Zimbabwe Safari IP8D

This enticing 8-night safari includes the magnificent destinations of Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park and Matusadona. Offering a complete cross section of activities and adventure, from game viewing and the mighty Falls to sport fishing and boat cruises. It’s a combination that is guaranteed to satisfy your safari dreams and all at a special price!

2 Nights Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
3 Nights Hwange National Park
3 Nights Matusadona National Park, Lake Kariba
9 Days / 8 Nights
Reference: IP-8D
Starts Victoria Falls Airport / Ends Victoria Falls Airport

Total Price 8 Nights (2024): US$ 5023 (low season) | US$ 6402 (high season)
per person sharing

Safari Overview

This enticing 8-night safari includes the magnificent destinations of Victoria Falls, Hwange National Park and Matusadona, offering a complete cross section of activities and adventure, from game viewing and the mighty Falls to sport fishing and boat cruises. It’s a combination that is guaranteed to satisfy your safari dreams and all at a special price!

Starting with two nights at Victoria Falls with its many adventure, scenic, wildlife and adrenalin activities. There is no better place to stay than in a club suite at the Victoria Falls Safari Club. Then take a short charter flight to Hwange National Park for three nights at the award-winning The Hide safari lodge, enjoying unforgettable safari activities with excellent safari guides on this special private game concession. Another scenic short charter flight takes you to Changa Safari Lodge in the Matusadona National Park on the shores of Lake Kariba. Spend the next three days soaking up the beautiful views that Kariba has to offer along with a wide range of land and water based activities, before flying back to Victoria Falls Airport.

Zimbabwe Safari IP8D Inspired Journey Overview

Notes: Day 1 & 2

DAY 1
You will be met at Victoria Falls airport by one of our representatives and transferred by air-conditioned minibus to Victoria Falls Safari Club, arriving by mid-afternoon. This gives you time to settle in and relax or we recommend a sunset cruise or helicopter flight on this first afternoon. The Club Suite is divine. For dinner there is the award winning Makuwa-Kuwa or the very popular Boma restaurants, either of which is sure to satisfy your demands (not included). Although activities are not included in the package price, please let us help you to arrange an itinerary of activities suitable for you. Have a look at these Victoria Falls activities and discounted packages to see what is on offer.

DAY 2
You have a full day to soak up the wonderful atmosphere of Victoria Falls, it is the adventure capital of Africa and there are activities on offer to cater for everyone’s needs. View the mighty Falls, partake in the many activities on offer or wander around the streets to do a bit of curio shopping, then finish off at a café for refreshments and a bite to eat. Please have a look at the available Victoria Falls Activities and contact us to help arrange a suitable itinerary just for you.

Dinner can either be at the hotel again or we can recommend other options in and around town and on activities. A popular choice is to end the last day with a Boma Experience in the evening, situated on the grounds of Victoria Falls Safari Lodge.

Victoria Falls

One of the original natural wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls is a World Heritage Site and an extremely popular tourism attraction. Known locally as ‘The Smoke that Thunders’, this spectacle is accessible from both Zambia and Zimbabwe and it is an ideal place to combine a game viewing and water sports. There is excellent fishing, a terrifying bungee jump and arguably the best commercial white water rafting in the world.

Overnight: Victoria Falls Safari Club

4 kms from the Victoria Falls rainforest, and situated within the magnificent grounds of the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge resort and overlooking a private waterhole, is the boutique Safari Club.

The luxurious rooms at Victoria Falls Safari Club have uninterrupted views of the unspoilt bushveld, spectacular sunsets and the waterhole. All beds are three quarter beds, which can be converted into king beds. Room facilities include: fully stocked complimentary mini bars, digital safes large enough to hold laptop computers, international multi sockets, beverage station including espresso machine, LED lighting, sliding glass doors and gauze screens to balcony, complimentary Wi-Fi and air-conditioning. The Suites offer the same as the Club Rooms but include a spacious adjacent sitting room.

The Safari Club has its own Club Lounge with: separate welcome zone, butler service, seamless delivery, complimentary afternoon tea and pastries, complimentary sundowners and snacks. All Safari Club Residents have access to all facilities at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge resort but no other resort residents have access to the Club wing ensuring total exclusivity.

Activities Near Victoria Falls Safari Club

The Boma Experience
Described as an unforgettable African experience infused with Zimbabwean cuisine, spirited performances and traditional storytelling, The Boma – Place of Eating has firmly established itself as a Victoria Falls highlight. Partially open to the skies, The Boma specialises in a superb selection of Zimbabwean dishes. A four-course meal combines a choice of starters with a barbecue buffet. The adventurous are enticed with local delicacies such as mopani worms and potjiekos (hunter’s game stew), whilst those wishing to enjoy beef, pork, fish and chicken or a variety of vegetarian meals are welcome to do so. The sights and sounds of the evening are accentuated by a feast of nightly entertainment, incorporating traditional dancers, who captivate guests with their vibrant songs and dance. The acclaimed Zambezi Drumbeat provides a wonderful interactive drumming experience.

