Michelle Colman explores some safari experiences within two hours’ drive of the Victoria Falls.

Setting the scene

“Victoria Falls is almost in the centre of southern and central Africa,” says Ross Kennedy, Chief Executive of Africa Albida Tourism. “It is surrounded by 35 national parks and game areas across five countries that, combined, bring together what is probably the finest and most pristine wildlife estate on the planet.”

In Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, there is the Zambezi National Park, while across the border in Livingstone, Zambia, is Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Slightly further afield but within a two-hour drive of Victoria Falls, is Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe and Chobe National Park in Botswana.

“Hwange National Park is without doubt one of Africa's greatest parks,” claims Kennedy. “Hwange offers incredible game-viewing opportunities, often around waterholes, and a wide range of accommodation within the park, from basic camping right through to luxury lodges.”

It is at the border town of Kazungula where four countries meet – Zimbabwe, Zambia, Namibia and Botswana – and all are just an hour from Victoria Falls.

Zambia’s White rhino

Some 20 minutes’ drive from the Zambian side of the Victoria Falls is the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, which includes among its wealth of game some rare White rhino.

Sense of Africa Botswana offers an early-morning rhino walk to clients staying in Livingstone. They are guided to the location of the animals, which have been previously tracked, and have the opportunity to walk near and photograph them.

At 1 600ha, the park is small by African standards but this increases the chance of seeing game. For guests at The River Club, just 10 minutes from the park, a game drive of roughly three hours is included in the lodge’s fully inclusive rates, reports Saskia Brown, Marketing Representative.

Situated on the banks of the Zambezi River, The River Club is a boutique owner-run lodge with sweeping views over a river bend and 11 private suites. A late afternoon river safari can also be enjoyed at no extra cost.

Sanctuary Sussi & Chuma is another Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park lodge, operated by Sanctuary Retreats. Year-round canoeing on the Zambezi is a major game-viewing activity here, and two-hour morning or afternoon trips can often be combined with a game drive in a custom-built safari vehicle, or a boat cruise.

Two-hour walking safaris – conducted at a leisurely pace and accompanied by an armed National Parks Ranger – are also held twice daily at 06h30 or 16h00. The morning walk includes a snack and coffee break, while the late afternoon one winds up at a sundowner spot for drinks and canapés.

Fishing season is from March until the end of November. The sport is done on a ‘catch and release’ basis from the river bank in front of the lodge, or by river boat.

Sundowner cruises, a walking tour of Vic Falls on the Zambian side, and a local school and village tour are included in the stay. At extra cost come options such as a Flight of Angels, Livingstone Island visits, white-water rafting, spa treatments and a tour of the Zimbabwean side of the Falls.

A good network of flights into Livingstone from other African destinations makes access to Livingstone and these resorts easy, with daily direct flights from Johannesburg, Nelspruit (if visiting the Kruger National Park), Nairobi (for an East Africa safari) and, of course, Lusaka.

Action in and around Livingstone

Sense of Africa Botswana highlights a wide range of adventure activities in the Livingstone area, including some out-of-the-ordinary modes of game viewing.

On the water, the tour operator’s Livingstone Drift Tour offers the chance to spot animals and birds from an inflatable raft, with the job of paddling falling to a guide. Then there are river safaris on propeller-free boats, which operate in water as shallow as 20cm, getting as close as 200m to the Falls. The boats offer the thrill of speeding over rapids and slowing down for leisurely game viewing around islands. Canoe safaris are also on offer.

On land, the Birds of Zambezi Walk is led by professional guides who explain calls, nesting habits and migratory patterns. Viewing locations change with the season. Horse-riding safaris take place along national park trails that afford spectacular views of The Falls.

A two-hour drive from Livingstone is Kafue National Park, with a number of lodges and camps to accommodate guests. Guided walks, night and day drives, specialist birding drives, boating excursions, fishing and canoeing are safari activities to participate in.

Chobe just an hour away

The Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls is just an hour’s drive from Botswana’s Chobe National Park, which is rich in elephants and lion. According to Sense of Africa Botswana, early-morning game drives and late-afternoon boat cruises are routine in this location. The latter provides a different perspective of elephants, as they swim from island to island and enjoy mudbaths.

Other animal activities in the Kasane locale include the Kazungula Snake Park, where 17 species run the gamut from harmless Brown House snakes to the deadly Boomslang and Black Mamba; the Chobe Crocodile Farm in Kazungula Village; and the Kazuma Forest Reserve, which boasts the world’s busiest elephant corridor connecting the Chobe National Park to Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe.

The tour operator further points out that the Chobe River is good for fishing, especially at Ichingo and Sedudu islands. There are designated fishing points on the banks of the river. There’s also the Baobab Tree behind Kasane Police Station. With a hollow big enough for human to enter, it was once used as a prison by the colonial administration.

Note that Airlink offers daily direct flights from Johannesburg to Kasane in Botswana, placing the traveller within easy reach of both Chobe National Park and the natural wonder of Victoria Falls.

The Airlink flight leaves Johannesburg at 11h45, arriving in Kasane at 13h25. It departs Kasane at 13h55 to reach Johannesburg at 15h45. “These times are convenient for travellers to connect onward to their domestic, regional and international flights,” says Karin Murray, Sales and Marketing Manager.

Tackle a tiger fish at Victoria Falls River Lodge

So close to the Victoria Falls that one can see the spray of water in the distance is the Victoria Falls River Lodge, a private game lodge in the Zambezi National Park.

“Our guests seldom have to travel too far from their private decks, as the lush foliage around camp offers ample opportunity to enjoy a spectacular array of animal and birdlife,” says South African Representative, Kim Beyers. 

Trained field guides offer several safari options with a choice of two game-viewing activities included in the rate – namely morning and afternoon game drives and sunrise and sunset river cruises. 

Additionally, the lodge’s proximity to the Zambezi River permits waterborne activities. A canoe safari is one option, with guests being accompanied by specialised river guides. Fishing from a private jetty or a boat is another, suitable for both novice and experienced anglers. The Zambezi hosts over 75 fish species, the most renowned being the ferocious Tiger Fish, which keen anglers hope to catch.

For landlubbers there are guided walking trails into the Zambezi National Park and across Kandahar Island – a short boat or canoe trip from the lodge – where private concession rights are enjoyed. 

Victoria Falls River Lodge is birder heaven, with more than 400 species recorded in a comparatively small area around the Falls. Birding enthusiasts are able to view a great diversity of birds within rain forest, riverine, gorge and savannah habitats.