Zimbabwe Safari IG7C

A free night plus a discount, makes this luxury 7-night safari most attractive. Combining 2 fantastic safari destinations, namely Zambezi National Park and Hwange National Park, offering a balanced combination of game viewing, relaxation and sightseeing.

3 Nights Zambezi National Park, Zimbabwe
4 Nights Hwange National Park
8 Days / 7 Nights
Reference: IG-7C
Starts Victoria Falls Airport / Ends Victoria Falls Airport

Total Price 7 Nights (2024): US$ 4585 (low season) | US$ 5775 (high season)
per person sharing

Safari Overview

This luxury 7-night safari combines 2 fantastic safari destinations, namely Zambezi National Park and Hwange National Park, with a chance to visit the mighty Victoria Falls, offering a balanced combination of game viewing, relaxation and sightseeing.

Make the most of a three and four night stay to fully absorb what they have to offer. Starting at Victoria Falls River Lodge not far from town for a variety of land and water based activities. A place to really unwind, relax and savour the beauty of the Zambezi River. Finally finish off a Nehimba Lodge, which is situated on a premier wildlife concession deep within the Hwange National park. During the dry season the close-up elephant encounters are life changing. This is as real as Africa gets!

Zimbabwe Safari IG7C Inspired Journey Overview

Notes: Day 1, 2 & 3

DAY 1
You will be met at Victoria Falls Airport by one of our representatives and transferred by air-conditioned minibus to Victoria Falls River Lodge arriving by mid-afternoon. Freshen up an enjoy your afternoon tea before a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. A delicious 3 course dinner is served in the main dining area but private dinners on your own deck can be arranged.

DAY 2 & 3
Two full days of game viewing activities at Victoria Falls River Lodge, tailor-made to suit your needs and influenced by what the wildlife at the time of your visit is doing. Typically, guests partake in early morning and late afternoon activities and then relax during the heat of the day.

Meals consist of early morning tea / coffee and continental breakfast, followed by a big brunch after your activity. Afternoon tea consists of something savoury and something sweet as well as hot and iced tea and coffee to wash it all down with. Dinner is a delicious 3 course affair. Drinks and snacks are provided on all activities.

Zambezi National Park

Zambezi National Park together with Victoria Falls National Park cover an area of 56,000 hectares. The northern border of the Park is formed by the great Zambezi River which also forms the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia for much of its length.

A wide variety of larger mammals may be found within the Zambezi National Park including elephant, lion, buffalo and leopard. In addition, herds of sable antelope, eland, zebra, giraffe, kudu, waterbuck and impala as well as many of the smaller species of game can be viewed. The Zambezi River is home to over is 75 species of fish and is famous for its bream and fighting tiger fish.

Overnight: Victoria Falls River Lodge

Victoria Falls River Lodge is the first private game lodge to be set in the Zambezi National Park. This newly built luxury tented lodge is situated on the banks of the mighty Zambezi River.

Uninterrupted panoramic views of African sunsets and good wildlife viewing makes this uniquely located lodge the ideal place from which to explore Victoria Falls as it combines the safari experience with one of the world's most famous tourist destinations!

The main lodge has an open plan design and has been positioned just back from the river – in view of the elephants' natural evening route. Sit back and sip on a cocktail, under the shade of the thatched roof, as the elephants graze along the river line. It's a cool escape from the African sun.

Activities At Victoria Falls River Lodge

Game Drive
Guests have choice of either a morning or evening game drive in the Zambezi National Park. For the ultimate bush safari experience, head out in a game-viewer to explore the Zambezi national Park early in the morning, armed with hot beverages and a delicious supply of traditionally baked rusks.

Alternatively, track a magnificent elephant herd as they move silently through the bush, or admire stately giraffe as they effortlessly weave their way through spiky acacia thicket – stopping to enjoy the phenomenal sunset with sun-downers and a variety of scrumptious snacks before returning to camp for dinner.

