Zimbabwe Safari IG9E

This specialised 9-night safari takes you along the Upper, Middle and Lower sections of the mighty Zambezi River. It’s slightly out of the ordinary targeting unique safari opportunities, that we think are sure to enthral and delight the adventurous traveller.

2 Nights Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
4 Nights Lake Kariba
3 Nights Mana Pools National Park
10 Days / 9 Nights
Reference: IG-9E
Starts Victoria Falls Airport / Ends Harare International Airport

Total Price 9 Nights (2024): US$ 5670 (low season) | US$ 6465 (high season)
per person sharing

Safari Overview

This specialised 9-night safari takes you along the Upper, Middle and Lower sections of the mighty Zambezi River. It’s slightly out of the ordinary targeting unique safari opportunities, that we think are sure to enthral and delight the adventurous traveller.

Starting off gently with a couple of nights in Victoria Falls at the boutique Batonka Guest Lodge, just a few minutes away from the centre of Africa’s adventure capital, where you can explore a variety of exciting Victoria Falls activities and the largest waterfall in the world itself.

Then fly to one of Zimbabwe's less travelled safari gems – Lake Kariba. Once the biggest man-made lake in the world, Kariba is a safari paradise with incredible scenery and wildlife. Changa Safari Camp offers luxury Kariba experience with both land and water based activities. This will be no ordinary four nights!

Finally, another short flight, hops you down to the Lower Zambezi for a wonderful three nights, camping and canoeing in Mana Pools National Park – considered to be one of the best safari destinations in Africa. Walking, canoeing and comfortable accommodation makes this a unique and unforgettable experience. There is nothing quite like it.

Zimbabwe Safari IG9E Inspired Journey Overview

Notes: Day 1 & 2

DAY 1
You will be met at Victoria Falls airport by one of our representatives and transferred by air-conditioned minibus to your hotel arriving by mid-afternoon. This gives you time to settle in and relax or we recommend a sunset cruise or helicopter flight on this first afternoon. Dinner can either be at the hotel or we can recommend other options in and around town. Although activities are not included in the package price, please let us help you to arrange an itinerary of activities suitable for you. Have a look at this page on Victoria Falls activities to see what is on offer.

DAY 2
You have a full day to soak up the wonderful atmosphere of Victoria Falls. It is the adventure capital of Africa and there are activities on offer to cater for everyone’s needs. View the mighty Falls, partake in the many activities on offer or wander around the streets to do a bit of curio shopping, then finish off at a cafe for refreshments and a bite to eat. Please have a look at the available Victoria Falls Activities and contact us to arrange a suitable itinerary just for you.

Victoria Falls

One of the original 7 wonders of the world, the Victoria Falls is a World Heritage Site and an extremely popular tourism attraction. Known locally as ‘The Smoke that Thunders’, this spectacle is accessible from both Zambia and Zimbabwe and it is an ideal place to combine a game viewing and water sports. There is excellent fishing, a terrifying bungee jump and arguably the best commercial white water rafting in the world.

Overnight: Batonka Guest Lodge

Batonka Guest Lodge is an upmarket boutique guest lodge and simply put is just beautiful. It really is in a class of its own in this price range and also holds onto a standard of service that is rare to find these days. The Eco Friendly Lodge opened its doors in June of 2016 and is located in the residential suburbs just 2.5 kilometres from the Victoria Falls entrance. Being new it has all the up-to-date mod cons.

The lodge offers tastefully designed and decorated, spacious rooms each with its own small balcony. TV, wifi, air-conditioning, universal chargers and a tea and coffee station are standard in every room. The large modern en-suite bathrooms are really stunning. Inter-leading family rooms are available. The large central area encompasses the reception, curio shop, lounge and indoor dining room as well as a very large outside terrace which overlooks the gardens and swimming pool. This terrace, with a nice coffee bar is an ideal place to relax and chat to fellow travellers take in a coffee or opt to eat your meals here.

