Embark on an 9-day serenity and tranquility in three of Southern Africa’ most breath-taking destinations, that is, Victoria Falls, Lake Kariba alongside Matusadona National Park and Chobe National Park. This trip has most perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, and cultural immersion, all while staying in mid-range accommodation and enjoying fine dining. During your trip, you will have the opportunity to go on morning game walks, boat trips on Chobe River, Zambezi River and Lake Kariba and community visits. You will also have the chance to see some of the rarest and most endangered species in Africa, including the black rhino and the wild dog.
Detailed Itinerary Daily Information
MAUYA! Your Africa adventure safari starts when you touch down at Victoria Falls International Airport and after you have collected your baggage, you will meet your driver-guide at the arrival hall with your name on a signboard, so keep your eyes peeled and then you will be escorted and transferred to your hotel in Victoria Falls, the Lodge.
Later afternoon at 16h20 you will be picked from Lodge and you will enjoy the best of Victoria Falls, on a spectacular Zambezi Sunset Dinner Cruise with a four-course meal, freshly prepared on-board, and served to you while cruising along the Zambezi River with the melody sounds of birds and wildlife from the African bush providing a background lyrics music, as the light fades over the untouched landscape, and keep your camera close by to capture the incredible view.
Excursions & Visits: Take a Malachite Sunset Dinner Cruise on the Zambezi River
Accommodation At: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge rooms with air condition (Lodge Waterhole Facing Room)
Meal Plan & Drinks: Zambezi Sunset Dinner Cruise and Beverages on-board
Distance and Travel Time: 30 to 45 hours (20km)
After scrumptious breakfast, we will visit the famous Big Tree and then proceed to Victoria Falls Rainforest on a guided tour of Victoria Falls Rainforest, one of the seven natural wonders of the world, with a width of 1.7kms. The Victoria Falls have the capacity to push 550 000m3 of water per minute over the basalt cliff into the Zambezi River Gorge. The cliff over which the falls thunder, transforms the Zambezi from a placid river into a ferocious torrent, cutting through a series of dramatic gorges.
After tour of the falls, our driver will pick us to our helipad in the Zambezi National park. Once at the helipad one of our attendants will take us through a safety briefing thereafter we will be ready to fly. Between our helipad to the Victoria Falls will be about 1-minute flight on the helicopter. The rest of the time will be spent orbiting over the Victoria Falls. The greatest way to see Victoria Falls from above is to take a helicopter ride by helicopter in the afternoon. Upstream from the falls, you will fly over Long Island on the upper Zambezi, heading towards the Zambezi National Park, which is home to a diverse range of animals. Both up and down the river, this is a great chance to watch wildlife from the air. As we make our way back to the helipad, we might see giraffes, kudus, buffaloes, crocodiles, hippos, elephants, and many other creatures. You will return to the lodge to unwind after the helicopter excursion.
Optional: 15 minutes Helicopter flight
Excursions & Visits: Tour the spectacular Victoria Falls
Accommodation At: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge or similar
Meal Plan & Drinks: Breakfast will be provided (lunch, dinner & drinks own guest account)
After scrumptious breakfast, our driver will pick us up from the hotel and initially drive driven about 20 km out of town to the rural village, some of it on tar but the rest on dirt road. It takes about 25 to 30 minutes to get there. A visit to a local Zimbabwean village is an eye-opening experience and interactive tour, giving insight into the old ways of the Zimbabwean people, essentially taking you back in time. Most rural Zimbabwean folk are subsistence farmers, so they have little interaction with urban centres apart from if they want to sell surplus produce. Villagers interact more with each other than with the outside world.
In the late afternoon, you will go to the town center of Victoria Falls to shop in the art galleries. At the art galleries, you will find loads of souvenir shops. Anything you can think of is for sale here. So, if you finishing your grand tour of Africa at Victoria Falls this is the time to buy that wood-carved elephant, giraffe, or cheetah.
Excursions & Visits: Tour the spectacular Victoria Falls
Accommodation At: Victoria Falls Safari Lodge or similar
Meal Plan & Drinks: Breakfast will be provided (lunch, dinner & drinks own guest account)
After a hearty breakfast, we depart for Chobe National Park, through the Kazungula border and we will stop-over for immigration formalities (visa requirement depends on your nationality) and then we will proceed to Lodge for check-in. After checking in, enjoy a relaxing lunch (at your own expense) before heading out on your first game. This magical experience offers the chance to spot elephants, hippos, crocodiles, and a wide array of birdlife as the sun sets over the water. Upon arrival at the park, you will go for an evening game drive. Big cats and wild canines are more likely to be sighted around this time of day because they are still active and out and about. After the game drive, we return to the lodge for relaxation, an overnight stay, and dinner.
