On arrival at Victoria Falls you are met and transferred to our boutique lodge. Ideally situated in the centre of town, the lodge is also one of the closest to the falls. So close in fact that you can see the spray of the falls from your balcony. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure to wander around town and to book any optional tours or activities through local agents. Tonight we are transferred from our lodge to experience an incredible meal and musical performance at the Boma Restaurant, also known as The House Of Eating. Here we are welcomed with a taste of the local beer, Chibuku, which starts off our culinary adventure. Soups, freshly baked breads and salads are the first courses. Then the main meal arrives - a buffet style array of local meats, which may include warthog, buffalo, crocodile, impala and many more, and are cooked before your eyes on a flamed grill. A range of locally inspired, tasty dishes complement the meats. To complete the feast a number of delicious desserts are on offer. Throughout the meal we are entertained with local song and dance, whilst traditional storytellers may stop by with a colourful story or two. After dinner every guest is given African drum so that we can join in the entertainers. After we are taught how to hold the beat, all restaurant guests and musicians combine together to create some great African music, whilst the dancers continue to amaze us with their athletic ability. Please note that if you do not wish to join in with the drumming you may wish to choose an earlier session for dinner. A suggestion for this evening is to be transferred earlier to the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, where it is possible to enjoy a sundowner at their outdoor bar that overlooks a waterhole. From here we are transferred the very short distance to the Boma for dinner.

(Driving time: approx 7 hours) This morning we are taken on a guided tour of Victoria Falls. You need to pay US$20 entry fee to the falls at the national park gate and this must be paid for in US dollars cash. (These are Zimbabwean Government regulations. Please ensure you have the correct money and that the notes are not issued prior to the year 2000.) Once inside the park your guide takes you through the falls area, stop at the different viewpoints and explain about the history of the falls and its surroundings. In the late morning we make our way through large swathes of countryside to Bulawayo and then on to the nearby Antelope Park, located just outside Gweru in the Zimbabwe midlands. Here we are treated to a truly unique experience - and we really do mean unique. After all, where else in the world can you go for a walk with lions? A walk will last around one and half hours and the cubs accompanying you on this incredible journey range in age from 6 to 18 months. You will also be accompanied by experienced guides and handlers. Antelope Park also offers many other activities to partake in, including game-viewing on horseback, canoeing, fishing and elephant-back safaris. Besides lion and elephant, other species of wildlife seen in the park include giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, kudu, tsessebe, waterbuck, blesbok, red hartebeest, impala, duiker, steenbuck. There are also over 150 species of birds. In addition to this, Antelope Park is home to the African Lion Environmental Research Trust (ALERT) and the world’s first 'Lion Rehabilitation & Release into the Wild' programme. Our stay will not only leave us with memories that will last a lifetime, but also with the knowledge that we have personally helped contribute to the survival of the African lion. We stay in individually thatched, twin-bedded lodges with large, raised wooden decks overlooking the lake - the perfect way to unwind and admire the ambience of the African bush after the day's adventures.

(Driving time: approx 3 hours) The granite domes and castle kopjes of the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Matobo Hills are among the most majestic rock sceneries in the world. Here, amid the impressive boulders, lies an astounding collection of Bushmen art, with thousands of paintings still visible. Matobo is also rich in wildlife, particularly bird life, and it is home to the world’s greatest concentration of nesting sites for black eagles. Rainbow lizards and rock dassies are common sights amid the jungle of boulders, whilst zebra and antelope graze at the foot of the hills. The park is also well known for its white rhino and elusive black rhino population and we embark on an unforgettable safari on foot to get a closer look at these prehistoric-looking giants. Whilst here we will learn of one of the greatest warriors of southern Africa - King Mzilikazi, chief of the Ndebele people, who split from King Shaka and took his people across the Limpopo and into Zimbabwe where he formed Matabeleland. We also learn of the colonial history of the region, with a short hike along the trail to where Cecil John Rhodes is buried. Set high on a hill in one of the rocky outcrops the park is renowned for, Rhodes' burial site is known as ''World's View'' - with spectacular sweeping views across the horizon. Our base at Matobo is a unique lodge, nestled amid the boulders of Matobo Hills, with only 9 individually thatched rooms. Meals are served on the open-air dining room, whilst the cosy library is located amongst the tree tops to guarantee peace and tranquility. At the base of the camp is a large swimming pool with comfortable loung chairs and a sundowner bar, commanding panoramic views over a waterhole.

(Driving time: approx 3½ hours) Leaving Matobo National Park we make our way to Hwange which is rightly acclaimed as Zimbabwe’s premier wildlife sanctuary. It covers a massive 14,650 square kilometres and is home to large breeding herds of elephant, Cape buffalo and most of the antelope species, as well as predators such as lion, cheetah and the endangered African wild dog. Two days spent at Hwange gives us a wonderful opportunity to explore the park in-depth in open safari vehicles. One of the features of this park are the various waterholes that are dotted around the landscape. Here we are able to climb the viewing platform and, with sundowner in hand, we witness life in the animal kingdom at its most gregarious as families of elephants, giraffes and many species of antelope congregate around the waterhole to quench their thirst. We base ourselves for two nights in a small intimate lodge, with only 6 rooms, set in a private conservancy that borders Hwange National Park. Each room is set on an elevanted platform with sweeping views of the waterhole that is floodlit by night. It is here that great herds of elephants are found - sometimes over 100 strong. It is also here that the famous presidential herd drinks. Hwange is famous for its huge tuskers - big old bulls with magnificent tusks. You won't require a large tele-photo lens to get some incredible close-ups of the wildlife that frequents the pan! The lodge also features a central dining area, bar and library set around an inviting swimming pool and a large 'boma' area with a log fire which is the perfect place for star-gazing and recounting stories of the African bush.

(Driving time: approx 2½ hours) After an early breakfast we depart for Victoria Falls where our safari comes to an end. The journey takes us approximately 2.5 hours. If you have onward flights booked today, please ensure they do not depart prior to 11:30am.