Something for everyone
Old favourites
Sunset by steam train
THERE is something evocative
about a journey aboard an
authentic steam train. But that
experience takes on a new dimension
when the Bushtracks Steam Safaris
steam train chugs and toots on to the
Victoria Falls Bridge. Add a five-course
dinner, bottomless drinks and one of
the world’s most surreal sunsets and
you have the perfect romantic evening.
The dinner, prepared by the Victoria
Falls Hotel, includes an amuse bouche,
soup, starter, main course, dessert and
tea and coffee. In between courses,
the train stops on the bridge and those
lucky enough to be in Victoria Falls at
full moon get to watch the rare ‘pink’
moon rise.
Buffet at The Boma Restaurant
The Boma Restaurant at the Victoria
Falls Safari Lodge was voted the
best restaurant in Victoria Falls with
good reason – if offers a unique
dining experience as well as a fun
night out. There is an extensive
buffet with a superb selection of
Zimbabwean dishes, ranging from
peanut butter rice, warthog steak,
and the local speciality – mopane
worms! While you feast on these
delicacies, you are entertained by
the songs, dances and drumming of
Ndebele performers. You can even
ask for your own drum and join in
the music-making. After dinner, you
can consult the restaurant’s very
own sangoma.
New and unusual
Art among the elephants
Art meets wildlife at the Wild
Horizons elephant camp (pictured
above), where easels and palettes
await in front of a wallow where an
elephant herd descend to splash
and play in the puddles. A private
tutor guides guests through a fun
painting workshop, using their
brushes to capture the moment.
The activity finishes with a homecooked
lunch of traditional roast
with some special additions like
grilled Zambezi bream, in the openplan
thatched boma, which offers
uninterrupted views of the beautiful
Masui River.
Vulture culture experience
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge allows
guests a unique perspective
on vulture behaviour during a
daily feeding experience. From
a secluded hide in front of the
lodge, guests watch staff put
down leftover meat as vultures
in the area swoop down from
the sky to grab their share
of the scraps. The ‘vulture
restaurant’, as the staff call it,
isn’t only an eye-opening
experience, but also an
important part of conserving
dwindling vulture populations in
the area.
How to get there
Fastjet reintroduced direct flights
between Johannesburg and
Victoria Falls on July 31. The
recommencement of the route is
one of the steps in the fulfilment
of the airline’s stabilisation plan.
The flights operate on Sundays,
Mondays and Thursdays. Flight
FN 8501 departs VFA at 10h35
and arrives in JNB at 12h10.
Flight FN 8502 departs JNB at
12h35 to arrive in VFA at 14h15.
Fastjet’s JNB-VFA route was
previously suspended in January.
The decision was part of the
same stabilisation plan, which
required a full overhaul of the
business.
Where to stay
Victoria Falls Safari Lodge is just 4km
from the Victoria Falls. Positioned
high on an escarpment overlooking
the Zambezi National Park, its boasts
spectacular views and its own
waterhole, which is much visited by
elephants and herds of buffalo. There
is plenty to keep guests busy, including
bird watching, game drives, night drives,
full-day safaris, picnics and bush dining.
Guests looking for gentler pursuits
can savour vintage wines on a winetasting
activity or practise their swing
on the 18-hole golf course nearby.
The standard rooms are spacious
and elegant with extra-length beds,
luxurious bathrooms and private
balconies. The suites are duplex,
with bedroom and en-suite bathroom
upstairs. Downstairs, a cosy lounge
leads on to an exclusive balcony.
For something more lavish, the deluxe
room offers prime views of a waterhole,
while the deluxe suite has all the
comforts of a suite with the addition of
a Jacuzzi.
General facilities at the lodge include
a restaurant, bar, swimming pool, WiFi,
computer facilities, library and babysitting
services.
MaKuwa-Kuwa Restaurant and
Buffalo Bar both overlook the game-rich
waterhole, with seating on spacious
wooden decks for optimal views of
sunrise and sunset. Breakfast consists
of an extensive continental buffet
and an à la carte selection of cooked
dishes. The lunch menu offers locally
influenced dishes such as venison
pie and at dinner, fine-dining fare is
on offer. The Buffalo also serves light
meals between 10h30 and 18h00.
