Victoria Falls – 4 Days

Overview

Matetsi Victoria Falls is an idyllic five-star retreat that provides the ideal base from which to visit the world’s largest waterfall. A sense of freedom, space to breathe and a truly restorative experience are hallmarks of a stay at our family-owned lodge,which offers the ultimate combination of safari, river, relaxation and the Falls all-in-one. While the superb location, beautifully designed lodge and understated luxury are generally the initial drawcards, it’s the feel of Matetsi, its indelible magic, that our guests love most. Our extraordinary team, including talented chefs, butlers and guides, truly elevate the experience here.

Inclusions

  • Licensed Professional English-speaking guide.
  • Accommodation in hotels as mentioned below or equivalent.
  • Meals and beverages alcoholic and non-alcoholic except premium wines and liquors.
  • Sightseeing including entrance fee to places of interest mentioned in the itinerary.
  • Transfers as mentioned in the itinerary.

Exclusions

  • Visa fees, beverages, personal expenses, optional tour, gratuities.
  • Meals not listed in itinerary.
  • International and Domestic flights unless otherwise stated.
  • Vaccinations and or recommended medications.
  • Spa or optional services.

Accommodation

Victoria Falls Matetsi Victoria Falls

Itinerary

Day 1

Victoria Falls

Upon arrival in Victoria Falls you will be met by a lodge representative and transferred to your hotel. The transfers are shared with other guests and are approximately a 1-hour drive. Luggage allowance is 1 medium to large suitcase and 1 smaller underseat size carry on per person. You will have the remainder of the day at leisure. 3 nights' accommodations at Matetsi Victoria Falls in a River Lodge Suite.

Included are; all meals, all beverages including non-alcoholic, alcoholic and famed South African wines (excludes premium brands and French Champagne), complimentary laundry, Safari activities including game drives and optional safari walks, birdwatching, sunrise or sunset boat cruise on the Zambezi River, amateur fishing, guided walking tour of Victoria Falls, luxury roundtrip transfers to/from the Victoria Falls area and shared airport transfers from Victoria Falls airport (VFA).

Lunch and Dinner are provided.

Day 2

Victoria Falls

Your choice of included activities.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are provided.

Day 3

Victoria Falls

Your choice of included activities.

Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner are provided.

Day 4

Victoria Falls

Today, you will be transferred to the Victoria Falls Airport for your onwards flight.

Breakfast is provided.

Offers valid on new bookings only. Prices shown are per-person, land only based upon double occupancy, except if expressly noted otherwise on the offer. Offers are subject to availability at time of booking and may be changed or discontinued at any time without notice. Blackout dates, minimum night stays, minimum stay requirements on air, seasonal surcharges, resort fees (if any), and other restrictions may also apply. Individual offers may require purchase of Travel Smart Plan or travel waiver. Offers are not valid for Group Travel. Some booking and travel dates may vary. Other promotions and departure dates available which may result in a different rate and/or hotel inclusion. Customer may be responsible for hotel taxes and fees on free nights and other offers, where applicable. Ask your Travel Specialist for details.

CST# 2079429-20

WHY BOOK

Preferred agreement with Singita Lodges in Kruger National Park and Royal Livingstone by Anantara offering full commission and extending consortia amenities.

Preset packages with full suggested itineraries throughout Kruger National Park, Botswana, Cape Town and Victoria Falls including touring and a variety of accommodations.

Private touring, VIP meet and greets in Cape Town and Johannesburg and Private touring in luxury vehicles.

HOW TO BOOK

Please complete our form and one of our Travel Sales Specialist will get back to you within 2-4 hours for more details. Africa4U (smartsheet.com); If you work directly with one of our reservations agents, please feel free to ask them about our new programs.

TRAVEL SMART PLAN

Due to the advance number of days required for cancellations of safari lodges and hotels we recommend that guest purchase Classic Vacations retail travel insurance or via their Advisor for optimal coverage.

COMMISSION LEVELS

All of our packages, tours and transfers, Singita Lodges, Royal Livingstone by Anantara pay full commissions. Belmond Safaris, Mount Nelson, A Belmond Hotel, Cape Town and One&Only Cape Town are capped at 12%.

CONSORTIA

All of our partners pass full amenities when booked via Classic Vacations.

TOURS AND ACTIVITIES

We have a range of private tours offered in Cape Town, Johannesburg, and Victoria Falls. Please speak with one of our specialists for more details.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Visitors to Africa (all countries) must have a passport that is valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended departure date with atleast 2 consecutive side by side blank pages for each country you will be visiting in Africa for stamps. A return ticket and adequatefunds are required to enter.

USA and CAN passport holders visiting South Africa for ninety (90) days or less for tourism / business purposes do not need visas.

USA and CAN passport holders visiting Botswana for ninety (90) days or less for tourism / business purposes do not need visas.

USA and CAN passport holders visiting Zimbabwe may obtain a 30 day visa at the airport or border ports of entry.

USA and CAN passport holders visiting Zambia for ninety (90) days or less for tourism / business purposes do not need visas.

VACCINATIONS

Please refer to https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/ for the most up to date information.

