Zimbabwe Walking Safari Itinerary - Next Adventure · 2018-12-04 · Next Adventure Inc. 738 Gilman Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1325 800 562 7298 or 510 526 7027 Next Adventure® Custom

Next Adventure Inc. 738 Gilman Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1325 www.nextadventure.com 800 562 7298 or 510 526 7027

Next Adventure® Custom Safari Itinerary

South Africa and Zimbabwe November 1 – 16, 2015

Please consult your air itineraries for flight details which are subject to change.

Your itinerary includes detailed descriptions and information pertinent to your tour and safari. Guide, bird and wildlife books and maps may be consulted to enhance your experience.

The lodge, hotel and camp descriptions are those of the owners.

Next Adventure cannot verify the accuracy of the descriptions or images used. Important Notes Regarding Passports & Visas for US Passport holders: Visas for South Africa are easily obtained on arrival at no cost. A visa for Zimbabwe may be obtained on arrival for US $30. Important: Please be sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months beyond your return travel date. Also, you will need a minimum of 4 blank pages in your passport for visas and entry and exit stamps. South Africa requires 2 pages per entry for visa stamps and these must be adjacent, facing pages. Please check with Next Adventure if you need assistance. Luggage Restrictions: 44 lbs per person As you will be travelling in small aircraft with limited luggage capacity in southern Africa, your luggage is required to be packed in a soft bag (no hard suitcases allowed) weighing a maximum of 44 lbs including all carry-on items and camera equipment as well.

ITINERARY IN BRIEF

01 Nov Arrive in Johannesburg, overnight at City Lodge at OR Tambo Airport (1 nt) 02 Nov Private road transfer to Marakele National Park, transfer to Marataba Safari Lodge (4 nts) 03-05 Nov Game viewing activities from Marataba Safari Lodge 06 Nov Private road transfer to JNB, overnight at City Lodge at OR Tambo Airport (1 nt) 07 Nov Scheduled flight to Harare, light aircraft transfer to Mana Pools, Ruckomechi Camp (3 nts) 08-09 Nov Wildlife viewing in the Mana Pools area from your base at Ruckomechi Camp 10 Nov Light aircraft transfer to Hwange National Park, Little Makalolo Camp (1 nt) 11-12 Nov Walking safari in Hwange (2 nts) 13 Nov Conclude walking safari at Linkwasha Camp (1 nt) 14 Nov Light aircraft transfer to Victoria Falls Airport, transfer to Victoria Falls Hotel (2 nts) 15 Nov Full day to explore Victoria Falls area from Victoria Falls Hotel 16 Nov Transfer to Victoria Falls Airport, scheduled flight to JNB for international departure 01 November Arrive in Johannesburg Arrive at Johannesburg O.R. Tambo International Airport on BA 0055/AA 6445 (scheduled to arrive 06:55am from London Heathrow, booked separately and subject to change). Clear immigration and customs, and exit to the International Arrivals area. You are met by a representative of Wilderness Safaris and assisted with the short walk to the hotel, which is across the street from the International Arrivals terminal. Your overnight stay in one twin-bedded room at the City Lodge O.R. Tambo Airport Hotel includes breakfast. Please note: Your room may not be available until the official check-in time of 2:00 p.m. However, we encourage you to inquire at the Reception desk for the earliest available room.


You’ll have the day to relax and rest after your long flights with lunch, dinner and optional activities (if desired) on your own account today.

City Lodge OR Tambo International Hotel Airport Based at Africa’s busiest airport, City Lodge at OR Tambo Airport will provide business and leisure travellers with “home away from home” accommodation that is ideal for those commuting to and from Johannesburg and perfect for those who require immediate access to the airport. This Johannesburg hotel has 303 rooms and boasts boardroom and conference facilities, a fitness room as well as a deck with a pool and a large commercial area with a coffee shop. • Air-conditioned room with queen or twin beds • Flat screen Television (MNet and DSTV) – Satellite channels offering exciting sport, breaking news and great movies. • En-Suite Bathroom with bath and separate shower. • Tea and coffee making facilities • Wireless Internet Access available in all rooms • Electronic safe large enough to accommodate a laptop • Desk with great lighting and plugs for easy connectivity • Telephone At City Lodge our breakfasts are legendary. Choose between a scrumptious Full English or Continental breakfast (buffet style) in the hotel’s spacious breakfast area. November 2 Marakele - Marataba After breakfast, you are met by your driver and vehicle for a private road transfer (about a 4-hour comfortable drive) to Marakele National Park. Your 4-night stay at Marataba Safari Lodge in a luxury tented suite is fully inclusive of all meals, drinks, laundry and game viewing activities.