Excursions & Visits: Enjoy one guided game activities
Accommodation At: Cresta Mowana Lodge rooms with air condition
Meal Plan & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner provided (drinks own guest account)
Distance and Travel Time: 1 to 2 hours (90km)
Awake to the serenity of the African bush and enjoy an early morning cup of coffee or tea before embarking on your chosen first game activity of the day. You will start the half day game drive with the use of open 4X4 vehicles that have been carefully modified. Game drives are the best way to explore a vast area in search for a variety of wildlife as well as enjoy the scenery of the park and they almost always yield unexpected sightings. Elephants, buffaloes, and eland are among the species that are frequently seen. With one of the highest concentrations of elephants in Africa and diverse ecosystems along the Chobe Riverfront, your chances of witnessing unforgettable wildlife encounters are high. Return to the lodge for delicious hot lunch meal and time to unwind between activities.
Later day, we will proceed to the safari cruise on the Chobe River. Experience quintessential Chobe! Our expertly-guided riverboat cruise gently navigates these lively waters to sail past the hippos that leave the water to feed during the day, witness the large herds of buffalo and pause for elephants crossing. Our favourite has to be when they comically use their trunks as a snorkel! Our boat cruise provides delectable snacks and some drinks to this outstanding wildlife experience. (Cash bar on board for your drinks and snacks purchase).
By the way, the Chobe River is one of the only rivers in the world that flows in two directions. In the dry season the river flows East, but in the rainy season, the Zambezi River pushes upstream to reverse the flow of the river towards the West.
Excursions & Visits: Enjoy two guided game activities
Accommodation At: Cresta Mowana Lodge rooms with air-condition
Meal Plan & Drinks: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner provided (drinks own guest account)
After a satisfying breakfast check, we bid farewell to Chobe National Park as we transferred to Victoria Falls International Airport for our scheduled air charter transfer to Matusadona National Park, one of Zambezi Valley's wildlife and wilderness treasures. Comprising of grassy floodplains and rugged hill country, Matusadona is home for some of Zimbabwe’s largest elephant and buffalo herds, many of which use the park as a key stopover during their migrations across the country. Our adventure holiday continues when we touch down at Kanjedza Airstrip and we will meet our driver-guide and transferred by road and boat to the island. A sundowner by the lake with a view of the sunset concludes this exciting day.
Expert Tips: All charter transfers are in light aircraft that carry between five and seven passengers. These planes are limited to the weight that they can safely carry. It is therefore vital that all passengers adhere to the luggage restriction of 15 kg per person in a soft bag plus 5 kg hand luggage (include camera equipment) 20 kilogram's in total.
Excursions & Visits: Bushwalks Safaris, Water-based activities on the lake, game drives
Accommodation At: Changa Safari Camp rooms with fan
Meal Plan & Drinks: All meals, All Beverages include tea and coffee, laundry are provided
Starting off our day with a warm beverage and a delectable breakfast is definitely desired before exploring nature and wildlife in this sanctuary.
Game Drives - Open game vehicles are the perfect way to discover the area, providing a fantastic opportunity to see a variety of game, including lion, buffalo and elephant up-close whilst taking in the beautiful scenery.
Bush Walks - One of the best ways to experience and feel a part of the African bush. The professional guides at the lodge have expert knowledge of the area and accompanied by them, you can be introduced to the Matusadona National Park in a completely different way. You are advised to wear neutral or “bush” coloured clothing and as the terrain can be uneven and rocky, comfortable walking shoes and socks are required. See the Big Five in the Zambezi valley! Matusadona National Park offers you fantastic game viewing opportunities on the islands and southern shores of Lake Kariba – one of the greatest man-made lakes in the world.
Relax by the pool and enjoy some leisure time with an enjoyable beverage as you soak in the beauty of Lake Kariba.
Excursions & Visits: Bushwalks Safaris, Water-based activities on the lake, game drives
Accommodation At: Changa Safari Camp
Meal Plan & Drinks: All meals, All Beverages include tea and coffee, laundry are provided
After your peaceful night’s rest, enjoy a day of game viewing at your own pace with all meals served at the lodge.
The below activities are on offer at the lodge to enjoy on this day.
Fishing (Catch & Release) - Lake Kariba is the world’s largest man-made lake, covering almost 5,600 square kilometres and this vast expanse of fresh water is home to some fantastic fish species including the famous Tiger fish, Tilapia bream, Catfish and the mighty Vundu. For most of the year, Lake Kariba is truly one of the greatest places in Africa for fishing.
Boat Cruises - Relax and enjoy one of Lake Kariba’s most popular activity and a favorite at Changa. Whilst drifting along the banks of the lake, you will also encounter some great wildlife sightings in their peaceful surroundings. What better way to end your day in Kariba, than listening to the sounds of hippo around you and witnessing an unforgettable sunset on the lake.