Notes: Day 3, 4, 5 & 6

DAY 3
You will be picked up from Batonka Lodge after breakfast and transferred to Victoria Falls Airport for your charter flight to Lake Kariba. This flight normally takes about 1.5-hours direct. From the airstrip, you will be transferred to the harbour where you will catch a speed boat transfer to Changa Safari Camp. After lunch, relax and take in the beautiful views of Lake Kariba before going on an afternoon boat cruise. Changa has a wide variety of water and land based activities, details of which can be seen in the Activities Info below. If you are keen on fishing, then you are in the right place as Kariba is renowned for its excellent tiger fishing. Arrange your schedule with the lodge managers onsite, tailored to your individual needs. A delicious 3 course dinner is served in the main dining area but private dinners can also be arranged.

DAY 4, 5 & 6
Three full days of activities at Changa, tailor-made to suit your needs and influenced by what the wildlife at the time of your visit is doing. The range of activity options is quite something and each day brings with it excitement and adventure - you won’t want to leave.

Meals consist of early morning tea / coffee and continental breakfast, followed by a big brunch after your activity. Afternoon tea consists of something savoury and something sweet as well as hot and iced tea and coffee to wash it all down with. Dinner is a delicious 3 course affair. Drinks and snacks are provided on all activities.

Matusadona National Park

Matusadona National Park is situated on the shores of Lake Kariba but was proclaimed a non-hunting area on 7 November 1958 before the dam was built. It became a Game Reserve in 1963, and in 1975, in terms of the Parks & Wildlife Act, it became a National Park. The Park comprises some 1 400 square kilometres of diverse flora and fauna. Before the lake was built, Matusadona was a vast, rugged wilderness with limited access.

With the lake came ecological changes. One in particular, the lakeshore contributed greatly to the increase of large mammal populations in the area, especially elephant and buffalo. The grass found on the shoreline is Panicum repens and is a rejuvenative grass - needing only fluctuating lake levels to replenish its nutrients. With this ready food source, buffalo, waterbuck, zebra, and even impala have thrived and with them the predators. Matusadona is an Intensive Protection Zone (IPZ) and home to several relocated rhinoceros.

Overnight: Changa Safari Camp

With a passion for the wilderness and African wildlife, the Higgins and Preston families have built a dream safari destination on the shores of Lake Kariba in the Matusadona National Park. Situated within a private concession and with our own 4.5 km of lake shore, you can realize the total raw African experience from tastefully furnished, fan cooled, spacious deluxe East African style tented suites. Each suite has its own private deck and stunning views of the mysterious Matusadona Mountains across the inland sea of Lake Kariba.

This rich wilderness area offers exceptional game drives as well as walking and fishing safaris, all in the company of highly trained professional guides. Healthy populations of predators, including lion, leopard, hyena and cheetah as well as elephant, buffalo and antelope frequent the shoreline. Hippos and crocodiles are abundant in the cool waters. If you are very lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the last remaining Black Rhinos. Birdlife is prolific, with 350 species having been identified in the area.

Accommodation at Changa consists of luxury tented suites each individually displaying truly unique African influences, from rustic wood, leather and weavery, against crisp white linen and locally made furniture. Styled with complete comfort in mind each tent has en-suite facilities and “under the stars” outside shower and bath. Whether you choose to relax in the comfort of your tent or enjoy spectacular lake vistas from your own private veranda you will be reminded time and again of the endless beauty around you.

Activities at Changa

Fishing
Kariba is a fisherman’s paradise! Why not try your hand at fighting the renowned Tiger Fish for which people from all over the world return time and time again to catch. Alternatively, bream fishing is always a pleasure and one's daily catch can be returned to you 'a la' snacks.

Bird Watching
Climb on board our pontoon boat and, together with our guide, you can explore the multitude of bays and river inlets where the birdlife is prolific and elephants and antelope abound.

Game Walks
Arguably the best way to experience and feel in touch with the African bush. Our professional guides have a thorough knowledge of the area and, accompanied by them, you can experience Matusadona 'at its best'. Walks are conducted in the early mornings and late afternoons for your comfort.

Game Drive
A leisurely drive in an open safari vehicle is a perfect way to discover the area, and provides an opportunity to see a wider variety of game and scenery as you cover much more ground than on a game walk. Accompanied by your guide, a game drive is a lovely way to spend the morning.

