The Victoria Falls Hotel

Victoria Falls - Zimbabwe: 2 Nights

The Victoria Falls Hotel, popularly known as 'the grand old lady of the Falls', is situated in the Victoria Falls National Park, a world heritage site.

The Edwardian-style 5* hotel, built in 1904, combines the charm of the old with the convenience of the new. Set in lush tropical gardens with lily ponds, palm trees and semi-tropical shrubs, it provides the tranquillity and seclusion that many guests seek.

The famous Victoria Falls are just a 10 minute walk away using the hotel's private pathway, and 'the smoke that thunders' or 'Mosi-O-Tunya' in the local dialect, is clearly audible and visible from this luxurious landmark. Seeing the sun rise beneath the mist of one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and the lunar rainbow at night, all the while soaking up the history and ambience of a bygone era, is more than unforgettable - it is unique.

The service here is world-class, and food and beverage choice and preparation second to none. Choose the opulent Livingstone Room for fine dining and dancing, or the Jungle Junction for its famous breakfast and dinner buffets and ethnic entertainment in the evenings. Stanley's Terrace, with its clear view of the Victoria Falls Bridge connecting Zimbabwe and Zambia, is renowned for its cocktails and afternoon teas, and has been a rendezvous for adventurers in Africa for over a century.

All the rooms and suites are decorated in the gracious Edwardian style of Zimbabwe's colonial era. There are 161 in total, offering a range of accommodation from standard rooms to the Royal Suite. The latter, as the name suggests, has seen reigning monarchs, presidents and, more recently, many famous Hollywood stars among its privileged occupants.

A large swimming pool, 2 tennis courts, a library, and reading rooms are part of the complex. Golfers can enjoy 18 holes on the championship course of the nearby sister hotel, Elephant Hills Resort.

A sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi River, just upstream from the magnificent Falls, is another must for the visitor. Crocodiles, abundant hippo and new friends are the staple of these legendary exhilarating cruises.

Chobe Game Lodge

Chobe National Park: 2 Nights

As the only lodge located inside the world-renowned Chobe National Park, and set on the banks of the Chobe River, Chobe Game Lodge is the ideal place from which to explore the very best of one of Botswana’s most iconic regions.

Chobe Game Lodge has several electric and solar-powered safari boats and land vehicles - a clean and quiet way to enjoy a safari and a real boost for eco-tourism in Africa.

Early morning game drives set off as soon as the Park opens, giving you the best chance of tracking predators while they are still active. The afternoon drives depart the lodge in the late afternoon (the exact time is dependent on the season), only returning at Park closure time after sunset, thus maximising the time you spend out to enjoy those special sightings. Elephant encounters are common and huge herds of buffalo abound.

Mid morning and late afternoon boat safaris offer unsurpassed game viewing opportunities. Elephant line the water's edge, hippo congregate in lagoons, hundreds of antelope and giraffe make their way to the water, and sightings of predators along the river banks are common.

Every one of the 44 elegantly designed guest rooms is air-conditioned, with en-suite bathrooms and a large terrace facing the Chobe River. Those who wish to experience Chobe in ultimate luxury can stay in one of the 4 suites, each with its own private terrace and infinity plunge pool.

The expansive main guest area incorporates several comfortable and tastefully appointed seating areas from which to enjoy the tranquillity of the lodge surroundings. Following the banks of the river, the 250 metres of elevated boardwalk and viewing deck offers seemingly endless panoramic views over the Chobe River. Find your favourite spot along the platform and settle down to watch the ever-changing wildlife parade across the river, on the islands and the surrounding floodplains.

Savute Safari Lodge

Savuti: 2 Nights

Situated on the banks of Botswana's fabled Stolen River, Savute Safari Lodge is a traditional thatched safari lodge in a setting of singular beauty.

Stretching from the waterways of the Linyanti all the way to Savute Marsh, the winding waterways of the Savute Channel have pumped life into the western section of Chobe National Park for many thousands of generations. But this fickle and unpredictable channel has a fascinating history of flooding and drying up independently of good rainy seasons and flood levels elsewhere - a mystery that has intrigued geologists and other researchers for many years. When David Livingstone discovered the Savute Channel in 1851 it was flowing. Thirty years later the channel had disappeared and the Savute Marsh had dried out, remaining this way for almost 80 years. It flowed again in the late 1950s, continuing until the early 1980s when it again receded, gaining the channel its reputation as 'the river which flows in both directions'.

Activities are organised around game drives throughout the Savute area in open 4x4 safari vehicles. Many trips will also incorporate a visit to the Savute Marsh to give you a chance to see the historic presence of the Savute Channel against a backdrop of teeming wildlife. Guests can also enjoy a visit to the ancient San rock paintings at Gubatsa Hills - a small hilly outcrop which forms a prominent landmark in the otherwise flat landscape.

