Flying to Victoria Falls is a breeze. The flight is under 2 hours and the service is excellent. I have a digital bag tag, and see that my suitcase has made it on the plane. No overhead bins, just a small area for a jacket or a small purse, so your carry-on is put into storage to be collected at the end of the flight. All you have to do is sit back and relax. On a 1-hour and 50 minute flight, we receive 2 beverages, 1 sandwich and a snack. One snack option was tomato-flavoured Frito chips. Canadians who enjoy ketchup-flavoured anything will love these!
The Victoria Falls International Airport is lovely and small. Outside, there are dancers joyfully welcoming you for money. I liked the indoor waterfall and terrarium. We have a different driver now. Ernest. He gives us the low-down on what will be happening for the rest of the day while he commandeers the bus.
We stop at the Marula restaurant in the village of Victoria Falls for a quick lunch before checking into the Shearwater Explorers Village where we will stay for the next 3 nights.
The hotel is lovely with a simple main lobby that opens into a high eucalyptus beamed ceilings and thatched roofs in the bar and restaurant area. We walk by a beautiful outdoor pool with lounge chairs and down to a lower area where we have our orientation and collect our room keys.
My room is nice with a huge washroom and shower room. Turn down service happens late in the afternoon and mosquito netting is placed over your bed.
Sundowner Cruise on Zambezi River
At 4:00 pm we depart the hotel for the sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. The cruise includes drinks, snacks, beautiful scenery and ANIMALS!!!!
Being so close to nature and seeing these amazing creatures face-to-face is awe-inspiring. The sunsets are hard to describe with their oranges and golds and umbrella and palm trees silhouetted in the background. The sky is clear, clean and crisp. No smog, nothing but blue sky and the occasional fluffy cloud. Grateful, so grateful to be able to experience this part of the continent.
The highlight for me during this sunset cruise was seeing a herd of elephants bust through the jungle brush and enter the water to bathe. It was amazing seeing these beautiful creatures so close up.
This was a busy but spectacular day! I mean, we were in Johannesburg this morning, Zimbabwe in the afternoon, lunch, a hotel check in, sunset cruise and now we are heading back to the hotel for dinner. It was definitely a full day.
Back at the Hotel
Tonight, I tried crocodile on a skewer which was a little on the greasy pork side and a beautiful selection of curries with rice. A vegetarian dish for a change will be good for my digestion. Honestly, I couldn’t eat it all. From breakfast, to airline food, lunch, cruise snacks and dinner we have been well-fed. Time to slow down.
The evening had some entertainment and Cristiana even got up and tried her hand at some of the steps. It was a fun time.
Tomorrow, we are heading into Chobe National Park in Botswana for another game drive. Must not forget my passport! I will have sweet dreams tonight as I reflect on the elephants and African sunset.
