Victoria Falls & Safari: Livingstone and the Luangwa

Today you meet one of the greatest natural wonders on earth, the mighty Victoria Falls, known locally as Mosi-oa-Tunya, the smoke that thunders. With an expert local guide, you walk the network of paths through the rainforest that faces the falls on the Zambian side, where a wall of the Zambezi plunges more than a hundred metres into a mile-wide chasm, drenching you in mist and framing you in rainbows, and you cross the knife-edge bridge to gaze into the boiling gorge, feeling the ground tremble beneath the roar. You take in the sheer scale, power and beauty of the falls. In the late afternoon you glide out on a sunset cruise along the upper Zambezi, drink in hand, watching elephants and hippos at the banks as the great river turns to gold. As the day ends, you dine beside the river. Rest well.

Today you enjoy Livingstone at your own pace, combining adventure and culture. The morning is free for optional activities for which Livingstone is famous, from white-water rafting through the thundering gorges and a bungee jump from the historic bridge to a helicopter or microlight flight over the falls, or, in the low-water months, the thrilling swim at Devil's Pool on the very lip of the falls; gentler options include a visit to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park to see white rhino. In the afternoon you enjoy a genuine, respectful visit to a local village, meeting villagers, learning about daily life, traditions and crafts, perhaps visiting a community project, and experiencing the music, warmth and hospitality at the heart of Zambian culture. As the day ends, you return to your lodge, enriched by the encounter. Rest well beside the Zambezi tonight.

This morning you transfer to Livingstone airport and board a light-aircraft flight, via Lusaka, to Mfuwe and the legendary South Luangwa National Park in Zambia's remote east, one of the greatest wildlife sanctuaries in Africa. On arrival you are met and driven to your bush camp along the meandering Luangwa River, the scenery growing wilder as you go, with your first game sightings likely on the way in. After settling into camp and enjoying lunch, you rest through the heat, then head out on an afternoon game drive as the heat softens, meeting the park's abundant elephant, giraffe, zebra, antelope and hippo, and rolling into a thrilling night drive with a spotlight as darkness falls, when leopards and other nocturnal hunters emerge. As the day ends, you dine under the stars beside the river. Rest well in the wild Luangwa.

Today you immerse yourself in the wildlife of the South Luangwa, one of the finest safari destinations in Africa. You rise early for a morning game drive in an open 4x4, the golden light perfect as the bush comes alive, encountering huge herds of elephant and buffalo, giraffe browsing the treetops, pods of hippo crowding the pools, and the park's celebrated predators, with an outstanding chance of leopard. Alternatively you might set out on a guided walking safari, experiencing the bush on foot in the very place the walking safari was born. You return to camp for brunch and rest through the heat of the day. In the late afternoon you head out again, staying out for a thrilling night drive as the spotlight reveals leopard and hunting lions. As the day ends, you dine beneath the stars. Rest well in the wild Luangwa tonight.

Today you enjoy a final full day exploring the wild beauty and abundant wildlife of the South Luangwa. You might choose another early morning game drive or guided walk in search of leopard, lion and wild dog, or spend time near the river watching the endless procession of elephants coming down to drink and cross, the hippos jostling in the pools, and the crocodiles basking on the sandbanks, with superb birding from carmine bee-eaters to fish eagles. In the afternoon you head out again, enjoying sundowners in a beautiful spot as the sun sinks over the bush, before a final night drive reveals the park's nocturnal hunters. As the day ends, you savour a farewell dinner under the vast starlit sky, reflecting on the thundering falls and the wild Luangwa you have experienced. Rest well, cherishing your last night on safari.

After a final morning in the South Luangwa, perhaps one last game drive or a quiet coffee watching the river as the bush wakes, you bid farewell to your guides and camp and transfer to Mfuwe airport for your onward flight via Lusaka, connecting to your international departure. You leave having experienced the perfect first taste of Zambia, the thundering curtain of the Victoria Falls amid spray and rainbows, the golden Zambezi sunset cruise, the adventures and warm culture of Livingstone, and the legendary South Luangwa, with its superb leopards, teeming river and abundant game, all guided by expert professional guides and warmed by genuine Zambian hospitality. The images stay vivid long after you land, the smoke that thunders, a leopard in the golden light, and elephants crossing the Luangwa. Zambia offers wonder, wilderness and warmth in abundance, and you depart already dreaming of a return.