WILD ZIMBABWE SAFARI
Itinerary Overview On our Wild Zimbabwe Safari you experience the incredible story of wildlife conservation in Hwange National Park where some 40,000 elephants now roam free, thanks to the guides you'll meet and the local communities who have become stewards of their land. Accompanied by the most highly trained and fun-loving professional safari guides in Africa, we traverse this vast wildland across its mosaic of open grassland and woodland habitats that support herds of grazing and browsing herbivores and their predators; abundant lion prides, leopards, cheetahs, wild dog, and hyena. This is much more than a wildlife safari. In addition to some of the best game viewing in Africa, additional activities include night game drives, walking safaris like tracking elephant on foot, riding the private Elephant Express train in the park, and photographing elephants just a few feet away from the underground Lookup Blind complete with a toilet and bar! We are welcomed as guests into local villages, schools and homes, and given an audience to chat with a village chief and matriarch. You can also join the pump run accompanying Hwange guides on their maintenance of the eight pumped waterholes where wildlife congregate. Retire each day with sundowners at your own luxuriously furnished safari villa. This Zimbabwe safari concludes on the shore of the Zambezi River in the luxurious Zambezi Sands Tent Camp with a guided tour of Victoria Falls and optional easy kayak excursions. Ask about convenient pre or post safari add-ons from Vic Falls to Zambia, Botswana, or South Africa. DAY OVERNIGHT HOTEL MEALS HIGHLIGHTS 1 Camelthorn D Fly to Victoria Falls. Transfer to Hwange National Park. Afternoon game drive. 2 Camelthorn Morning and afternoon game drives and walking safari. Afternoon with elephants in the Lookup Blind. 3 Camelthorn Game drives and/or walking safari, village visit, night game drive or pump run. 4 NORTHERN Nehimba Elephant express and afternoon game drives and walking safari. 5 NORTHERN Nehimba Morning and afternoon game drives and walking safari. 6 NORTHERN Nehimba Morning and afternoon game drives and walking safari. 7 VICTORIA FALLS Zambezi Sands BD Transfer to Vic Falls. Sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. 8 VICTORIA FALLS 9 VICTORIA FALLS Zambezi Sands Zambezi Sands Visit Victoria Falls. Afternoon activities from camp include Zambezi National Park safari, village visit, canoeing and time to relax. Visit Victoria Falls. Afternoon activities from camp include Zambezi National Park safari, village visit, canoeing and time to relax. 10 DEPARTURE B Transfer to Vic Falls international departure. -2-
Itinerary in Detail DAY 1: VICTORIA FALLS TO, ZIMBABWE Your Zimbabwean safari experience begins at Victoria Falls Airport. Embark on your 4 hr road transfer (optional air charter at additional cost) to Camelthorn situated in the southeastern corner of Hwange National Park. Hwange lies on ancient animal migration routes connecting to Chobe and the Linyanti of northern Botswana. This year-round wildlife destination is at its most alluring between April and October, the dry season, when there are large concentrations of game, especially massive herds of elephant. Hwange's arid semi-desert in the west and lush teak forests in the east, ensures a diversity of habitats and an abundance of wildlife. This extensive wilderness area offers exceptional elephant sightings and supports significant numbers of buffalo, lion, wild dog, cheetah, and plains game. Sable and roan antelope are common and leopards occur in good numbers. Hwange is noted for the exceptional quality of its Zimbabwean professional guides - some of the best on the African continent. After welcome drinks and a short orientation settle in to your forest villa and freshen up. Your afternoon game drive ends up at a unique Look Up blind at Stoffie s Pan. This blind was created by sinking a shipping container below ground level and then camouflaging it. This unique vantage comfortably affords you a knee-level view of wildlife visiting the waterhole. Because of its low level, you can get extremely close-up views of elephants and other game while enjoying sundowners and canapés, and the benefit of a flush toilet. Night drive back to the lodge and enjoy dinner beneath a blanket of stars under the Camelthorn tree. Overnight at Camelthorn. [D] DAY 2: Wake up to the abundance of bird life in the area while sipping freshly brewed coffee or tea. Today is all about wildlife as your guide leads the way. A full-day game drive means that you witness all of the varied wildlife that Hwange has on display: elephants, lion, and cheetah among many others. Immerse yourself in the wilds of the bush and learn from your guide what it takes for these animals to thrive in this environment. Elephants are a special highlight with the park boasting over 44,000 residents one of the densest populations in all of Africa. On a safari, it s all about the journey and you never know what you might encounter: baby animals exploring with their parents, a pack of wild dogs, lions hunting, unique birds no two days are ever the same. Return to the lodge at the end of the day and enjoy the last rays of the sun while recounting the day s highlights over dinner. Overnight at Camelthorn. [] -3-
