Breakfast:
At the lodge.
Morning:
Following breakfast, a noted local historian will discuss the story of Scottish explorer Dr. David Livingstone, who first visited Victoria Falls over 150 years ago, and whose journeys laid the groundwork for the Colonial era that followed. Mid-morning, after checking out of the lodge, we will board our minibus and head south to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s premier safari destination. Hwange is legendary for its wonderful array of wildlife, particularly the massive herds of elephant and buffalo. In the summer months, large antelope herds migrate onto the plains, closely followed by large predators. Shallow pans are spread throughout the park, around which wildlife congregate, making for excellent and reliable game viewing. Elephant, Cape buffalo, sable, roan, southern giraffe, blue wildebeest, impala and sometimes even gemsbok (oryx) can be seen here. This park is one of the best for predators - lion, leopard, wild dog and cheetah are regularly sighted, along with the smaller African wildcat, serval, honey badger, civet and spotted hyena. Bird life in the area is also prolific, with more than 400 species found.
Lunch:
At the camp, we’ll have a buffet lunch with a starter, main dish, side dish, and dessert. All local brand alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea provided; premium brand alcohol available for purchase.
Afternoon:
The early afternoon will be at leisure to rest during the heat of the day. Following afternoon tea, we will depart on our game drive. Game drives will be in open-air safari vehicles in the early mornings and late afternoons, when the animals and birds are most active. Each game drive lasts for approximately three hours, with a rest break half-way through. Game drives consist of moving slowly through the park searching for birds, predators and other animals. During the game drive, we will search for a variety of bird species including the Kalahari robin, lilac-breasted roller, ground hornbill, eastern red-footed kestrel, Lanner falcon, hobby falcon, and the Steppe eagle, which migrates to southern Africa all the way from the Central Asian steppes.
Dinner:
Dinners at the camp will be plated meals consisting of a salad or starter, main course with side, and dessert. All local brand alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, water and coffee/tea provided; premium brand alcohol available for purchase.
Evening:
Following dinner, we’ll set out on a short night game drive with a local safari expert in search of the nocturnal species active in the area. Some species we could spot may include civet, genet, bushbaby, pearl spotted owl, African scops owl, and Verreaux’s eagle-owl.