Zimbabwe Highlights

The Sable Sand Safari Experience consists of safaris in the Sable Sands private concession, neighbouring estate and into the Famous Hwange National Park; the safari planning is entirely at the expert discretion of the safari guides who decide the best routes to take depending on animal movement and participating guests.

Sable Sands is situated on a private concession 12km from the the park and 17 km from the main road and rural communities, in the specially created 'buffer zone'. The National Park is not fenced, therefore, all animals wander freely through the Park and the concession.

On a morning or an afternoon safari on the Sable Sands and neighboring concessions, you may encounter and be surrounded by the large population of the very special 'Presidential Elephants' whilst learning about their family structures and behaviours.
The area is also home to large herds of up buffalo, which can have up to 800 beasts.
Other beautiful sightings include zebra, giraffe, antelope, jackals, warthogs not forgetting vast and stunning species of birds. If you are lucky you might even spot lion, cheetah, African wild dog and sable antelope.
The guides have a wealth of knowledge to share and guests are encouraged to ask as many questions as possible. There might even be a stop at Acacia Grove, which is charming piece of land along the vlei, scattered with old dead acacias and teaks; here one can watch mischievous baboons playing with and teasing each other in this their very special jungle gym. As the drives are conducted on private property, a safari on the concession is always a special experience.

The safari in the Hwange National Park also starts with a drive through private concessions so it may take longer than an hour to get to the Park entrance (12 km) where guests register and pay entrance fees, all depending on the sightings along the way.
Covering an area of over 14,000 sq km (half the size of Belgium) the Park is Zimbabwe's largest National Park and home to over 350 bird and more than 100 mammal species. The Park is dappled with waterholes and has hidden picnic spots and viewing platforms. Dirt roads meander through the ever-changing landscape, from dense teak forests to jaw-dropping open vleis and acacia groves. Guests can take a short recess while soaking in the pristine splendour of the grassy plains and Kalahari sandveld. The Park is Wild & Beautiful, safaris here offer an incredible and unique opportunity to connect with vast expanses of pure unspoilt nature.

While safaris are the activities that are offered by the lodge, at Sable Sands guests are invited to just step out of their daily zone and take the time to go back to the basics, to listen, see, feel, smell, taste;
to de-digitalize their minds and be aware that a fire has to be made to heat up the water; to live in that 'Old Africa' - a mix of nature, wildlife, comfort, homemade wholesome meals, a big bonfire, the millions of stars blanketing the Lodge and the nightly sounds, your nightly lullaby.

The Sable Sands Experience leaves a Footprint on the Soul.

All guests at the resort, as well as visitors to the Lodge are invited to enjoy this daily educational activity affectionately referred to as the ‘Vulture Culture’ experience.

This program is for guests at the resort, as well as visitors. It focuses on the ecological importance of raptors and scavengers in order to maintain and to build an overall awareness of conservations issues these birds face. By educating about the feeding habits and conservation of vultures, we are not only creating awareness of the conservations issues that faces these birds, but benefiting their living environment within the area.

The experience occurs daily at 1300hrs in front of the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, and lasts approximately 30 minutes.

The activity is great for photography and bird identification, and to date is thoroughly enjoyed by guests and visitors.

At 1245hrs, our resident guide gathers the guests sitting at the Buffalo Bar to join him to head to down to the feeding area. Carcasses from The Boma dinner the previous night are thrown out to attract circling vultures. This is an amazing experience as there is activity in the sky at 1245hrs and by 1300hrs – it is heaving with over 100 vultures and other birds of prey.

Situated on the edge of the waterhole at the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, the Siduli Hide offers guests a chance observe wildlife in a unique way.

A suitably trained and qualified Professional Guide escorts guests into the hide, which is designed to look like a termite mound. This involves a short walk (5 minutes) from the lodge to the hide. Once hidden within, guests wait for a variety of mammal, reptile and bird species to visit the waterhole to quench their thirsts or to sample minerals at the nearby salt-lick.

We recommend early morning and late afternoon trips to the hide. Times will vary slightly with the seasons, but we normally meet set off for the hide at 0615hrs and at 1615hrs in the afternoons.

Time spent in the hide will vary, but we sell it as a minimum of a two hour sit. We confirm on 2 guests and currently we can take a maximum of 6 guests. No children under 16 years allowed (unless special permission is granted).

In the morning, clients will be offered tea/coffee at Vic Falls Safari Lodge, before going into the hide. In the afternoon, we will include soft drinks, mineral water and a limited amount of beer (people need to be in a sober state due to close wildlife interactions). Ideally, the pickup times should be 15 minutes prior to the departure times above.

Please note that due to seasonal changes and the fact that this is an authentic wild experience, we cannot guarantee wildlife sightings. Saying this, the drier it gets, the more chance there is of having some very good close up encounters!

Further points to consider: Guests must be able to sit quietly for long periods of time and should not suffer from claustrophobia! Due to the possibility of close interactions with wildlife, this experience is not for the faint-hearted! This activity is ideal for photographers, small groups and wildlife enthusiasts, who are after a ‘non-touristy” experience.

Rack rate: US$50.00 per person.