Mini trip to Victoria Falls

[Fifa]

Thank you so much for posting such an excellent trip report - I look forward to reading it every day.
I had never thought of visiting Victoria Falls but now I can't wait to get there and to experience everything you have including a stay at the Royal Livingstone :mrgreen:.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Our last activity was dinner on the train. We went to the bridge first and stopped to take photos. As usual everyone gets attacked by sellers and as usual I bought something and then went and hid on the train so I wouldn't have to hear anymore stories. I now have a wooden elephant, a beaded elephant, a stone hippo, a copper bracelet and some Zimbabwe funny money.

After the bridge you travel to a quiet siding for dinner. It was all very old world with lovely cutlery and glasses. Once again a beautifully presented dinner. We enjoyed it and if there is enough time and money then do both. If you need to choose then I would choose the river cruise.

 

[Flying mermaid]

We were very sad to say goodbye - it had been just what we needed to rejuvenate ourselves. We had a lovely last breakfast and said goodbye to our waitress Judith ( who has 5 children) and set off for the airport. BA doesn't have a lounge but we met up with a group of 4 from England that we seemed to keep bumping into so were able to have a last chat to them. They are a bit older than us - in their late 70s but travelling everywhere still, so great role models for us. The South African plane was quite full, but our BA flight had 2 in J and 9 in Y! The crew said they were enjoying the quiet.

We overnighted again at the Intercontinental - some pictures of breakfast for those planning to stay there.

 

[Flying mermaid]

Thank you so much for posting such an excellent trip report - I look forward to reading it every day.
I had never thought of visiting Victoria Falls but now I can't wait to get there and to experience everything you have including a stay at the Royal Livingstone :mrgreen:.

We enjoyed it a lot more than we thought we would - we decided to go because we had spare days with nothing to do and thought we would cross Vic Falls off our list. However we really enjoyed the Zambian people we met. Everyone seemed very conscious of the fact that their livelihood depended on tourism and went out of their way to be friendly and make sure you were having a good time.

 

[Flying mermaid]

One last comment. There is a lot of animal interaction available - Lion walks etc. Lion walks we are totally against. Some of the other activities seem more acceptable, but generally we feel that the more demand by tourists for interaction with what should be wild animals, the more it will lead to unethical operators entering the market. There have been some horrific incidences of abuse of elephants in South Africa at Elephant riding facilities and of course the terrible lion patting industry. However if you feel differently there is a lot to do.

 

[JohnM]

We finally had an evening where we could sit on the sunset deck and enjoy the view. Afterwards we had dinner at the hotel. Beautifully presented food, but enjoyable rather than fine dining. Not expensive though.

Brings back memories from June last year . That is a gorgeous sunset view towards the falls.

I agree about the dining at the Royal Livingstone - but that's pretty typical of large hotels everywhere.

East and southern Africa is just THE most sensational place IMHO. I've been - and I intend to keep going .

I think you might agree with my advice to folks: Put away your stereotypes and JUST DO IT. There is nothing on earth like Africa.

 

[JohnM]

We enjoyed it a lot more than we thought we would - we decided to go because we had spare days with nothing to do and thought we would cross Vic Falls off our list. However we really enjoyed the Zambian people we met. Everyone seemed very conscious of the fact that their livelihood depended on tourism and went out of their way to be friendly and make sure you were having a good time.

I've found people everywhere I've been in Africa to be really friendly - and it's not phony.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I've found people everywhere I've been in Africa to be really friendly - and it's not phony.

I would agree with that based on where we have been so far - even the Zimbabwean people we met on our short foray were very friendly. So far it is South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Tanzania but we intend adding to it.

 

[JohnM]

I would agree with that based on where we have been so far - even the Zimbabwean people we met on our short foray were very friendly. So far it is South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Tanzania but we intend adding to it.

Suggest adding a trek to the gorillas in Rwanda. Absolutely sensational country and people - and the gorilla experience is something else: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....s/aerial-safari-kenya-gorilla-trek-53313.html

 

[Flying mermaid]

Suggest adding a trek to the gorillas in Rwanda. Absolutely sensational country and people - and the gorilla experience is something else: http://www.australianfrequentflyer....s/aerial-safari-kenya-gorilla-trek-53313.html

I read your trip report last year and the Gorillas are definitely on the list! We were planning to do it next year, but we seem to have spent two year's worth of travel budget this year (we have a round the world coming up in April/May and South Africa/ Botswana in September), so it might need to wait until 2017 - sigh .

