This Journey includes 7 days exploring Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park and Chobe National Park: Spend a week experiencing the unforgettable opulence of wildlife on offer in the Southern African wilderness. This safari takes you through nature lover’s paradise; Hwange National Park and Chobe National Park are the two most famous nature reserves in Zimbabwe and Botswana. From exploring the Victoria Falls to the teaming wildlife surrounding the African waterholes and rivers, this experience will remain with you for life.
Departs: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Ends: Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.
Group size: Guaranteed from 2 guests.
Departure Dates: Daily, subject to availability.
Summary
A Small group fully accommodated Lodge Safari visiting Victoria Falls, Hwange and Chobe.
Highlights
Guided tour of the mighty Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park, Painted Dogs Conservation Centre, walking safari, traditional homestead visit, Sunset boat cruise and game viewing in Chobe National Park.
Meals
6x Breakfast, 4x Lunch, 4x Dinner. Meals included in your safari will be taken in the restaurants at the various accommodation establishments. Please advise us of any special dietary requirements in advance.
SAFARI
COST: Call for Pricing.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: Call for Pricing. |
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DAYS 1 - 2;
(2 Nights)
VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe [Lodge] |
 Upon arrival at Victoria Falls Airport in Zimbabwe, you will be met and transferred to your lodge. You have the remainder of the day at leisure to experience some of the optional activities that are on offer such as boat cruises, bungee jumping; elephant back safaris and much more, or simply sit back, relax and take in the view.
On the morning of day 2, you will have the opportunity to explore the mighty Victoria Falls on a guided tour. There will still be time for additional optional activities in the afternoon should you wish to partake in these. |
Overnight: Ilala Lodge or similar (Room with private bathroom, pool, restaurant and bar area).
Meals Day 1: Lunch and dinner for your own account.
Meals Day 2: Breakfast at Ilala Lodge or similar, Lunch and dinner for at your own account.
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DAYS 3 - 4;
(2 Nights)
VICTORIA FALLS TO HWANGE NATIONAL PARK, Zimbabwe [Chalets] |
 After breakfast you will be picked up and transferred to Hwange National Park where you will spend two nights at the Elephant’s Eye, Hwange Eco-Lodge, situated on a private concession. The area is home to many predators and endangered species such as the wild dog, plus a very large and varied birdlife.
En-route to the lodge you will visit the Painted Dogs Conservation Centre to learn about the efforts made to protect the endangered wild. In the afternoon, you will embark on a walking safari, led by a professional guide. Here you will learn some interesting details about the fauna and flora. You may have the opportunity to experience a close encounter with an elephant in the bush. The next day is spent on a full day game drive exploring the magnificent Hwange National Park. |
Overnight: Elephant’s Eye, Hwange or similar (Chalets with open-plan bathroom, double basins and outdoor shower, private veranda, fireplace, pool, restaurant and bar area, viewing deck).
Meals Day 3: Breakfast at Ilala Lodge or similar, Lunch pack from Ilala Lodge or similar and Dinner at Elephant’s Eye, Hwange or similar.
Meals Day 4: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Elephant’s Eye, Hwange or similar. |
DAYS 5 - 6;
(2 Nights)
HWANGE NATIONAL PARK TO CHOBE NATIONAL PARK, Botswana [Lodge] |
 This morning we will visit a traditional African homestead where locals will host you and share some information on their lifestyle. Thereafter you will be transferred to Kasane, the gateway to the Chobe National Park, where you will spend the next two nights. Your package includes all your meals and game activities (2 game drives and a game viewing boat cruise).
The Chobe River, which flows along the northeast border of the park, is a major watering spot for large breeding herds of elephants, as well as families of giraffe, sable and Cape buffalo. The flood plains are the only place in Botswana where the puku antelope can be seen. Birding is also excellent here. |
Overnight: Chobe Bakwena Lodge or similar (rooms with en-suite bathrooms, swimming pool, restaurant & bar).
