Kruger & Victoria Falls
This wonderful tour combines some of the best scenery and wildlife experiences in Africa, combining not only the wonderful wildlife paradise of the Kruger National Park in South Africa, but the glories of Victoria Falls and the mighty Zambezi in Zimbabwe and the magnificent Chobe Game reserve in Botswana, with it’s vast elephant and buffalo herds congregating along the winding Chobe river and it’s floodplains. We are not alone in voting this as one of the “must do” itineraries in Africa.
Day 1: Depart at 12h30 from Hazyview in one of our specially adapted open safari vehicles and enjoy your first game drive on the way to your rest camp, with our professional guide showing you some of the secrets of this world famous game reserve, which is the size of Wales, or Israel. We will arrive at our camp in the late afternoon and check into your bungalow in time for a sundowner drink. Your guide will cook a delicious BBQ dinner (weather permitting) and we can swap a few stories around the fire, whilst listening for the night sounds of the African bush, before going to bed for a well earned sleep.
Day 2: Your guide will wake you up early with tea and coffee for a dawn game drive departure, remember the early bird sees more game! Experience this incredible reserve from the comfort of your open game drive vehicle whilst looking for the “Big 5”and all the other exciting inhabitants of one of Africa’s premier reserves. We will stop at one of the Park’s picnic sites for a delicious outdoor breakfast (weather permitting) before continuing well fed, on the game drive. Return to the camp for lunch (own account) and a siesta. We meet again in the late afternoon for a short game drive with the opportunity of seeing an African sunset (weather permitting). Dinner tonight will be in the restaurant.
Day 3: Enjoy an early morning game drive and bush breakfast (weather permitting) before transferring to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport for the flight to Livingstone Airport in Zambia at 11h35 arriving at 13h50. This day must be a Monday, Wednesday or Friday so that we can use the new direct Airlink flight. On arrival you will be met by Thompsons Touring/Wilderness Safaris and transferred to the David Livingstone Safari Lodge & Spa situated on the Victoria Falls or Mosi-Oa-Tunya, “the Smoke that Thunders”. Enjoy a late afternoon sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi, get up close & personal with its’ hippo’s & crocodiles! Dinner at the hotel.
Day 4: Early departure for the Botswana border (80km) arrive at the scenic Chobe river for an exciting river cruise, excellent game viewing and world class birding, sometimes we get REALLY close to Elephants who seem to completely ignore the boats. Return to Chobe Lodge for an al-fresco lunch experience. After lunch, board a specialized 4x4 safari vehicle for a game drive in the Chobe game reserve, expect lots of elephant and buffalo, return to the lodge after a great game drive for the transfer back to your hotel. What a day! Relax over a delicious dinner at the hotel, sip an ice cold Gin & Tonic and pretend to be one of the hardy early pioneers of the area!!
Day 5: Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, then put your walking shoes on and explore the rain forest and the spectacular Victoria falls, known locally as Mosi-Oa-Tunya- “the smoke that thunders” the first European to see the falls and to name them after his queen, was the intrepid missionary and explorer David Livingstone who saw the falls in November 1855 and was so enraptured by their beauty that he wrote in his journal that ”scenes so lovely must have been gazed down upon by angels in their flight”. Finally we reluctantly depart for the airport by 11pm, for the 14h30pm flight to OR Tambo Airport, Johannesburg