Deluxe African Safari: Zimbabwe & Botswana

The itinerary below is our planned schedule. Times are general estimates and vary depending on local weather.

DAY 1 - Arrival Arrive in Kasane Airport, Botswana early afternoon. Chobe Savanna Lodge is located in the Eastern Zambezi Region of Namibia. It is perfectly set on the banks of the Chobe River with spectacular views of Botswana’s Chobe National Park. The lodge is accessed by boat via the town of Kasane (Botswana). Our guides will meet you at the Kasane border and assist you with the simple border procedures before transporting you away from the bustling town of Kasane to remote location for which Chobe Savanna Lodge is renowned.

You will have a chance to rest and freshen up before we rendezvous at the bar for a welcome drink and briefing. Our trip leader will give us an overview of what excitement lies ahead!

At 4 pm, we will board our vessel for a relaxing sunset cruise to enjoy a few drinks while looking for game and will enjoy the beautiful and abundant bird life. Our first African sunset to be enjoyed with our fellow Zambezi explorers while we gently drift amongst the Hippo pods will be unforgettable! (D)

Day 2 Game drives and walks Guests can choose morning, afternoon or night drives to get their fill of the wonderful game viewing that is available here. All drives are conducted in open-backed 4×4 vehicles that are suited to the terrain and are perfect to afford the best views of the game. We also have a chance to offer guests a walking safari. Your professional guide will show you some of the large and small wildlife of Imbabala’s private concession area, highlighting species that might get missed if on a drive. The chance to get up close and personal with the larger species is also very exciting and who can ever forget their first elephant encounter while walking. The walks usually last for 3 hours and guests will normally walk for about 5km during that time. The fully qualified professional guides are armed and experienced with the animals that occur on the concession. Overnight Imbabala Safari Lodge. (B,L,D)

DAY 3 - Day trip to Chobe National Park Chobe National Park, in northern Botswana, has one of the largest concentrations of game in Africa. Often described as one of, if not the best, wildlife-viewing area in Africa today. Chobe boasts one of the highest concentrations of wildlife left on the African continent. Animals are present during all seasons, and at certain times of the year their numbers can be staggering. A major feature of Chobe National Park is its elephant population currently estimated at around 120,000. Overnight Imbabala Safari Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 4 – Transfer to Vic Falls and then Old Drift Lodge Morning Game activity at Imbabala followed by breakfast / brunch. Then, we will transfer to Victoria Falls where you can participate in activities at Vic Falls (such as gorge swing, bungee jump, etc).

We will then enjoy a leisurely lunch at The Wild Horizons Look Out Café. After lunch, we will be transferred by 4 x 4 vehicles into the park to the Old Drift Lodge.

Old Drift Lodge is actually one of Zimbabwe’s newest and more deluxe lodges on the Zambezi River just above Victoria Falls. Upstream from the iconic Victoria Falls in the Zambezi National Park lies a pristine piece of land on the banks of the Zambezi River. The untouched natural beauty of the park is sprawled over 56 000 breathtaking hectares. The activities offered at Old Drift Lodge emphasise the rich natural environment, focusing on the abundance of wildlife that roam through the Park and swim the Zambezi River. The Zambezi National Park can be explored by road, river or on foot, satisfying guests needs to experience every aspect of this natural utopia.

The main lodge area has 360-degree views, north facing onto the Zambezi & south facing onto a water hole. Only 4.5 kilometres from the town of Victoria Falls, Old Drift Lodge is the closest lodge within the National Park to Victoria Falls. Luxury boats transport guests to our natural utopia where we are able to accommodate safari goers in 10 double suites and 4 family suites.

Old Drift Lodge offers family friendly accommodation, with each air-conditioned suite decorated with stylish furnishings, fitting of the bygone eras, which blend in seamlessly with the natural environment. The spacious canvas en-suite rooms all have a private lounge, viewing and “sleep-out” deck, indoor and outdoor showers, plunge pool and an outdoor bath overlooking the Zambezi. (B,L,D)

Day 5 – Day at Old Drift Lodge Optional Acitivies include Canoeing, walking safaris and driving safaris. Many will opt to stay and enjoy the luxury and comforts of this iconic lodge (B,L,D)

Day 6 – Transfer to Hwange National Park 3 hour transfer to our hotel for the next 3 nights: Verney’s Camp in Hwange National Park. There we will enjoy an afternoon game drive, relax with some sundowners and potentially go on a night drive. Over night Verney’s Camp. (B,L,D)

Day 7 – Hwange National Park Just before the sun rises your day on safari begins. After a wakeup call, everyone gathers at the camp fire to have a light breakfast before setting out on the morning’s activities. We usually leave by Land Rover for a game drive to a designated area chosen earlier, where you will be briefed by your guide and then all set off on a safari walk. On completion of your walk, you will return to camp in the late morning, for a brunch, and a time of relaxation, where you can return to your rooms for a siesta, or sit and watch the activities at the waterhole. We do have a unique log pile hide in the shade near the waterhole which you guide will be happy to take you – so that you may have a close up view of all the visitors needing to drink and carry out their ablutions.

Mid-afternoon we will gather at the main area again to discuss the afternoon’s activity. Please note that there are no time restrictions to our activities, the walks/drives will be governed by what you see and not meal times. Hampers of delicious foodstuffs and refreshments will accompany every adventure into the bush, be it on foot or vehicle. (B,L,D)

Day 8 – More Hwange National Park Again we will wake early, enjoy a very light breakfast and enjoy the coolness of the morning while observing the animals of Africa. Walking and Driving Safaris available. (B,L,D)

Day 9 – Transfer to Elephant Camp A 3 hour transfer back to Victoria Falls and relax into our lodge Elephant camp for the next two nights. Once at Elephant Camp, you have a range of afternoon activities to choose from, including introducing yourself to Sylvester, the ambassador cheetah. After your afternoon activity, relax with a sundowner, the breathtaking views of the Victoria Falls’ spray, and the spectacular gorges which separate Zimbabwe and Zambia. (B,L,D)

Day 10 – Devils Pool After breakfast we will head out by vehicle, cross into Zambia to the boat jetty on the Zambezi where a small motor boat will ferry us out to the middle of the Victoria Falls and take us to Livingstone Island. From here we hike a short distance to the upstream edge of the Victoria Falls and from there will traverse a pool of calm water by swimming and then we climb onto a rock outcropping that allows us to jump into the famous Devil’s pool! This natural “tea cup” allows you to literally sit on the edge of the falls as water spills over the edge of the cup where you jumped in! It is a truly amazing and unforgettable experience that will set the tone for the exciting fun held in store for you! After the refreshing “dip” we swim, hike back to the tented “tea room” for a light, late morning snack of crumpets and tea. We return to the lodge for lunch and rest.

In the afternoon, we can enjoy more of what the Elephant Camp has to offer and meet some of the rescued wildlife up close and personal, or take a trip back to Vic Falls for some adventure activities, souvenir shopping …the choice is yours, but we’re betting you are not going to want to leave. Tonight will be our farewell dinner as we share great stories and make plans for our next Adventure. (B,L,D)

Day 11 – Depart By now, your new home in the bush will feel so comfortable that you will begin to ponder ditching the real job back home and opening your own lodge in Africa. But while you are fantasizing we will transfer you to the Victoria Falls Airport for a mid-day flight out. You will connect with your international flight home, and you will still be dreaming and reflecting on one of the best experiences in your life and the new friends made. You might already be scheming a timely return to the African wilderness and its supreme river – the inimitable Zambezi…(B)