Zimbabe’s Falls, Hwange and Kariba Family Getaway

VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE After landing at the refurbished Victoria Falls International Airport, you will be welcomed by your driver and transported to Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, a vast property with views of the Zambezi National Park. After settling into your family cottage, walk to the pool to cool down or have an iced drink on the sun-drenched veranda, which overlooks a popular waterhole (visits to the photographic hide may be arranged) and the park beyond. The lodge also provides a complimentary shuttle service to several locations in Victoria Falls Town, including the outdoor artisan market and an upmarket interior shopping arcade with superb souvenirs and presents.

After a good night's sleep, you'll be ready for your full Victoria Falls experience today. A guided trip will take you to the best viewing areas, and your guide will explain the geology of the Falls, their history, and how they alter based on rains in the far Angolan Highlands. The wettest months of the year, and hence the period when the waters and spray are at their greatest, are from roughly February to May (your guide may outfit you in raincoats and umbrellas, and be careful to protect your camera from the dampness). On particularly clear evenings with a full moon and high spray, you may be able to witness one of nature's most beautiful sights: a lunar rainbow arching its way across Batoka Gorge.  

A sunset ride on the Chobe River is unquestionably one of the highlights of a visit to Victoria Falls. Departing in the late afternoon on a spacious cruiser, you and your family can sit back and enjoy the ultimate in armchair game viewing: matriarchal herds of elephants cross the river frequently, the adults protecting the babies by keeping them in the middle of the group and helping them up the slippery, muddy slopes; pods of hippos blow bubbles and occasionally show off their impressive jaws; and implacable Nile crocodiles lie on the shores, warming their massive bodies Cruises are also ideal for birders, who should keep an eye out for terns, waders, spoonbills, and the African fish eagle, which has an evocative screech as it surveys the river for tigerfish and Zambezi bream. As the sky progressively transforms from vivid blue to soft pink, drinks and snacks are provided on the boat.  

HWANGE NATIONAL PARK, ZIMBABWE On Day 4, you say goodbye to Victoria Falls and make your way to Hwange National Park and Somalisa Acacia, which has just four tented rooms and its own waterhole for the park's famed elephant population to quench their thirst. Hwange is Zimbabwe's largest national park, extending to the edge of the Kalahari Desert, providing an intriguing mix of landscape and animals. There are over a hundred animal species and 400 distinct types of birds here. Hwange's wild dog and leopard populations are making a welcome and dramatic recovery, thanks to specific conservation programmes. Your stay at Somalisa Acacia will be spent following the timeless rhythms of safari: getting up before dawn to witness the animals come down to drink in the morning, returning to the lodge for lunch and leisure, then heading back out into the bush in the late afternoon to observe the nocturnal predators revving up for the evening. Because you are in a private concession, you will also have the opportunity to go on night drives and nature excursions with a professional and experienced guide. Both provide a unique perspective on the wild: on night drives, watch for owls, porcupines, and anteaters; on nature walks, search for animal spoor, excrement, hollows, insects, butterflies, and birds. Your room will have a copper-sheathed bathtub and a log-burning fireplace, both of which are ideal for warming up after a chilly night drive.

LAKE KARIBA, ZIMBABWE It's time to slow down and enjoy the last leg of your African adventure. On Day 7, come across yet another vast body of water: Lake Kariba, which straddles the Zimbabwean Zambian border, is the world's biggest man-made dam by volume. It is peppered with lovely islands, and from the decks of The Matusadona, a magnificent safari cruiser, you can observe both animals and birds. While the cook prepares excellent meals and snacks, you and the rest of the crew will head off on speed boats and pontoons to explore different sections of Kariba, and perhaps even try your hand at tigerfishing. As a key water supply, Kariba draws a lot of wildlife, and you'll be able to see herds of buffalo, impala, giraffe, zebra, and elephant satisfy their thirsts once again. Parts of the lake border Matusadona National Park, so keep an eye out for lion and leopard on the beach if your cruiser travels through this area. After four nights on the water, you will be transported to the Bumi airstrip for your short flight back to Victoria Falls International Airport, bringing your Zimbabwe experience to a close but never forgotten.