Day 1
DEPART
Depart the USA on your flight to Johannesburg, South Africa.

Day 2
JOHANNESBURG
Upon arrival in the late afternoon you are met and transferred to your hotel situated just 35 minutes from the Johannesburg Airport in the leafy, cosmopolitan suburb of Rosebank. The hotel is centrally located in one of Johannesburg's most important social and business districts.

Day 3
LIVINGSTONE / VICTORIA FALLS AREA
This morning transfer to the airport to board your flight to Livingstone, Zambia. Upon arrival you are met and transferred to your luxurious lodge which lies on the banks of the great Zambezi River just 15 minutes upstream from Victoria Falls. The luxurious tree-houses are extremely large and airy. Each unit has floor to ceiling sliding French windows, interiors that feature Kubu cloth, white muslin and elegant teach, and a sitting area with tea and coffee-making facilities and private deck.

After lunch drive into the colonial town of Livingstone and visit the Livingstone Museum. The Museum is known for its archaeological and ethnographic displays. Its premier exhibit is a collection of letters, notes and other artifacts that belonged to David Livingstone.

Afterwards view the magnificent Victoria Falls. Victoria Falls is where the Zambezi River opens out into an extravaganza of roaring, spray-tumbled water, known to the locals as "mosi oa tunya" (the smoke that thunders). Few sights are as awe-inspiring and the ground shakes and rumbles with the force of the water.

This evening take a river cruise on the Zambezi before dinner on the stunning deck overlooking the river.

Days 4-6
KAFUE / BUSANGA PLAINS
On the morning of Day 4 board your charter flight to the Lunga Airstrip in the remote Kafue National Park. Upon arrival take a three hour drive (with game viewing along the way) to your bush camp in Busanga Plains located in the north-western sector of the Kafue National Park on the Busanga flood plain. The Kafue, Africa's oldest National Park protects a variety of habitats through which flow a series of unique rivers. It is truly remote and unexplored yet offers excellent viewing of a wide variety of mammal and bird species.

In this area the Lufupa River floods in summer, creating a large flood plain delta system which is home to thousands of water birds. This dries to a small stream in winter (June-September), attracting a biomass of antelope and plains game, with the pursuant predators, particularly lion and cheetah. The park is home to over fifty-five mammal species including twenty antelope and six cat species. Interesting regular sightings are puku, oribi, red lechwe, reed buck, sable and roan antelope, elephant, and lion to name only a few. Cheetah, leopard and wild cat are seen often and pangolin, aardvark, caracal and blue duiker are spotted occasionally. Game drives are taken twice daily in this remote Park. You are also able to take game walks with an armed guide if you would like.

Accommodation is in comfortable canvas-roofed, thatched huts with open air, en suite hot and cold shower, bush toilet, and basin.

Days 7-10
SOUTH LUANGWA VALLEY
On the morning of Day 7 drive back to the Lunga Airstrip (3 hours) to board your charter flight to Lusaka. In Lusaka you board your scheduled flight to Mfuwe where you are met and driven to your first bush camp, situated in the South Luangwa National Park.

The South Luangwa National Park, located in the eastern part of the country, covers an area of 3,500 square miles. It is renowned for its unspoiled beauty and its varied habitats which support one of Africa's richest concentrations of game and birdlife. Over 50 species of large mammal and some 400 species of bird thrive in this last haven of wild Africa. During your stay in the Luangwa Valley you may see large elephant herds of up to 50 individuals, an abundant number of buffalo, fourteen antelope species and Thornicroft's giraffe, unique to the Valley. This area is also known for its healthy population of leopard and lion. The meandering Luangwa River with its many ox-bow lagoons and shady ebony groves forms the eastern boundary of the Park while the western horizon is dominated by the spectacular Muchinga escarpment, rising almost a kilometer from the valley floor.

You spend four nights in this beautiful area, and during the days you may take game walks in the park. The walks are not too strenuous and are conducted at a pace determined by your group. They usually last three to four hours through flat terrain and are lead by a fully qualified guide and an armed game scout. You may also take game drives in four-wheel drive vehicles. After two nights in the first bush camp, you then walk to your next bush camp where you spend the next two nights.

