Hwange, Victoria Falls & Chobe: A Luxury Safari Route

Arrival at Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) begins the 180-kilometre overland journey toward Hwange National Park. This two-hour drive transitions from town to open bush, leading to Iganyana Tented Camp on the park's periphery. The evening is best spent settling into the camp before dinner at the camp lodge. This initial night is dedicated to acclimating to the quiet, listening to the distant sounds of the wilderness.

The day is spent exploring the private concession lands adjacent to the lodge, which means fewer vehicles and more intimate wildlife sightings. The morning begins with a safari drive in an open vehicle with an experienced guide, pausing for coffee as the sun rises.

After a bush lunch, the search for wildlife continues on an afternoon drive. This second excursion is timed to end with sundowner drinks and snacks at a scenic viewpoint, a classic safari ritual that makes the most of the changing light as dusk settles over the plains.

Today's drives move into Hwange National Park proper, a vast area renowned for its significant elephant population. The early morning safari enters the park to track wildlife near the man-made waterholes that sustain the animals through the dry season. This offers the best chance to see predators before the heat of the day sets in.

The midday hours are for relaxing back at the lodge, a practical rhythm on safari. Following a high tea, a second drive returns to the park for the golden hour, observing the herds and other plains game as they become more active in the cooler, late-afternoon air.

The 164-kilometre overland journey travels from the Hwange wilderness back to the town of Victoria Falls. After checking into The Waterfall Lodge, the afternoon is unstructured, providing time for personal exploration or optional activities like a helicopter flight over the falls' chasms. The evening features a performance of 'Simunye: The Spirit of Africa,' an open-air theatrical show directed by Mongiwekhaya. The production uses a mix of dance, puppetry, and music to tell a local story, and is followed by dinner.

The day begins with a guided walk along the rainforest trails opposite the main cataracts of Mosi-oa-Tunya, 'The Smoke That Thunders'. The path follows the gorge rim, connecting a series of viewpoints that look directly onto the falling water, with the air thick with mist.

For the afternoon, there is a choice. The first option is a historical tour of the Victoria Falls Bridge, focusing on its ambitious engineering. The second is a hands-on cooking experience with the Lusumpuko Women’s Club, a community cooperative in a nearby township. Dinner is at The Eatery, featuring traditional Zimbabwean stews slow-cooked in cast-iron 'potjie' pots.

The morning involves a professionally handled border crossing from Zimbabwe into Botswana at the Kazungula crossing. The first activity in Botswana is a river safari on the Chobe River, a prime vantage point for seeing the park's famously large elephant herds and resident pods of hippos from the water. Lunch is served on a floating restaurant platform on the river itself.

Afterwards, an overland safari drive continues deeper into the park, doubling as a transfer to a private bush camp. Arrival is timed for sunset, with pre-erected Meru-style glamping tents waiting.

The day is structured to experience Chobe from two distinct perspectives. It begins with an early morning safari drive in an open 4x4, exploring the park's inland road network and pans where predators are often active. This classic land-based safari targets the cooler hours when animals are on the move.

The afternoon is spent aboard the Chobe Explorer, a multi-deck vessel that functions as a floating safari lodge. This allows for a slow-paced cruise along the river's edge, with a focus on birdlife and game coming to drink. Lunch is served on board, and the shaded top deck provides an elevated platform for observation before returning to camp for dinner.

The final morning includes one last safari drive, which follows the route out of Chobe National Park toward the town of Kasane. The transfer concludes at Kasane Airport (BBK) in time for any onward flight scheduled to depart after 2:00 PM.