Trip Summary | Ruckomechi Camp | Musango Safari Camp | Little Makalolo | The Stanley and Livingstone Hotel | Locations
A genuine taste of the true wilderness of Zimbabwe: Mana Pools National Park offers excellent wildlife viewing and great scenery; the picturesque Matusadona National Park provides the finest wild black rhino tracking in Africa; Hwange National Park affords close proximity to gentle elephants, great predators and a diverse range of antelope; Victoria Falls displays the awe-inspiring power of nature, along with another opportunity to view the big five.
Days 1-3: You will be met at Victoria Falls Airport for a transfer by light aircraft to Ruckomechi Camp on the western boundary of Mana Pools National Park. The camp overlooks the Zambezi River with a superb view of the mountains of Africa's Great Rift Valley in the distance.
Image supplied courtesy of Wilderness Safaris
Three nights are spent in a spacious en-suite tented unit with indoor and outdoor showers. Diverse activities include wildlife viewing in open 4x4 vehicles, on motorised pontoon boats, on foot, in hides and in canoes.
Wildlife is excellent in the area and kudu, zebra, impala and waterbuck can be seen on the surrounding plains. Elephant take advantage of the plentiful albida trees in the area. Predators are often sighted, including lion, wild dog, leopard and cheetah. Large concentrations of buffalo can be found along the river's edge. Bird viewing is also fantastic.
Days 4-6: A short flight and boat transfer brings you to Musango Safari Camp, situated on its own island just off the shoreline of the Matusadona National Park. This island – one of many on Lake Kariba – is separated from the Park only by the Ume River. The ever-changing water level of the lake over the years has created a green savannah panicum grass belt which has boosted the game population in Matusadona. A common feature in this area is fossilised trees in the lake, which create roosting sites for water fowl and great sunset silhouettes. The red clay soils give the elephants a different hue as they use it for make up.
Image supplied courtesy of Musango
Offering an abundance of wildlife from buffalo and elephant to the rare black rhino, Musango Safari Camp is also an ornithologist's paradise with a myriad of birds to be seen frequenting the bird baths in front of the lodge and rooms.
You spend three nights at Musango in a thatched safari tent with ensuite facilities. Activities include walks into the Matusadona National Park, with a high success rate of locating the rare black rhino, game viewing and fishing by boat along the many inlets and creeks, and leisurely canoeing - paddling up adjacent creeks where bird life is prolific and the scenery breathtaking.
Days 7-9: A boat transfer to the mainland followed by a light aircraft transfer brings you to Little Makalolo, situated in a private concession within the southeastern section of Hwange National Park in one of its best game viewing areas.
Image supplied courtesy of Wilderness Safaris
Three nights are spent at this intimate camp, which consists of only six comfortable tented rooms. En-suite facilities include both an indoor and an outdoor shower "under the stars". The camp overlooks a small waterhole and you can enjoy game viewing during the "siesta" hours from a log pile hide. Activities at Little Makalolo centre on open 4x4 game drives and guided nature walks throughout the concession.
Summer game viewing is excellent with wildebeest, steenbok, zebra and eland found in abundance. In winter the water holes are magnets for elephant and on some days each water hole can get up to 1,000 elephants coming down to drink. Other regular game sightings include lion, buffalo, hyena, giraffe, sable, roan, impala, waterbuck and reedbuck.
Days 10-11: Today you transfer by air to the magnificent Victoria Falls. The Falls - one of the seven natural wonders of the world - are a spectacular sight of beauty and grandeur on the Zambezi River, bordering Zambia and Zimbabwe. Two nights are spent at the luxurious and tranquil Stanley & Livingstone Hotel, situated on a private 6,000 acre reserve. The Stanley & Livingstone estate is home to the big five and is just a 15 minute drive from the majestic Victoria Falls.
Each uniquely decorated suite has its own living room, Victorian-style bathroom and separate bedroom. The lush gardens of the hotel are home to a wealth of bird and animal life, and a nearby waterhole offers sightings of elephants, kudu and waterbuck. In addition to game drives and bush walks, the hotel can arrange elephant-back safaris and visits to the Falls, along with adrenaline activities such as bungee jumping, white water rafting and jet boating.
Day 12: Transfer by road to Victoria Falls Airport to connect with your onward travel arrangements.
Please note that all of our itineraries are tailor-made to suit the particular interests and requirements of our guests. The itinerary shown above is just one recommended combination of camps. Please contact us for a bespoke proposal.
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