Wildlife Encounters + Activities
Over the course of thirteen days, experience the best that Zambia has to offer. From canoeing alongside elephants to spotting lions mid hunt, you will soon discover what draws many to this pristine and wild country. Its diverse wildlife, wide range of activities, and access to the world famous Victoria Falls make it the perfect safari destination.
At Travel Beyond, we believe your trip should be designed just for you, not for the masses. Our travel consultants create a custom itinerary for each client, offering recommendations for places and experiences that best fit your style. The itinerary below was planned for a past client, but we’re sharing it for travel inspiration and as an example of what a trip to Zambia might look like. To further paint the picture, take a look at the accompanying video! Let us know when we can design a trip just for you!
Welcome to Zambia! Upon arrival in Lusaka, you will be assisted through customs and escorted to check in for your flight to Mfuwe (flying time of 1.5 hours).
At the airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to Chinzombo, where you will spend three nights. Located in South Luangwa National Park, this camp offers unparalleled access to the region’s wildlife and to the Zambezi River. Its six luxury tents sit along its bank, affording exceptional views and fostering a sense of total immersion into the landscape.
Dinner will be served at the lodge.
Chinzombo Lodge Meals: Dinner
Enjoy two days on safari in this stunning landscape. Hop on a shared vehicle for a game drive or opt to explore the terrain by boat. Set out on foot for an educational walking safari or visit a local community. No matter the activity chosen, you will find yourself engrossed in the region’s flora, fauna and culture.
All meals will be served at camp.
Chinzombo Lodge Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
This morning, following a shared activity, you will be transferred to the Mfuwe Airport for a commercial flight to Lusaka. Upon arrival at the airport, you will board your connecting flight to Busanga Plains.
Here, you will be met by your guide and driven to Shumba Camp, your home for three nights. In the northern corner of Kafue National Park, Busanga is known as the “Plains of Plenty” for the many antelope, and subsequent predators, that it attracts. Visitors witness wildness at its finest, the animals inhabiting some of the most pristine grasslands and waterways in the country.
This afternoon, alongside your expert guide, you will participate in a shared game drive. Dinner will be served at camp.
Shumba Camp Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Spend two days immersing yourself into the flora and fauna of Busanga Plains. Enjoy shared game drives during which you are likely to spot the local pride of lions, hopefully leaping across the channels in pursuit of their next meal. Catch a sunrise from the comforts of a motorboat or the sunset while sipping on a gin & tonic. Book a hot air balloon ride to gain an entirely new perspective of the landscape and capture every experience using the Olympus camera which is at your disposal throughout your stay. All meals will be served at camp.
Shumba Camp Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Today, after a morning activity, you will be transferred to the airstrip for your flight to Lower Zambezi National Park. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and transferred to Sausage Tree Camp. Accommodations will be reserved for four nights, including all meals and activities.
Named after the large pods that hang from its branches, Sausage Trees are known for attracting all kinds of wildlife, from birds to leopards. While at camp, you have the opportunity to spot these animals and so much more. Exploring the park on foot, by vehicle, and in a boat, will expose you to the diversity of the region and give you the chance to see, first-hand, the beauty of the Zambezi River.
Once settled into your room, join an afternoon activity, be it boating or a game drive. Dinner will be served at camp.
Sausage Tree Camp Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
On safari! Fill your days here with a wide variety of water and land based activities, including motor boat cruises, birding expeditions, and traditional game drives. Setting off with a rod and reel for a morning or afternoon of fishing is also an excellent way to pass the time.
For those looking for a more adventurous pursuit, walking and canoe safaris are also available. They are the perfect way to learn about the more subtle aspects of the park and have up-close animal encounters, particularly with elephants who frequent the banks of the river.
All meals will be served at camp or out in the bush, as there is nothing more enjoyable than dining outdoors.
Sausage Tree Camp Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Today you will be transferred to the airstrip for your flight to Livingstone. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to Thorntree River Lodge.
Built along the Zambezi River, Thorntree proves the perfect place from which to experience all that Mosi-Oa-Tunya National Park has to offer, including of course, access to the world famous Victoria Falls. Recently rebuilt, and designed with conservation in mind, the lodge’s twelve rooms provide all the luxury, and every amenity, imaginable, from a gym and spa to a library and infinity pool.
Following you arrival, you will have some time to enjoy the property before heading out for an evening activity. Dinner will be served at the lodge.
Thorntree River Lodge Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Use today to take advantage of all the activities available both on and off site.
Deemed one of the seven natural wonders of the world, a tour of Victoria Falls is a can’t miss. David Livingstone was the first European to visit the Falls and named it after Queen Victoria. To the locals, it is known as “Mosi-oa-Tunya” or “the smoke that thunders”—an accurate description of what happens when the waters of the Zambezi River plunge over the 1,700m/1mi wide and 100m/330ft deep chasm, creating a shower of spray and a deafening noise. Whether you choose to view this incredible sight from the ground or the air, on a Flight of Angels scenic helicopter ride, the experience will be truly unforgettable.
Staying closer to home, Thorntree provides all the quintessential safari excursions– such as game drives and boat cruises– along with the unique opportunity to track rhino. Starting in a vehicle, you and your guide will search for evidence of these creatures, from footprints to scat. Once located, you have the chance to exit the vehicle and continue on foot, giving you an incredible perspective of and insight into this critically endangered species.
All meals will be served at the lodge.
Thorntree River Lodge Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Today you will be transferred to the Livingstone Airport for your commercial flights home.
Overnight Flight Meals: Breakfast