Boat Cruises
At the end of the day, enjoy a refreshing 'sundowner' whilst you marvel at the unequalled beauty of a famous Lake Kariba sunset. Although not plentiful in numbers, some predators, including lion, leopard, hyena and cheetah, as well as the more common elephant, buffalo and antelope species can be seen in the Changa Safari Camp and Matusadona surrounds. Hippos and crocodiles are abundant in the cool waters. If you are very lucky, you may catch a glimpse of the last remaining Black Rhinos. Birdlife is prolific: 350 species have been identified in the area.

Notes: Day 7

DAY 7
Sadly, your time at Changa Camp has come to an end. The time will be dependent on flight schedules on the day but at some stage in the morning you will be transferred back to the nearest working Airstrip for your flight to Mana Pools. Upon arrival at Mana West Airstrip, you will be met by your guide and driven up to Vundu Camp not far away. Lunch, usually consists of cold meats, a variety of salads and freshly baked breads. In the early afternoon you will take a short drive to the canoe launch-spot near the confluence of the Ruckomechi and Zambezi Rivers. Here, your guide will give a full safety briefing, pointing out where all equipment - such as the first aid kit - is kept, as well as explaining what to do in an emergency. You will then depart downstream, by canoe, returning to Vundu camp. You will be struck immediately by the phenomenal birdlife along the river and you will begin to marvel at all the wildlife that surrounds you.

Arrival at camp is around sunset. The camp will be fully prepared and you will be able to sit back and relax with sundowners and snacks – tea and coffee and hot showers are also available. A campfire is already burning and this is invariably where guests will gather to discuss the day’s events and plan for the morning. In the background your support staff and resident bush cook are busy preparing a three-course dinner for you.

Notes: Day 8

DAY 8
An early wake up as dawn breaks - hot water for freshening up will be placed in raised basins outside each tent, while tea, freshly brewed coffee, muffins or home-made biscuits are already waiting by the campfire. The aim is to be in the canoes and on the water in time to watch the sunrise. As one of the most magical times of day, you will be enchanted as you drift along quietly, listening to the sounds of the African wild wakening to a new day.

Following paddling for couple of hours, breakfast will be under a grove of acacia trees. After breakfast, guests have the opportunity to set off on a walk on the floodplain and surrounding woodlands. This is a great time to try and view predators before they lay up for the day. This walk offers an opportunity, not only for game viewing, but also to explore some of the more interesting aspects of the environment. You will spot a variety of animal spoor, and may even find yourself engrossed in tracking down a particular species. The guide will share fascinating facts about strange insects and spiders as well as a wealth of knowledge about this miniature world that forms such an integral part of the bush.

Returning to the canoes, you will head downstream to an area renowned for its huge, old elephant bulls. The guide tries to time the trip to catch them swimming or wading out to the grass islands, where the canoes will be able to glide quietly alongside these awesome giants. Their age makes them placid enough that they tend to ignore the canoes.

Lunch break coincides with the heat of the day. The canoes are pulled up below a grove of mahogany trees whose dense shade provides a welcome relief. The meal generally consists of cold meats, freshly prepared salads, pizza or quiche and cheese and biscuits. After eating and drinking your ice-cold drinks, you have a choice to either take another short walk through the mahogany forest or to just relax and enjoy an afternoon siesta. The late afternoon and evening is spent drifting down to camp and enjoying the game and birding along the river’s edge. You will be welcomed by support staff who will be waiting at camp, reached by sunset.

Notes: Day 9 & 10

DAY 9
This day follows the same basic itinerary as day eight with a pre-dawn wake up and the sun rising whilst drifting down the Zambezi. However, this is the day that you will enter the “Wilderness Area” of Mana Pools National Park where there is limited access to people and vehicles. Breakfast may be taken on the Mbera River floodplain, which comprises stunning acacia woodland with large patches of thick “Adrenaline” grass – a habitat much favoured by all the predators. Towards the end of the dry season it also hosts large groups of female elephants with their babies.

The day is spent paddling through a maze of small channels before once again joining the main Zambezi. For a change, lunch is on one of the shallow sandbanks in the middle of the river, where a table and chairs are set up in ankle deep water with the whole width of the river stretching out on either side. This afternoon is the last chance for canoeing. Depending on water levels and time allowed, there may be an opportunity to explore Chikwenya Island on foot. This unique island is the largest on this section of the river and is host to prolific bird life as well as a number of interesting mammal species. In the afternoon you will paddle into Ilala Camp to spend the last night in the rustic luxury of the Odyssey Camp.