River Cruise
Watch from the comfort of a private river cruiser as the world awakens and the sun’s first rays skip and dance across the shimmering surface of the mighty Zambezi River – A truly revitalising way to start any day!

For the not-so-early birds, sit back and let the gentle ebb and flow of the Zambezi lull and relax you, while you sip on sundowners, viewing nature’s creatures, big and small, coming to the water’s edge.

Additional On-Site Activities (optional)

Half Day Canoe Safari
This can be a morning or afternoon 4 hours long activity with lunch or dinner back at the lodge.

Full Day Canoe Safari
For 8 hours on the Zambezi River, this safari comes with a packed picnic lunch and drinks which can be enjoyed on the Zambezi River bank or on one of the islands on the river. Dinner will be served back at the lodge.

Fishing Safaris
Guests have a choice between fishing off the boat and fishing off the jetty.

Walking Safaris
These are done with an armed professional and licensed guide.

Notes: Day 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8

DAY 4
Wake up to another hearty breakfast this morning and then prepare for your transfer to Nehimba Lodge, deep in the heart of Hwange National Park. It’s quite a long transfer taking probably 4.5 hrs but the bulk of this is through National Park which is a game activity in itself. On arrival at Nehimba familiarise yourself with the lodge and meet the staff. After what can seem like a long day, enjoy the cool of the evening sitting on the deck and watch whilst the “Elephant Show” unfolds in front of you. Dinner is served on the viewing deck allowing one to continue watching the elephants whilst enjoying a delicious dinner. After dinner and drinks you will be walked back to your room by a guide, as the elephants continue to wander around the camp.

DAY 5, 6 & 7
No two days are the same at Nehimba and game viewing experiences are tailor-made to guest's preferences, including game drives, walking safaris and night game drives on the private concession in search of nocturnal species of wildlife. Whether you choose to track a herd of elephant on foot with your highly trained guide at dawn or spend the afternoon relaxing overlooking the waterhole on the deck by the pool, this wild and unspoilt bush paradise will guarantee you leave with memories to last a lifetime!

DAY 8
An early departure is required in order to get to the Victoria Falls Airport in time for most international departures leaving around lunchtime. Early morning tea, coffee and breakfast is served, then it's time to bid farewell to the staff who by now will feel part of the family. Drive out the way you came in through the National Park.

Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe's biggest reserve, home to a profusion of wildlife, including giraffe, lion, zebra and approximately 40 000 elephants. It provides sanctuary for all the country's endangered species, including a population of wild dogs thought to be among the most sizeable surviving groups on the continent. Terrain ranges from desert dunes and savannah lands to rocky outcrops and sparse forests, and visitors have the choice of game drives, guided walks or horseback safaris as a means of experiencing the park and its creatures.

Overnight: Nehimba Lodge

Nehimba is a luxury safari Lodge remotely nestled away in one of the largest private concessions in the renowned Hwange National Park. Ideally situated in the central game rich section of the park, offering an all-inclusive, privately guided authentic African Safari, which will be hard to better anywhere in Africa.

A lodge where one's experiences in camp can be life changing - dining with the elephants every night and usually also at breakfast and/or lunch time. In the height of the dry season they can drain the swimming pool in a night.

Seeing these huge animals interact with each other just a few metres away, in fact so close that you can count the eye lashes and look into the wise eyes of these magnificent animals, is a truly humbling experience.

The staff and guides of Nehimba make it a special experience – clients are made to feel that it is their home for the next couple of days. Meals are eaten with the management and guides, where you can enjoy and share their knowledge around the table – encounters of the day being discussed and plans made for the next day.