Marataba Safari Lodge

Marataba Safari Lodge is a simple extension of the natural environment beyond its walls – rich, bold, organic and patently magnificent.


Each of the 15 canvas- and-stone Tented Suites is tastefully furnished and decorated with a contemporary twist. Whether sharing it with lover, friend or family (or keeping it all to yourself), the interior is ample, and the attention to detail impeccable. Get cozy at the fireplace with a good read from our library. If the world beyond needs you (for just a moment, mind you) you are welcome to use the Wi-Fi in the public area, with our compliments. Whether you prefer your own

company or that of new-found friends, there are a number of spots from which to soak up the view – hammock, pool lounger or grassy patch. The free-standing stone bath in each Suite is a very good place to breathe in the moment, and reconnect. If you sit quietly for long enough, you can feel the energy of the countless people who have made this place home since The Stone Age. Morning and evening game drives in open safari vehicles, bush walks, bird watching, astronomy (night sky safaris), specialist photographic safaris with Pete Oxford, bush breakfasts and dinners, boma dinners and children’s activities.

November 3-5 Marakele - Marataba You have three full days at your base at Marataba to enjoy wildlife viewing in the lovely 'hidden gem' of Marakele National Park near the scenic Waterberg mountains, including twice-daily game drives, guided walking safaris, and a boat cruise on the dammed river.

Marakele National Park The Marakele National Park in the heart of the Waterberg Mountains. As its Tswana name suggests, it has become a ‘place of sanctuary’ for an impressive variety of wildlife due to its location in the transitional zone between the dry western and moister eastern regions of South Africa. The park was first known as the Kransberg National Park when it was first proclaimed in 1994, and it has an abundance of iron-age sites that will be made accessible to visitors in the future.

Marataba Reserve is one of the most spectacularly beautiful places we have seen, and we were left breathless when we first took it all in. Rich red mountain rock bears down on the verdant plains at its feet, and it is not hard to imagine a time long past when Stone Age settlers sought refuge in the sanctuary of Marakele. The world may be different, but this landscape is as sound and as perfect as it has always and ever been. Contrasting mountain landscapes, grass-clad hills and deep valleys characterize the park.


Rare finds of yellowwood and cedar trees, 5m high cycads and tree ferns are some of the plant species you will find. All of the large game species from elephant and rhino to the big cats, as well as an amazing variety of birds (including the largest colony of endangered Cape vultures in the world, with more than 800 breeding pairs) have settled here. Be on the lookout for…

• Cape Vulture – the park hosts one of the world’s largest breeding colonies of this endangered species. While birds may be seen in the air catching thermals anywhere in the park, the drive up to the Sentech Towers is nearest to the colony and close encounters with these enormous birds will leave visitors breathless.

• African Elephant – while some elephant had been previously reintroduced into the park, it was the release of the Tuli elephants in 1999 that captured the public and media’s imagination.

• Predators – Large predators such as brown hyena, leopard and now also lion, occur in the park.

• Kudu – as browsers these antelope are in their element at Marakele. Look out for the bulls with their magnificent spiral horns.

• The not-so-often-seen-elsewhere antelope species such as reedbuck, mountain reedbuck, eland and tsessebe can be found here.

November 6 Johannesburg After breakfast and perhaps a last morning game drive, you are transferred by road (about a 4-hour comfortable drive) back to Johannesburg for one night at the City Lodge. November 7 Mana Pools After breakfast, make your way on foot back to the International Departures area at least two hours prior to departure to check in for your scheduled flight to Harare, Zimbabwe (to be arranged & quoted separately): SA 22 departs JNB 10:40 arrives HRE 12:20. On arrival, clear immigration obtaining a visa for US $30 per person (subject to change and payable in US cash only); collect your luggage and pass through customs. When you exit to the arrivals area, you’ll find a representative of Wilderness Safaris holding a sign with your name. He/she will assist you in connecting with a light aircraft transfer to Mana Pools National Park (about 1.5 hours’ with flying time to be updated by the pilot). On arrival at the Mana West airstrip, a vehicle transfers you about 20 minutes to Ruckomechi Camp for orientation. After a brief time to refresh, you’ll have a welcome sundowner drink on the banks of the Zambezi and dinner in camp. Your three-night stay in tented accommodation is fully inclusive of all meals, wildlife viewing activities, laundry and drinks (except for premium imports).


