Mosi-oa-Tunya, Lower Zambezi, Lusaka wildlife safari-8 Days

You arrive in Livingstone the tourist capital city of Zambia. You will be met at the Livingstone International airport (Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula Airport) by our hospitality greeters and company driver. You will then be transferred to and stay at a good tourism style accommodation facility in Livingstone.

Afternoon Activity: Time permitting, after your check-in, late in the afternoon, you will be picked from the reception of your lodge/hotel. You will then be transferred to the Zambezi River for your exciting, relaxing and splendid sunset cruise.

Overview of wildlife you are likely to see: Wildlife such as Elephant, hippo, crocodile, bush-buck, various antelope, Buffalo, bee-eaters, fish eagle, zebra and giraffe to name a few are home in this area of the Zambezi River and can be seen on the edge of the river. Knowledgeable local guides will accompany you on this cruise and share their knowledge on the local history and wildlife. Cold and warm delicious, well prepared snacks are served on board.

At the end of the cruise, you will be transferred back to your lodge.

**You will then take your well prepared fresh dinner.

Narration: In the evening we will have a ‘meet and greet session’ in the lounge where you will meet your fellow travelers unless if you are a solo or private travelers. In the event that you are the only ones booked on this tour, there shall be no group meet and greet session.

You will also receive a short briefing from the Chief Experience Officer (CEO) on some pertinent facts such as personal safety, required eco-tour practices and some important country information and social etiquette.

Later in the evening: Retire to bed.

NOTES: If you have already arrived or stay in Zambia and wish to undertake this exciting 8 Day Lower Zambezi Safari trip, then there is no need for us to pick you from the Livingstone International airport as stated in the travel plan. In such a situation, you will need to position yourself at a suitable place in Livingstone at least one day before the commencement of the tour. You should therefore give us the precise location of the place in Livingstone (i,e Lodge or hotel or residence) where we will pick you from in Livingstone on the day of commencement of the tour.

**: Wakeup; thereafter take a morning bath.

- Take your sumptuous breakfast,

- Travel to the Victoria Falls for a wonderful waterfalls viewing and tour experience excursion.

– Commence touring the Victoria Falls; Thereafter visit the local craft market.

– Travel back to Livingstone city and;

– Visit and commence touring the Livingstone Museum.

- After touring the Livingstone Museum, you will walk across to the Livingstone city centre. You will see the colonial buildings, many shops, banks, local market. This is an opportunity for you to withdraw cash at the numerous automatic teller machines (ATM cash dispensers) for your spending pleasure in Livingstone. Buy your assortment of drinks at the famous Shoprite shop on your own cost; thereafter, return to the lodge.

- Leave Livingstone city centre and proceed to the your Lodge for a lunch break.

- Take afternoon rest in your room.

- Next activity: Village Tour to Mukuni Village. Experience the African Cultural Lifestyle in Real-time at Mukuni Village in Livingstone Zambia.

Additional activities: On your way to Mukuni village, you will visit and tour the National Art Gallery for thirty (30) minutes.

Thereafter, you will proceed to Mukuni village at the outskirts of Livingstone. You will be treated to an exciting and enjoyable African experience where you will get to learn more about the African culture and also interact with people from the village.

At the end of the Mukuni Village Tour, you will be transferred back to your Lodge for dinner and good night rest of sleep.

NOTE: All your meals are prepared by our own cooks and delivered to your room for quality control and consistency purposes. We do not get meals from the lodge you are staying at except in some exceptional circumstances. Sometimes breakfast is included in the Lodge you will be staying at. However, should you wish to eat the meals and drinks from the Restaurant of the lodge you are staying at, you are free to do so. However, you will be required to meet the cost of such meals and drinks which you must settle in full at check-out time to the respective lodge cashier.

- You will do an early morning game drive in the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park in Livingstone.

Overview of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is home to one half of the Mosi-oa-Tunya — "The Smoke that Thunders", known worldwide as Victoria Falls — on the Zambezi River. What makes this park unique in Zambia is that it’s the only wildlife area with white rhinos. These are closely protected from poachers by the scouts from DNPW (Department of National Parks and Wildlife).

This little sanctuary is Zambia's smallest National park free from predators. This, in combination with it being an area with manmade boundaries, guarantees an abundance of wildlife throughout the year. In addition to the migratory elephants, wildlife including white rhinos, giraffe, buffalo, waterbuck, impala, wildebeest, zebra, bushbuck, warthogs, monkeys, baboons, hippos and crocodiles are residents in the park year round. They inhabit a mix of riverine forest, mopane woodland as well as grassland, which also provides a variety of habitats for numerous bird species.