DAY 3: PUMP RUN OR VILLAGE VISIT AND WALKING SAFARI. Choose today from either an additional full day game driving, a full day pump run, or a visit to the local village and the Elephant Express train. Pump Run After morning tea or coffee, it's a full day trip into the park for a one-of-a-kind pump run with a picnic and siesta under the trees at Mfagazaan Pan. These pump runs combine game viewing in remote areas of the park with practical hands-on conservation. Guests can assist their guide with the supply and maintenance of the wells and pump attendants that are the heartbeat of Hwange and its wildlife. Hwange National Park has no major rivers and for the past 70 years wildlife has subsisted during dry seasons on water pumped first by windmills and later by diesel engines. The pump run ends with sundowners at one of the waterholes before returning to camp. Village visit and walking safari Visit Ngamo village for a tour of the school, a singing performance and a class visit where children have an opportunity to meet guests and vice versa. Learn about daily village life and share comparisons with each other. Return to Camelthorn for lunch and short siesta before heading out on a walking safari with your expert naturalist guide. Stalk buffalo and elephant before returning to the look-up blind for toe-nail level photos of Hwange s amazing wildlife. As the sun sets on the African plain, head to the lodge to freshen up before dinner. Overnight at Camelthorn. [] DAY 4: NORTHERN NATIONAL PARK Enjoy an early morning game drive or game walk before returning to the lodge for brunch. In the late morning, board the one-of-a-kind Elephant Express rail car for a unique game viewing activity all the way to Dete Station near Hwange Main Camp. Lunch and cool drinks are served en route (2.5 hours). This rail line is part of the same iconic line laid by Cecil Rhodes at the turn of the 20th century that runs from Pretoria, South Africa, to Victoria Falls. The open-air car is great for game viewing and relaxing in comfortable bucket seats and small tables for drinks and snacks. From Dete Station, guests board safari vehicles for an afternoon game drive to Nehimba (2-3 hours) in the northwest of Hwange National Park, famed for its large elephant herds and variety of wildlife. Nehimba is situated on the edge of the northern mopane woodlands and the southwestern Kalahari sandveld. All the diversity of Hwange's fauna and flora is within easy reach. No two days are the same at Nehimba and game viewing experiences are tailor-made including game drives, walking safaris and night game drives. Whether you choose to track a herd of elephant on foot with your guide or spend the afternoon relaxing in the pool overlooking the waterhole, this wild and unspoiled bush paradise will leave you with memories to last a lifetime! -4-
It s easy to settle in and unwind in Nehimba's rustic African charm. Relax with sundowners while watching the game come down to drink at the waterhole, or from the pool right in front of the deck! Dinner is served outside under the African sky. After dinner, enjoy a night drive to spot nocturnal species just awakening to start their hunt. Filtered spotlights are used to spot wildlife such as hyena, porcupine, civet, genet cats, and if you're lucky, perhaps even a leopard on the prowl! Overnight at Nehimba. [] DAYS 5-6: NORTHERN For an entirely different perspective, join one of our professional guides on a game walk and get close to nature to experience the thrill of approaching wildlife on foot. Your guide will teach you the basics of how to track wildlife as well as interesting facts about the surrounding vegetation and ecology. Northern Hwange is distinctly different from the south in topography, habitats, and species of wildlife. This area is dominated by the Mopane woodlands with more hills and knolls (called kopjes). Most interesting here are the water seeps that draw wildlife. Stop off at the Nehimba Seep for a mid-morning tea break. The seep is an ancient source of water once used by the San Bushmen as well as being a place where elephants dig for water and minerals. Return to the lodge for a leisurely lunch and siesta or perhaps relax by the lodge swimming pool, frequented by Hwange's thirsty herds during the dry season. Later in the afternoon, head out on a game drive within the Park, ending with cool refreshments and canapés at sunset at one of the area s famed waterholes. Back at camp, enjoy a relaxing bath or shower before dinner. Fall asleep to the sounds of the African bush around you. Overnight at Nehimba. [] DAY 7: ZAMBEZI AND RIVER A road transfer to Zambezi Sands at Victoria Falls means 3 hours of game viewing with drinks and snacks provided en route and then an additional 2 hours by tar road (optional air charter available at additional cost). Zambezi Sands is a luxury tented camp 10 kilometers upstream from Victoria Falls, inside the 60,000 hectare Zambezi National Park. The camp is spaciously laid out along a rushing branch of the Zambezi River with views across the river towards Zambia. Settle into your luxury tent and then relax on an evening sundowner drift on the Zambezi as you watch game come down to drink under a Zimbabwean sunset. Listen to the Siansimba rapids in front of the lodge before retiring to your tent and falling asleep as the river rushes past. Overnight at Zambezi Sands. [] DAY 8: VICTORIA FALLS -5-
