10 Days Victoria Falls, Hwange & Chobe

The 10 Days Victoria Falls, Hwange & Chobe is a 10-day sample itinerary: a tailor-made waterfall safari covering Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Botswana. Ten days built around water: the falls, the waterholes of Hwange in the dry season and the Chobe River at its busiest.

Highlights

• Victoria Falls from a private Zambezi reserve
• Hwange waterholes and big elephant herds
• Walking safaris with Zimbabwe's pro guides
• Chobe River by boat

Suggested places to stay on this route include Matetsi Victoria Falls, The Hide, Chobe Game Lodge.

Who this safari suits

• Travellers with time for a full safari
• Wildlife photographers
• Repeat visitors who want walking safaris and quieter areas

Route and travel times

Victoria Falls → private reserve on the Zambezi (40 minutes) · → Hwange National Park by road (about 2 to 3 hours) · → Kasane, Botswana by road (about 3 to 4 hours, via Kazungula) · fly out from Kasane.

Times are typical and vary with road conditions, border queues and weather.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1

   Arrive at Victoria Falls

   Arrive at Victoria Falls Airport and transfer to a private reserve on the Zambezi upstream of the falls, where river frontage and wildlife are part of the stay. Spend the evening on the river.

   Overnight Matetsi Victoria FallsMeals All meals

2. Day2

   Victoria Falls

   Visit the falls with a guide in the morning, walking the rainforest path on the Zimbabwe side. Return to the reserve for lunch and take a river cruise in the late afternoon.

   Overnight Matetsi Victoria FallsMeals All meals

3. Day3

   The Zambezi

   Enjoy game drives and guided walks in the reserve, or join an optional rafting day in the Batoka Gorge in season. It is a flexible day to match your energy.

   Overnight Matetsi Victoria FallsMeals All meals

4. Day4

   To Hwange

   Drive about two to three hours south to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest, and settle into a camp overlooking a waterhole. Head out on an afternoon game drive.

   Overnight The HideMeals All meals

5. Day5

   Hwange National Park

   Dry-season Hwange revolves around its waterholes. Spend time watching from the camp's hide as elephant herds arrive in procession to drink, with lions, buffaloes and sable possible nearby.

   Overnight The HideMeals All meals

6. Day6

   Hwange National Park

   Walk with a professional guide in the morning, learning to read tracks and signs, then return to the vehicle for an afternoon drive. An optional night drive looks for nocturnal animals.

   Overnight The HideMeals All meals

7. Day7

   To Chobe

   Drive about three to four hours to Kasane in Botswana via the Kazungula border, and check in on the Chobe riverfront in time for an afternoon boat cruise.

   Overnight Chobe Game LodgeMeals All meals

8. Day8

   Chobe National Park

   Game drives and boat cruises on the Chobe riverfront, one of the best places in Africa to see large elephant herds at close quarters.

   Overnight Chobe Game LodgeMeals All meals

9. Day9

   Chobe National Park

   A final day on the river and in the park, with the option of a specialist photographic boat for low angles on elephants and birds.

   Overnight Chobe Game LodgeMeals All meals

10. Day10

    Departure

    Transfer to Kasane Airport for your onward flight.

    Meals Breakfast

When to go

Best time for this route: June–October. At Victoria Falls: March–July for thundering water; August–December for clear views, Devil's Pool and rafting. See the month-by-month water levels.

Making this trip your own

This is a sample route, not a fixed departure. You can add nights where you want more time, swap the lodges named for others at a different budget, drop activities that do not interest you, or join this itinerary to another one. Tell us your dates, the number of travellers and what matters most to you, and we will send back a tailored version with a price.

Lodges named are examples; ask about alternatives at other budgets. Activities depend on water levels and park rules.