The lodge boasts seven luxurious raised chalets under traditional thatch unobtrusively positioned around a waterhole. Each chalet has its own en-suite slipper bath and adjoining outside shower. Decor is subtle yet elegant, furnishings are soft, cosy and tasteful. The rooms are designed to be spacious, airy, intimate and safe. Each chalet has its own private balcony that allows an un-obscured view of the waterhole and its thirsty visitors. One can view herds of elephant, buffalo, hyenas, kudu, lion and even wild dog if you are lucky enough.

Nehimba has its own private concession which ensures that you have an intimate and personal drive because you are the only vehicle in sight, so when you do meet up with the lions, it is just you and them!

Activities at Nehimba Lodge

At the Lodge
Nehimba is situated on its own private concession in the Northern area of the national park where many of Hwange's wild residents enjoy wandering freely through the area. You may choose to relax on your private balcony with an early morning cup of coffee, or whittle away the last of the daylight hours on the main lodge deck with sundowners, where the animals amble by and pause at the nearby waterhole to quench their thirst.

Game Drive
Nehimba is situated right on the edge of the mopane woodlands of northern Hwange and the Kalahari sandveld of the west, and so offers the full spectrum and diversity of fauna that Hwange has to offer. The elephant hunting Lions of this area are famous. The area is well watered so is host to large numbers of animals throughout the year but particularly during the dry season. Game drives are conducted in specially modified Land rovers designed to provide wildlife enthusiasts with ideal opportunities for photography.

Game Walks
For an entirely different perspective, join one of the armed professional guides and get close to nature. During a game walk you can experience the thrill of approaching wildlife on foot. Your guide will also teach you the basics of how to track wildlife from the ground as well as interesting facts about the surrounding vegetation and ecology.

Night Drives
For those who would like to view Hwange in a different 'light', you are offered the opportunity to accompany a guide on a night drive. Filtered spotlights are used to pick out the various nocturnal species that can be found such as hyena, porcupines, civets, genet cats, and if you're lucky, perhaps even a leopard on hunt!

Visit The Nehimba Seep
This special designated conservation area is one of the only year-round, naturally occurring water supplies in the massive Hwange National Park. The seep is an ancient source of surface water that was once used by the San Bushmen. Today the area is frequented by elephant, who can be found digging for minerals as well as enjoying the water.

Visit Mandavu Dam
Situated in a scenic hilly spot only 15-kilometres from Sinamatella Camp, the Mandavu Dam is a wonderful location for both bird watching and game viewing. Take a leisurely morning drive to the dam before joining a variety of wildlife for a picturesque picnic brunch at the water's edge.

Visit Mtoa Ruins
Mtoa Ruins are approximately a 2-hour drive from camp, and are well worth the journey! These ancient ruins are located on top of a low granite kopje and offer excellent views of the surrounding countryside. Enjoy a packed lunch at this ancient site before a meandering afternoon game drive from waterhole to waterhole back to Camp.
 

Price

=Total Price 7 Nights (2024): US$ 4585 (low season) | US$ 5775 (high season)
Per person sharing

Included in this safari

VICTORIA FALLS RIVER LODGE
• Accommodation in a luxury room overlooking the Zambezi River
• All meals and local drinks, High tea
• Conservation fees
• Activities: Tour of the Falls; Two game activities (either a morning or afternoon game drive in the Zambezi National Park, or sunrise or sunset river cruise)

NEHIMBA LODGE
• Accommodation in an elevated thatched chalet, giving a commanding view over an ever busy waterhole in front of the camp
• All meals, soft drinks, beers, wines & local spirits
• Laundry
• Activities: Game walks, drives, all day excursions, hide sits and night drives, and service of a licensed guide on safari
• National Park entry fees per paying night

TRANSFERS
• All road transfers between Victoria Falls River Lodge, Nehimba Lodge, and Victoria Falls Airport

Excluded

• Premium imported spirits and champagne
• All other meals, activities and park fees not mentioned
• Gratuities and items of a personal nature

More Travel Information

• Victoria Falls Travel Information
• Victoria Falls Activities
• Zambezi National Park
• Hwange National Park Information

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