Itinerary | 8 Day Golden Safari Expedition | African Ubuntu Safaris

8 Day Golden Safari Expedition

Countries: Zimbabwe , Botswana

Destinations: Victoria Falls , Chobe National Park , Hwange National Park

Group Size: 2

Duration (days): 8

Number of Adults: 2

Number of Children: 0

This 8-day Botswana and Zimbabwe safari is a wildlife extravaganza that starts and ends in Victoria Falls. You will start with a night at the magnificent Victoria Falls followed by visits to the game-rich Chobe and Hwange National Parks. 

Itinerary Outline

Day Location Accommodation
1 Victoria Falls Ilala Lodge
2 Chobe National Park Camp Kuzuma
3 Chobe National Park Camp Kuzuma
4 Hwange National Park Nantwich Lodge
5 Hwange National Park Nantwich Lodge
6 Hwange National Park Hideaways Bumbusi Wilderness Camp
7 Hwange National Park Hideaways Bumbusi Wilderness Camp
8 Day of Departure

Day 1 : Victoria Falls

On arrival at Victoria Falls Airport, you will be met and transferred to the elegant Ilala Lodge in Vic Falls. This afternoon you have the opportunity to relax with drink in hand while on a sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe - Making its way back into the tourist market, Zimbabwe is able to offer some incredible wilderness and exciting wildlife, along with the wonder that is Victoria Falls.

Zimbabwe's political climate and issues have been well documented through the world's media, and it is no secret that tourist numbers to the country have dropped substantially. 

However, everything which made Zimbabwe one of the most popular safari destinations is still available, with operators moving back into the world famous areas of Hwange, Mana Pools, the Lower Zambezi and Lake Kariba.

Victoria Falls thunders mightily on the Zambezi River, and the canoeing and rafting experiences are as exciting as ever.

The people of  Zimbabwe have always been one of the major highlights, and it is particularly pleasing that tourists are filtering through the borders again, rewarding the patience of the fantastic guides and conservation workers who have remained dedicated to Zimbabwe's wildlife areas.

Victoria Falls

"Mosi Oa Tunya", or "The Smoke That Thunders", Victoria Falls are as magnificent on the 10th visit as they are on the 1st, and their thundering roar makes everything else seem strangely quiet once you leave them behind.

As the mighty Zambezi flows over a chasm of 1 mile wide, and 110 metres high, to violently crash on the rocks below, the resultant spray is sent tens of metres up into the air, before it lands back down in a continuous rainfall.   The water then rushes through an opening of only 50 metres, as the Zambezi races further along, over churning rapids and through the deep Batoka Gorge.

While the Falls are the major drawcard, there is a thriving tourist industry developed around them, with adventure activities of all forms being available. 

Tourism has been evident here ever since David Livingstone was the first European guided by the local tribes to this remarkable natural wonder.

Ilala Lodge

Ilala Lodge Hotel is a family-run hotel that offers luxury and comfort in the heart of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. Nestled in attractive gardens, the well-appointed hotel is a mere eight-minute walk from Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Ilala Lodge Hotel is ideally located and it is very easy for guests to access all the historical sites, restaurants and activities available in Victoria Falls. The friendly and attentive staff of this welcoming hotel makes sure that your visit is perfect in every way.

Day 2 : Chobe National Park

After breakfast you will be taken on a guided tour of the mighty Victoria Falls, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The tour is followed by a road transfer to Chobe, Botswana where you will be given a fitting welcome to Botswana, a cruise on the Chobe River. The Chobe River lunch cruise is the best way to experience one of the most beautiful rivers in Africa. After this experience you will carry on to Camp Kuzuma, a true hideaway in the Chobe Region. Located on a busy Elephant Corridor between Chobe and Hwange, this boutique tented camp provides an exclusive safari in a pristine environment. On arrival you can relax on your own private deck or at the pool area, before an afternoon game drive on our concession.

Botswana

Well known as one of the great safari destinations in Africa, Botswana offers some of the most beautiful, luxurious, and active safari experiences in Africa.

A Botswanan safari can never be long enough, and never experienced often enough.   Although one of the flattest countries you will ever visit, Botswana is blessed with an incredible variety of landscapes and eco-systems.  

It is the very flatness of Botswana which has created some of the world's most special wilderness areas, and exploring the Kalahari, Okavango Delta and Makgadikgadi Salt Pans rewards you with memories for a lifetime.

Easily accessible from Johannesburg, and simply combined with Victoria Falls, Botswana needs to be on your safari list if you are planning a visit to Southern Africa.

As soon as you land in Maun or Kasane, you will know that you have arrived in a country which operates like nothing you have experienced before.

With the warthogs running through the streets of Kasane, and the hippos grunting in the Chobe River, your welcome to Botswana is one which tells you straight away you are in Africa's wilds.

Chobe National Park

Accessed easily via a 1.5 hour flight from Johannesburg, or a 1 hour drive from Victoria Falls, Chobe National Park is the most visited park on a Boswana safari itinerary.

With an enormous elephant population, as well as magnificent birdlife and a huge array of herbivores and aquatic animals, it is often hard to believe that Chobe National Park is for real.

The game viewing starts from the moment you land at Kasane Airport, or drive across the border from Zambia or Zimbabwe, with warthogs foraging in the streets, buffalo being habitual visitors to the town, and hippos lazing around in the river.

Camp Kuzuma

Camp Kuzuma is a boutique eco-lodge in Botswana that borders Chobe National Park and Hwange National Park.   Found in an exceptional safari area made up of vast open plains and a forest reserve, that form part of a busy wildlife corridor.  

The seven well-appointed tents are incredibly spacious, boasting deep Victorian baths and king-sized beds draped in mosquito nets.   With a true commitment to eco-tourism, the camp is completely off the grid yet offers all the comforts guests may desire on their Botswana Safari Experience.

