Zimbabwe Safari IS5A

Special 5 Night Safari which includes Victoria Falls & Hwange National Park

3 Nights Hwange National Park
2 Nights Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
6 Days / 5 Nights
Reference: IS-5A
Starts Victoria Falls Airport / Ends Victoria Falls Airport

Total Price 5 nights (2024): US$ 2623 (low season) | US$ 3511 (high season)
per person sharing

Safari Overview

Experience the magnificence of Victoria Falls combined with a world class safari in Hwange National park. Bomani is a superb tented lodge on the boundary of Hwange National Park in its own private game concession. Victoria Falls, The Wallow Lodge is situated along the Masuwe River, on a private concession with 4500 acres of wilderness. Just 10kms from the mighty Victoria Falls, this lodge offers peace and tranquillity, yet is within easy reach of Victoria Falls for daily activities.

Zimbabwe Safari IS5A Inspired Journey Overview

Notes: Day 1, 2 & 3

DAY 1
When you arrive at Victoria Falls Airport, you will be met by one of our representatives and transferred by air-conditioned minibus to Dete Siding (2 hours) where you will meet the Elephant Express. This refurbished diesel railcar is specially designed for guest’s comfort and optimal game viewing. The exquisite 70km rail journey takes you right along the boundary of Hwange National Park and is the perfect start to your safari experience. At Ngamo siding, a Bomani Lodge 4 x 4 vehicle will meet you and transfer you a short distance, through their private concession to the camp. Settle into your tent and then enjoy a late lunch followed by a game drive with sundowners and snacks by the Pan. Freshen up and enjoy a delicious 3 course supper out under the stars.

DAY 2
Wake up for an early morning game drive and walk in Hwange National Park's acacia forests surrounding Ngamo Plains. Return to Bomani for brunch and either a siesta or an hour or two in the blind over the waterhole. An afternoon game drive will be followed by sundowners and snacks at Major Pan. Then a night drive takes you back to the lodge for showers, then cocktails and snacks around the campfire with a 3 course dinner to follow in the main lodge area.

DAY 3
Early this morning, prepare for an all day trip into the park on a one of a kind ‘pump run', with a picnic and siesta under the trees at Mfagazaan Pan. Imvelo's trademark pump runs combine game viewing in remote areas of the park with practical hands-on conservation. You can assist the guide with day-to-day maintenance at the borehole pumps which are the heartbeat of Hwange National Park and its wildlife. Leisurely take an afternoon game drive back to the lodge going from pan to pan, weaving our way between the throngs of jostling elephant that come pouring in for the fresh water. It makes for a fun, memorable and extremely rewarding day. Return to camp and freshen up, and then have refreshments around the campfire and supper in the main lodge area.

**Please note that the above activity schedule is a guideline and you can tailor-make your itinerary with the camp managers onsite, to suit your exact needs.

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: Bomani Tented Lodge

This comfortable and well-appointed lodge is nestled in a remote and untouched corner on the edge of Hwange National Park in a 5000-acre private reserve, and is famous for its impressive sightings of herds of elephant, not to mention many other spectacular species of wildlife.

The main lodge is built on a spectacular viewing platform and overlooks Bomani Pan. You can enjoy your breakfast while watching zebra and wildebeest quietly graze or sip a sundowner as giraffe and elephant soak up the day's final rays.

Of course the main pastime at Bomani is game viewing, and whether you choose to go on a guided game walk in the lodge's private concession or a game drive in the national park, you will not be disappointed - these spectacular landscapes teem with a rich array of unique African wildlife and flora.

Activities at Bomani

Game Drives
Game drives are conducted by experienced guides in traditional open safari vehicles. On your morning game drives pause to enjoy tea, coffee and biscuits and in the afternoons cool drinks and cooked snacks will be provided. Bomani land Cruisers seat up to 9 guests and Land Rovers seat up to 7 guests. Game drives in this remote portion of Hwange National Park seldom see another vehicle and are a spectacular insight into the wildlife and environment unique to this part of the park.

Game Walks
Game walks are an exciting option for photography of big game on foot. They are usually undertaken in the mornings and are conducted by a fully licensed and highly experienced armed professional guide. In this remote and wild area every walk provides fascinating insights into Hwange's circle of life; watch Hwange's elephants shake acacia trees to loosen and then eat the pods while on a smaller scale dung beetles roll up the elephant dung containing acacia seeds into balls. Dung beetles bury these balls and the acacia seed is now ready to germinate and grow into a new tree!

Night Drives
It's well worth joining one of the shorter night drives through Bomani's private concession. Trackers operate powerful spotlights to seek out some of the less-seen nocturnal creatures. The light's red filter lessens the disturbance, thus creating a unique opportunity to watch the fascinating behaviour of the nocturnal world. Unusual highlights include ant bears, porcupines, genets, springhares, lesser bushbabies and pennant winged nightjars.

Game viewing blinds
For the hard core photographers, the lodge's game viewing blinds at some of the waterholes are ideal for wildlife photography.

Pump runs
Imvelo Safari Lodges operate 8 waterholes for the wildlife in this region of the National Park, the furthest of which is 55 km away. A popular activity is to take an all day trip into the Park to visit the waterholes to drop off fuel and oil for the motors as well as rations and supplies for the pump attendants. A picnic lunch is then enjoyed near one of the waterholes followed by a leisurely game drive back to lodge in the afternoon.

