Ultimate Safari – Botswana, Victoria Falls & Zimbabwe

Itinerary

• Day 1
  Begin your safari adventure with an overnight flight to Zimbabwe. 
• Day 2
  After landing at Victoria Falls airport in the late morning, meet your friendly tour manager and board a mini-van for the drive to the renowned Chobe Safari Lodge, where you'll stay for the next three days. You'll need to complete border formalities as you cross into Botswana along the way. Positioned on the banks of the Chobe River and within a stone’s throw of the famed Chobe National Park, Botswana’s first reserve, you’ll be perfectly placed to spot the very best of the area’s diverse natural world. Upon arrival, you’ll be free to settle into your room, perhaps enjoying a first lunch with a view of the river or a dip in the lodge’s swimming pool.   In the evening, board a boat and cruise along the Chobe River as the sun begins to set. Keep your eyes peeled for elephant sightings along the lush bank while the boat gently navigates its way, and the sky transforms into shades of pink and orange. Enjoy iced beverages and a range of snacks as you spot herds of native buffalo and wallowing hippos by the waters’ edge. Arriving back at the lodge, enjoy your first dinner under the stars.
• Day 3
  Rise early this morning ahead of your first morning game drive deep in the Chobe National Park. As dawn breaks over the open savannah, Chobe’s mesmerising landscapes come to life, and you’ll have the chance to watch the impalas, zebras, and giraffes grazing in the golden sunlight.   Away from the noise of the crowds, you’ll venture into the most secluded sections of the park, allowing you to get as close as possible to the region’s rarest game. With an expert ranger at the helm, learn about the park’s unique ecosystems as you seek out its native species, from the elusive painted dog to the majestic southern lion, before pausing for a coffee and rusk break underneath the trees.  You’ll then return to the lodge for breakfast and the rest of the morning will be free to relax. Perhaps opt for a spa treatment before lunch and one of the lodge’s optional activities in the afternoon. Join an optional afternoon activity like venturing over to Impalila Island, in neighbouring Namibia. Following a short boat ride across the Chobe River with a local resident, you can experience a tour of an authentic village.  Return to the lodge this evening for dinner with the option to dine near the bush.  
• Day 4
  Watch as the sun rises on the deck this morning before breakfast or join the other travellers for an optional activity at the lodge. A photographic boat cruise allows you to take snaps of the wildlife on the banks, using your own camera equipment. Under the guidance of a knowledgeable expert, you’ll be taken to the perfect spots to capture nature at its most beautiful. The specialised photography boat is custom-designed with 360-degree revolving chairs and adjustable gimble rig swivels, meaning there will be no obstructions.   After you’ve enjoyed lunch at your leisure, perhaps at the lodge or in the nearby town of Kasane, you’ll head out on an afternoon game drive. From the 4x4 open-air vehicle, observe as sable herds, antelope and warthog scurry through the ancient woodlands or lounge in thick grass.  Return to the lodge for dinner this evening, at a location for your choosing.
• Day 5
  This morning, bid your hosts farewell after breakfast and enjoy a scenic drive to your next stop, magnificent Victoria Falls. As you head south along the Chobe’s riverbanks, you’ll have one last chance to admire its incredible aquatic wildlife. Keep an eye out and you might even spot some of its impressive native hippos!  Arriving in Victoria Falls, an artistic border town on the edge of its namesake waterfalls, you'll need to complete border formalities before checking into your next accommodation, the idyllic Palm River Hotel. Afterward, unwind and enjoy the afternoon at your own pace. Surrounded by nature, the hotel is ideally situated to immerse you in its serene environment. With the nearby river, colourful birdlife, and fertile landscapes, it offers a perfect retreat into the beauty of the local flora and fauna. You’ll also have full access to the property’s range of luxury amenities, including its three outdoor swimming pools, fitness suite and spa.
