Seeing the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) was at the top of my bucket list. It was probably in the top 3 honestly. I remember watching Steve Irwin’s shows when I was younger and dreaming of going there and seeing it for myself. RIP Mr. Irwin.
When trying to decide if I should snorkel in the GBR or do a scenic flight over it, I couldn’t choose. So I did both! It was expensive, but I knew I was probably only going to go to Australia once in my life. That and the fact that the Great Barrier Reef isn’t always going to be around unfortunately. It was worth the splurge for sure.
The next decision I had was whether to fly over the GBR or Whitehaven Beach. In my research, I stumbled upon GSL Aviation, who offered a Reef and Island Scenic Flight that highlights both! Done deal. Sold.
I also got some personal recommendations to go with this company after I had already booked with them, so I felt really good about my decision. Word of mouth is the best advertising right? Oh, and GSL aviation offers planes with guaranteed window seats, which is super important when doing a scenic flight, obviously. C’mon, no one wants the middle seat!
The morning started bright and early with a free shuttle pickup from my hotel. After a short safety briefing, we soared above Airlie Beach and made our way to the Great Barrier Reef. Rewind a few days earlier when I snorkelled the outer Great Barrier Reef. I hate to say this, but I was a bit disappointed. I guess I was expecting it to be more colorful. Most the pics you see of it are super photoshopped I guess. It’s sad but the bleaching of coral is a real thing and you definitely can see it for yourself.
Trying to fight the glare to get a shot was quite difficult!
Aerial shots are my ultimate favorite and flying over the Great Barrier Reef and seeing it from above was a completely different experience. You can really visualize the bold blue/green colors and see how enormous it really is. Did you know that the Great Barrier Reef is the largest organic structure on earth and is visible from OUTER SPACE? It’s so much easier to grasp that concept when you see it from above!
Well, I only saw a small section of it on this flight, but it was incredible! My dream of the Great Barrier Reef had been revived.
No need for a drone when you basically see through a drone’s eyes from above. We had many different viewpoints and plenty of time to really experience it.
We flew over the infamous heart Reef, but unfortunately I fumbled with switching cameras and didn’t get the best shot. It was also very sunny and the glare on the windows was quite bad that day. I tried.
But in case you want to see a better shot, here is a great one from their Instagram!
On our way back, we flew over the idyllic Whitehaven Beach. I ended up going to Whitehaven Beach the next day but seeing it from above was so much better to tell you the truth! You can really appreciate the swirly patterns of pure white silica sand and turquoise waters from above and it will leave you in awe.
GSL Aviation also offers transfers to Hamilton Island and they can get you there in just 10 minutes! Or you can combine the transfer with a one hour scenic flight over the GBR and Whitehaven, which I would definitely consider if I was staying on Hamilton Island. The ferry tickets are SUPER expensive to get there, so this option is actually a great value.
For example, a one-way ferry ticket is about $52 USD and the transfer flight is around $75 USD. It’s even cheaper if you do the transfer plus scenic flight!
They also do helicopter tours if that’s what you fancy. Oh, and they operate in Cairns as well. So if you’re up that way and want to see the Reef from above, holla at them!
Tips:
I was trying to switch between snap chatting on my phone, taking GoPro shots and videos, and using my wide angle camera lens with my Sony. It was too much and I often missed shots because I was trying to do too much. Stick to one camera and be ready!
touch your camera up to glass to prevent glare from the window.
Flying over the Great Barrier Reef is a must do activity when visiting Australia. It was one of the highlights of my entire trip!
PIN for Later ♥
Disclaimer: I received a media discount on my scenic flight. However, my opinions are my own and I am in no way obligated to write a positive review. I would never sell out like that! I had the best time and would highly recommend GSL Aviation.
Chefchaouen (“shef-sha-wen”) is one of the most photographic cities you will ever come across. Period. Located between the Rif mountains, it affords the perfect secluded environment to get away from the madness of fast-paced cities like Morocco and Fez.
There is not so much to “do” in the Blue City,yet it’s more of a place to sit back and observe your surroundings and relax. There is something about the different shades of blue that is so calming.
Why are the Walls Painted Blue?
I’m glad you ask, and there are a few theories. The first being that the color blue deters mosquitos and keeps the city cooler during the hot summer months. Another theory is that the Jewish refugees painted it blue as a symbol of the sky and they saw this as a way to be closer to God. Which one is true? Who knows. The city is freshly repainted about once a year, making the bright blues really pop with color.
What to Do in Chefchaouen
Go to the Spanish mosque perched upon the mountain for the best sunset view
Eat at the cozy Molin Arte near the waterfalls
Get completely lost in the blue maze streets (literally and figuratively)
Photograph the copious amounts of kitties
Speak Spanish with the locals (ya, that surprised me also)
Admire the #DoorPorn
Indulge in the Hashish culture (if you’re into that stuff…it’s everywhere, you just gotta ask)
Disconnect from the world♥
How to Get to Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen is a little out of the way from other popular Moroccan destinations, but it’s worth the trip 110%. It was my favourite city in Morocco by far!
CTM bus: Take a 5-hour by bus from Fez on CTM. It eaves at 7:30am or 8 from 2 different points in the city. It is also accessible via Tangier (and a bit closer).
