Victoria Falls & Hwange Safari: 5-Day Big Five Tour

Five days between the falls and the bush: Victoria Falls meets Hwange's big five

You arrive at Victoria Falls, take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi the same day, then walk the rainforest past sixteen viewpoints of the falls. Two days later you're in Hwange National Park doing early morning and afternoon game drives to find the big five. Meals and all transport between airport, hotels and parks are included. The whole five days are accommodated.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Zambezi Sunset Cruise

• Arrive at Victoria Falls airport
• Meet Zambezi Expedition host
• Transfer to Victoria Falls Deluxe Suites
• Enjoy sunset cruise on Zambezi River
• Watch hippos and crocodiles
• Enjoy drinks and snacks on boat
• Return to hotel for leisure evening

Day 2: Victoria Falls Rainforest Tour

• Have breakfast at hotel
• Tour Zimbabwean side of Victoria Falls
• Walk through misty rainforest viewpoints
• See Main Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls
• Visit Boiling Pot, Cataract Island, Livingstone Island
• Optional activities: Flight of Angels, elephant riding
• Overnight at Victoria Falls Deluxe Suites

Day 3: Transfer to Hwange National Park

• Have breakfast at hotel
• Transfer by road to Hwange National Park
• Arrive at Hwange Safari Lodge
• Evening at leisure with fire outside

Day 4: Hwange National Park Game Drives

• Early morning game drive from 6:45 to 9:45 am
• Lunch at lodge at 1:00 pm
• Afternoon game drive at 3:00 pm
• Overnight at Hwange Safari Lodge

Day 5: Return to Victoria Falls Airport

• Have early breakfast at lodge
• Transfer to Victoria Falls Airport
• Stop en route if points of interest arise
• End trip at airport

The experience

Your guide meets you at the airport and drives you straight to Victoria Falls Deluxe Suites, then picks you up that same afternoon for a two-hour sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. Hippos surface near the boat, crocodiles slip along the banks, and the light hits the water in that particular way it does just before dark. You're holding a drink, watching animals come down to drink at the river's edge. It's the kind of thing that feels less like a tour and more like you've landed somewhere and someone's just showing you around. Back at the hotel, the rest of the evening is yours.

Day two is the Victoria Falls walk itself. After breakfast you're picked up and taken to the Zimbabwean side, where the path winds through a natural rainforest that the mist from the falls keeps perpetually damp. You'll move through viewpoints numbered one through sixteen (the Main Falls, the Horseshoe, Rainbow Falls, the Boiling Pot) each one revealing a different angle of what the Tonga people call Musi O Tunya, the Smoke that Thunders. The walk isn't rushed. You stop where the view demands it. Optional activities like the Flight of Angels or high wire work are available if you want them, but the falls themselves are the main event.

On day three you drive two hours inland to Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe's largest reserve at over 14,000 square kilometres. The landscape shifts from the spray and roar of the falls to open bush dotted with acacia and the sound of birds you can't quite name. That evening there's a fire outside the lodge, and the bush settles into the kind of quiet that makes you realize how much noise you've been living in. Hwange is where the big five live (elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, rhino), and the park holds more animal species than most places on the continent.

Days four is the real game drive day. You leave at 6:45 am for a three-hour morning drive through the main park, back by 9:45 am for lunch at one o'clock. Then you're out again at three in the afternoon for the second drive, when the light changes and different animals move. The guides know where to look and how long to wait. You see what you see. Some days that's a pride of lions, some days it's a herd of elephants at a waterhole, some days it's the smaller things: a secretary bird, a troop of baboons, the way a giraffe folds its legs to drink. Lunch is included. The rest is patience and luck.

On the final morning you eat early and drive back to Victoria Falls Airport, stopping if something catches the guide's eye on the way. The trip ends at the terminal.

What’s included

• Airport pickup and return transfer.
• sunset cruise on the Zambezi River with drinks and snacks.
• Victoria Falls rainforest walk covering all sixteen viewpoints on the Zimbabwean side.
• two nights at Victoria Falls Deluxe Suites.
• two nights at Hwange Safari Lodge.
• morning and afternoon game drives in Hwange National Park.
• lunch.
• accommodation throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (15 to 25 years) · Senior (26 to 65 years) · Youth (12 to 14 years) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 15

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 14 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Zambezi Expedition

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see both Victoria Falls and Hwange's wildlife in one trip without arranging separate transport, park entry, or timing between locations: the five-day structure fits both into a single journey with everything coordinated.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 14 years); Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 6 days before the start.

How long is the drive from Victoria Falls to Hwange National Park?

Two hours by road.

What time do the morning game drives start in Hwange?

6:45 am, lasting about three hours until around 9:45 am.

Is the sunset cruise on the Zambezi included?

Yes, it's on day one and lasts two hours with drinks and snacks.

What does the Victoria Falls walk cover?

The Zimbabwean side, with sixteen viewpoints including the Main Falls, Horseshoe Falls, Rainbow Falls, the Boiling Pot, and Livingstone Island, all through a natural rainforest.

Are meals included in the tour?

Lunch is included. Breakfast and dinner are typically at your accommodation.

Can you do optional activities like the Flight of Angels?

Yes, activities like the Flight of Angels, high wire work, and elephant riding are available as optional add-ons during the Victoria Falls day.

What animals might you see on the game drives?

Hwange is home to the big five (elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard, and rhino) plus many other species and bird varieties.

Is airport transfer included?

Yes, you're met at the airport and transferred to your hotel on arrival, and driven to the airport on departure.