Extension: Victoria Falls

Check in at the hotel and relax before the welcome dinner.

At the hotel, enjoy a buffet welcome dinner including a starter and entrée with side dish; a welcome drink, bottled water, coffee and tea will be provided, additional beverages available for purchase.

Orientation: Our Site Coordinator will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Our Group Leader for the extension and main programs will meet us at the Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe airport tomorrow. Upon arrival at Victoria Falls airport tomorrow, all participants will need to obtain a single-entry visa for Zimbabwe. American citizens, please have US$30 per person cash in the exact change available for the visa; Canadian citizens need US$75 per person for the visa. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Please note that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Taken at the hotel, breakfast is an expansive buffet featuring a variety of cold cereals, fresh fruit, cold meats and cheeses, pastries and hot items such as bacon, sausage, tomatoes and mushrooms. Omelettes, eggs and waffles are cooked on demand. Fruit juices, coffee, tea and water provided.

We will check out of the hotel and transfer via minibus to Johannesburg’s O.R. Tambo airport to board our flight to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

In flight.

Arrive Victoria Falls where we will clear customs and immigration; please be advised that long lines at Victoria Falls airport can sometimes cause delays while obtaining a visa. We will then transfer via minibus to the lodge, where we will check-in and settle into our rooms before being driven a short distance to see the Falls on the Zimbabwean side. Upon our entrance to the park, we will walk along the path with commentary from the Group Leader about the formation of the falls, as well as the local flora and birdlife seen. Since the waterfall spans the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe, it is visible from both countries, but the majority of the water falls on the Zimbabwean side. Viewing the falls from this side provides numerous overlooks and truly gives us a feel for the full majesty of this natural wonder. At the end of our visit, we will transfer by minibus back to the hotel with time to freshen up before dinner.

At a local restaurant in Victoria Falls, we will have a buffet meal featuring traditional Zimbabwean dishes, plus water, tea and coffee. As we interact with our hosts, we’ll learn a bit about life and cooking traditions in this part of Zimbabwe. Other beverages are available for purchase.

Tonight, we will hear a presentation from our Group Leader covering David Livingstone's exploration of the area and discovery of the Falls.

Lodge buffet.

Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most in the town of Victoria Falls. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. In the late morning, we will regather at the lodge for our transfer to a local restaurant for lunch.

At a local café offering views of the Batoka Gorge, enjoy a set menu, plated, two-course meal, plus bottled water; other beverages available for purchase.

By minibus, we will be driven to a community project in Victoria Falls, where we will have the chance to meet members of the community and see how they live. Visits to these projects are done on a non-commercialized, authentic and interactive basis with a view to a genuine and meaningful interaction. We will re-board our minibus for the drive to a nearby location for our elephant encounter. Here, we will have an opportunity to learn more about the past, present and future of elephant conservation from local experts. We will also gain insight into these gentle giants through up close, personal time with the elephants that reside here. In the company of our local experts, we will be escorted on a walk alongside the elephants through the pristine bush and valley of the Masuwe River. Upon conclusion of the encounter, we will enjoy snacks and refreshments on site. We will return to the lodge in the late afternoon, with time to freshen up before dinner.

Our dinner will be at the lodge’s restaurant and consist of a three-course, set menu meal including bottled water, coffee, tea; additional beverages available for purchase.

At leisure.

Lodge buffet.

We will check out of the hotel and have an early start for the morning’s field trip. By minibus, we will be driven to the Victoria Falls Wildlife Trust, where we will learn how the Trust’s local conservation efforts are making a major impact in the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area (KAZA TFCA). The Trust has four main areas of operation: Rescue and Rehabilitation; Wildlife Research; Wildlife Disease and Forensics Laboratory; and Community Outreach. In the company of a local expert, our hour-long visit will incorporate an overview of the Trust and its facilities, including the wildlife rehabilitation area. We will then set out for our transfer via minibus across the border to Chobe National Park, Botswana to meet with the main scheduled program. At the end of our transfer, we will check into the lodge.

At the lodge, enjoy lunch ordered from an a la carte menu. All local brand non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages included; premium brand alcohol available for purchase.

After settling into our rooms, we will begin on the main program #22424 "Best of Botswana" and follow the program accordingly. This concludes our extension program.