Zambezi Valley and Great Zimbabwe

Zambezi Valley and Great Zimbabwe

Day 1
HARARE – City tour (140 km)
Arrival in Harare. Transfer to the hotel. In the afternoon Sightseeing of the city Harare. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Harare.

Day 2                 
HARARE – MASVINGO (320 km)
After breakfast we drive to Masvingo – formerly Fort Victoria – one of the first towns founded in Zimbabwe by Europeans. Not far from the Rhodes’es Fort we can see the ruins of Great Zimbabwe, which gave the name to the independent ( 1980 ) country. Extending over 2.7 sq. km this UNESCO World Heritage Site is the oldest and the biggest, highly developed stone-built structure in Southern Africa. It was constructed in the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries during the reign of Mutapa dynasty.
Dinner and overnight in the hotel in Great Zimbabwe.

Day 3
MASVINGO – BULAWAYO – MOTOBO (350 km)
After an early breakfast we drive through the bush covered hills of central Zimbabwe to the former capital of the Matabele Tribe: Bulawayo. We visit the city centre with well-preserved examples of Victorian architecture. In one of the most interesting Railway Museums in the world we admire a wonderful collection of steam locomotives, and a private parlour car of Rhodes. In the afternoon we drive to the Matobo  Reserve with incredible hills – completely bare rocks shaped like bald heads. We may see wildebeest, tsessebe, impala, kudu, zebra and giraffe. Cecil Rhodes admired the Matobo Hills and often spent time there delighted by unique views from its summits. He renamed it from “Hill of Ghosts” to “View of the World” and exactly there he wanted to be buried. We will visit his grave on top of the highest hill  After sunset we drive back to Bulawayo.
Dinner and overnight in the hotel in Bulawayo.

Day 4
BULAWAYO – HWANGE  (340 km)
Early morning we depart from Bulawayo to the northerly direction, through Matabeleland towards the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe – Hwange. A very interesting part of the route passes through the hills decorated with baobabs. After lunch in Hwange (not included) and a short break we depart for an afternoon safari in 4×4 in Hwange. The reserve is famous for its huge amount of wildlife, particularly large population of elephants, zebras, giraffes and rhinos. Rarely visited, it boasts one of the largest herds of elephants in Africa. After the unforgettable sunset in the bush we drive to the lodge. Dinner and overnight in the lodge in Hwange.

Day 5
HWANGE – VICTORIA FALLS  (200 km)
After breakfast we leave the reserve crossing the famous Rhodes railway line from Cape Town to Cairo, but eventually built only to the Copper Belt in Zambia. On the way we pass the town of Hwange which is situated near the coal mine and power plant. We arrive in Victoria Falls around lunch and check in at the hotel. In the early afternoon we see the main purpose of our trip, the legendary Victoria Falls. We visit the reserve and walk to the railway bridge linking Zambia and Zimbabwe. Dinner and overnight in the hotel in Victoria Falls.

Day 6
VICTORIA FALLS – CHOBE
After an early breakfast we drive through the Matetsi reserve towards the Botswana border. After the border we pass the place where borders of 4 countries cross (Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zambia and Namibia). We start our 4×4 safari in the famous Chobe National Park. After lunch and a short break we depart on the boat safari along the Chobe River. We watch herds of elephants and antelopes, giraffes, zebras and warthogs coming out of the bush to the water. Along the riverside we pass families of hippos and crocodiles basking at the water’s edge. Great opportunity for unique pictures of animals, as well as the incredible sunset.
Dinner and overnight in the hotel in Victoria Falls.

Day 7
VICTORIA FALLS
The day for optional activities. Most of the activities depend on individual choice and are not included in the price of the tour. One of the most popular attractions is the white water rafting over the gorges of mighty Zambezi below the falls. The rafting offers grade 5 rapids most of the way. Other attractions are: bungi jumping, helicopter flights over Vic Falls, elephant back safaris or walks with lions.
In the afternoon we drive to Kariba Lake. Dinner and overnight at the lodge at the lake.

Day 8
MLIBIZI – Kariba Lake (260km) ferry
After breakfast we board the ferry and we start 260 km cruise trough the lake which was formed after the construction of a dam on the Zambezi River. during the cruise we admire the African landscapes in the Zambian and Zimbabwean side of the river along with hundreds of animals at the waterholes. Lunch, dinner and overnight on the ferry.

Day 9
KARIBA
After an early breakfast we arrive to the port in the town of Kariba. We drive then to the the center of town at the top of the mountain. On the way we stop at several viewpoints admiring views of the lagoon and the Zambezi valley. We visit the famous dam. Time at leisure at the hotel, diner and overnight.

Day 10
Mana Pools – safari                         (250 -300 km)
After an early breakfast we depart to Mana Pools for the whole day safari in 4×4 vehicles. Mana means ‘four’ in Shona, in reference to the four large permanent pools formed by the meanderings of the middle Zambezi. It has the country’s biggest concentration of hippopotamuses and crocodiles and large dry season mammal populations of elephant and buffalo. Dinner and overnight in the hotel in Kariba.

Day 11
MANA POOLS – HARARE – departure               (380)km
In the morning we are leaving the Zambezi Valley and driving to Harare. Transfer to the airport and flight back.

PRICE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST