14 Day Africa Fly In Safari
Day 1: Transfer to Royal Livingstone On arrival at Livingstone airport, you are collected and transferred from the airport to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure. There are a range of excursions that we can prebook for you at extra cost. The Victoria Falls is a sight not to be missed - the clouds of spray generated by this thunderous descent have resulted in a lush rain forest full of stunning wild flowers and the most spectacular views of the Falls are from the Zambian side of the gorge. The Royal Livingstone Hotel is an elegant 5 star hotel in an superb setting close to the Victoria Falls in Zambia. It lies within the Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park so you have unlimited access to the Victoria Falls only five minutes walk away - great for budding photographers. The overwhelming ambience at the Royal Livingstone is of colonial elegance with shaded verandas, cool lounges and pervading sense of space. The 173 luxurious rooms, with their hand-carved mahogany, have an African-Asian feel. Accommodation: Royal Livingstone Day 2: Exploring Victoria Falls Various optional activities are on offer including canoeing and languorous sunset river cruises on the tranquil Upper Zambezi above the falls. To gain an overall impression of the Falls, the helicopter 'Flight of Angels' is a great option. For the more adventurous, micro light flights, bungee jumping, gorge swings and white water rafting are available. Game drives and horse riding are also offered in the Zambezi National Park to view elephant and buffalo. You can also sample elephant back safaris. The best time to view the Falls is probably between April and August when the spray is less, so that the Falls are easier to capture on film, and yet the flow of water is still impressive. As the dry season progresses, the volume of water over the Falls declines quite dramatically. Visitors in late September to December need to be aware of this. We recommend a helicopter trip over the Falls, and also to visit on the Zimbabwe side so that you can enjoy the full length of the Falls. Accommodation: Royal Livingstone Day 3-6: Fly to Lower Zambezi National Park for 4 nights Chongwe Camp (Fully Inclusive) You are transferred back to Livingstone Airport for your onward flight to Lower Zambezi via Lusaka. On arrival you are transferred to Chongwe River Camp. The Lower Zambezi National Park is a rich and beautiful water sanctuary for wildlife - great herds of elephant, buffalo and impala, as well as warthog, zebra and baboon are drawn to the river and this in turn attracts lion and hyena. Behind the floodplain grasslands rises the picturesque wooded escarpment. Game viewing is on foot, in open vehicles and, most characteristically, by canoe and boat, enabling the visitor to glide silently among animals quenching their thirst. Chongwe River Camp is appealingly situated on the confluence of the Chongwe and Zambezi Rivers. Chongwe prides itself on its relaxed ambience: a place where you can curl up with a book and not have to worry about dressing for dinner! Nine classic tents are large, airy and comfortably appointed with handcrafted local furniture plus en suite open air bathrooms. Accommodation: Chongwe River Camp Day 7: Fly to Mfuwe to South Luangwa National Park, 3 nights Puku Ridge Camp (Fully Inclusive) Today you board your charter flight to Mfuwe Airport via Lusaka. On arrival you take a road transfer to your game lodge, often game-viewing en route. At the tip of the Great Rift Valley lies the South Luangwa National Park, one of Africa's premier wildlife sanctuaries. The brooding Luangwa River meanders through the luxuriant valley, supporting thousands of hippo and crocodile. South Luangwa has one of the greatest game concentrations in Africa. Elephant, a wide variety of antelope, buffalo, kudu, zebra, Thornycroft's giraffe and wildebeest occur in great numbers, as well as over 400 bird species. Lion, wild dog and hyena are also common and the park is famed for its excellent leopard sightings. Puku Ridge Camp is a beautiful, intimate camp. It lies on a low rocky ridge overlooking the open floodplains. This vantage point allows predators to quietly observe the hunting grounds below. At times the plains can be so filled with game giving you excellent game-viewing from the camp. Accommodation: Sanctuary Puku Ridge Camp Day 8-9: On safari in the South Luangwa The diverse wildlife in the valley offers great photo opportunities with lion, leopard, elephant and zebra frequently seen, whether you choose to explore on foot with a keen-eyed guide, or range further afield in a safari vehicle. The standard of guiding is exceptionally good - walking safaris were pioneered in Luangwa and it still sets the pace. Expert guides lead you through the bush, giving you the opportunity to observe the game at close quarters and gain fascinating insights into the ways of the wild - a magical experience. Puku Ridge Camp offers a real wilderness experience under canvas. Puku has seven uber-spacious canvas safari tents with picture windows offering wraparound views of the plains below. Each has mosquito nets, private veranda, tea andcoffee facilities, ceiling fan and a lavish bathroom with indoor and outdoor showers. Watch the sun rise from your bed and perhaps even wild dogs pursuing their prey across the plains from your deck. Accommodation: Sanctuary Puku Ridge Camp Day 10: Fly to Lake Malawi for 4 nights at romantic Kaya Mawa (Full Board) Today you return to Mfuwe Airport and fly to Lake Malawi via Lilongwe. On arrival at Likoma Island, you are transferred to Kaya Mawa for 4 nights. Lake Malawi is the stellar attraction of Malawi, enriching every aspect of its life. The lake offers palm-fringed sandy beaches, rounded granite boulders and romantic wooded islands, with the call of the African fish eagle ever present. The crystal-clear waters of Lake Malawi boast 2,000 fish species, including the colourful cichlids that are easily spotted when snorkelling. Other activities include scuba diving, kayaking, sailing and just chilling. Kaya Mawa is a secluded luxury lodge on a beautiful, crescent-shaped beach, surrounded by baobab trees and mangos. It is both full of character & architecturally innovative. It comprises eleven stone, teak and thatched cottages. Each has a private terrace with views over the lake with steps leading down to the water, giant four-poster bed, en suite loo with a view, shower and bath. Accommodation: Kaya Mawa Day 11-13: Relaxing on Lake Malawi Days are very flexible at Kaya Mawa. You may like to keep active all day long, others want to do nothing but relax on the beach.. Activities mostly revolve around the lake but quad bike visits to the local village with its cathedral is also very popular. Snorkelling around the granite boulders is excellent. Many of water sports are available including water-skiing, wake-boarding, fishing, kite-surfing and laser dinghy sailing as as well scuba diving and exploring the lake by canoe, looking out for otters. Or take a boat excursion to remote island spots for a private picnic. There is masseuse who does wonderful treatments either in your room or in an open air gazebo. Food is an important part of your stay at Kaya Mawa and dinner is either served on your own private terrace or with other guests in the dining area, or more usually under the stars on the beach. Two other highlights of Kaya Mawa, as well as its stunning location, are its diving and exploring Likoma island. Accommodation: Kaya Mawa Day 14: Fly back to Lilongwe Today you are transferred back to Kaya Mawa airstrip for your seat-in-plane air transfer back to Lilongwe.