Sanyati Gorge - A short boat ride across the lake will bring you to the scenic Sanyati Gorge, where you can meander peacefully through the steep cliffs for up to 10 km. The Sanyati Gorge is both unspoilt and undisturbed. Don’t forget your camera and binoculars for this activity as the dramatic landscape will leave you in awe.
Birding - Bird watching can be done on either a gentle boat cruise or a game drive in the morning or afternoon. The birdlife in the park is prolific, with 350 different species identified in the area including ducks, herons, plovers and storks that congregate along the waterfront and darters and cormorants who use the dead tree base for their fishing forays. Other adept fisherman are ospreys and the iconic African fish eagle who is often seen perched majestically on a high branch and whose clear, ringing call has to be the most characteristic and evocative sound on Lake Kariba.
Wake up to the sounds of birds serenading outside your windows as you prepare for a morning game drive exploration and enjoy your last leisurely breakfast, we then check-out and be transferred to the Victoria Falls International Airport to connect with your flight back home.
Meal Plan & Drinks: Breakfast provided (lunch, Dinner, Drinks own guest account)
Trip Information
In a Nutshell
- A true African experience (wild and free)
- All detailed inclusive Itinerary with cultural experience, adventure and wildlife.
Trip Rating & Style – Easy and Moderate and cater to adventure enthusiasts seeking authentic experiences.
Countries visited – Botswana & Zimbabwe.
Highlights – Victoria Falls | Chobe National Park | Lake Kariba | Matusadona National Park
Activities – Animal Tracking | Cultural Mozaic Experience | Scenic Drive | Game drive
Transportations – transport for most of this safari you will travel in air-conditioning minibus. Seats in the 12-seater minibuses can be compared in size to an airplane seat – if that setup is uncomfortable for you then please enquire about a private tour where different vehicles can be used. Some game safaris may be carried out using 4×4 jeeps/safari vehicles – see your tour itinerary for details. These may be open-roofed or enclosed. You must not leave the vehicle or lean out through windows without express permission from the guide.
Our “luggage trailer” is specifically designed for each passenger to have one suitcase and one carry-on sized piece of luggage – a laptop bag, backpack, or similar. Suitcase size is limited to the dimension of 67 cm (26 in) by 45 cm (18 in), and carry on is limited to the dimension of 48 cm (19 in) by 32 cm (13 in). There are generally no porters or staff available to assist with luggage – luggage should be of a size and weight you can comfortably manage yourself. Hard or soft suitcases are fine.
Accommodation Considerations – while we make every effort to stick to the accommodations listed, please note that they serve as guidelines, and adjustments may occur. We recommend obtaining the latest version of the itinerary at least one week before departure to stay informed of any changes.
Tour leaders – a fully qualified driver/guide will run the tour and do both the driving and guiding. The guides have a wealth of knowledge about the places you will be visiting and travelling past, and many travellers note them as one of the highlights of their tour.
Travelling Responsibility – remember you are more than a tourist in this place. You are part of the team of global citizens, embracing diversity and committed to lifelong learning. Stay open to opportunities, contribute where you can, and connect with the many people you meet along the road.
Plan Ahead – now your chance to book any optional activities, chat with the reservation team and get planning
Life on Land – contribute to any initiative that aims to halt biodiversity loss and promote the sustainable use of ecosystems
Experience – we have more than 23 years’ experience touring throughout East and Southern Africa. As such, our itineraries and routes have been perfected over many years ensuring that your tour will run smoothly. We visit the highlights of East and Southern Africa but ensure that you do not follow the well-trodden tourist track. All of us at African Bushwalker Tours have extensive travel experience in Africa, and throughout the world. Being adventure travellers ourselves, we know how to plan trips that give you a broad experience of the countries that you will visit.
Credit Card Payments:
– Credit card payments will attract a 3% handling fee of the value of the transaction.
Based in Africa – probably the most important part of an African Bushwalker Tours is that we are an African company with offices in Tanzania and Zimbabwe. We live in Africa; we travel in Africa and it is our passion for this amazing continent that makes African Bushwalker your best travel option.
Age Policy – on all small group scheduled tours, we accept children 12-17 with accompanying adult and tailor-made tours, we accept children 5 – 17 with accompanying adult. We have no upper age limit. Clients older than 65 years of age at the time of travel require a medical certificate stating the client is fit and healthy to join an adventure travel group tour. We have many clients over 65 years of age, who are perfectly capable of enjoying every aspect of an African Bushwalker tour.
Weather– this Africa overland tour spans half a continent and you can expect it to be warm for the duration of the trip with minimal rainfall. Be prepared for the warm weather and you will enjoy this trip.