Accommodation is in comfortable chalets with attached private bathrooms (hot and cold running water with flush toilet). Each room has a double four-poster bed and a private verandah.

Days 11-12
LOWER ZAMBEZI
On the morning of Day 11, drive back to the Mfuwe Airport to board your flight to the Lower Zambezi, stopping in Lusaka to change planes.

Arrive at your lodge in the early afternoon. The Lodge is situated in the heart of the Lower Zambezi National Park and on the banks of the Zambezi River which is one of the world's great rivers. This is a very different river than the one you experienced in well-visited Victoria Falls. Here it is a half-mile wide and the area extremely remote. The camp offers the largest range of game-viewing activities including game-drives, walking safaris, canoeing, boating and fishing for the world-renowned "Tigerfish".

The Park is remote and unspoiled with a diverse range of eco-systems offering stunning scenery and varied wildlife viewing. Until recently it was the private reserve of Zambia's President and is therefore extremely untouched. It is home to large herds of elephant and buffalo and lion are common. Regular plains game sightings include kudu, zebra, impala, warthog, bushbuck and baboons. There are large pods of hippo in the river directly in front of the lodge, as well as crocodile. Wild-dog and cheetah do occur in the Lower Zambezi National Park, but are not commonly sighted. The diversity of birdlife is impressive.

Days 13-14
LOWER ZAMBEZI
Arise early the morning of Day 13 and after breakfast begin your adventure to the next camp. You may travel by canoe, motor boat or open game vehicle. You immediately notice the quiet surge of this huge river as you paddle downstream with the current. The air is filled with hundreds of birdcalls and the grunts of hippos as you quietly drift past them. Crocodiles slither silently off the banks into the protection of the depths as you glide by. Herds of elephant are often at the waters edge or crossing the river. The silence of your canoe creates an opportunity to meet these magnificent creatures close-up without causing them to feel threatened.

Many other species of animals occur here and every corner reveals a new surprise. Spend approximately 4 hours on the river today. The strength of the current makes paddling easy. The canoes are equipped with comfortable seating and drinking water for the duration of the expedition. During the day you take breaks on the shore for refreshments and a picnic lunch.

Arrive at your secluded, intimate safari camp which is set comfortably in the deep shade of tall riverine trees. Profoundly peaceful, eco-friendly and well-appointed, the camp overlooks one of the permanent channels of the legendary Zambezi River.

Accommodation is in spacious tented rooms on raised teak decking with twin beds, mosquito nets, en-suite facilities (hot & cold running water and flush toilets), and a private veranda.

During your stay you have the opportunity to spend the day canoeing, take game drives in four-wheel drive vehicles, fish, or take bush walks with an armed guide. Night drives are also an option where leopard, hyena, porcupine, civet, genet and honeybadger are commonly sighted.

Day 15
DEPART
This morning transfer back to the Jeki Airstrip to board your charter flight to Lusaka. Upon arrival transfer to your international flight homeward.

Day 16
Arrive home.

NOTE: This is just one example of many custom itineraries we can do for you in this diverse country.

GENERAL INFORMATION

There are no set departure dates for this trip. Please contact EXPLORE as to the time you would like to travel and we can book this itinerary or another customized itinerary for you.

Tour Includes:
All ground transport upon landing in Africa; all air charters in Africa; Flight from Johannesburg to Livingstone; accommodation; all meals and beverages at camps; breakfast in Johannesburg; limited laundry at all camps; private guides/vehicles throughout.

Tour Excludes:
Intercontinental airfare; internal commercial flights (see below); dinner in Johannesburg; airport departure taxes in Zambia; visa fee for Zambia; medical immunizations; passport fees; accident/baggage/cancellation insurance; individual transfers; excursions deviating from the scheduled tour; excess baggage charges; medical expenses; gratuities; telephone or fax charges; room service; and other items of a purely personal nature.

Other Trips:
Adventure to Zambia - 16 Day Trip

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