Hwange to Vic Falls & Mana Pools Safari

Wake up and give that outdoor shower a try before making your way to the main lodge for breakfast. Today you will head out into the diverse landscapes of Hwange National Park alongside your expert guide and ranger. The park is renowned for its large elephant population, with herds numbering up to 350 elephants as well as being one of the best places to spot the endangered Painted Dogs. Today, a picnic lunch today will be served out in the park, packed and prepared by the kitchen at the lodge. Return to Elephant’s Eye for time at leisure at your chalet or unwind at the lodge’s swimming pool or the open-air Jwapi Spa which offers a range of treatments including a combination of African and Western massages. In the evening you can choose to embark on another game drive through the private concession or enjoy a private sundowner experience at the main lodge’s watering hole before making your way to dinner in the boma.

Make sure to have a good breakfast this morning as your experienced guide invites you to get closer to nature on a 3-hour walking safari through the private concession. As you traverse the terrain by foot, your guide will be sure to point out smaller sightings sometimes overlooked when on a game vehicle. This will allow you to experience an array of smaller fauna and flora while you track wildlife in the bush. Return to the lodge for a light lunch before visiting a nearby village and local school to connect with the local people of the area to learn about their traditions and the challenges they face on a daily basis. The experience is focused on positive solutions as visitors are invited to visit the upliftment enterprises that the locals have established to improve their living conditions. Return to the lodge to freshen up for an early dinner. Still got the spirit of adventure in you? Embark on an exhilarating night drive with your guide after dinner and witness hyena’s on the hunt and other nocturnal species come to life.

After breakfast and a simple check-out, your driver will meet you for your transfer to Hwange National Park Airport. Here you will embark on your flight to Bumi Hills and journey onwards to the Mana Pools airstrip. Your guide will be awaiting your arrival to transfer you to the remote inlands of the Kanga Pan within Mana Pools National Park. Located in a private concession in Kanga Pan is home to the only known water source in the area year-round, bringing wildlife right to your doorstep. Kanga Camp, your base for the next 3 nights, features 6 meru style luxury tents. Raised on a wooden platform, each tent features a private wrap around terrace and ensuite bathroom with an outdoor shower overlooking the waterhole. The main lodge boasts a relaxing lounge and dining area under the shade of the mahogany trees with uninterrupted views of the active waterhole frequented by an array of wildlife – the ultimate armchair safari. After check-in, you’ll have time at leisure to unpack and reboot at the main lodge’s pool while watching elephants come and go at ease. In the evening, you will have the opportunity to traverse the game-rich region of Kanga Pan in a 4×4 game vehicle with your expert guide in search of leopard, wild dog, hippo and elephants along the way. Return to Kanga Camp for dinner at the main dining area or opt for a private dinner on your veranda overlooking the bustling waterhole.

For the next two days, you can choose to fill your day according to your mood. Wake up early for a game drive through the Mana Pools private concession or choose to sleep in before making your way to breakfast. Feeling active? Join your expert guide on a 2-hour walking safari, tracking lions on foot and learning about the fauna and flora of the region. A light lunch will be served at the camp with time at leisure in the afternoons. Grab your camera and sit back under the shade of the mahogany on the upper deck lounge and let the wildlife come to you. Capture an up-close shot of the resident elephants before dinner at the main dining area overlooking the active pan.

Wake up and enjoy a filling breakfast surrounded by nature before your guide escorts you back to Kanga Camp. After check-out, your driver will meet you to transfer you to the Mana Pools airstrip for your onward journey to Victoria Falls. Your guide will be waiting at arrivals to transfer you to the Old Drift Lodge located in Zambezi National Park. Located on the banks of the Zambezi River, upstream from the crashing waters of Victoria Falls, Old Drift Lodge’s 14 tented canvas suites blend naturally into the surrounding environment. With views of the Zambezi River, each suite features a private plunge pool on a secluded wooden deck, with an outdoor shower and bath. In the afternoon, join your game ranger on a 4×4 game drive through the Zambezi National Park where elephant, lion, wild dog and buffalo can often be seen.

Your ranger will stop at a viewpoint for you to enjoy the sunset over the park with a gin and tonic in hand before returning to the lodge for an African inspired fine dining experience for dinner.

After an early breakfast, you will set out on a morning walking safari along the Zambezi River alongside your professional guide. Become fully immersed in your safari experience as you feel, hear and smell Africa on foot. Once back at the lodge, your driver will meet you to transfer you to the Lookout Café for lunch, a 4.5km drive from the lodge. Perched 120 meters above the turbulent waters of Batoka Gorge, the café has one of the most iconic views of Victoria Falls. After lunch, join your guide on a walking tour through the rainforests to see one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World up close. On return to the lodge, you will have the opportunity to board an exclusive 10 seater pontoon and cruise down the Zambezi on a sunset river safari. This is an excellent game viewing opportunity and elephant can often be seen drinking from the banks and hippo and crocodile swimming in the water below.