Ruckomechi Camp In the middle reaches of the Zambezi River, a hundred kilometres below Lake Kariba is the Mana Pools National Park situated in the heart of the Zambezi Valley. Ruckomechi Camp lies on the banks of the Zambezi, shaded by a large grove of acacia and mahogany trees and with a superb view of the mountains of Africa's Great Rift Valley across the river in Zambia.

Ruckomechi Camp accommodates guests in ten spacious en-suite tented units, including a honeymoon suite, all of which overlook the Zambezi River. Each tent has both indoor and outdoor showers, and the camp boasts a favourite amongst guests: an outdoor 'bath-with-a-view' in a secluded, scenic spot. The central dining, bar, library and lounge areas face the escarpment and are connected to the rest of the camp by low-level walkways that minimise our environmental impact. There is a separate deck with infinity pool for swimming and sun bathing, and an inviting, cushion-strewn stargazing deck. The camp vegetation is dominated by broad canopied albida trees, much loved by elephants for their rich nutritious pods; these animals often join visitors in camp for a light meal! The area is renowned for large numbers of elephant, buffalo, hippo and eland, especially in the winter when they concentrate along the river. Predators such as lion, leopard and wild dog are all found in the area. Birdlife is superb, particularly for both mopane woodland and riverine species with numerous local specials like Collared Palm-Thrush, Racket-tailed Roller, Purple-banded Sunbird and Black-throated Wattle-Eyes. Activities at Ruckomechi Camp include wildlife viewing in open 4x4 vehicles, on motorised pontoon boats, on foot and in canoes. November 8 & 9 Mana Pools You’ll have two days of intense wildlife viewing in the Mana Pools area with morning and afternoon activities including boat cruises, walking safaris and game drives in camp vehicles. All meals and accommodation are at Ruckomechi Camp.

Mana Pools National Park Mana Pools National Park lies at the heart of the Zambezi Valley, where the Zambezi River meanders for 300km to the Mozambican border. It is a remote, beautiful place with spectacular views of the broad flowing river, floodplains, the tree canopy and the mountains of the Rift Valley escarpment over the border in Zambia.


This stretch of the Zambezi River is famous for its four main pools (after which the Park is named - 'mana' means 'four' in Shona) - Main, Chine, Long and Chisambuk - which are remnants of channels of the river which stopped flowing years ago. These and smaller seasonal pools dotted further inland hold water all year round, drawing all manner of wildlife and waterfowl during the dry season. The plentiful ana trees that characterise the floodplain shed their protein-rich pods during this time too, providing vital sustenance for many species, particularly elephant. Wildlife viewing is therefore excellent, with large concentrations of buffalo and elephant to be found

along the river's edges, while predators such as lion, wild dog, leopard and cheetah are often sighted. Greater kudu, Burchell's zebra, impala, warthog and common waterbuck can be seen on the surrounding plains and the grunting of hippo can be heard all day. Mana Pools offers fantastic birding, with the river and seasonal pans attracting large numbers of water birds and excellent mix of species in the riverine vegetation and mopane woodlands. Local specials include Three-banded Courser, Western Banded Snake-Eagle, Arnott's Chat, Green-capped Eremomela, African Golden Oriole, Lilian's Lovebird, Böhm's Spinetail and Meve's Starling.