Notes: Day 3 & 4

DAY 3
There is time for breakfast and an early morning activity before transferring to Victoria Falls airport around mid-morning for your charter flight to The Hide in Hwange National Park. This scenic flight takes about 45 minutes followed by a short game drive to camp. The Hide has a variety of game viewing activities, details of which can be seen in the Activities Info below. Arrange your schedule with the lodge managers onsite, tailored to your individual needs. One of the most appealing qualities of this camp is the waterhole in front of the camp. You don’t actually need to go anywhere as the game comes to you and the hides that they have created, which have such easy access means that you can be watching game all day long. A delicious dinner is served around a giant teak table, after which gather around the fire pit and exchange stories with some of the other guests at the lodge.

DAY 4 & 5
Two full days of game viewing activities at The Hide, tailor-made to suit your needs and influenced by what the wildlife at the time of your visit is doing. Up to 4 game viewing activities per day are included in the rate so you can overdose on wildlife if you wish. Relaxing in the onsite underground hide for me is one of the most rewarding activities you can do.

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.

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: The Hide

Well known and much loved, The Hide Safari Camp is situated within Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest game reserve. ‘The Hide’, into its third decade, accommodates up to 20 guests in well-appointed deluxe tents under thatch, all tents overlook the productive waterhole. Tents have en-suite facilities that include outdoor showers and bath tubs.

Up to 4 game activities per day, bush walks, day and night drives, ‘hide’ sits including our new underground tunnel to one hide. Enjoy a “sleep-out” in the romantic Dove’s Nest. The Hide is a very personal camp with friendly staff and experienced guides. 

Activities at The Hide

Guided Walks
Morning and afternoon guided walks are offered at The Hide Safari Camp. The camp is fortunate to have the best of both worlds - while located within the Hwange National Park, it is also surrounded by a private concession which allows us to offer activities not otherwise permitted. Hwange is a vast playground worth exploring so you don’t have to worry about being bored. Early morning walks are there for the thrill of encountering wildlife on its own terms and exploring the little surprises of the bush.

Day and Night Game Drives
Morning and afternoon game drives as well as night drives with a spotlight are offered at The Hide Safari Camp. Days can be spent further afield on game drives in search of predators and prey alike. Sundowners are an important part of the experience. Enjoy the natural beauty with a cold drink in hand. The guides at The Hide are very much part of the family and have been with the camp for many years. They have undergone some of the most rigorous training in Africa and their passion for and knowledge of the bush is often what makes a safaris so special.

The Dove's Nest Treehouse
The Dove’s Nest, is just about the best way to get away from it all. There are few things more exciting than spending a night out in a tree house. Overlooking the open tree-lined vlei and pan, this rustic gem is a perfect vantage point from which to view wildlife safely, quietly. Just the two of you. Kept simple, as a tree house should be, the bedroom of the Dove’s Nest is reached by a wooden stairway and with a closable door. You won’t have to forego your hot shower and warm bed and the location is second to none.

Underground Hide and Wine Cellar
You’re sitting on the deck at The Hide ‘A’ frame. The sun has just set, its residual warmth a soft tinge of pink in the sky. Just then, a family of elephants strolls into the scene and up to the waterhole. You watch, fascinated by their interactions. Now, here’s where you jump into action. Without the need for a guide or host, you can go directly from the deck into the underground hide and observe the elephant family from up-close. Just step off the deck and slip down the steps into a whole new world. Along a tunnel, you’ll walk for about 10 metres under the surface of the earth – and then emerge into a “window on the waterhole”, where you can sit quietly, the unobserved observing. It’s a special new addition and makes the experience of “game viewing” more intense and personal.

Along the same tunnel, guests are delighted to find, hidden away in the wall, a real wine cellar. Perfectly cooled at a steady 17 degrees Celsius, ambient-lit and stocked with a small selection of fine wines from around the world, this is a welcome addition to an already all-sensory experience at The Hide. Guests are invited to choose the wine they’d like with dinner – or suggestions are made based on wine pairing experts’ recommendations.

Notes: Day 6, 7, 8 & 9

DAY 6
You have a bit of time to visit the underground hide and view the early visitors at the waterhole, or possibly it’s time for a lie in. After breakfast you will be transferred to a nearby airstrip, for your 1hr 25-minute flight to Fothergill airstrip in Kariba. Then a short road and boat transfer takes you into Changa Safari Camp, where you will check in and have something some lunch. Changa has a wide variety of water and land based activities, details of which can be seen in the Activities Info below. If you are keen on fishing, then you are in the right place as Kariba is renowned for its excellent tiger fishing. Arrange your schedule with the lodge managers onsite, tailored to your individual needs. A delicious 3 course dinner is served in the main dining area but private dinners can also be arranged.

DAY 7 & 8
Two full days of activities at Changa, tailor-made to suit your needs and influenced by what the wildlife at the time of your visit is doing. The range of activity options is quite something and each day brings with it excitement and adventure - you won’t want to leave.

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.

DAY 9
Sadly, this is your last day. After breakfast you will be transferred to the airstrip for your 1hr 40-minute flight to Victoria Falls Airport for your onward arrangements.

