Where Giants Roam - Victoria Falls, Chobe & Hwange Safari

Join your tour group at the hotel. It’s set in a fantastic location - you’ll sometimes feel spray from the Falls themselves, just 400m away - and has views of a watering hole often frequented by elephants and buffalo. You’ll have some free time to relax, before we head to an open-air theatre for an incredible performance of ‘Simunye’, a tale of love, community and togetherness told through puppetry, dance, music and visuals. A fantastic way to kick off our adventure.

Explorers Village (3-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Simunye cultural show at Victoria Falls Theatre (evening)

A guided tour of Victoria Falls reveals the awesome power of the world’s largest curtain of falling water. It’s known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, or the ‘Smoke that Thunders’ - and once you hear its roar and feel the cooling mist thrown up by the cascades, you’ll understand why. The afternoon is at leisure to relax or explore under your own steam. Our hotel is close to craft markets selling locally made handicrafts - perfect for picking up a few authentic souvenirs of your tour. Dinner this evening is at Dusty Roads, a traditional Zimbabwean restaurant in the heart of Chinotimba, the largest and oldest township in Victoria Falls. Step into a welcoming home-from-home where tasty dishes using fresh, local ingredients, are cooked to perfection over smoky charcoal fires.

Explorers Village (3-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Guided tour of Victoria Falls (morning)

Township dining experience (evening)

Another day of incredible experiences awaits. This morning, we head back to the Falls, where we’ll have the rare opportunity to walk underneath the iconic Victoria Falls Bridge. A theatrical performance reveals the history behind the design and construction of the bridge, now a designated landmark of civil engineering. We’ll then harness up to walk along the catwalks beneath the bridge, admiring the Falls and gorge from a spectacular new perspective. There are some steps to navigate and places you’ll need to duck down under the iron works - if you don’t think the walk is for you, there’s a great little museum and coffee shop to visit instead. In the afternoon, you’ll have a choice of included excursions. The first is an exhilarating 12-minute helicopter ride over Victoria Falls, soaring above the spray and spotting rainbows in the veil of mist. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the raw power and beauty of this world wonder from above. After your flight, you’ll have the afternoon at leisure - perhaps visit one of the new breweries or gin distilleries that have popped up in town recently. The second option is a more laid-back one: a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River. As the sky shifts from blush-pink to crimson, you’ll be nibbling canapés and sipping cool drinks (both included) and keeping a close eye out for hippos and crocodiles wallowing in the shallows (or even elephants enjoying an early evening bath). If you’ve taken the helicopter flight, you’ll still be able to join the cruise if you like - you’ll just need to pay locally.

Explorers Village (3-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Theatrical talk & bridge walk at Victoria Falls Bridge (morning)

Helicopter ride over Victoria Falls or sunset cruise on Zambezi River (afternoon)

A 90-minute drive takes us into Botswana, and our hotel in Kasane, on the banks of the mighty Chobe River. The rest of the day is at leisure to enjoy your surroundings - perhaps have a dip in the pool or take your binoculars onto the terrace to spot some of the incredible birdlife that the river attracts.

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort and Spa (4-star)

Our Chobe safari begins bright and early as we head into the national park with our expert guide. Travelling in custom-built 4x4 vehicles, we’ll make our way across open savannahs, lush floodplains and dense woodlands in search of elephants, buffalo, zebras, wildebeest and impala. If we’re lucky, we might even spot some of the more elusive residents of Chobe National Park, such as lions, leopards and wild dogs. Your afternoon is at leisure - why not treat yourself to a few hours in the spa?

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort and Spa (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Safari game drive in Chobe National Park (morning)

After a morning relaxing at the resort, we’ll spend the afternoon on a Chobe River cruise. Keep a look out for hippos, crocodiles, giraffes, antelope and more, and soak up the views as we gently travel through the pristine wilderness of Chobe National Park. The birdlife is incredibly varied here, so keep binoculars to hand.

Cresta Mowana Safari Resort and Spa (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Chobe River cruise (afternoon)

Our route to Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park takes us back past Victoria Falls and on to Hwange, stopping along the way to change to 4x4 safari vehicles, which will transport us to our authentic lodge at Sable Valley, searching for wildlife along the way. This intimate, family-owned camp sits on a private reserve that teems with wildlife and shares an unfenced border with Hwange National Park. You’ll stay in one of 11 thatched rondavels (a traditional African hut with a round shape and a conical roof) - perhaps the same one loved by the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, who stayed here in the ‘90s. You’ll have some time to settle in and explore before dinner. Why not venture to the lodge’s innovative underground hide, where you might have a close encounter with an elephant, buffalo or sable antelope?

Amalinda - Sable Valley (4-star)

Tea, coffee and biscuits will soften the pre-dawn wake-up call, as we prepare to head out on our first safari game drive in Zimbabwe. The lodge’s 15,000 acres are home to a huge array of wildlife, from buffalo and big cats to bat-eared foxes. Between May and September, more than 2,000 elephants can be found at the watering holes here. Spend the afternoon relaxing on the patio or by the pool, before afternoon tea and cake is served. Our eye-opening sunset safari concludes with a gin sundowner in the bush, where we’ll toast to an amazing first day at Sable Valley.

Amalinda - Sable Valley (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: 2 safari game drives (morning and late afternoon)

We visit the wonderful residents of a community care home in Hwange this morning. Many have fascinating stories to tell about life in this part of the world and love to have visitors - it’s a great chance to learn a little more about what the day-to-day is like here. We’ll also have a chance to meet others from the local community, who will give us some insight into the valuable work being done to mitigate conflict between humans and wildlife. Our afternoon will be spent exploring Hwange National Park on safari. Zimbabwe’s largest national park, its landscape shifts from semi-desert scrubland to wooded valleys, while the wildlife roll call includes lions, leopards, rhinos and elephants.

Amalinda - Sable Valley (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: Hwange community visit (morning)

Safari game drive in Hwange National Park (afternoon)

A final day to soak up all that Sable Valley has to offer. Dawn and sunset safari game drives bookend the day; in between, perhaps venture to the treetop platform for more wildlife-spotting, or relax with a coffee overlooking the incredible Dete Vlei, a dried-up riverbed that attracts great herds of buffalo and elephant.

Amalinda - Sable Valley (4-star)

Today includes…

Excursions & visits: 2 safari game drives (morning and late afternoon)

Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.

Hwange