Arrival in Victoria Falls
Arrive at Victoria Falls Airport where a representative will meet you and help you transfer to your hotel featuring interconnecting rooms.The falls are never out of sight or mind whether you’re watching the powerful spray escape the earth like steam or listening to its distant rumble. Your hotel is perfectly positioned for a saunter into town – or even an optional segway tour! But most importantly you’re only a 15-minute walk away from the iconic falls themselves. Head out on a series of walkways to viewpoints with great names such as Rainbow Falls and Danger Point where you can gawp in awe at formidable cascades plunging 100 metres below. Overnight at Ilala Lodge.
Things to do:
See the spray of Victoria Falls from your terrace at Ilala Lodge
Face to face with 'The Smoke That Thunders'
An interlude of African history: The Victoria Falls Hotel
Victoria Falls
Wake up for a full day of adventure ahead. Teens will no doubt love optional activities such as white-water rafting in the churning rapids (minimum age is 15 years old), ziplining over the forest canopy or freefalling 70 metres into the mouth of a gorge on an adrenaline-pumping rope swing. For something a little tamer, you could enjoy lunch at a local home for insight into the culture – a unique experience. The pièce de résistance for most is a helicopter ride over the falls for unrivalled perspectives and bragworthy Instagram shots. Overnight at Ilala Lodge.
Things to do:
See the spray of Victoria Falls from your terrace at Ilala Lodge
Flying high in a helicopter over the Victoria Falls
Thrills, spills and heart-pounding adventures at Victoria Falls
A taste of authentic home cooking in Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls & Hwange National Park
Transfer around two hours to Hwange National Park and the village of Dete where the remarkable Elephant Express, a traditional open-sided railcar, will transport you over the grassland to your remotely located lodge.Trundling along at 25 miles per hour on a colonial-era track you may spot plains game or if you’re lucky, cheetah that often use the tracks as a vantage point. For families, your lodge features a huge, elevated two-bedroom tent complete with two bathtubs, a spacious lounge (with space for a couple of extra beds) and a panoramic deck. Watch the wildlife come to drink at the neighbouring waterhole – there’s no need for televisions - or take a dip in the plunge pool to recover from the journey. Stories by the campfire and dinners alfresco add to the adventurous vibe. Overnight at Bomani Lodge.
Things to do:
Bomani Tented Lodge: a synergy of community, environment and awesome wildlife
Safari on the Elephant Express across Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park
Your lodge offers convenient access to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest game reserve with countless activities meaning even teenagers are never short on entertainment. Daily game drives plunge you into Hwange’s vast space alive with compelling wildlife from screeching baboons and big cats to the record high numbers of elephants – especially engrossing when seen on a walking safari (minimum age is 13 years old). Zimbabwe’s walking guides are often cited as the best in the business due to the extensive training which can take approximately four years to complete. This means you and your brood are in the safest hands when tracking animals on foot and investigating nature up close. If you’d rather see them without the hair-raising experience, Bomani have built a number of discreet elephant hides right next to active waterholes bringing you only steps away from all the action. Overnight at Bomani Tented Camp.
Things to do:
Bomani Tented Lodge: a synergy of community, environment and awesome wildlife
Safari in a private slice of Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park
On your last day in the bush, you may want to delve deeper into the park’s inner workings for greater context. Budding conservationists should not miss meeting Hwange’s two white rhinos, or rather the local celebrities, and a success story in sustainability. Not only can you enjoy some riveting safari experiences but activities that expose your clan to the local community. The 'pump run' is one such optional activity which can involve delivering supplies to pump attendants who spend hours manning the waterholes. A fun and humbling day out with a picnic lunch to restore you. Overnight at Bomani Tented Camp.
Things to do:
Bomani Tented Lodge: a synergy of community, environment and awesome wildlife
Meet Hwange’s white rhinos
Help sustain the wildlife in Hwange National Park
Hwange National Park & Victoria Falls
Transfer back to Victoria Falls where you can take the rest of the day to recalibrate and bunk down in a garden-level, ample-sized Deluxe Suite. This time, your hotel is located a little further out of town for extra serenity along the Zambezi River although there’s a ten-minute shuttle to take guests to and from the falls. After early wake up calls and days in the bush, you may feel like some downtime by the swimming pool watching the warthogs wander by. If you missed one of the adventurous optional activities the first time around, the rapids and gorges are only a transfer away – perhaps one for the teens. Adults may choose this moment to enquire about a private candle-lit dinner or a massage to knead out any lingering tension. Overnight at The Palm River Hotel.
Things to do:
The Palm River Hotel: A slice of serenity near Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls
Spend your final day as you please. In the evening as the amber light recedes, enjoy a river cruise en famille drifting you around the forested islands perhaps spotting snorting hippo, grazing zebra and elephants plodding through the greenery. Your captain has a wealth of wildlife knowledge which sets this boat ride apart from the rest. Sipping a gin and tonic while nibbling on canapes with the sun on the cusp of the water, a sunset cruise couldn’t feel more valedictory. Overnight at The Palm River Hotel.
Things to do:
The Palm River Hotel: A slice of serenity near Victoria Falls
Step back in time on a luxurious sunset Zambezi cruise
Victoria Falls & Departure
Transfer to the airport for your onward journey.
Another stop?
If you want to extend your safari adventure, we recommend including a trip to Chobe National Park in Botswana
Extensions
Chobe Game Lodge: where Elizabeth Taylor married Richard Burton
From baboon encounters to elephant crossings – a day on safari at Chobe Game Lodge