Meals Day 5: Breakfast at Elephant’s Eye, Hwange or similar, Lunch pack from Elephant’s Eye, Hwange or similar, Dinner at Chobe Bakwena or similar.
Meals Day 6: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner at Chobe Bakwena or similar. |
DAY 7; (1 Night)
CHOBE NATIONAL PARK TO VICTORIA FALLS, Zimbabwe [TOUR ENDS] |
 Depending on your departure time, you will be picked up and transferred back across the border to Victoria Falls Airport for your onward flight. We hope to welcome you on one of our African adventures again soon.
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Overnight: N/A
Meals: Breakfast at Chobe Bakwena Lodge or similar. |
Note: The accommodation specified in the itinerary is a guide only and is subject to availability. Alternatives will be nearby and of a similar standard.
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Included
Return airport transfers, 2 nights’ accommodation at Ilala Lodge including breakfast, guided tour of Victoria Falls including park fees, 2 night’s accommodation at Elephant’s Eye, Hwange including all meals and activities as per itinerary, 2 nights accommodation at Chobe Bakwena including all meals and activities as per itinerary. Park fees & river usage fees, services of an English-speaking driver guide on the excursions specified.
Excluded
Travel insurance, flights, pre and post tour accommodation, optional activities, all drinks, tips and curios, all personal expenses.
Departure
The Elephant Eco-Lodge Safari departs from Victoria Falls. Whilst it is our every intention to adhere to the above mentioned itinerary, there may on occasion be a necessity to make alterations in order to make the tour more enjoyable or practical. Therefore please treat the itinerary as a guide only.
Transport
You will be picked up at Victoria Falls International Airport. For transfers between Victoria Falls, Hwange and Chobe, 2x4 vehicles may be utilised. All luggage, besides hand luggage and photo equipment, is carried on the vehicle or trailer roof racks to ensure maximum comfort in the vehicle. Some game drives may be conducted in open-sided safari vehicles.
Accommodation
We make use of mid-range typical African standard lodge accommodation. Accommodation is situated either in national parks, on the banks of a river, or in other places of interest. The accommodation will be a mix of lodges, chalets and tented camps with en-suite bathrooms.
Visas
The onus is on the client to organize all visas required to visit Zimbabwe and Botswana prior to departure. Kindly note that a multiple entry visa would be required for Zimbabwe should clients partake in this safari.
Information on Areas Visited
ZIMBABWE
This is a country blessed with great natural beauty, game reserves and mineral wealth.
The diverse landscape changes from mountainous to wilderness to typical Bushveld. The
country is also home to large animals and a large bird population. Zimbabwe is a country
located in the southern part of the continent of Africa, between the Victoria Falls,Zambezi River, Kariba Dam and the Limpopo river. Zimbabwe is bordered by South Africa
to the south, Botswana to the west, Zambia to the north and Mozambique to the east.
Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park is one of Africa's finest havens for wildlife and is home to vast
herds of elephant, buffalo, and zebra and has a very large concentration of giraffe. It is
also home to many predators and endangered species plus very large and varied
birdlife.
The park is situated on the main road between Bulawayo and the world famous Victoria
Falls. Hwange National Park covers just over 14 600 square kilometres. The Park carries
105 mammal species, including 19 large herbivores and eight large carnivores. Elephant
make up the largest proportion of the biomass. All Zimbabwe's specially protected
animals are to be found in Hwange and it is the only protected area where gemsbok
and brown hyena occur in reasonable numbers. The population of wild dog to be found
in Hwange is thought to be of one of the largest surviving groups in Africa today.
The landscape includes desert sand to sparse woodland as well as grasslands and
granite outcrops. Due to the lack of water, man-made waterholes were introduced to
sustain the animals through the dry season. The park has an interesting variety of
landscapes with one part running alongside the North-eastern end of the Kalahari
Desert. The south is sandy with extensive forests and open grassland. A feature of the
area is ancient fossil dunes - ancient sand dunes held together by vegetation.
