2 Nights / 3 Days
Zambezi Short Canoe Trail
A short, yet exciting canoeing safari that’s ideal if time is limited, but you still wish to get a feel of the Zambezi. Covering less distance than other routes, it’s a short and mighty tour.
Expect to enjoy the great outdoors with overnight island camping and discover the memorizing charm of the Zambezi.
"The highlight was not necessarily in the amount or variety of game we saw, but in the true escape into the African wilderness. Apart from the very occasional fisherman, we saw no-one else during our trip. We camped on sandbanks in the middle of the river with no facilities other than what we carried with us on the 3 canoes. The sounds of the river at dawn and the magnificent skies at sunrise and sunset will remain forever."
The 2 Night Journey
Starting at the Breezes River Lodge and canoeing approximately 56km through the picturesque landscapes of the Lower Zambezi. Expect this short canoe trail to offer a brief, yet memorable taste of life on the world-famous Zambezi river.
What To Expect
From a canoe safari with River Horse Safaris
56km Canoeing Adventure.
Local Expert Guide.
Freshly Prepared Meals.
Overnight Tented Camping.
Outdoor Activity.
Wildlife & Nature.
Unleash your inner islander!
Our island camp each night is unpretentious, yet absolutely comfortable – an environmentally-conscience camp where only footprints are left behind – a far cry from light or noise pollution.
Our bow tents allow for prime viewing of dreamy starlit skies and the only noise is that of hippos munching grass, lions roaring and hyenas laughing.
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The RouteChirundu - Mtondo
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ItineraryDAY 1 Unless otherwise arranged, trips depart from the Breezes River Lodge at 1030hrs on the morning of departure, after clients have been briefed by their guide. After an hour of canoeing there is a riverbank stop for lunch, before paddling on to the first evening’s island camp site. To ease into the canoeing experience, we keep the overall distance short at approximately 15km. The route is mainly through the network of channels visible on the above Google earth map with ETA at Kakomalala Island at around 1700hrs with plenty of time to get camp set up. DAY 2 The full day of canoeing, approx 25km 0630hrs - Wake up, tea/coffee and biscuits then depart 0730hrs - Depart downstream. 0830 – 0900hrs - Breakfast 1230 – 1430hrs - Lunch in the shade, out of the mid day sun. 1700hrs - 2nd Island camp - Magurumeno Islands or beyond. DAY 3 Canoeing is the same as Day 2, exiting the river by approx 1200hrs followed by lunch en-route. On the return road transfer a visit to a traditional village is made before crossing the Kafue river pontoon by barge before reaching the Breezes River Lodge camp in Chirundu, Lower Zambezi.
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MealsWith every canoe safari, we provide three meals a day, cordials and safe, treated water. If you wish to bring your own bottled water, we have cooler boxes available. Feel free to bring your own selection of beverages for the duration of the safari. We have a wide selection of beverages available for purchase at the Breezes River Lodge before departure. Unless notified, meals will follow the program below. Please note - We do require prior confirmation of at least 2 weeks in advance to cater for special dietary requirements such as allergies to certain ingredients, etc. The main dinners are in most cases part pre-cooked and deep frozen prior to the safari, so it is important to have sufficient notice to ensure all is prepared correctly. Early mornings start with tea/coffee biscuits before setting off down stream after packing up canoes and clearing camp. Breakfast: Generally after several hours of canoeing, the trip will stop for everyone to stretch their legs while the guide prepares an English breakfast of tinned fruit; eggs, bacon, sausages, fried tomatoes, toast with marmalade or jam; tea and coffee. Lunch: An assortment of cold meats, green salads, rolls and cheeses are served, along with a variety of sauces and pickled onions or gherkins to complete the meal. Dinner: Assortments of crisps or popcorn for snacks are served followed by a full dinner consisting of beef, chicken or mutton as main course options with vegetables and selection of carbohydrates, either potatoes, rice or pasta.
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AccommodationOvernight island camping in dome tents.
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PriceContact us for our seasonal offer! We do have seasonal and group pricing offers available upon enquiry. Our green season specials are available during Nov 15th – April 30th (shoulder months), before peak season pricing from May through to Nov 15th. Family and group bookings may secure preferential rates depending on availability at certain times of year. We tailer-make each trip to ensure we can accommodate any group / family requests.
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SeasonGreen Season (Low) March 1st – April 30th & November 15th – December 31st High Season May 1st – November 16th Please note that January and February are generally too wet to canoe as the river flood can become impassable due to floating debris and discoloured water. During the shoulder months (Nov 15th – April 30th), boats may be used to extract canoeists from the park areas as internal roads and bridges may be not be passable due to weather damage.