Anyone been to a game park near Victoria Falls?

[Denali]

Anyone been to a game park near Victoria Falls?

Plan was Vic Falls for 2 nights then Kruger for 6, Cape Town/Cage diving for 3 or 4 nights and then Hhuhluwe game park (near Durban) for a couple of nights (might meet up with a friend) but seems to be rushing a lot into 3 weeks.

Skip Victoria Falls?

Go to game park near Victoria falls for a couple of days and skip Hhuhluwe?

Cage diving is a must (although it seems more sitting in a cage with a snorkle attached to side of the boat than actual scuba)

 

[Quickstatus]

Do Devils Pool on the edge of VFalls

 

[tgh]

We went to Hwange.. but it was more than 20 years ago.. might have changed...

 

[JohnM]

Hwange is very much like Kruger in being dryland savannah, whereas Hluhluwe is in a more sub-tropical zone and would offer more contrast to Kruger.

Chobe NP, especially the wetland section adjacent to Kasane in Botswana is only about 1-2h drive from Vic Falls (but border crossings may be slow). It's famed for the elephants that feed in the wetlands. Boat trips to view are common from Kasane. Plenty of places to stay on the waterways.

Vic Falls is a world wonder for a reason - especially in the wet season, but still impressive in the dry season on the Zim side. A visit to the falls in the dry season is really only a couple of hours. A flight over the falls is obviously brief but well worth doing, and the sunset river cruise is a must-do, while high tea at the Vic Falls Hotel I would imagine is something enjoyable if you like such things. So, essentially, a full day with two night in Vic Falls would pretty much cover it.

 

[Denali]

Thanks. Thinking of going May so I think thats the end of their wet season.

 

[JohnM]

Devil's Pool is pretty exciting in the wet (see post#25 here: JohnM's E Africa aerial safari ). I think it would be too benign to excite in the dry.

It's accessed by boat from the Zambia side. There's a very good reason why the boats have two very powerful outboard motors . A motor failure would see the whole lot over the edge, with nothing to save you.

 

[docjames]

We went to Hwange.. but it was more than 20 years ago.. might have changed...

We did Hwange and also one with the accommodation overlooking Lake Kariba (would have to work out the specifics). Both were amazing in different ways. Was back in 1999.

 

[love_the_life]

When researching and booking be aware that off road driving is not permitted in all parks/areas. We found that being off road (with the guides) afforded much better animal sightings and viewing than we had had before. If you go to Kruger NP itself, any safaris will need to be on road. The private concessions bordering Kruger are allowed to go off road though. From memory I think Chobe also does not allow off roading,
As JohnM has said, you don't need too many days at Vic Falls. We stayed on the Zambian side at what is now the Avani Hotel and could walk the falls easily as the entrance fee was included.

 

[JohnM]

If it's been a good wet season, then the falls should still be cranking in May. My Devil's Pool pic was taken in late June and as you can see, they were roaring.

 

[John Voller]

We spent 12 nights in Zimbabwe last October.

The first three nights were at a lodge 5 minutes drive from the Botswana border (on the Zimbabwe side). It was on the banks of the Zambezi and an all round great lodge. One night we had an elephant walk into the area where we were having dinner, and lions walking through the lodge grounds. Being on the banks of the Zambezi enabled us to do a private sunset cruise up to where the borders of Namibia, Zimbabwe and Botswana meet and we saw a herd of elephant swim across the Zambezi. We did two safari drives on the concessions around the lodge, and a day trip into Botswana. As we were with the lodge staff they got us across the Kazangula border quickly and then handed us off to another company for a river cruise on the Chobe river and then a drive through Chobe. It was a safari on a conveyor belt but the river cruise and animals we saw were great. Prior to going up to the lodge we did an afternoon tour of Victoria Falls. I am pretty sure in May the falls will be running too high for Devil's pool. Victoria Falls is a must see, but the town itself is very touristy...

After three nights up on the border we transferred down to Hwange for 6 nights, 3 nights in two different lodges. The company we were with for the Hwange component were a local Zimbabwean company who support alot of local villages and communities. We went to a school and spent about an hour with the kids who danced and sang for us and then went to the village market with the money going stright into the pockets of the villagers. The stand out were the guides who were outstanding, and in most cases our family of 5 had a safari car to ourselves, with the guide eating all of their meals with us.

The best thing about Zimbabwe is that it is not over run with tourists. In Hwange we would rarely see another car,and we saw everything except a leopard.

 

[Carrots]

Depending on your plans - check out Wild Eye out of Joburg. They’re a damn impressive business running safaris in Africa. Would definitely recommend and they could potentially put something together that’ll cover off everything you’re looking to do.

 

[Quickstatus]

Devils pool sits on the very edge of VFalls. However it is only open when water levels are low enough.

 

[JohnM]

Devils pool sits on the very edge of VFalls. However it is only open when water levels are low enough.

But there's probably not much point in doing it when levels are very low... .

 

[Quickstatus]

But there's probably not much point in doing it when levels are very low... .

Flows need to be low so you can sit on the ledge of the “abyss”. However if there is no flow over the ledge it’s not as attractive

 

[vetrade]

Imbabala is a game lodge in Zim not far from VF & near the Botswana border - you might like to google. We stayed there a couple of years ago and were very happy

 

[Milboo]

Stay at the Victoria Falls River Lodge. It is in the National Park and every day you get morning and afternoon drives or boat trips. We spent an hour sitting and watching elephants feeding from the boat at sunrise.

You are right on banks of Zambezi. We had hippos out front, wart hogs there, monkeys at breakfast, watched elephants cross the river.

 

[Milboo]

I still remember this surreal feeling getting to the Lodge. We have flown from SYD to Vic Falls via JNB. We were picked up at the airport and transported to the dock. We were transferred to a boat and cruised up the Zambezi seeing hippos on the way. All the tiredness of travel washed away and I had to pinch myself I was in Africa and seeing these animals in the wild.