Unusual water birds include Rufous-bellied Heron, Long-toed Lapwing, Greater Painted Snipe, African Finfoot and colourful clouds of Southern Carmine Bee-Eaters. Even the sought-after Pel's Fishing-Owl is occasionally seen! Camp residents include woodpeckers, Eastern Nicator, Yellow-breasted Apalis and White-browed Robin-Chats with their beautiful dawn-and-dusk song. November 10 Hwange After a morning activity and hearty brunch, you’ll say farewell to the team at Ruckomechi and drive to the airstrip for a light aircraft transfer to Hwange National Park. Arriving at the airstrip mid-afternoon, you’ll be driven about 30 minutes to Little Makalolo Camp for an overnight that serves as the starting point for our walking trails. After an orientation and High Tea, we can choose an afternoon/evening game drive or enjoy wildlife viewing from the famous sunken hide in front of camp. Your overnight includes all meals and drinks (apart from premium imports), but there won’t be enough time for laundry service.


Little Makalolo Camp

Little Makalolo Camp lies in the heart of Hwange National Park, in one of its best game viewing areas overlooking a vibrant waterhole. The camp's six rooms have en-suite facilities with both indoor and outdoor showers. Solar power is used for electricity ensuring a lighter environmental footprint. The living areas include a dining room, lounge, plunge pool and an open fire area for those convivial evening fireside tales. There is a log-pile hide overlooking the waterhole in front of camp where guests can enjoy wildlife viewing during the siesta hours.

Activities at Little Makalolo Camp centre on open 4x4 Land Rover game drives and guided nature walks throughout the Makalolo concession. The area's large number of waterholes attracts game in both quantity and variety, especially in the winter months when Hwange is literally home to a Noah's Ark parade of animals as they come down to quench their thirst. Makalolo is one of the best areas for seeing impressive herds of buffalo and elephant as well as apex predators such as lion, leopard, wild dog and cheetah. Other general game is very abundant in the Park. Bird life in the area is prolific and varied (400+ species), with those frequenting teak woodlands as well as those more typical of the drier Kalahari being present. November 11 & 12 Hwange Walking Safari After breakfast in camp, you’ll set out on your two-day walking safari with specialist guides and scouts. Exploring the African bush on foot is one of the most exciting, and rewarding, experiences. We can really expect to see, smell and hear the wilderness in an extraordinary way! During the day, you’ll start with a morning walk of 3-4 hours (depending on what we see and where we decide to head). During the heat of the day, you’ll have a leisurely picnic under a shady tree. The afternoon will have a shorter walk (about 2 hours) into camp for well-earned sundowners. Your two night walking trail will include taking all meals al fresco, drinks by the campfire in the evenings and resonant night sounds like the nearby twitters of night-jar birds and roaring of lions.


You’ll have a small support staff and back-up vehicle setting up camp ahead of us. Your walks will be led by a highly-qualified walking guide as well as a park ranger, both of whom will be armed for safety.

Hwange National Park

Hwange National Park is the largest game reserve in Zimbabwe at 14,500 km² with varied habitats and vegetation types. The park is predominately Kalahari sandveld supporting teak and mopane woodlands, dry Acacia scrub and is interspersed with saltpans and grasslands that support enormous species diversity and provide a true wilderness experience. Both Makalolo Plains and Little Makalolo are situated in the 31 000-hectare Makalolo concession. Located on the border with Botswana, Hwange was proclaimed some 75 years ago and has served as a haven for one of the densest concentrations of game in Africa. In particular, its great herds of Cape buffalo and elephant (nearly 30 000) are a sight to see. Hwange has some of the highest mammal diversity for any national park in the world. With over 100 species the diversity is incredible: slender mongoose, yellow mongoose, banded mongoose, Selous mongoose, dwarf mongoose, honey badger, black-backed jackal, bat-eared fox, side-striped jackal, lesser bushbaby, vervet monkey, baboon, porcupine, aardwolf, spotted hyaena, caracal, leopard, African wildcat, lion, scrub hare, southern giraffe, hippo, springhare, warthog and Burchell's zebra. Antelope often seen in the area include common duiker, eland, roan antelope, impala, kudu, sable, steenbok, waterbuck and blue wildebeest. White rhino is another special sight to see here; Wilderness Safaris has recently helped translocate a number of these wonderful beasts into the protected park. The park is also home to a varied bird community. Typical drier Kalahari birds include Red-billed Spurfowl, Crimson-breasted Shrike, Kalahari Scrub-Robin, Cut-throat Finch, Red-eyed Bulbul and Southern Pied Babbler. A Bat Hawk and African Hobby (summer only) are good finds here, which are sometimes seen at dusk hunting bats and swifts. The plains are alive with pipits, larks and wheatears like African Pipit, Dusky Lark (in summer) and Capped Wheatear. Raptors are plentiful including Martial Eagle, four vulture species and accipiters like the Shikra. In the summer months the bird list is greatly increased by migratory species like Southern Carmine Bee-eaters, Black Kites, Broad-billed Rollers, various cuckoo species, Abdims Storks and European Bee-eater.


Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s premier game viewing destination – well-known for its huge dry-season game concentrations. What is less known is that south-eastern Hwange is without a doubt one of the best summer season destinations in southern Africa for game viewing. • Summer rainfall brings the plains of Hwange to life: local populations

of grazers in particular concentrate where the grass shoots are best – often many species can be seen within one view.

• The incomparable Ngamo Plains practically guarantees concentrations of wildebeest, zebra, giraffe, waterbuck, kudu and even herds of eland ranging from 20-30 animals to over 100.

• More reclusive species like roan & sable are often drawn to the open areas in summer. Even gemsbok (remarkably rare this far west) & reedbuck (more adapted to moist savannah) are seen.

• Elephant and buffalo are seen year round. • The plethora of game, especially young antelope, attracts a variety of

predators and can include lion, cheetah, wild dog and leopard. • Grey crowned crane and migrant birds add colour and sound to the

plains and teak woodlands. November 13 Hwange After two days on the trail, you’ll arrive at the luxurious and brand-new Linkwasha Camp. Your overnight stay includes all meals, drinks (apart from premium imports) and laundry as well as private safari activities.

Linkwasha Concession

Linkwasha Concession is a private area with excellent access to key locations for great year-round game viewing including Ngamo Plains, which is especially productive in summer. It is an exceptional area to view wildlife up close & personal on walking safaris and game drives. The camp offers panoramic views of a passing parade of wildlife to the camp waterhole. There is also a special sleep-out deck for a night under the stars! Time permitting, we can arrange a local village visit to engage with and learn about the traditional ways of life of the local community. If the resident ecologist is in camp, you’ll arrange a conservation presentation to learn more about the area, wildlife and how we can help protect it.

November 14 Victoria Falls After breakfast together in camp, you’ll transfer to the airstrip for a light aircraft transfer to Victoria Falls Airport (ETD 10:10 ETA 11:05). Upon arrival, you’ll be met by a representative who will assist you with joining a scheduled transfer to the "Grande Dame", the Victoria Falls Hotel. Your two-night stay in a Deluxe twin room (central wing) includes breakfast daily. Lunches, dinners, activities, transportation and entrance fees to be arranged and paid direct.


Victoria Falls Hotel With dramatic views of the gorges of Zimbabwe's spectacular Victoria Falls, The Victoria Falls Hotel, built by the British in 1904, was originally conceived as accommodation for workers on the Cape-to-Cairo railway) and today it is a famous luxury brand and a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. Serene Lily ponds, arched loggias and broad verandas – offering magnificent vistas - seem custom-built for a spot of high tea or a relaxed gin and tonic, while a private path leads to the falls, an idyllic 10-minute walk away. Some rooms offer stunning views of the gorges and bridge below.

The history of The Victoria Falls Hotel is incomplete without the reference to the development of the railway system in Zimbabwe. Cecil Rhodes had tasked his friend and colleague Sir Charles Metcalfe with overseeing the development of the railway system and Metcalfe took heed of Rhodes’ dreams of the railway line stretching “from Cape to Cairo,” hence he started plans for the first bridge across the mighty Zambezi. Rhodes was insistent that the bridge should be built in a place that the spray from the falls would fall on the passing trains, which is why the site was chosen just a little below the Boiling Pot, at almost right angles and in very close proximity to the falls. The Victoria Falls Hotel was built and operated by the railways administration, but in the early 1970s it was leased to the then Southern Sun hotel group, forerunner of today's African Sun Limited. A significant development in the late 1990s was the involvement in the hotel of another leading Zimbabwean hospitality operation, Meikles Africa Hotels. Today the property itself still belongs to the National Railways of Zimbabwe and there is a shared 50/50 partnership operation between African Sun and Meikles Africa.