Matusadona National Park

Matusadona National Park is situated on the shores of Lake Kariba but was proclaimed a non-hunting area on 7 November 1958 before the dam was built. It became a Game Reserve in 1963, and in 1975, in terms of the Parks & Wildlife Act, it became a National Park. The Park comprises some 1 400 square kilometres of diverse flora and fauna. Before the lake was built, Matusadona was a vast, rugged wilderness with limited access.

With the lake came ecological changes. One in particular, the lakeshore contributed greatly to the increase of large mammal populations in the area, especially elephant and buffalo. The grass found on the shoreline is Panicum repens and is a rejuvenative grass - needing only fluctuating lake levels to replenish its nutrients. With this ready food source, buffalo, waterbuck, zebra, and even impala have thrived and with them the predators. Matusadona is an Intensive Protection Zone (IPZ) and home to several relocated rhinoceros.

Overnight: Changa Safari Camp

With a passion for the wilderness and African wildlife, the Higgins and Preston families have built a dream safari destination on the shores of Lake Kariba in the Matusadona National Park. Situated within a private concession and with our own 4.5 km of lake shore, you can realize the total raw African experience from tastefully furnished, fan cooled, spacious deluxe East African style tented suites. Each suite has its own private deck and stunning views of the mysterious Matusadona Mountains across the inland sea of Lake Kariba.

This rich wilderness area offers exceptional game drives as well as walking and fishing safaris, all in the company of highly trained professional guides. Healthy populations of predators, including lion, leopard, hyena and cheetah as well as elephant, buffalo and antelope frequent the shoreline. Hippos and crocodiles are abundant in the cool waters. If you are very lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the last remaining Black Rhinos. Birdlife is prolific, with 350 species having been identified in the area.

Accommodation at Changa consists of luxury tented suites each individually displaying truly unique African influences, from rustic wood, leather and weavery, against crisp white linen and locally made furniture. Styled with complete comfort in mind each tent has en-suite facilities and “under the stars” outside shower and bath. Whether you choose to relax in the comfort of your tent or enjoy spectacular lake vistas from your own private veranda you will be reminded time and again of the endless beauty around you.

Activities at Changa Camp

Fishing
Kariba is a fisherman’s paradise! Why not try your hand at fighting the renowned Tiger Fish for which people from all over the world return time and time again to catch. Alternatively, bream fishing is always a pleasure and one's daily catch can be returned to you 'a la' snacks.

Bird Watching
Climb on board the pontoon boat and, together with our guide, you can explore the multitude of bays and river inlets where the birdlife is prolific and elephants and antelope abound.

Game Walks
Arguably the best way to experience and feel in touch with the African bush. Our professional guides have a thorough knowledge of the area and, accompanied by them, you can experience Matusadona 'at its best'. Walks are conducted in the early mornings and late afternoons for your comfort.

Game Drive
A leisurely drive in an open safari vehicle is a perfect way to discover the area, and provides an opportunity to see a wider variety of game and scenery as you cover much more ground than on a game walk. Accompanied by your guide, a game drive is a lovely way to spend the morning.

Boat Cruises
At the end of the day, enjoy a refreshing 'sundowner' whilst you marvel at the unequalled beauty of a famous Lake Kariba sunset. Although not plentiful in numbers, some predators, including lion, leopard, hyena and cheetah, as well as the more common elephant, buffalo and antelope species can be seen in the Changa Safari Camp and Matusadona surrounds. Hippos and crocodiles are abundant in the cool waters. If you are very lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the last remaining Black Rhinos. Birdlife is prolific: 350 species have been identified in the area.

Price

Total Price 8 Nights (2024): US$ 5023 (low season) | US$ 6402 (high season)
Per person sharing

Included in This Safari

VICTORIA FALLS SAFARI CLUB
• Accommodation in a spacious suite with views of the National Park
• Breakfast, complimentary mini bar, afternoon teas and pastries, sundowner cocktails and canapés
• Laundry
• Star Talk Experience
• Head and shoulder or foot massage

THE HIDE
• Accommodation in a spacious deluxe tent with views of the waterhole
• All meals, local drinks, house wine, teas/coffees
• Laundry
• National Park fees and Conservation Levy
• Up to 4 activities per day: Morning and afternoon guided walks; Morning and afternoon game drives; Night drives with a spotlight; ‘Hide sits’ around the pan; An overnight sleep-out in the “Dove’s Nest” tree house for 2 people

CHANGA SAFARI CAMP
• Accommodation in luxury safari tents with en-suite facilities and “under the stars” outside shower and bath
• Laundry
• All meals and local drinks and house wine
• National Park fees and Conservation Levy
• Up to 3 activities per day: Game drives; bird watching; boat cruises; fishing and/or sundowners; Walking safari (early morning or late afternoon)

TRANSFERS
• All road transfers between lodges/hotels and airports
• All air transfers between Victoria Falls, Kariba and Hwange
• Departure tax for each air transfer mentioned in this safari

Excluded

• Premium beverages
• Meals and activities not mentioned

More Travel Information

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

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