It's off to the Victoria Falls today, approximately a one hour road transfer away. One of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Victoria Falls is one of Africa's greatest geographical features. At 5,600 feet wide and over 330 feet in height, you'll be inspired and amazed by the sheer size, power, and beauty of the thundering curtain of water. When the Falls are at their fullest a dense plume of spray rises 1,500 feet into the air visible from many miles away, which is why the Falls are known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya - "the smoke that thunders." A guided tour of the Victoria Falls and rain forest is a highlight. A packed lunch will be provided. Guests have an opportunity for some shopping to collect gifts to take home. Return to camp for afternoon tea followed by a game drive within the park stopping to enjoy sundowners on the banks of the Zambezi River. Enjoy a late afternoon river safari to savor the stunning African sunset. Overnight at Zambezi Sands. [] DAY 9: FREE DAY ON THE ZAMBEZI Choose among a variety of activities to experience the Falls, the River, and the National Park. Canoe on the Zambezi River, visit a local village, take a day or night game drive in Zambezi National Park, go fishing for the sharp-toothed Tigerfish, or just relax on the banks of the mighty Zambezi. Overnight at Zambezi Sands. [] DAY 10: DEPART After tea or coffee on your private deck, explore the park one more time on foot, taking a guided early morning walk ending with a farewell bush breakfast along the river. On returning to the lodge, pack up & then a final road transfer back to Victoria Falls Airport (1 hour) for departures straight from the bush to home! [B] END OF SERVICES Actual routes and activities may vary. Local trip coordinators reserve the right to change accommodations to similar quality alternatives. -6-
PRICING AND DEPARTURE DATES Pricing for this itinerary is here This itinerary can be offered on dates of your choosing. Suggested departure dates are here. Notes: Discounts available for children under 12, please call for rates The Elephant Express runs according to a schedule specified by the National Railways of Zimbabwe and may be subject to delays and cancellations beyond our control School visits cannot take place during school holidays in April, August and December, but a visit to the village to experience local village life will still be offered Pump run is only available during the dry season, from approx June October. Nehimba is closed 18 January 20 February. INCLUDED SERVICES All guided tours and excursions National Park entrance fee English-speaking naturalist guides Airport-hotel transfers, land and sea transportation Flight from Victoria Falls to Hwange, transfer to Camelthorn 9 nights hotel accommodation as indicated Meals as indicated [B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner] Soft drinks, beer, wine and local spirits Laundry service Wildland Adventures travel consultation and pre-departure services NOT INCLUDED SERVICES International or internal airfare (Johannesburg - Victoria Falls- Johannesburg) Tips and gratuities Airport departure taxes Personal expenses for extra services, optional activities, or changes in your itinerary for reasons beyond our control Travel insurance for trip cancellation, medical services, or evacuation Any other items not mentioned above 33 LB. (15KG) PER PERSON BAGGAGE WEIGHT LIMIT ON DOMESTIC AIRPLANES There is a 33 lb. per person baggage weight limit for transportation on domestic airline flights within your itinerary. The airline operator enforces this limitation on your checked baggage for safety reasons. Please keep your luggage at 33lbs or less. Carry-on space is not available, so all of your luggage will be counted as check luggage. Cameras or binoculars that are around your neck or in a small bag will not be included in this limit. -7-
Guides Mark 'Butch' Butcher Although Butch manages the safari lodges and community relations for our Wild Zimbabwe Safari, he spends as much time as he can with guests in the bush, or at least to share stories in the lodges. His wildlife career started in 1979, when he became a ranger for the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Management. He completed a BSc in Zoology and Botany at Rhodes University, before moving on to work for Zimbabwe s Forestry Commission. As Provincial Wildlife Officer, Butch was responsible for all the wildlife that roamed within 1.8-million acres of indigenous forest. Whilst undertaking this enormous task, he quickly discovered how essential the local people s support was to the wellbeing of the ecosystem. Butch began to develop programs that would engage the local people who have quickly realized the financial prosperity from shared park fees and visits from safari travelers thereby generating a vested interest among communities of protecting wildlife and the natural ecosystems. Watch this video interview with Mark Butcher. Sibahle 'Sibs' Sibanda Sibs is the head guide in Hwange based at Camelthorn. He qualified as a professional guide in 2000 under Zimbabwe's stringent guide licensing regulations and is now widely recognized as one of the best (and most fun) safari guides in Africa. Sibs has had an extensive career guiding throughout Africa including Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Botswana where he worked as a cultural guide with the San people of the Kalahari desert. He has now returned to his native Zimbabwe to dedicate himself to guiding and promoting conservation in Hwange. Sibs passion and working knowledge of Western Zimbabwe s people, parks, and ecosystems turns every safari into an exciting one-of-a-kind experience. -8-