• Day 6
  Start the morning with breakfast at the lodge before venturing out for one of your holiday’s unmissable highlights – a sightseeing experience around the glorious Victoria Falls. Formerly known as ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ (or ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ in English), these spectacular waterfalls are fed by the Zambezi River and host a flourishing biosphere rife with unique flora and fauna. Though the National Park is relatively small, the namesake waterfalls are some of the largest in the world and offer truly memorable views.    This afternoon, step aboard a cruiser for a voyage along the wide Zambezi River, home to hippopotami, crocodiles and teeming marine ecosystems. This expansive waterway, the fourth largest on the continent, is also an ideal bird-watching hot spot with hundreds of species flocking to its banks each day, including the impressive African fish eagle, black skimmer, and marabou stork. Relax with a sundowner, in the company of your fellow guests, as you enjoy unobstructed views of the river’s untamed stretches. Once you’re back ashore this evening, you’ll be free to explore or relax at your own pace.    Arts lovers can opt to watch the award-winning ‘Simunye: Spirit of Africa’ with an optional evening at the open-air Victoria Falls Theatre. This colourful spectacle of puppetry, dance and music, performed by a local theatre group, tells the tale of an exiled prince and his journey in search of a place to belong. What’s more, you’ll also be supporting local artists with each ticket sale.  
• Day 7
  Get yourself ready for a fascinating day of historical exploration, and enjoy a leisurely breakfast, before setting off for the imposing Victoria Falls Bridge, a marvel of Edwardian engineering. Built in 1904, this chasm-crossing structure was originally conceived by the British mining magnate and former South African president, Cecil Rhodes, and was intended to be a vital link in a grand continent-spanning railway connecting British colonies from Cape Town to Cairo.    Watch the remarkable history of the bridge come to life the tale surrounding this incredible project is recounted by an expert local guide. Insightful and unique, this tour goes beyond the history books to recreate the storied past of one of Zimbabwe’s most recognisable landmarks. If you’re feeling especially daring, you’ll have the chance to walk along the workers’ catwalks beneath the bridge’s railway lines for spectacular birds-eye views of the surrounding landscapes. Perhaps bring an umbrella though – the bridge was specifically designed to catch the sprays of the fall.   Return to the lodge in time for lunch and spend the rest of the afternoon at your own pace. If you didn’t get to see the waterfalls’ wild cascades from the bridge earlier, or can’t get enough of the vistas, you can pass the time in the nearby Lookout Café, a terraced eatery boasting views over the Zambezi’s Batoka Gorge.    If you’d prefer a more unique experience this afternoon, join an optional excursion across the Zambian border to view Victoria Falls from a different angle. Travel upstream by boat to Livingstone Island, where the Scottish explorer David Livingstone first laid eyes on the waterfalls. Surrounded by expansive views of the waterfalls and the popular Angel’s and Devil’s Pools, where thrill seekers swim on the precipice of the waterfalls, you’ll then be treated to a high tea to the roaring sounds of the cascading waters below.     Alternatively, for a more active afternoon, you’ll have the chance to delve into the heart of the Zambezi National Park on a final optional game drive. Spread over 56,000 hectares of wooded bushveld, this sprawling nature reserve is home to rich ecosystems complete with a thriving big cat population and lively herds of bushbucks, kudu and Cape buffalo. Escorted by an expert guide, make the most of a final few memorable hours in the savannah and have a camera handy for any of the species you might have missed. After an exciting escape into the bush, enjoy a few snacks and drinks by the Zambezi River, where you'll be within touching distance of the park's aquatic and avian wildlife, before returning to the lodge for a final night in Victoria Falls.