School tours and village visits
Fifteen minutes' drive from the lodge our guests have the opportunity to enjoy a real life look at village life in rural Matabeleland. A fascinating experience of a variety of typical daily village activities is followed by a tour of one of the nearby schools conducted by the Headmaster where guests are given the opportunity to hear traditional songs sung by the children and enjoy a ‘class interaction'.

Walking with Rhino
Tour of the sanctuary headquarters – meet some of the Community Wildlife Protection scouts on duty that day, and hear a short talk on the origins of the Cobras unit and how they protect the rhino. Walking tour to view and spend time with the rhino and our Cobra Rangers guarding them 24/7 – lots of photo opportunities and quality time to watch and enjoy our white rhino in their new home on the Ngamo plains (how close one will be able to get to the rhino is subject to conditions on the ground).

Notes: Day 4, 5 & 6

DAY 4
You may have time for one more activity before returning to the lodge for breakfast and then catch your road transfer to the airstrip. Your flight from Hwange to Victoria Falls Aiport is a short 35 minutes, then your driver will take you to The Wallow Lodge. Settle in and enjoy the afternoon activities, which include a game drive on the wildlife sanctuary and sundowners and canapes at the Batoka Gorge.

DAY 5
After breakfast catch the lodge shuttle and spend the day in Victoria Falls town. Enjoy the multitude of activities on offer and of-course take a tour of the of the magnificent Victoria Falls. Although these 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 this page Victoria Falls activities to see what is on offer.

Other activities back at The Wallow include a visit to the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust which is adjacent to the lodge.

DAY 6
After breakfast, you will be picked up at The Wallow Lodge for your transport to the airport for your onward flight.

A couple of worthwhile specific activities are available at The Wallow, please see details below:-

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: The Wallow Lodge

The Wallow Lodge is located in the Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary, a private concession in the Victoria Falls National Park. A birds-eye view of the area would show you the silver-blue shimmer of the Masuwe River, snaking across a mosaic of green and gold wilderness. The landscape is punctuated by the black basalt gorge, where the Zambezi River rapids froth below the edge. This is a destination of exceptional beauty, and The Wallow Lodge reflects the landscape.

Panoramic views of the Masuwe River form the backdrop of the main area, cleverly incorporating the unrushed rhythm of nature into the open plan design. There is an echo of the elements in the infinity pool and sunken firepit, both of which overlook the river from an expansive deck. Victoria Falls is a short twenty-minute transfer from the camp, giving guests the freedom to find a balance between the exclusivity of the bush and the excitement of Africa’s Adventure Capital.

Enchanting and intimate, the sixteen suites are ideally situated to overlook the Masuwe River and surrounding wilderness. The imaginative use of canvas preserves the romance of yesteryear with a classic safari atmosphere, accentuated with all the modern creature comforts. Each room is raised beneath the shade of ancient riverine trees, and from this elevated vantage point, guests can enjoy uninterrupted views of the river from their private balcony.

Activities at The Wallow Lodge

Guided Tour of the Falls
On your guided walking tour of the falls, you will have the opportunity to discover the many facets of the magnificent Victoria Falls. Explore the rainforest while learning about the history of the Falls, its geological significance and its flora and fauna. You'll have the opportunity to soak up the beautiful vistas, lush surroundings, magical waterfalls, and the spray of the Falls.

Visit the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust
Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust is located in the Wild Horizons Wildlife Sanctuary adjacent to the lodge. The Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, a non-profit entity and dedicated vehicle for promoting conservation awareness, education, and community empowerment. A tour of the Trust is part of our guest experience. Guests will visit the High-Care Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre and Laboratory facilities to learn about innovative conservation initiatives from a team of passionate research and wildlife experts.

Game Drive Followed By Cocktails & Canapés at the Batoka Gorge
Game drives are a quintessential safari experience, and with over 4500 acres of traversing wilderness, no two game drives are ever the same. Professional, passionate and knowledgeable safari guides lead the game drives. The freedom of structure creates a continuous adventure, and the journey follows the calls and contours of the landscape. After the game drive, guests will enjoy a selection of cocktails and canapes on the rim of the Batoka Gorge, where the Zambezi Rapids rage 120 meters below. This hidden gem is the perfect place to enjoy a sundowner.

Price

Total Price 5 nights (2024): US$ 2623 (low season) | US$ 3511 (high season)  
Per person sharing

Included in this safari

BOMANI TENTED LODGE
• Accommodation in a luxury tented room overlooking Bomani Pan
• All meals and non-premium beverages
• Laundry
• Service of a licensed guide
• Activities: game walks, game drives, all day excursions, hit sits, night drives, visit to local village and school tour, walk with rhino
• Park fees

THE WALLOW LODGE
• Accommodation in an elevated luxury tent overlooking the Masuwe River
• All meals, soft drinks, beers, wines & local spirits
• Laundry
• Activities: Guided tour of the Falls, Visit to the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, Game drive on the wildlife sanctuary and cocktails and canapés by the Batoka Gorge
• Parks and conservation fees

TRANSFERS
• Return road transfer between Victoria Falls and Hwange
• Elephant Express rail journey
• Flight from Hwange to Victoria Falls
• Return Victoria Falls Airport transfers

Excluded

THE WALLOW & BOMANI LODGE
• Premium imported beverages
• Activities in Victoria Falls
• Gratuities and items of a personal nature

More Travel Information

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

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