 

[JohnM]

I read your trip report last year and the Gorillas are definitely on the list! We were planning to do it next year, but we seem to have spent two year's worth of travel budget this year (we have a round the world coming up in April/May and South Africa/ Botswana in September), so it might need to wait until 2017 - sigh .

But wouldn't best bangs for the buck be to do it while you're there rather than making a special trip? Just re-mortgage the house . YOLO.

 

[burmans]

But wouldn't best bangs for the buck be to do it while you're there rather than making a special trip? Just re-mortgage the house . YOLO.

Totally agree, I saw the gorillas in what was the Zaire ( Democratic Republic of Congo now) in 1989, we went via a truck overland from Kenya. At the time I was a backpacker and we lived on $US50/week for two of us (better than you might think but definitely no luxury hotels).

Seeing the gorillas cost us $US50 each back then, ie two weeks budget but I must say, 65 countries later seeing the gorillas remains the #1 travel memory I have. Do it, do it!

 

[Cossie]

Totally agree, I saw the gorillas in what was the Zaire ( Democratic Republic of Congo now) in 1989, we went via a truck overland from Kenya. At the time I was a backpacker and we lived on $US50/week for two of us (better than you might think but definitely no luxury hotels).

Seeing the gorillas cost us $US50 each back then, ie two weeks budget but I must say, 65 countries later seeing the gorillas remains the #1 travel memory I have. Do it, do it!

Have to agree, we were in Zaire and saw them in 1989 as well, another highlight of that trip was seeing chimps at Gombe in Tanzania and given all the problems of that area since, I'd say do it when ever the opportunity arises as you never know how things may change.

 

[Mattg]

I really enjoyed your trip report Flying mermaid. I'm now looking forward to visiting in July even more than before.

 

[Flying mermaid]

I really enjoyed your trip report Flying mermaid. I'm now looking forward to visiting in July even more than before.

I am sure you will really enjoy it - in July you should be able to get to Devil's Pool rather than the wimpy Angel's one (which was more than scary enough for us!)

 

[drron]

Loved this mini TR.Brought back a lot of memories.
In Zambia-we stayed just outside of Livingstone-we did a walk with rhinos.Absolutely amazing.The apparently are pretty deaf and we were downwind.

You should love Botswana.Just magic.Naturally did a TR-
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-trip-photos/a-botswanan-adventure-50060.html

 

[Flying mermaid]

Loved this mini TR.Brought back a lot of memories.
In Zambia-we stayed just outside of Livingstone-we did a walk with rhinos.Absolutely amazing.The apparently are pretty deaf and we were downwind.

You should love Botswana.Just magic.Naturally did a TR-
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....-trip-photos/a-botswanan-adventure-50060.html

Just read and enjoyed your trip report - bird photos are terrific. We are looking forward to Botswana, although only a week there as we are spending a week in the Cape as well, for a wedding. We just seem to keep going back to Africa as we can't get enough of the animals! We are doing a more conventional trip in a month to Europe, just to break it up a bit!

 

[Milboo]

Loved your trip report as it brought back great memories from my trip last year - jealous you got the train dinner in. Unfortunately it was out of action when we were there due to an accident involving a wedding party.

We stayed at the Victoria Falls River Lodge which was in the National Park and it was stunning - luxury tented accommodation right on the Zambezi (opposite Khandar Island). We had the option of game drives or river cruises morning and night and they transferred you to town - either by boat or 20 mins in the jeep which was a mini game drive in itself!

highlight was sitting on the deck of our tent one sunset and watching a herd of elephants cross from the Island to Zimbabwe just up from us. We had watched the herd that morning on the cruise in the Island feeding (they had crossed from Zambia the previous evening).

The helicopter ride is a must - and the longer one at that.
High Tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel on the terrace was lovely
my friend loved the ziplining across Batoka Gorge - me not so much!!

 

[drivatruk]

I took a chance on the Ultralight flight and despite being terrified for 10 out of the 15 minutes it was spectacular to fly over the falls and look down on them. I also loved seeing the train arrive at Victoria Falls station and seeing the locals get off.

 

[love_the_life]

The ultra light looks absolutely terrifying but great pics.