New lodge poised to change Zambezi tourism fortunes

While much of the tourist amenities have sprung up on the downstream of the mighty Zambezi in the Southern province, especially around the Victoria Falls which is one of the amazing features of the river, its long course in North Western province where it has a source in Mwinilunga district has not been utilised.

But that is about to change, and signs are looking up. This follows the construction of the Royal Kutachika lodge that has already taken shape in Zambezi district, a town named after the river.

In May this year, 10 rooms opened for public use at Royal Kutachika, after an investment of K2.5 million.

And an additional 18 rooms are to be constructed at a cost of K3 million as the proprietor, Philiep Cappelle, a Belgian national and his Zambian wife, Christine, unveil plans to turn a piece of land they acquired on the banks of the Zambezi river into a gem of tourists’ attraction.

The lodge sits right in the heart of Zambezi town overlooking the river, which from here makes a journey of thousand kilometers into Livingstone where it cascades into one of the seven wonders of the world—the Victoria Falls.

Mr Cappelle says when in 2008 he gave up his restaurant franchise business in South Africa and decided to settle in Zambia, there was never much thought about the idea of investing in a lodge, more so off the tourism beaten path in Zambezi district.

Couple behind Royal Kutachika Cappelle with wife Christine

However, all that changed when his wife, Christine, who hails from Chitokoloki village, hinted on the idea during one of their occasional visits to the district.

“It has always been my wife’s dream to build a lodge on the banks of the Zambezi River,” he said.

He narrates that after years of struggle with the bureaucracy at Zambezi council, which at one point frustrated him to give up the whole idea, finally his application for land and business plan got approval. 

“After a struggle to get my papers from 2008, in November 2010 I started 10 rooms and it has taken two years to build this we now call Royal Kutachika,“ he said.

He said the lodge is called Royal Kutachika because his wife is from chief Ishindi’s royal family. “That is how we get the ‘royal’ part of the name. Kutachika means beginning. This is just a royal beginning.”

Apart from the 10 rooms furnished and opened, the lodge has a restaurant and a bar all housed in a hall that can be converted to a conference facility to accommodate 20 to 50 people. A swimming pool is being built.

However, this August Mr Cappelle says he has plans to start adding other facilities to the lodge, starting with a separate 400 capacity conference hall, then a lump on water for launching boats for fishing excursions.

“I acquired additional land to build 18 chalets to cost K3 million, while an application for two hectares of land for future expansion have been submitted,” disclosed Mr Cappelle.  

He targets to create 50 permanent jobs from the initial seven that are already working at the lodge. “We have seven workers, but we will get 50 more once the conference facility and 18 chalets are done. Plus we may hire temporal workers when business demands”.

He also lays bare his future plans. “It is our idea not to become too big and lose quality. Money is not everything in life so our lodge will remain manageable and the pricing affordable so that it can be full at all times...it is what we want to keep,” he added.

Christine is delighted to see her dream becoming a reality. “It was my idea that started like a joke to have a lodge down the Zambezi River. Here we are just beginning. It is a royal beginning,” she chuckles.

Her husband is upbeat that Zambezi may see a lot of economic activity that will directly and indirectly support the hospitality industry.

“Zambezi is now ready for more investment in infrastructure following the completion of a tarred road from Mufumbwe to the district. People travel every day on luxury coaches,” Mr Cappelle says. “As travel is made easy more people will be coming to Zambezi.”

He says this is different from 2008 when he came to visit. “By then the road to Zambezi was not tarred. We left our vehicle and decided to jump on a bus built in the 1940s. It was packed with almost 100 passengers and was filled with fumes of smoke and had no brakes.”

Mr Cappelle is also banking his fortunes in exploiting the untapped potential for tiger fishing sport along the Zambezi River as a unique selling point for his investment. This is apart from making it a holiday destination where working people can find peace and quietness, escaping the noise of city life.

“It is good for people who want to run away from the noisy traffic, enjoy the peace and quietness while loving eating the fresh fish straight from the river. There is plenty fish down here,” he says.

He said the Zambezi River towards Chitokoloki also provides an ideal fishing adventure of tiger fish.

Royal Kutachika is also strategically placed as it will benefit in business from the hundreds of visitors who come to attend the two captivating traditional ceremonies.

Right on the east bank, chief Ishindi celebrates the Lunda Lubanza in the third week of August.  And across on the west bank, chief Ndungu also celebrates Likumbi Lyamize, renown for Makishi dancers, at around September.

At least for now Royal Kutachika appears to pioneer the investment in tourism amenities that have been missing on the Zambezi River in North Western province.

Should others emulate this nature of investment, Zambezi town would soon be a new tourist destination of choice for holiday makers.