Savute also boasts the second-largest summer zebra migration in Africa - its timing is determined by the rains, but usually occurs between November and December and again between February and April, when the zebras move from the rivers in the north in search of the rain-ripe grasslands and full waterholes in the southwest of the Park. The migration is always followed by large numbers of predators.

To ensure a private and relaxing environment, Savute Safari Lodge accommodates just 24 guests in 11 thatched Safari Chalets plus a Family Room which consists of 2 double bedrooms. All the en-suite rooms have been elegantly furnished in calm neutral tones to blend with the natural environment, and feature expansive private decks, and a combined bedroom and lounge area.

The main lodge area is a beautiful two-storey thatch-and-timber building. As well as a guest lounge and bar area, there is a shaded viewing deck, an al fresco dining area and swimming pool with pool loungers - an ideal spot for watching the varied wildlife including the resident elephants as they make their way to the Channel to drink, bathe and play. On cold winter nights, warm up by the camp fire after dinner and listen to the haunting sounds of the African bush unfold around you.

Camp Moremi

Okavango Delta: 2 Nights

Camp Moremi is situatead in the world-renowned Moremi Game Reserve, within the Okavango Delta. Moremi combines mopane woodland and acacia forests, floodplains and lagoons and has a vast variety of plant, bird and animal life, creating one of the most magnificent and welcoming wildlife sanctuaries in all of Africa.

Track big game on morning and afternoon game drives by open 4x4 safari vehicle in the Moremi Wildlife Reserve, renowned for frequent sightings of lion, leopard, elephant and cheetah, as well as wild dog. Your professional guide will explain about the wonderful Delta wildlife as you sit and maybe watch a leopard stretched out lazily in the branches of a mopane tree, or gaze on a herd of elephant grazing under a canopy of green, or find a pride of lions lying sleepily in the long grass. Other game seen in the area includ hyena, hippo and many antelope, large and small, including kudu and waterbuck. 

Alternatively, explore the Xakanaxa Lagoon and surrounding Okavango channels by motorboat, which offers exceptional bird watching opportunities as the birdlife here is prolific and varied, ranging from water birds to shy forest dwellers. The rare Pel’s Fishing Owl makes an occasional appearance, to the delight of guides and guests alike.

Before returning to the lodge on your afternoon activity, enjoy sundowners with views of Botswana's breathtaking sunsets.

Camp Moremi’s communal areas include a sunken bar, masterfully built around a large termite mound and ebony tree, and an expansive lounge area with a beautiful brass and soft finishes, which in turn leads towards an extended library and private deck. These areas, including the elevated dining area, connect by boardwalk to the fireplace in front of the camp. In addition, there is an open-air boma and secluded swimming pool.

The camp accommodates only 24 guests. There are just 11 expansive, modern styled thatched safari tents with private decks offering views over the Moremi Game Reserve, plus one luxury family tent consisting of 2 en-suite bedroooms and a private deck too. Subtle décor and lighting fixtures allow for a natural and warm atmosphere within each room to create a peaceful and harmonious blend with the surrounding environment.

Leroo La Tau

Makgadikgadi Pan: 2 Nights

Leroo La Tau is situated on the western bank of the Boteti River, about 140 kilometres southeast of Maun. The eastern bank of the Boteti River forms the boundary of the Makgadikgadi Pan National Park, which stretches away from the riverbank towards its interior of scrubland and mineral rich grasslands.

The camp is built on cliffs over 10 metres above this changing riverbed environment, offering a raised vantage point which ensures unsurpassed views of the river and the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park to the east.

Leroo La Tau translates as 'lion's paw', but although the surrounding area features abundant lion, zebra and wildebeest, it also boasts Chobe bushbuck, leopard, cheetah, brown- and spotted-hyena, impala, kudu, jackal, porcupine, genet and caracal, to name a few.

The lodge offers both guided day and night game drives in the Makgadikgadi Pans National Park, focusing on the exceptional wildlife sightings along the Boteti River. Depending on the water levels of the Boteti River, boat activities can also be enjoyed.

For guests staying 3+ nights, additional trips can be arranged, such as visiting the Nxai Pan National Park and Baines Baobabs, or there is also the opportunity to sleep out under a blanket of stars across the endless Botswana sky on the salt flats themselves - and spend the night in a place so remote both sound and light pollution are non-existent (available on limited dates).

The lodge features 12 luxurious thatched and glass fronted suites with en-suite bathrooms, each one raised on a wooden platform.

The main lounge and dining area, with its inviting wooden and thatch finish, offers guests the opportunity to sit back and relax at the bar while listening to the wide variety of night sounds so characteristic of the African bush. Alternatively you can lounge around the swimming pool or enjoy the panoramic river vista from the game viewing hide built into the bank of the river.