SEASONS, CLIMATE AND WEATHER

South Africa seasons are opposite of the USA with winter months May-September and summer months November-March.Temperatures are measured in centigrade with average highs of 28°C (82°F) to average lows of 8°C (46°F) in the summer monthswhile winter temperatures range from 1°C (34°F) at night to around 18°C (64°F) in the day. Much of the rain falls in the Western Capein the winter, differing from the rest of the country, which experiences summer rainfall. The South African climate boasts more thanits fair share of sunshine, recording an average of 8.5 hours a day.

Botswana generally only has two seasons, summer and winter. Summer is rainy season, November through April with January and February being the wettest months. Dry season is winter, May through October. We recommend going during dry season when animal viewing will be at its best.

Zambia and Zimbabwe generally have three seasons, hot and dry mid August-mid November; rainy season mid-November-April;and cool and dry season May-mid August.

ELECTRICITY AND PLUG STANDARDS

Current is 220/240 volts at 50 cycles per second. A three-point round-pin adapter plug should be brought for your electrical appliances.

CLOTHING AND DRESS RECOMMENDATIONS

General: Always bring a hat, sunglasses and sunblock as the sun can be strong even in the winter months. Walking shoes are a good idea all year-round, with warm socks in the winter. For game viewing, a couple of neutral-toned items will be useful, but there’s no need to go overboard. A good pair of walking shoes is advisable. For the evening, if you are dining at an upmarket restaurant or seeing ashow, smart-casual attire is recommended. Don’t forget a bathing suit as most safari lodges offer private pools with accommodations.

Summer: Bring clothes that are cool, light and comfortable as summer temperatures can get to 30-40 degree Celsius range. Anumbrella or raincoat during summer is recommended as this is when most of the country gets its rain.

Winters: Are generally mild, there are days when temperatures do dive, so be prepared with a jacket. Cape Town gets its rain duringthe winter season so it’s advisable to bring rain gear along.

FOR SAFARI, WE RECOMMEND LAYERING YOUR CLOTHING

Game drives take place early morning and evenings, and it is quite cold before the sun rises and after it sets. The day-time temperatures can be warm and sunny, and it can get quite hot. Light, natural fabrics like cotton and linen are recommended forduring the day (shorts, t-shirts, summer dresses) and in the evenings, layer up with long trousers, long sleeve vests and a warmjacket. Formal wear is not required, most lodges allow you to come straight from game drive into dinner. We recommend neutraltones and light colors. Certain colors, like black and navy blue attract Tsetse flies in East Africa and dark colors attract the heat.Brightly colored clothing can also be distracting on safari. If you plan to do a bush walk, neutral colors are advised. Avoidwhite/bright colors for bush walks.

SUGGESTED SAFARI PACKING LIST

  • Long trousers or denim jeans
  • Long sleeve vests/t-shirts
  • Shorts, t-shirts, summer dresses
  • A warm jacket, fleece, or windbreaker
  • Wool hat or beanie, gloves, and scarf
  • A good pair of walking shoes
  • Socks to wear with walking shoes – especially if you plan ongoing on Bush Walks
  • Sandals or flip-flops for during the day at the lodge and some closed shoes or sneakers for evenings
  • Wide-brimmed sun hat, sunglasses, and a good sunscreen
  • Swimming costume/bathing suit
  • Camera, video camera binoculars, spare memory cards andcharging equipment. Most lodges do provide spare sets of binoculars on game vehicles and at the lodges if you don’thave your own.

TRAVEL, TRANSPORT AND GETTING AROUND

Travelling around South Africa is relatively easy by air, road and rail. An extensive tarred road system makes travelling in South Africa by vehicle convenient and easy. You will find gravel roads in rural areas. Please do note: A valid international driver’s license is required. Driving is on the left-hand side of the road. Wearing seat belts is compulsory and mobile phones can only be used ‘hands free’. Speed limits are generally set at 120km on freeways, 100km on secondary roads and 60km in urban areas. Toll fees apply on certain national roads. Petrol stations are widespread.

You can easily get across the borders of Zimbabwe and Zambia but you will need your passport If you are crossing the Victoria Falls Bridge by foot please remember to bring your passport with you. You may need to pay for a multiple entry visa so please have some cash on hand.

Road travel in Botswana often involves driving long distances in sparsely populated harsh environments. Please ensure you have hired an experiences local driver or are in the safari camp vehicles.

FOOD, DRINK AND CUISINE ADVICE

Standards of hygiene in relation to food health and safety in South Africa, are generally high in hotels, restaurants, pubs and nightspots. Tap water in South Africa is safe to drink and cook with when taken from taps in urban areas. Not all tap water in rural areas is safe for consumption, so take precautions if necessary. It is safe to eat fresh fruit, vegetables and salads, and have ice in drinks. South Africa’s fish, meat and chicken are of excellent quality. Restaurants are subject to South Africa’s food safety control legislation which is implemented by local government. Street food is not as common in South Africa as it is in other countries, although vendors selling traditional snacks and meals can be found in city centres and townships. Food safety in such instances cannot always be guaranteed.

While the tap water is generally safe to drink in Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe we recommend drinking bottled water to avoid any unwelcomed issues.