When you look back and remember a vacation, it is usually the first and the last few days that stand out. After spending a week or more on an African safari, you’ll be ready to dust off, sleep in and come to explore one of mother nature’s other wonders – the Victoria Falls.
When you are looking to see where you should end your safari experience, we think it should definitely be Victoria Falls – in our very humble and unbiased opinion of course! This small town offers so much and can fit in with everyone’s bucket list goals. You can leap off bridges or enjoy a morning terrifying yourself with some white water rafting down Africa’s fourth largest river. If you are looking for something slightly more sedate, there is obviously the trip to the magnificent Falls themselves, high tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel terrace where royals once looked out over the same view or a relaxing sunset cruise aboard the Ra-Ikane.
Victoria Falls is easily accessible from South Africa, Kenya, Namibia and Ethiopia, with its new international airport giving access to six airlines:
- South African Airways
- British Airways
- Fast Jet
- Ethiopian Airways
- Namibian Airways
- Kenya Airways
- Air Zimbabwe
Most visitors to Victoria Falls find that a two-day add on is the ideal amount of time to both explore and recharge before heading homewards. Here are a few ideas for your two-day safari add on:
Day 1
As soon as you touch down in Victoria Falls, you will feel the energy around you is full of excitement. The airport is located 24km from the town itself and Ilala Lodge is perfectly positioned to explore this small and charismatic town. The hotel looks onto the wilderness of the Victoria Falls National Parks and elephants and warthog can sometimes be seen taking a stroll through the garden.
As most flights land by lunchtime so we would recommend checking into the hotel, enjoy a gourmet lunch at The Palm Restaurant then take a refreshing dip in the warm waters of our pool to get ready for some sight-seeing.
Guests are usually eager to visit the landmark falls as soon as possible. The spray of the Falls can be intense in the morning so visiting the Falls during the afternoon is actually perfect timing. Grab an umbrella to keep you dry and a plastic bag to store your valuables in from reception. A mere 936 steps and 8 minutes later, along a well-trodden path, you will reach the mighty Victoria Falls. After paying your entry fee, you have a total of 16 viewpoints to explore and an abundance of photographic opportunities. The Falls deserve a good few hours of your attention.
Dinner under the stars awaits you on your return and with the spray of Falls in the distance and a unique menu featuring popular Africa classics, what more do you need?
Day 2
There is a lot on offer and our hotel Tours Desk can help you book your activities so that you can comfortably schedule your day. One of the most popular choices is the Canopy Tour, which begins after breakfast, and takes you on an exhilarating journey through a forest of indigenous trees and steep escarpments. The tour lasts two to three hours and drops you back at the hotel where you can freshen up for lunch. If you are looking for something less strenuous, the helicopter sightseeing flight is popular and can be booked for either a 15 or 22-minute flight.
In the early afternoon, you can take some “retail therapy” at the Elephant Walk which is just behind the hotel – a small centre with curios and art galleries to buy the required presents for family and friends back home. For a fitting ending to your day, and holiday, take a sunset cruise down the Zambezi River aboard the luxurious Ra-Ikane where a glorious African sunset will bid you farewell…until next time!