Within this park is the Old Drift Crossing Point as well as Cemetery, where the first European settlers were buried. Historically, the Old Drift was where ox-wagons were floated across the Zambezi, before there was a bridge.

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Chronological order of the program

- Wake up call and take a bath.

- You will be picked from your lodge and proceed to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park main entrance.

- Commence game viewing within the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. You will take a mini break by the shores of Zambezi River.

Rhino Walking Safari

Thereafter you will proceed to the other side of the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park for a walking safari to view the White Rhinos. You are encouraged to donate anything either materially or financially to the Wildlife Protection Officers who watch over these few remaining white Rhinos 24/7.

- Exit the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and return back to your lodge for breakfast.

- Take your sumptous breakfast.

-Leave for Kalomo travelling by road up north on T-1 the main tourist road of Zambia (Livingstone – Lusaka T-1 road). It is a good tarmac road and you will cover a distance of about 128 kms. You will pass a small roadside town of Zimba on your way up north before reaching Kalomo.

- Arrive in Kalomo town, the first colonial capital city of the then Northern Rhodesia, current Zambia.

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Overview and narrative of Kalomo

In 1907 Kalomo became the capital of what was known as Northern-Western Rhodesia. In 1911 it became the capital of Northern Rhodesia, what is today called Zambia.

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• Visit and tour the first state house of the colonial administrator of Northern-Western Rhodesia. Thereafter, you will depart for Choma and along the way see the Kalundu Mound: About 3km north of Kalomo, on the main road, is a slightly raised mound (a matter of just a few metres) of earth through which the road passes. This marks the site of an Iron-Age village, and the mound is the accumulated debris of many centuries of occupation.

- Enjoy Lunch break in Kalomo.

– Depart for Choma, a distance of about 100 kms.

– Arrive in Choma town

Notes: Choma is a market town and is the provincial headquarters of Southern Province of Zambia. It lies on Zambia’s main T-1 tourist road and railway line about 285km from Lusaka and 188km from Livingstone. It is home to Choma museum and craft centre exclusively dedicated to the cultural heritage of the Tonga people of southern province of Zambia.

– Check in Leons Lodge or Meridian Lodge in Choma or at any other good accommodation facility.

- Enjoy dinner.

- Retire to sleep

** Wake up, thereafter take a bath.

– Enjoy breakfast

- Commence cultural educational tour of the Choma museum and art gallery.

Further undertake an outdoor tour of the Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula statue, a political freedom fighter for Zambia’s independence.

- Enjoy Lunch break at Choma museum or at any other good eating facility.

- Relax within the Choma museum yard.

- Walk across to Choma town and walk about town for a familiarization tour. Visit a local Internet Café within the Choma town and surf the internet to communicate with friends and relatives back home.

- Depart for Lower Zambezi National Park for an exciting wildlife safari excursion.

In-depth travelling information.

You will travel on the T-1 Choma to Turn-Pike turn off road before turning to Chirundu, the satellite town of Lower Zambezi National Park. The tar road from Turn-pike turn off point to Chirundu (D152/RD491 about 85 km), is an important commercial artery route that crosses the Zambian border and goes to Harare, Zimbabwe. So at most this road is always kept in good repair condition. You will not cross the Zambian border but will turn to Lower Zambezi valley before the Chirundu border.

Mineral water will be served during the tours. Lunch and refreshments are provided on board en-route to the Lower Zambezi.

About 200–300m from the Chirundu border, the unsignposted road to the Lower Zambezi branches east from the main road. We will head to Mvuu camp site in the Chiawa game management area covering a distance of 50 km for an exciting camping excursion.

Arrival

Upon arriving, you will check-in at Mvuu Lodge and camp site. At Mvuu you will live close to nature. The Lodge is situated in a secluded location deep within the game rich Chiawa area, next to the Zambezi National Park, opposite the world heritage site of Mana Pools. Indigenous bush surrounds the lodge, wildlife roam freely through the camp, the un-spoilt and abundant river offers phenomenal game fishing.

You will stretch your legs after this trip from Lusaka by going for a short walk. You will experience the thrill of a walking closer to nature than ever before. If time will be short to go for a walk, you will be at liberty to explore the nearby surrounding green environment of Mvuu Lodge and camp site.

- Evening relaxation

– Dinner.

– Early sleep

Notes: Kindly be advised that you may be accommodated at different lodge other than Mvuu lodge and campsite when visiting the Lower Zambezi National Park. Your comfort will always be given high consideration whenever choosing an alternative accommodation for you.

**Wake up, thereafter take a warm or cold bath.

– Enjoy a morning sumptuous breakfast

- Receive short briefing by the Tour Director on some pertinent facts such as personal safety, required eco-tour practices and some important country information and social etiquette.

- We shall leave for the full day wildlife excursion in the Lower Zambezi National valley.

Enjoy the morning and afternoon scheduled game activities that will be explored by both canoe/boat and game drive vehicle.

Temperatures can reach up to 38°C (100°F) or higher are quite common in the lower Zambezi valley. It’s prominent feature are aisles of massive albida or winter-thorn trees (Faidherbia albida) which are foraged mostly by elephants. . The apple ring acacia keeps the elephant herds alive during the fierce October-November dry season. These handsome trees paint a unique picturesque landscape which this park is famous for.

The Zambezi river basins provides the much needed relief from the scotching valley heat for a variety of wild animals for a frequent drink of water to cool off. Therefore, the game cruise will give you an exciting opportunity to view a variety of wild animals notably Hippos, Buffaloes and Elephants among other many animals. We will make many stops on the river whilst you continue enjoying viewing animals both on land and on the river. Lunch and refreshments will be provided whilst on this exciting tour.

– Take dinner.

- Evening relaxation with friends.

- Retire to sleep

**Wake up very early in the morning and do an early morning activity, thereafter after returning, you will take a bath.

– Enjoy breakfast

Travel to and arrive in Lusaka, capital city of Zambia

After Turn Pike turn off on the D152 road from Chirundu, you will reach a small road-side town of Kafue (its name is derived from the Kafue River, one of Zambia’s major rivers). This town has no major things of interest worth a stop-over..

- Arrive in Lusaka and check-in at any good level hotel/lodge in Lusaka and take lunch.

- Evening relaxation

– Dinner.

– Early sleep

- Evening dinner and relaxation with friends.

- Retire to sleep

**Wake up, thereafter take a warm or cold bath.

– Enjoy a morning sumptuous breakfast

- Receive short briefing by the Tour Director on some pertinent facts such as personal safety,

Overview

The capital city of Zambia is Lusaka, located in the south-central part of Zambia. The nation's population of around 19.5 million, is concentrated mainly around Lusaka in the south and the Copperbelt Province to the north, the core economic hubs of the country. Lusaka is one of Africa’s most delightful and fastest growing cities in Africa. It is a metropolitan area that offers traditional and hearty Zambian welcome to all visitors.

Culture and traditions

The town was named after the village chief called Lusaaka whose port was located at the point where the National Assembly building now stands. The area was then expanded to provide settlement for workers working on the railway during the British colonial times. Today, Lusaka is a favorite town for many tourists, expatriates, students and the Zambians too simply because of the fast growing infrastructure, housing and easy access to services.

Chronological order of activities

- Visit Lusaka National Museum:

Overview: The National museum of Lusaka will be one of the highlight of your Lusaka tour where you will see exhibits like sculptures, paintings from all ages, cultural highlights and archaeological displays.

This specific cultural heritage museum tells the background about Zambia using four main divisions; ethnography, witchcraft, history and contemporary art.

-Visit Kabwata Cultural Village; A lot of crafts and local print clothing are sold here. This is a perfect place for you to buy a souvenir to take back home.

– Enjoy lunch at any fast food outlet.

- After lunch, visit Lusaka National Park, Zambian's new park for an hour and half tour.

LUSAKA NATIONAL PARK

Lusaka National Park is located roughly 30 kilometers from Zambia’s capital city and opened to the public in June 2015, making it Zambia’s newest and most accessible park. This new and exciting national park is the 20th National Park to be established in Zambia, and only the second national park to be established in a city environment, the first one is the Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park in Livingstone.

There are more than 1 000 species found inside the park, including white rhino, giraffe, eland, hartebeest, zebra, sable, kudu, blue wildebeest, waterbuck, black lechwe, impala, puku, bushbuck, reedbuck, warthog, pangolin, and axis deers.

- Afternoon: Return to Lusaka city and visit any of the popular shopping malls

_- Enjoy drinks with friends whilst relaxing

– Early sleep

* Wakeup, thereafter take breakfast.

- Morning rise up, and breakfast.

- Transferred to Lusaka International Airport (Kenneth Kaunda) to board your return flight home or to your next destination.

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