Accommodation
The Chobe Princess Safariboats are intimate houseboats on the Chobe River that allow guests to experience the wonders of the Chobe National Park without the crowds. The boats follow a schedule, with a 2-day departure on mondays and wednesdays and a 3-day departure on fridays. The boat is basically your private floating hotel on the Chobe River with staff, guides and boats at your disposal.
There are three boats, built to the same specifications. The boats offer 4-5 cabins, each configured with either a king size bed or a twin. All rooms can accommodate two adults and are equipped with large sliding windows and en-suite bathroom. Children of any age are allowed on the boat, and triples are possible for one child under 8 in the parent's room. The superior rooms are slightly more expensive as they offer a private balcony.
The Chobe Princess Safariboats consist of 3 decks. The cabins for guests and staff are located on the lower deck. The upper deck features bar, lounge and dining area. In front of the boat there is a sun deck with loungers and a plunge pool. The top deck is the perfect viewing point to watch wildlife while the sun sets over the Chobe River.
This border posts opens at 07h30 and closes at 16h30 daily. Guests should meet at Immigration at 13:30. After having your passport stamped, it is only a short boat ride across the river to Impalila Island to enter into Namibia (another stamp!). The whole transfer should not take more than 45 min from the jetty, or one hour from Kasane airport respectively. On your day of departure you will be taken back to Botswana, your arrival time at the Kasane border post (jetty) is about 10 am.
The Chobe Princess Safariboats have access to several exclusive docking sites along the Chobe River. It will take the boat between 3 and 4 hours to move from one site to the next.
Travel by road to Victoria Falls Hotel
Accommodation
Witness to its own fair share of history, the Victoria Falls Hotel was built in 1904 during the reign of England's King Edward VII, and reflects the opulent Edwardian style. Monarchs, Presidents, Hollywood stars and other VIPs have all strut the corridors of this ‘grand old lady of the falls'. The hotel was just recently renovated in a manner still echoing its glorious past.
The well-manicured tropical garden with its water lily pond and shady palms offers first-rate views of the Victoria Falls and the historical bridge connecting Zimbabwe and Zambia. The hotel comprises 94 rooms of varying price class, three restaurants, two tennis courts, a large swimming pool, library, bar, spa with hair salon and a souvenir shop.
The Zambezi River rises in north-western Zambia and crosses several African countries on its 2700 km journey to the Indian Ocean. The river also forms the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. At Victoria Falls, the water falls for more than 100m into Batoka Gorge, over a width of nearly two kilometers. The falls are called 'Mosi-oa-Tunya' or 'the Smoke that Thunders', as the spray can be seen from miles away and, at the height of the rainy season, more than five hundred million cubic meters of water per minute plummet over the edge.
The town of Victoria Falls is located right next to the falls. The falls are called ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya’ or ‘The Smoke that Thunders’ because the mist can rise several hundred metres above the gorge during the wet season, making it visible for miles around and thus a well-known landmark.
The town of Victoria Falls is the ideal place from which to explore the falls. For a small fee, guests can walk along the entire length of the falls on the Zimbabwean side, and marvel at the thundering mass of water.
The falls are rather small in October / November and large parts of the edge are visible. The amount of water flowing over the edge increases as the rains begin, swelling to its full capacity with the onset of the floodwaters in March / April. There is often a lot of mist from April to July, and it’s advisable to protect yourself and your camera with something waterproof.
Travel by road to Victoria Falls
Flight to Linkwasha Camp
Accommodation The new Linkwasha Camp was built in one of the best wildlife areas within Hwange National Park, with easy access to key game viewing areas such as Ngamo Plains. The camp is rated higher in terms of luxury and service than any other camp in Hwange.
The camp features seven en-suite double / twin tents and one family tent with two bedrooms. The main area has multi-level decks providing a variety of views over the plains in front of camp, a bar, a lounge with fireplace and library, an outdoor swimmingpool and a fire pit.
The park gradually dries out from April until the beginning of October, during which time ever-larger numbers of animals increasingly rely on the mainly artificial waterholes. This is when guests get to see the maximum concentration of wildlife and, most impressively, the huge herds of elephant and buffalo. Lion cheetah, hyena and wild dog are also spotted regularly.
With the onset of the wet season in November, the park turns as if by magic from a dusty plain into a swaying mass of lush green grass. It is the time when animals are more difficult to find as they do not gather at the water holes as they do during the dry season.
