MEET ME AT THE RIVER

Plan a visit to the new Mukwa River Lodge on the banks of the Zambezi to experience Zambian food with a twist, courtesy of head cook Aaron Menezes and four passionate members of his kitchen team.

- KHANYA MZONGWANA

ON THE HOT DRIVE FROM HARRY MWANGA NKUMBULA AIRPORT, traffic halts as herds of elephant languidly cross the road, and warthogs and the occasional zebra casually trot by, zig-zagging through groups of schoolchildren and cyclists. As the crowd gradually thins, signs advise us to remain vigilant and keep windows and doors closed because monkeys frequent the area and have been known to grab snacks right out of unsuspecting visitors' hands.

There's certainly no shortage of wildlife to have memorable close encounters with here, including at our final destination, Mukwa River Lodge, just 19 kilometres from Livingstone. The lodge is positioned on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River and is approximately a 30-minute drive from World Heritage Site Mosi-oa-Tunya, or Victoria Falls as it's known internationally.

This is an intimate luxury lodge with just six suites, four of which face the river, each with their own secret garden, deck and plunge pool. Some might argue, though, that it's the food that makes a getaway truly memorable, and fortunately for Mukwa guests, head cook and patron Aaron Menezes is serious about making their culinary experience something worth reminiscing over.

It's fair to say he's in a constant state of brainstorm. "Many of the other cooks think I'm crazy, and honestly, I think they might be onto something!" His fondness for local produce and affinity for turning food concepts on their heads has earned him a reputation as something of a culinary enigma in Livingstone. Aaron's creativity is perpetual and adaptable to where he finds himself geographically he also wears the hat of co-owner at five-star boutique hotel The Residence in Johannesburg.