DAY 10
Depending on how you are feeling, an early morning walk before breakfast is possible or a well-deserved lie in! After breakfast and bidding your farewells a short game drive takes you to the airstrip for your charter flight to Harare International Airport.

Mana Pools National Park

The life-giving power of the Zambezi River makes Mana Pools National Park one of Zimbabwe’s most lush and flourishing regions, designated as the country’s second World Heritage Site and known as one of the continent’s premier game-viewing regions. Canoe trips are offered year round and provide a unique and memorable way for visitors to experience the area’s striking scenic beauty and diverse fauna, while guided walks are a great way to take its pristine riverside forests.

Mana Shoreline Canoe Safari

Natureways Mana Shoreline Safaris can either be canoeing or walking, paddle or stroll into your next campsite situated on the banks of the Zambezi River. These safaris are fully backed up, meaning guests do not have to lift a finger! Guests spend the night in comfort and leave for the day's activities, the Natureways staff will pack up the camp, move and setup camp again at the next night's location. Hot showers and meals freshly prepared over the open campfire await guests each night.

Overnight: Vundu Camp

Natureways Mana Shoreline Safaris can either be canoeing or walking, paddle or stroll into your next campsite situated on the banks of the Zambezi River. These safaris are fully backed up, meaning guests do not have to lift a finger! Guests spend the night in comfort and leave for the day's activities, the Natureways staff will pack up the camp, move and setup camp again at the next night's location. Hot showers and meals freshly prepared over the open campfire await guests each night.

Overnight: Chessa Camp

Chessa Camp is the second night campsite of Natureways Safaris Mana Shoreline Canoe or Walking Safaris. Once again on the bank of the Zambezi River, this camp looks over a small channel there is a large grass plain separating it from the main Zambezi. This camp is frequently visited by buffalo, waterbuck, elephant and hippos in the evenings.

Overnight: Ilala Camp

Ilala Camp is the third and final night campsite of Natureways Safaris Mana Shoreline Canoe or Walking Safaris. Ilala is found in the 'Wilderness Area' of the Mana Pools National Park, sitting high up on one of the rivers steep banks the camp overlooks one of the Zambezi River's largest islands, Chikwenya Island. As this is one of the most remote parts of the National Park, game and fishing is fantastic! If you are a fisherman this is the ideal location for the challenging Tiger Fish.

Price

Total Price 9 Nights (2024): US$ 5670 (low season) | US$ 6465 (high season)
Per person sharing

Included in this safari

BATONKA GUEST LODGE
• Accommodation in a beautiful and spacious room with views of the quiet gardens
• Daily breakfast

CHANGA SAFARI CAMP
• Accommodation in luxury safari tents with en-suite facilities and “under the stars” outside shower and bath
• Laundry
• All meals and local drinks and house wine
• Up to 3 activities per day: Game drives; bird watching; boat cruises; fishing and/or sundowners; Walking safari (early morning or late afternoon)
• National Park fees and Conservation Levy

ODYSSEY MANA SHORELINE CANOE SAFARI
• Accommodation in spacious mobile tents
• All meals and drinks including local beers, spirits, imported wines, minerals, cordials, mineral water, tea and coffee
• Use of all camping and canoeing equipment
• Complementary laundry (time permitting)
• Services of fully qualified professional guide
• All activities: Photography, Fishing, Canoeing, Walking Safaris, Game Drives
• National park fees

TRANSFERS
• Road and boat transfers between hotels/lodges and airports
• Air transfers between Victoria Falls, Kariba, Mana Pools and Harare and departure tax from Victoria Falls Airport

Excluded

BATONKA GUEST LODGE
• All other meals and activities not mentioned

CHANGA SAFARI CAMP & MANA SHORELINE CANOE SAFARI
• Premium and imported beverages

More Travel Information

• Victoria Falls Travel Information
• Victoria Falls Activities
• Matusadona National Park
• Mana Pools National Park

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