Depart Toronto, Pearson International Airport and fly via Addis Ababa to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

After clearing customs and immigration at Victoria Falls International Airport, we’ll drive over to the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, an award-winning favourite just minutes from Town.

Rooms overlook a busy watering hole, so wildlife often drops by for a drink while you relax with one of yours. Add a pool, spa, great food, and the warmest local hospitality (truly—Zimbabweans will steal your heart), and you’re set.

The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax. Watch for game visiting the watering hole from your bedroom balcony, or stretch out on a sunbed by the rock pool and view the watering hole from there while being conveniently close to the bar. Get an early night – tomorrow we head out on safari!

Enjoy your first hearty breakfast in Africa – everything is fresh, delicious and healthy and the use of preservatives is rare here.

After breakfast, we’ll head out by road towards Zimbabwe’s largest and and most iconic park, (roughly the size of Belgium!) famous for its massive elephant population, Big Five sightings, and excellent chances of spotting the elusive painted dog.

We’ll spend 4 nights in the heart of ‘big cat country’ at Iganyana Tented Camp, an intimate safari hideaway on a private concession where animals roam freely—no fences, no crowds, just real Africa.

Ease into safari-mode where we rise with the animals—early mornings and golden evenings are prime game-viewing time. Every day will start with coffee and a 3-hour sunrise game drive in open 4x4s, and at the end of the day we’ll enjoy sundowners and another 3-hour game drive in the evening.

We’ll take game walks in the bush led by top tier local rangers, spend evenings around the campfire under star-filled skies, and make meaningful connections with the nearby communities who have lived alongside this wilderness for generations. 

Downtime is yours to enjoy as you like including cooling off in the pool – you may have to ‘move back a little’ if the resident elephants decide to come and say hello.

Iganyana is wild, soulful, and unforgettable.

After settling back in at the Lodge, we’ll meet late afternoon for a sunset river cruise on the mighty Zambezi River. Wildlife spotting high is high on the agenda—binoculars encouraged, bragging rights optional.  Think hippos, elephants, crocodiles, antelope beneath a breathtaking sunset-coloured african sky.

We’ll explore the mighty Falls on the Zambezi River—1.7km wide, 108m high, and spectacular even in the dry season. Locals call it Mosi-oa-Tunya (“The Smoke That Thunders”), which makes perfect sense once you see it. Afterwards you can stroll through the local market to browse the magnificent collection of Shona stone sculptures and hand-carved treasures. Beautiful gifts, meaningful souvenirs—and you’ll be supporting local artisans. My people. Thank you. 💛

Lunch with the vultures is a highlight you have to experience to believe it! Every day at 1:00pm the resident ‘vulture whisperer’ brings out a container of leftover food to share with the hundreds of ‘resident vultures’. From noon you can watch the vultures beginning to fly in and settle themselves on tree branches close to where they know the food will be scattered. You can go down and watch them feast from just metres away, or enjoy watching from the lower deck of the lodge which doubles as a birds-eye viewing platform. 

We’ll also get up close (but respectfully) with Africa’s gentle giants on an Elephant Encounter, observing them in the bush alongside their dedicated keepers—an unforgettable, heart-warming experience.

And for our final flourish: dinner at Boma Restaurant. Expect bold Zimbabwean flavours, drumming, dancing, storytelling, and an evening that’s equal parts cultural immersion and pure fun. Bring your appetite—and maybe your dancing shoes.

Today we fly to Entebbe, Uganda in East Africa.

Set on a leafy peninsula along the shores of Lake Victoria, Entebbe is the relaxed gateway to any Uganda safari. Located about 35 km south of Kampala and home to the country’s main international airport, it’s a calm and scenic place to ease into East Africa before the real adventure begins.

The name Entebbe comes from the Luganda phrase meaning “seat” or “chair,” once a traditional meeting place for the Mamba clan and later the colonial administrative centre. Today it’s also home to the official residence of Uganda’s President.

Speaking of President’s…. we’ll be staying at Karibu Guesthouse which was originally home to one of Uganda’s presidents years back.

In the morning we head out for an adventure. The moment you step onto Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary, it feels like you’ve entered another world, one where the chatter in the trees belongs entirely to chimpanzees.

Set in the middle of Lake Victoria, this forested island is home to 50+ orphaned chimps, each with a story that brought them here from across Uganda. What they’ve found is something rare: space to roam, trees to climb, friendships to rebuild, and a second chance at being exactly what they are.

The journey there is part of the magic. A scenic boat ride carries us across the lake, trading city sounds for open water and fresh air, until the island slowly comes into view. And then, quite suddenly, you’re face-to-face (safely, of course) with one or two or however many, chimpanzees!

Expect personality. Lots of it. Curious glances, playful squabbles, dramatic entrances, and the occasional diva moment at feeding time. It’s unscripted, a little chaotic, and completely captivating.

Behind the scenes, this remarkable sanctuary has been doing serious work since 1998, providing expert veterinary care, rehabilitation, and a protected environment for chimps who can’t return to the wild. It’s conservation with heart and purpose.

You’ll leave with more than just great photos. There’s something about locking eyes with a chimp that stays with you long after you’ve left the island behind.

Today we take a short flight from Kahisi to Bwindi. Hidden in the misty mountains of southwestern Uganda, Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is one of Africa’s most extraordinary wildlife destinations. Beyond the gorillas, the park is a biodiversity hotspot with 120+ mammal species, over 350 birds, and around 1,000 plant species.

This UNESCO World Heritage Site protects more than 450 endangered mountain gorillas — nearly half the world’s remaining population — making it the crown jewel of any Uganda gorilla trekking safari. Covering 321 km² of ancient rainforest, Bwindi lives up to its dramatic name. Steep hills, thick vines, towering trees, and misty forest trails make every trek feel like stepping into a nature documentary — except you’re actually in it.

Your permit (which will have been arranged months in advance) entitles you to trek through the forest with an experienced guide to find one of 19 habituated gorilla families. The hike can be quite strenuous because of the terrain, but you’ll know it was worth it the moment you find yourself sharing space with a  silverback or watching young gorillas tumbling through the undergrowth. Wild, mysterious, and deeply moving — Bwindi is one of the most powerful wildlife encounters in Africa you will ever have.

We’ll fly back to Entebbe from Kahisi, to connect with the flight home to Toronto, Canada.