Accommodations CAMELTHORN LODGE, Nestled deep in a woodland of camelthorn and ebony trees bordering Hwange National Park, Camelthorn is a striking bush retreat unlike any other in Hwange. In harmony with its surroundings, the main lodge has been built around a massive camelthorn tree. The expansive dining and living areas feature a bar, teak lounge deck, and splash pool decorated in earthy hues and textured fabrics that create an atmosphere of relaxation and sophistication. The secluded Forest Villas feature cozy log fireplaces and ceiling fans whilst large glass windows and sliding doors keep you feeling at one with nature. Bathrooms with tub, shower, double vanity, and separate toilet are en-suite. An upstairs covered patio, which is accessed via an outside spiral staircase, provides an intimate glimpse into life in the treetops. With a pair of binoculars and a good book it's easy to spend hours between safaris. Enjoy evening around the fire under a canopy of stars. NEHIMBA LODGE, Deep in a private concession tucked inside the remote northern region of Hwange National Park hides Nehimba. By combining luxury living with ultimate elegance and African charm, this lodge is designed to create the most exceptional safari experiences. The main guest area and seven spacious guest accommodations are thatched tents built on teak decks overlooking the magnificent lodge pan a favored spot frequented by a variety of wildlife and large numbers of elephants, particularly in the dry season. Each thatched tent has a private balcony, en-suite bathroom with an outdoor shower, hot running water, and electricity provided by the camp s generator. The main lodge are includes a swimming pool and free Wi-Fi. ZAMBEZI SANDS RIVER CAMP Located on the sun-drenched shores of the mighty Zambezi River inside Zambezi National Park, Zambezi Sands is ten luxuriously spacious canvas tents set on wooden platforms, each with a private view of the river and connected to the main lodge by elevated walkways. Each tent is opulently furnished in an Arabic-Bedouin-type ambiance featuring double or twin beds with a lounge area, en suite bath as well as outside toilet and shower. Outside each tent is a massive deck and private splash pool to cool off and relax with drink in hand in complete privacy. Transfers in and out of camp can be by boat. Located 40 minutes from Victoria Falls, Zambezi Sands has the advantage of being in an isolated, pristine wildlife habitat. This calm section of river allows for many activities including canoeing, fishing, game walks and wildlife safaris, a sunset cruise, and excursions to Victoria Falls. Experience real ecotourism visiting a Zimbabwean village and school supported by the camp. -9-
Booking your Wildland Adventure HOW TO RESERVE A TRIP You can book online using our Reserve a Trip form or by calling 1-800-345-4453. Your space on a trip is confirmed once we receive your reservation form and initial trip deposit. All travelers must sign and submit a Release of Liability. Deposit requirements are as follows: 20% of land cost. This deposit is generally non-refundable. CUSTOM TRAVEL This trip isn t exactly what you re looking for? We are happy to design a private custom itinerary to accommodate your travel dates, interests and style of accommodations. Call us at 1-800-345-4453, send an email to info@wildland.com, or use the Ask The Program Director button on the trip itinerary page on our website. PAYMENTS, CANCELLATIONS AND REFUNDS Full payment of the trip balance is due 90 days prior to departure. If you must cancel before departure, money will be returned less the cancellation fees charged by WA Inc. plus any additional non-refundable cancellation fees and payments already advanced to airlines, hotels and local operators: Days Prior to Departure: Fee per person 61 or more: Initial deposit amount 31-60 days: 50% of land cost 30 or less: 100% of land cost PRE-DEPARTURE SERVICES Upon receipt of your deposit and completed reservation form, we will send you a comprehensive Predeparture Dossier. This contains important information to help you prepare including immunizations, visas, trip insurance, packing checklist, reading list, maps, cross-cultural information, optional trip extensions and more. You will receive a final trip packet including Final Reminders and local contact information in your destination 2-3 weeks prior to departure. REFERENCES AND QUESTIONS Have any questions or concerns? Call us a 1-800-345-4453 or email info@wildland.com. We re here to help and are happy to provide you with references from previous Wildland travelers. TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Wildland Adventures, Inc. has arranged your trip utilizing the travel services of local in-country ground operators who are independent contractors. These local outfitters, lodges, hotels and other suppliers of your travel services will make every effort to conduct this trip as described in the itinerary. It is however possible that due to transportation schedule changes, weather, delays and unforeseeable acts of God, humans or nature, this itinerary may vary from what is described. Participants must assume all risks whether identified in advance or unforeseen. All optional activities are at your own risk. Extra costs due to unexpected changes in your itinerary for reasons beyond our control are not included. We highly recommend purchasing traveler s insurance for trip delay, trip cancellation, baggage, accident or sickness. Representatives are available for assistance at any time during your trip. If preferred hotels are not available, every attempt will be made to reserve alternative accommodations of similar quality. (If upgrade is necessary, higher rates may apply.) All information and services provided are subject to our Terms and Conditions -10-