Every new day is announced by the gentle hum and rhythmic beat of African drums, rousing guests for another day of riveting wildlife experiences in the wilds of Botswana. The boutique safari camp is found in a busy animal corridor and part of an ancient elephant migratory route, the area is splendidly full of wildlife but impressively empty of other people besides our guests and camp staff, making it a true hideaway.

The stone and canvas suites have charmingly luxurious old-world touches such as high-backed Victorian baths, leather couches, and silver trays & teapots interspersed with distinctly Botswanan accents. Your tent has a private viewing deck as well as a refreshing outdoor shower. In the main area, a rim-flow pool overlooks the busy waterhole where herds of elephants drink and bathe, and during the dry season other animals line up to wait their turn. The sunken fire pit just off the deck is a space that invites quiet contemplation in the cool afternoon breeze and a gathering place for bush tales around the campfire in the evening. Look forward to Boma dinners under the stars and a Shebeen Chic experience, a down to earth dinner with a delightfully local African flavour.

Our expert guides will astound you with their knowledge of fauna and flora as will the amount of wildlife to discover. Besides journeying through the bush in an open-air safari vehicle, guests also have the incredible opportunity to experience the area by water! A Chobe River boat cruise is an absolute must-do, hippos and crocodiles bask in the sun on the banks of the river while elephants get right in the water and walk across to the other side – an up close and personal experience! 

Day 3 : Chobe National Park

Today, wake up to the African beat at our Botswana lodge. Enjoy armchair game viewing from your tent's private deck. Cool off in the outdoor shower before diving into the day. Spend the rest of the day on game drives on our 11,000-hectare concession with the Kazuma Forest Reserve. At the end of the day relax back at the lodge by the pool overlooking a bustling waterhole, gather around the fire pit for stories under the stars, and feast on local dinners at our boma.

Day 4 - 5 : Hwange National Park

After crossing the Pandamatenga Border, you will arrive at Nantwich Lodge, your home for the next two nights. The safari lodge overlooks a large dam with resident crocodile and hippo, boasting one of the best views in the Hwange National Park. Spend the next two days traversing this largely untouched area with game drives.

Hwange National Park

Situated only 3 hours' drive south of Victoria Falls, and bordering Botswana to the west, Hwange National Park has become famous for its wildlife density and enormous elephant population.

Due to the arid region, the park is an incredible dry season safari destination, with animals converging on the many man-made water holes, and game viewing being especially rewarding.

With over 100 species of mammals, and 400 species of birds, Hwange National Park is sure to provide you with some excellent photo's and is a great inclusion on a Zimbabwe safari itinerary.

Recently added scheduled flights from Victoria Falls have made Hwange even more accessible.

Nantwich Lodge

A unique, small and intimate eco-lodge reclaimed from a bygone era for true safari lovers who want to get off the beaten track and discover the pristine wilderness and abundant wildlife of Northern Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

Perched up on a bluff overlooking a large dam with resident crocodile and hippo, the lodge boasts one of the best views in the park.

Built from the foundations of an old Zimparks outpost, and using as many eco principles as possible, the refurbished lodge embodies the very essence of conservation and responsible tourism by re-purposing, preserving and celebrating the natural heritage of the site.

A hidden gem within a hidden gem, Nantwich is a lodge to which you’ll want to return again and again. Receive front row seats to one of the best wildlife stages in Africa and play an active role in your own safari experience. The stage is set for interactive experiences with our passionate team, their intimate knowledge of the wilderness area and your dreams of a truly memorable safari holiday. Wonderfully remote, there are fewer people in this part of the park and excellent game viewing awaits. The lodge provides exceptional views and extensive walking safari opportunities – for a truly immersive African wildlife experience.

Become a Hwange expert through guided bush walks and game drives. When not busy exploring the surrounding bush or spying wildlife right from your chalet, the Main Lodge is where you will find the open lounge and dining area, as well as a well-equipped library. Here, you won’t just be a visitor but a budding conservationist or African wildlife enthusiast. Your first fun fact? This part of the park has the highest density of lions in the park and those in the know refer to it as Big Cat country.

For the first time visitor to Africa looking to experience the continent’s remarkable wildlife in an authentic setting or the seasoned safari traveller looking to get off the beaten track and away from crowds and other vehicles, Nantwich is the perfect one-stop African destination.

Day 6 - 7 : Hwange National Park

After breakfast, you will go on a game drive through Hwange to your next stop at Hideaways Bumbusi Wilderness Camp. Surrounded by evergreen trees this camp offers an authentic safari experience, with wildlife frequently wandering through the camp. During your stay, partake in bush walks, history tours, and bush dinners, embracing the beauty and culture of Hwange National Park. Expert guides lead you through the bush, sharing insights into the flora, fauna, and ancient rock paintings of the area. And no safari is complete without game drives, where you'll encounter elephants, giraffes, big cats, and more.

Hideaways Bumbusi Wilderness Camp

There are few safari camps that are as unique and private as Hideaways Bumbusi Wilderness Camp. This camp’s historical ruins site and secluded game viewing offer guests the chance to experience a Zimbabwean safari with a difference. Located in a reclaimed corner of Hwange National Park where gorges, riverines, and hills are ideal for safari lovers, especially those who enjoy exploring on foot. The camp is tucked beneath a lush forest of mahogany and jackalberry trees, which provide a shady escape for wildlife, especially elephants during the drier season. In addition to the walking and game drive experience, visiting the Bumbusi National Monument adds a historical richness to any safari and is located a short drive from camp.

Day 8 - Day of Departure

Our Zimbabwe and Botswana safari ends after breakfast. You will be transferred to Robins Airstrip and flown to Victoria Falls Airport in time for your departure flight.