Several white rhino have been re-introduced to the region, but are very difficult to find. The rare roan and sable antelope and eland are also at home here.
Flight to Bumi Hills Safari Lodge
Accommodation
Bumi Hills Safari Lodge, perched on a hill overlooking Lake Kariba and the game-rich shoreline, boasts one of Africa’s most spectacular vistas. On its own private safari concession, Bumi Hills Safari Lodge sits on the border to Matusadona National Park.
At its heart is the large viewing deck, which extends over various levels, and the elegant infinity pool. The lodge is stylishly furnished and features many lounge corners, a dining area and the bar and outside sitting areas. A billiard room, a spa and a fully equipped gym complete the offer. Guests enjoy meeting at the open fireplace to share the day's experiences.
The Lodge houses 10 spacious Lake View Suites, each complete with air-conditioning, a freestanding bath, an indoor and outdoor shower, a mini bar, and a private viewing deck extending out towards Lake Kariba. In addition, the private Baobab Villa is the perfect family retreat or friends’ getaway – featuring two large suites, a living room, and an outdoor and indoor dining area. The Villa also comes with the personalized services of a butler, a guide, and the exclusive use of a safari vehicle.
Access to Bumi Hills is by plane into Bumi Hill airstip from where it is only a 5-minute transfer to the lodge. The duration of the flights is approximately an hour and a half from either Harare or Victoria Falls.
Situated at the eastern end of the lake, the town of Kariba was built for construction workers during the decades-long building process. When the gorge was flooded, Rupert Fothergill and his team saved more than 6000 animals from drowning over a period of five years, and relocated them to the Matusadona National Park. The operation went down in the history books of Zimbabwe as ‘Operation Noah’.
Situated along the shores of Lake Kariba against the backdrop of the Matuzviadonha Mountains, the remote Big Five National Park covers 1367 km² of the most pristine nature. Its diverse ecosystems support a broad spectrum of animals and birdlife.
Flight to Ruckomechi Camp
Accommodation Ruckomechi Camp offers ten spacious tents with large bathrooms and additional outdoor showers. All tents have a small forecourt with chairs and river views. The rooms are open and airy and their many windows offer fantastic panoramic views of passing wildlife.
Five rooms are located either side of the main building, which is accessed via raised wooden platforms and houses a pool, library, lounge, bar and the dining area. An outdoor deck with plenty of cushions and integrated fireplace is the ideal spot for morning coffee or a good story to round off the day.
The camp is located on the banks of the Zambezi inside a private concession bordering the actual park. No other vehicles are permitted to drive in this area and as the concession is located just outside the park, night drives are allowed as well.
Ruckomechi Camp can be reached by flying to Harare in Zimbabwe before taking a 1.5-hour light aircraft flight to camp, or in a light aircraft from Victoria Falls (2 hrs). Transfer from Mana West Airstrip to camp takes around 30 minutes.
The mountains of the Great African Rift Valley and the Lower Zambezi National Park are situated on the other side of the Zambezi. This section of the Zambezi is famous for its four lagoons: Main, Chile, Long and Chisambuk. ‘Mana’ means ‘four’ in the local Shona language.
Both big and small congregate at the river to quench their thirst during the winter months. Predators, such as lion, leopard, hyena and wild dog, are regularly spotted here. Mana Pools not only offers game drives, but also boat trips on the Zambezi, and canoeing safaris on its tributaries.
Flight to Harare
Basic Information
Individual journey. The journey will be planned on your preferred dates.
Duration 12 nights. Min 2 guests. Minimum age 7 years. Weight limit of luggage 20 kg.
Includes all transfers from Kasane to the hotels/camps to Harare
- Chobe Princess: Standard Room. All meals, drinks (except premier brands), twice daily shared activities with one of the camp guides.
- Victoria Falls Hotel: Stables Signature Wing. Breakfast.
- Linkwasha Camp: Standard Room. All meals, drinks (except premier brands), laundry service, twice daily shared activities with one of the camp guides.
- Bumi Hills Safari Lodge: Lake View Room. All meals, drinks (except premier brands), laundry service, twice daily shared activities with one of the camp guides.
- Ruckomechi Camp: Standard Room. All meals, drinks (except premier brands), laundry service, twice daily shared activities with one of the camp guides.
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