In his intriguing book “100 Years 1904-2004” (history of The Victoria Falls Hotel) John Creewel calls it “one of the truly special places in the world” and says the hotel is a jewel because of “consistent attention to quality and standards over a century of operation.” He notes that the most important factor behind the hotel’s success has been “its close proximity to Victoria Falls, one of the most remarkable sights in the world....a spectacle unrivalled in the world.” Steeped in history and one of the oldest hotels in Africa, The Victoria Falls Hotel serves is a reminder of the distinguished and elegant era to which it was born and has

earned its status as the epitome of grand luxury travel. The Victoria Falls Hotel remains the landmark accommodation facility to view the popular tourist attraction, the wondrous Victoria Falls now in its 150 Millionth Fantastic Year!

November 15 Victoria Falls After breakfast, you have a full day to explore the Victoria Falls area from your base at the Victoria Falls Hotel. Lunch, dinner and optional activities are to your account.


Victoria Falls

At 1708 meters wide, Victoria Falls is the most expansive curtain of water in the world and drops more than 100 meters into the sheer Zambezi Gorge. Located in the north-west corner of Zimbabwe, these Falls and the Zambezi River are the central points in an area of spectacular scenic beauty: from the Falls themselves to the broad, picturesque course of the Zambezi River upstream, the rainforest adjacent and the stark jagged gorge downstream, the power and timelessness of nature's forces are evident throughout. The Tonga and Makalolo peoples lived here for centuries before the Falls were 'discovered' by David Livingstone in 1855. He gave it the highest honour he could think of: naming it after his Queen. Its local name, Mosi-Oa-Tunya - "the Smoke that Thunders" - more accurately defines the essence of the place: the rising, shining spray that can be seen 30km away. This vapour has the effect of adding moisture in the form of humidity to the air in the "splash zone", so that a unique, small rainforest ecosystem clings to the edge of the Falls, providing a toehold for no less than 70 shrub and 150 herbaceous species, as well as trees such as pod and Natal mahogany, ebony, Cape and strangler fig and Transvaal red milkwood. Further away from the constant spray, the surrounding area comprises mopane and teak

woodlands with luxuriant riverine forest along the banks of the Zambezi River. The presence of several protected areas in the vicinity, from the Zambezi National Park in Zimbabwe to the Mosi-oa-Tunya Zoological Park in Zambia, means that herds of big game such as elephant and buffalo, as well as smaller species and even predators such as lion persist in the area. As mesmerizing as the Falls are, the paths through the rainforest at their edge allow one to catch a glimpse of some of the mammals that live here: bushbuck stare shyly from behind a bush, banded mongoose scurry through the undergrowth, and vervet monkey and baboon flit through the trees; wailing Trumpeter Hornbills sail past in their characteristically undulating flight and the crimson-blazoned wings of the Schalow's Turaco can be seen by patient birders. Interestingly, there is a distinct difference in the fish species above and below the Falls, which clearly form a comprehensive barrier to fish movements upstream: 39 species are recorded from below and 84 above the Falls. Nile crocodile and hippo are common above the Falls. There is rich birdlife here too, including

several sought-after species such as African Finfoot, Half-collared Kingfisher, African Skimmer (seasonal), Schalow's Turaco and Rock Pratincole (seasonal). Other activities on offer in the area at an additional cost include sunset cruises, helicopter flights, micro-lighting, canoeing, jet boating, and white water rafting. Vic Falls, as it is affectionately known, straddles the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia and both countries share its World Heritage Site status.


November 16 Departure After breakfast and check-out, you are transferred back to the Victoria Falls Airport for your flight to Johannesburg (BA 6282, ETD 13:55pm ETA 15:35pm) where you connect with your departing international flight (BA 0056, ETD 20:25). Say farewell to Africa and board your homeward-bound flights with many wonderful memories to relish and eager for your Next Adventure!

Next Adventure & Safari

We take safaris personally! 738 Gilman Street

Berkeley CA 94710 USA Tel: 510 526 7027

www.nextadventure.com email: [email protected]

California Licensed Tour Operator CST #2024489-40

Documents

Zimbabwe Walking Safari Itinerary - Next Adventure · 2018-12-04 · Next Adventure Inc. 738 Gilman Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1325 800 562 7298 or 510 526 7027 Next Adventure® Custom