• Day 8
  Following breakfast at the hotel this morning, leave Victoria Falls behind as you drive south to vibrant Hwange, a hub of cultures home to thriving industrial plants and stunning natural landscapes. Upon arrival, you’ll spend some time at the renowned Painted Dog Conservation Centre. Accompanied by one of the local rangers, you’ll learn about the centre’s rehabilitation efforts, supporting the dwindling populations of this curiously social species. With fewer than 7,000 painted dogs left across the world, the centre’s rangers carry out essential anti-poaching initiatives and work with local communities to help these beautiful creatures survive and thrive in Africa’s wild spaces. You’ll even have the chance to meet the resident painted dogs too, where you’ll witness their inquisitive and energetic nature first-hand. As you admire these delightful animals, the centre’s experienced rangers will offer fascinating insights into their anti-poaching efforts and wider conservation within the park.  At the end of an enlightening visit, follow in the footsteps of the late Queen Elizabeth II with a three-day stay at the nearby Sable Valley Lodge.The lodge is based at the heart of a private concession on the Dete Vlei, a dried river with several wildlife-rich watering holes, and offers unrestricted views of the park’s wildlife from its terraced overlooks. As part of the renowned Amalinda Safari Collection, the Sable Valley Lodge offers an immersive and sustainable safari experience, with wildlife-friendly stilted buildings and unique underground hides, at the heart of its Hwange private concession. Having arrived at Sable Valley, you’ll check-in and will be served some light refreshments to keep you fuelled for the afternoon’s activities. This afternoon, join one of the lodge’s rangers for a drive around the concession’s private hides, where you’ll catch your first few sightings of Hwange’s dynamic landscapes. Each hide, perfectly placed around the Dete Vlei’s most popular watering holes, offers unobstructed views of the region’s native fauna. As the sun goes down over the savannah, refresh yourself with sundowners and snacks at the hide before reboarding your Jeep for a night drive back to camp. After some time to freshen yourself up, reconvene with your fellow guests around the Captain’s Table for dinner.
• Day 9
  Wake up early this morning, with the help of tea, coffee and biscuits, before heading out into Sable Valley’s breath-taking private concession as the sun rises over its neighbouring mountain peaks. The animals are most active in the early morning, with impressive herds of wildebeest, buffalo and zebra grazing in the cooler temperatures, and you’ll have plenty of time for some truly enchanting animal encounters. If you’re lucky, you might even see the resident big cats on the hunt.   Later this morning, return to the lodge for breakfast and time at leisure ahead of a busy afternoon on safari. You can enjoy a refreshing dip in the swimming pool or share your wildlife sightings with your fellow travellers in the open-air lounge areas before you settle in for lunch on the lodge’s front deck. You can also pay the lodge’s impressive underground hide a visit for another chance to spot Hwange’s roaming local wildlife.  Later this afternoon, after iced coffees at the lodge, your group will embark on the day’s second game drive. With its thriving elephant, lion and buffalo populations, this reserve is ideal for seeking out some of the most elusive sightings. Visit a series of nearby watering holes, which are popular amongst the native elephants and buffaloes, for the chance to watch nature in action. As the sun begins to set on Hwange, witness the bushveld ablaze with golden light, and keep an eye out for a few final glimpses of the reserve’s creatures.    This evening, you’ll return to the lodge for a hearty dinner. Listen for the roar of big cats, though, and you may get the chance to head back into the park for a thrilling night drive.  
• Day 10
  Enjoy breakfast at the lodge this morning before meeting the residents of a local village to learn about the rich blend of cultures that co-exist in Hwange and the efforts taken by these communities to mitigate the human-wildlife conflict. This immersive visit promises fascinating insights into the lifestyles of Hwange’s local people, who have to contend with the region’s predators. Additionally, your visit today will also mark an enlightening opportunity to engage with some of the region’s most prominent cultures and languages. Round out your tour of the villages by learning about how your hosts, the Amalinda Safari Group, assist their local communities with a tour of the lion-proof bomas they’ve helped to build.  Later on, return to the lodge for lunch and an early afternoon siesta, perhaps with a refreshing dip in the swimming pool, before heading back into the bush for a final game drive. Have your binoculars at the ready as you glide through the Savannah plains in search of a few final treasured sightings. As the sun sets on the park’s popular watering holes, you’ll see the animal kingdom at its most scenic, bathed in golden light. A final evening at leisure in Hwange awaits, making the most of your lodge’s decadent amenities and private hides. After dinner around the Captain’s Table, join the lodge’s ranger around the campfire for tales of their most thrilling animal encounters.