Victoria Falls
'So lovely it must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight' said David Livingstone
of the supreme Mosi-oa-Tunya ('The smoke that thunders'). This legendary traveler first
saw the Falls from the Zambian side and his memory is enshrined in the nearby town of
Livingstone. The views from the Zimbabwean & Zambian side are quite different, varying
dramatically depending on the season and water flow.
The Falls are over a mile in length and boast the largest curtain of water in the world -
over 500 million litres of water per minute cascade over the falls and drop 100m at
Rainbow Falls on the Zambian side. Not surprisingly is it the seventh natural wonder of the
world and fast becoming one of the top adventure destinations in the world.
The river is divided into a series of braided channels that descend in many separate falls.
Below the Falls the river enters a narrow series of gorges, which represent locations
successively occupied by the falls earlier in their history. Since the uplifting of the
Makgadikgadi Pan area some two million years ago, the Zambezi River has been cutting
through the basalt base rock, exploiting weak fissures, and forming a series of retreating
gorges. Seven previous waterfalls occupied the seven gorges below the present falls,
and Devil's Cataract in Zimbabwe is where the next cut back will form a new waterfall
that will eventually leave the present falls lip high above the river in the gorge below.
BOTSWANA
The San were among the first human inhabitants of this region before the Setswana migrated southwards and slowly occupied the region from the 16th century onwards, until early in the 19th century. By mid-century missionaries arrived, including David Livingstone and Robert Moffat, and by 1885 the territory was a British protectorate. Botswana gained its independence in 1966 and has been the most stable democracy in Africa. The first president ruled from 1966 until his death in 1980, the second till 1994 (re-elected twice, then resigned) and the third from 1998.
The country has a strong currency with one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa, maintains a neutral international political stance. It is heavily reliant on mining (especially diamonds) & tourism and maintains close ties with its neighbor South Africa, an economic powerhouse for the region.
Wildlife is abundant in Botswana and includes lion, giraffe, leopard, antelope, elephant, crocodile and ostriches. Botswana is semiarid and has an average annual (summer) rainfall of 640 mm (about 25 in) in the north to less than 230 mm (less than 9 in) in the Kalahari. Drought is therefore not uncommon and the vegetation is mostly savannah.
Geographically Botswana is relatively flat (the average elevation of about 1000 m) and can be viewed (for all intents and purposes) as three major regions as follows:
Chobe National Park in the north, another outstanding wilderness area of enormous diversity – lion and elephant can be viewed from river cruises or 4x4 game drives.
The Okavango Delta is a vast marshland and one of the largest inland river deltas in the world – 15 000 km2 of wilderness and prime safari area. The Kalahari Desert in the central and southwestern regions occupies over half the land area of Botswana. It is a mystical, harsh and unspoiled landmass.
The saltpans of north-central Botswana and the Tuli block in the far eastern corner of Botswana are also areas of significance.
Chobe National Park
Chobe is approx. 11 000 km2 of wilderness area watered by the Chobe & Savuti Rivers and thus attracting huge concentrations of game. This includes lion and some of the highest concentration of elephant in Africa – an estimated population of around 25 000 in winter. Game viewing is renowned and in the Northern areas near Kasane, both the riverboat game viewing experience and the 4x4 vehicle option are popular.
In addition the spectacular annual summer migrations of plains game, especially Zebra, is a highlight, as well Giraffe, Warthog and numerous antelope including Sable, Roan, Oribi, Reedbuck, Lechwe and the colourful Chobe Bushbuck.
Bird watching opportunities in Chobe are ample and include some 350 species including the awesome African Fish Eagle, the rare Pell's Fishing Owl, saddle-billed storks, long-toed Plovers, pink-backed Pelicans, African Skimmers, Bradfield's Hornbills and Carmine Bee-eaters. In addition, the sunsets are spectacular.
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