Drugs & Alcohol – please be aware that drugs such as marijuana and cocaine are illegal in most countries in Africa and they could enforce severe punishment for being caught in possession. NEVER carry illegal drugs on your person or on the vehicle during this tour as you would not only jeopardise your own freedom but also the well-being of the entire group if you are caught in possession. If you are caught in possession of illegal drugs on this tour you will be asked to leave the tour immediately and no refund will be given. Any such inconsideration can lead to the tour being cancelled and innocent people arrested. We will not hesitate to remove someone if we have to. Aggressive or abusive drunk behaviour will not be tolerated during this tour and if anyone is constantly abusing alcohol and causing trouble we will not hesitate to remove them from the tour and no refund will be given.
Travel Insurance – it is compulsory that every person who travels with African Bushwalker Tours obtain travel insurance for the complete duration of the tour. Proof of travel insurance must be shown before joining a tour.
Visas and Passports – please ensure you have 6 blank pages in your passport in order to accommodate all the visas and stamps, and ensure your passport is valid for at least 6 months after your tour end date.
Common questions about this trip
- Do I need malaria tablets? Yes, the trip passes through malaria areas and prophylactics are recommended.
- What do I need to bring? – comfortable clothes for warm days and cool evenings, walking shoes, headtorch, a raincoat, hat and sunglasses, swimsuit, first aid kit, yellow fever vaccination certificate, a small pair of binoculars also comes in very handy and most importantly – a sense of adventure!
BOOKING – To make your booking, please make sure you have the correct names, nationalities and date of birth of all travelers – as per their passport. African Bushwalker Tours will hold an option of 14 days from the time African Bushwalker Tours have confirmed a tour, before the cancellation rules apply. If our service or a tour is booked less than 14 days prior to the service is rendered or the tour commences, cancellation rules will apply immediately. If you need longer time, please let us know. If a tour or hotel is fully booked African Bushwalker Tours will try to offer you an alternative property of a similar standard and location.
PRICES – All prices are based on costs at the time of publication. African Bushwalker Tours reserves the right to change the prices, in reasonable circumstances, at any time before a booking is made. African Bushwalker Tours will confirm price changes, if any, together with our confirmation of your booking.
For trips in Namibia & South Africa rates given in a currency other than respectively NAD (Namibian Dollar) and ZAR (South African Rand) are subject to change in case of substantial variation of the exchange rate. For trips in Kenya & Tanzania rates given in a currency other than in USD (American Dollars) are subject to change in case of substantial variation of the exchange rate.
PAYMENTS – 30% of the total booking value within 14 days of African Bushwalker Tour’s confirmation of the booking. The remaining 70% no later than 45 days from the trip starting date.
CANCELLATION – If the customer cancels a tour up to 61 days prior to departure the deposit will be lost. If cancellation is made within 60-31 days prior to departure, a penalty fee of 65% of the total price of the tour will be levied. For any cancellation made within 30-16 days before departure, a penalty fee of 85% will apply. In the case of cancellations made less than 16 days before the start of the tour we are unable to offer any reimbursement. No refunds will be given by African Bushwalker Tours for no-shows.
The payment of bank fees for bank transfers are the responsibility of the customer and are strictly non-refundable.
The trip may be cancelled with no penalty charge should war, a life-threatening epidemic, or any other natural catastrophe or similar event occur within 14 days prior to departure. This will however be on the condition that your government advises against travelling to the specific area, and that the situation in question has arisen after the booking of the tour was made.
Cancellations must be made in writing and delivered either by hand, post, fax or electronic mail.
In the case of death or serious illness, of the person for whose benefit the tour has been arranged, no cancellation fee will be charged if African Bushwalker Tours is presented with an officially-approved death/sickness certificate.
What’s Included
- Transfers and ground transportation mentioned in the itinerary
- 8 Nights’ on comfort accommodation and meals as per program
- Enjoy game drives and activities as per program
- Entry/admission as per activities as per program
- Meet & greet services at the Airports
- Drinking water during safari drives and, on the bus, (Guest will receive a reusable steel water bottle (supporting “TOSCO” – Tourism supporting Conservation)
- Charter Flight fee from Victoria Falls International Airport to Lake Kariba and back to Victoria Falls International Airport
What’s Excluded
- Gratuities, Baggage Handling
- Personal, Medical and Travel Insurance
- All International airline tickets and applicable airport fees and taxes
- Meals and beverages not explicitly listed as included
- Visa fees if applicable to Botswana and Zimbabwe
- Extra Entrance fees to tourist attractions, activities or attractions not mentioned in itinerary
- Extra optional activities while in the game reserves
- All costs of a personal nature: Telephone calls, bar bills, drinks, room service, laundry, refreshments, snacks, curios, gifts, etc. unless otherwise stated as included in the daily itinerary
- All levy/fee increases (Conservation, Bed, gate etc...) African Bushwalker Tours reserves the right to pass along these increases from quoted costs if they occurred.