Zambia and Zimbabwe in four days

Day One

If I were to tell you that I recently visited an African border post and stayed there for four days, this might not invoke immediate feelings of jealousy. But if I told you that this border post had ‘smoke that thundered’ and left its visitors yearning for more after explorations in game parks and wild rivers, you may be more intrigued. And if I said that I recently visited the place that David Livingstone in 1855 called a “scene so lovely it must have been gazed upon by angels in their flight,” you might be more intrigued still…

Finally, if I told you I visited this place for four days, including multiple activities, you might even be fascinated at this point. I did in fact do all this – such is a visit to the mighty Victoria Falls.

My partner and I departed from OR Thambo, Johannesburg, st 10:00am and landed at 12:00am. and However, while the flight was only two hours, getting through passport control on the Zambian side took almost as long, if not more! The Zambian government have recently upgraded their control procedure from snail’s pace to a tortoise’s sprint. It was painful!

I was so worried that our transfer from the airport to the hotel had arrived and left because we took so long in the queue.  To my surprise he was there and waiting for us. I found out later that all the hotels in the surrounding area are aware of the delay and act accordingly. The trip from Livingstone Airport to surrounding hotels is approximately 10 – 20 kilometres and can take up to 40 minutes depending on road quality and rains. By the time we checked into our hotel and sat down for a beer it was 16:00. My advice – if you are planning on doing anything on the day you arrive, only do it in the evening!

We stayed in the local backpackers “Jolly boys.” I prefer the luxury options and have never stayed in a backpackers before, so was very skeptical going in… But was up for something different. I hired a private room, with private en-suite at US$50 per room per night. One need not think that the only affordable accommodation in Zambia and Zimbabwe are backpackers.

Prestigious hotels like the Elephant Hills Hotel, the Royal Livingstone and the Livingstone Protea Hotel often run great specials that are affordable – I just missed them. There are far more bars and restaurants on the Zambian side than there are on the Zimbabwean side. Therefore, if you are looking for a vibe, Zambia is the way to go. If you are looking for something romantic – Zimbabwe is the place to go.

Day Two

The next day we enjoyed a full day canoe trip down the mighty Zambezi River. We initially booked a white river rafting day (because it sounded so much more thrilling), but the river was still in flood and it was not possible. In my opinion, when I go back I’ll do the canoeing first again before I even consider white river rafting. We had such fun! You paddle 17 kilometres and it takes about 5 ½ hours, depending on how fast the river is flowing. There are two guides assigned to the group of six people – for safety reasons. One guide travels at the front, scouting for hippos and crocs, and the other is at the back to address any paddling issues and rapids.

We saw 10 different groups of hippos and 50 crocs before we stopped on an island in the middle of the game reserve for lunch – I was very appreciative for having so many guides all of a sudden! Before lunch we had also seen kudu, impala, giraffe, gemsbok, nyala and springbok. This reserve has been pillaged over the last few years due to illegal hunting and famine, so many of the game are shy and generally scarce. The reserve also has removed all cats (in an effort to preserve the game left), so if you are looking for a big 5 experience take a day trip to Chobe.

Lunch was a feast with an assortment of finger foods and cool drinks and beers. After lunch we were lucky enough to spot a herd of elephant who had come down to the river to drink. They had a calf with them so we were weary to get too close. At this point I realised that no game driving experience would ever compare. We were viewing these wild animals in their most natural habitat, whilst actively participating in a sustainable and enjoyable activity that brought us mere metres from them. I’ve never felt more proud to be African. It was a beautiful moment.

Day Three

The next day we decided to visit “‘Mosi-oa-Tunya” or the “Smoke that thunders.” It’s a 10 kilometre drive to the border post from most hotels, and most accommodations offer a free drop off and pick up service. The road to the post was recently redone so it’s only about a 10 minute drive. After chatting with some of the locals, we discovered that it’s best to view them from the Zimbabwe side rather than the Zambian side. We got the relevant stamps and walked across.

Along the way we watched as many brave people bungee jumped off the bridge. Be wary of some locals trying to sell you old Zimbabwe monies as mementos. It is illegal to buy, and if you get caught you will either pay a hefty fine or could go to jail!

To view the Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side you have to go into the Victoria Falls National Park. Just before you enter there are a few stalls that hire out rain coats for US$2. SPEND THE MONEY!

I noticed this when we arrived and asked my partner if we should consider hiring these coats, he said: “No, we are here at the mighty Victoria Falls, let’s enjoy and experience the smoke that thunders like Livingstone did.” I should have listened to myself and not to him. We were drenched from head to toe. It might as well have been raining. We were lucky we had a waterproof camera.

It is such a unique experience at the falls because the crashing and movement of the water is so loud you have to shout to one another to communicate. The National Park has a memorial statue dedicated to Livingstone that provides a historical backdrop of his experiences when visiting it for the first time and why it was actually named the Victoria Falls. The park is well signposted and there are maps everywhere so you need not worry about getting lost. There are 17 posts from where you can view the falls, and each view is completely different from the last!

Inside the national park there are wild animals. Baboons and warthog are the most common. It is advised that when you go into the park that you DO NOT BRING A BACKPACK, because there have been incidents where baboons have attacked tourists because they are accustomed to people having food inside their bags.

Having seen the falls from the ground we thought we’d get a new perspective if we saw it from the air. I enjoyed a 15 minute helicopter flight (US$250 pp). This was so much fun, and opened my mind to the sheer size and majesty of this world heritage site. We flew over the falls, the Zambezi and both game reserves in Zimbabwe and Zambia. We saw a heard of buffalo and giraffe migrating from Zambia to Zimbabwe – it was fantastic!

To top the day off we went on a sundowners booze cruise. It lasts 3 hours, departing at 16:00 and returning at 19:00. From the comfort of a couch and a gin & tonic in hand we saw countless wildlife animals on the banks of the Zambezi. The staff on the African Queen were friendly, inviting and very generous with their double shots!

Day Four

The next morning, we left for a quick game drive before heading back to Johannesburg at 14:00pm.  The game drive was great and the ranger knew everything relevant to the national park. But as I mentioned earlier there are no cats and we had seen this reserve quite in depth by this point with the canoe trip, helicopter flight and booze cruise.

Our game driver suggested we visit the Livingstone Crocodile and Amphibian Rehabilitation Centre. What great advice! It costs US$10 to visit and it’s something one wouldn’t normally think to do but it is a 40 minute eye opener and is for a good cause. All crocodiles and snakes that become too large or pose a danger to tourists and locals are captured and relocated here. The rehabilitation centre receives little or no funding from the Zambian government, and relies completely on tourist donations.

Without this centre these animals would surely die or be released into the Zambezi River. The staff at the croc farm are truly passionate about the work they do and have a great relationship with the animals they protect. So much so that our guide jumped into the crocodile pen and started playing with the 400 kg crocodile that was last fed a week before!

What a trip! I’m so sad it’s over – but I’ll definitely be going back!

For more information

To find out more about the great Victoria Falls, check out our blogs – such as about the daring Devil’s Pool and more here. Also visit the Zimbabwe and Zambian sections on our website for all you need to know about tours and accommodation.

Contact us and we’ll help you plan your own trip to this incredible part of Africa and answer any questions you might have!