large doors open the living spaces towards the surrounding bush.

At one of the Villas, a tree grows directly through the roof, reflecting the approach behind the design. The surrounding landscape was not something to be shut out. It remains part of the experience.

Each Villa has its own private main area, swimming pool, kitchen and chef, creating a completely private home on the Zambezi for families or groups travelling together.

With a private butler, river guide, walking guide, and safari vehicle, guests have the flexibility to shape each day around their own interests.

Spend the morning exploring the Zambezi, head out on a private safari drive, take a guided walk, relax beside the pool or spend the day together at the Villa. There is no need to follow a schedule.

The Villas

Each Mpala Jena Private Villa has three riverfront Suites, accommodating up to six guests.

The Suites are individually positioned to provide privacy while remaining connected to the Villa’s central living spaces. Each includes a private seating area, walk-through closet and an ensuite bathroom designed to connect with the outdoors.

The bathrooms include showers with views towards the river and open views of the night sky above.

The Villas’ interiors are bright and spacious, combining natural textures and earthy tones with carefully selected furnishings and details by interior designer Tracy Kelly.

High ceilings, thick stone walls and thatch create spaces that feel substantial and sheltered, while the large openings and outdoor living areas maintain a close connection to the Zambezi and the surrounding landscape.

Each Villa also has its own private swimming pool and main lounge and dining areas, giving families and groups space to spend time together between their safari activities.

Rates

Mpala Jena Private Villas
From $6,370 per villa per night

The above rates are in US$.
The Mpala Jena Private Villas rates are per villa per night and include safari vehicle and guide services.
The nightly rates include accommodation, wildlife viewing activities in the Zambezi National Park (wildlife drives, guided walks and boating on the Zambezi), all meals, a scheduled half-day tour of Victoria Falls (subject to a minimum 2-night stay), the Zambezi National Park gate and/or boat transfers to/from Mpala Jena and the Kalambezi jetty, daily laundry, local alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Great Plains Conservation does not own or manage Mpala Jena and the Mpala Jena Private Villas. This is a preferred 3rd party property in Victoria Falls, where we hold an exclusive Sales, Marketing and Central Reservations arrangement. Mpala Jena employed staff care for all guests staying at this property.

Safari Experiences

A stay at the Mpala Jena Private Villas is entirely private and flexible.

Each Villa comes with its own private safari vehicle and guide, allowing guests to explore the Zambezi National Park at their own pace. Safari drives can focus on the area’s elephants, buffalo, lions, hyenas, antelope and diverse birdlife, with each day shaped around wildlife sightings and guests’ interests.

Private guided walks offer another perspective on the landscape, from its trees and tracks to the smaller details that are easily missed from a vehicle.

The Zambezi River is equally central to a stay at the Villas. With a private river guide, guests can decide when they would like to head out onto the water and explore the river by motorised boat. Water activities are dependent on seasonal water levels.

Catch-and-release fishing is also available, with tiger fishing generally at its best between June and December.

A private stay also allows for more flexibility away from scheduled activities. Spend the afternoon beside your own pool, enjoy a long lunch at the Villa or simply remain in camp and watch the changing activity along the river.

Visits to Victoria Falls can be arranged, with the opportunity to experience the Falls and explore the town and its surrounding activities. A variety of additional activities, including scenic helicopter flights over Victoria Falls, are available at an additional cost.

The Mpala Jena Private Villas combine particularly well with Tembo Plains Camp and The Zanji Suite at Tembo Plains, extending a private Zimbabwe safari along the Zambezi River.

- Explore our other Great Plains Camps

View the majestic Victoria Falls with your guide

Dine under the stars alongside the Zambezi River and listen to the chorus of nearby hippos

Ready To Explore?

Begin Your Journey

Lasting Impact

Zambezi Parks Support Foundation

The Mpala Jena Private Villas are located within the Zambezi National Park, making the protection of this landscape fundamental to the future of the experience offered here.

Together with other stakeholders in the park, Mpala Jena has supported the establishment of the Zambezi Parks Support Foundation.

Working alongside the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, the Foundation supports conservation and anti-poaching initiatives throughout the Zambezi National Park.

Its work includes the deployment of scouts to patrol critical areas, support for vehicles and logistics, improvements to anti-poaching infrastructure and other initiatives that directly assist the protection and management of the park.

Mpala Jena has also donated a riverboat to support river patrols, helping strengthen the monitoring and protection of the park’s waterways and wildlife.

For the Mpala Jena Private Villas, conservation is directly connected to the place guests have come to experience. Protecting the river, its wildlife and the wider Zambezi National Park helps ensure that this remarkable part of Zimbabwe remains protected for generations to come.