Once you arrive, take a taxi from the bus station to the medina. You can’t walk, trust me. It’s up a steep hill. The taxi should cost 10-20 dirham max! It cost me 10 dirham for a shared cab and only took 5 minutes.
Growing up on the East Coast, I had been to New York City many times. However, I had never traveled there solo. The main reason? It’s ridiculously expensive to stay in a hotel by yourself in Manhattan!
And now that Airbnb has officially been banned in the city (boo), an affordable place is almost impossible to find. Let me rephrase that: an affordable place in a SAFE neighborhood is almost impossible to find.
I’m happy to say I found a cute little place to stay in a great neighborhood called Washington Jefferson Hotel. This hotel specifically caters to solo travellers and offers single rooms that are actually affordable. I wouldn’t say cheap, because that seems to be an oxymoron when it comes to Manhattan. But I think you can catch my drift, ay?
The Neighborhood: Hell’s Kitchen
The hotel is right in the middle of all the action in New York City, yet it is located down a quiet side street. Washington Jefferson Hotel is located in the Hell’s Kitchen area of New York City.
Out of the 8-10 times I have been to NYC, I can say that this was one of my favorite areas to stay. Why you may ask? It is the most central area I could ask for when exploring NYC. Almost all the major attractions are walkable from Washington Jefferson Hotel. It is located in Midtown after all.
To give you an idea, here are the walking distances I experienced while staying at WJH:
Times Square-6-7 minute walk
Central Park (south entrance>): 10 minute walk
Theatre District: 1-5 minute walk
Rockefeller Center: 7-8 minute walk
Strolling through Central Park on a bike in January? Why not? 🙂
Where to Eat
Bibble and Sip for morning coffee and pastries. If you exit the hotel and take a right, this cute little cafe will be about a 20 second walk on the left side.
Head to Aria for good Italian food and wine in a romantic setting. It was a little strange going here solo, but the ambiance was great as well as the food! It’s literally 10 seconds from the hotel.
There were SO many food options in the Hell’s Kitchen area, and at a fraction of the cost than what you would expect to pay in NYC. This area is also known for the variety of ethnic foods on offer, including some of my favorites Thai, Indian, and Italian.
Basically, if you exit the hotel and take a left, you will have a plethora of affordable food options, including a market and a few $1 pizza slice places.
Note: the hotel is attached to a Japanese restaurant called Shimizu; however, I did not have time to try this place out unfortunately. I got sidetracked by all the other awesome choices right outside my doorstep!
Petite Room Catered to The Solo Traveller
The Petite room is a small room with everything you could need: comfy bed, goose down comforters, desk, WIFI, flatscreen HDTV, HBO, radio with iPod docking station, your own private bathroom, and more. Basic yet efficient! For a full list of amenities, check out the hotel’s page highlighting the Petite Room here.
A Few Other Perks of Washington Jefferson Hotel
Concierge service-if you’re staying at a hotel that offers concierge service, by all means utilize it! I must say I’m guilty of taking this service for granted. However, when I needed to copy stuff late night, the staff called several copy stores for me while I was resting from my day in my room. They gave me a ring with all the information and options and it was super helpful! I was literally so exhausted I could barely function so this was a lifesaver!
Free Walking Tours of NYC-every Thursday at 9:30am there is a free walking tour of Hell’s Kitchen area. You also have access to all other free walking tours from other Triumph Hotels (NOT to be confused with Trump hotels…God no) in the city. Pretty cool!
Airline ticket printer booth-located in the lobby for all guests to print their airline tickets beforehand. I had never seen this before in any hotel and thought it was great….and necessary!
A small fitness center-call me crazy, but I always work out when I travel. Having a fitness center inside a hotel is key!
Although rates vary based on season, I saw rates as low as $95, an awesome price for a quality/centrally located hotel in NYC!
Verdict
Overall, I really enjoyed my time at Washington Jefferson Hotel and would recommend it for solo travellers. I initially thought it was strange that they didn’t have a restaurant or offer breakfast. However, after I saw how many cute cafes were within a minute walk I didn’t even care!
This hotel may not have been as visually stunning/colorful as most the boutique hotels I usually stay in, but for the price, location, awesome service, and safe neighborhood, it’s definitely a great choice if you’re visiting the city alone. It had everything I needed and I was quite comfortable, what more can you ask for?
To check rates on booking.com, check here. And if you’re new to booking.com, you can use my $20 off coupon here. Yay!
Hover over image to PIN for later! ♥
Disclaimer: I was a guest of Washington Jefferson Hotel. However, my opinions remain my own and I’m in no way obligated to write a positive review. I enjoyed my stay and would recommend this hotel to solo travellers.♥
Cape Town is one of the greatest cities in the entire world. Bold statement, but absolutely true. I have never met someone who didn’t like it and the hype it gets it truly deserves.
My expectations were high, and surprisingly I wasn’t disappointed. In fact, Cape Town blew me out of the water and the bar has been set very high. My only disappointment was that we only stayed there 5 days. I could have stayed for weeks!
Cape Town has everything your imagined ideal city would have: natural beauty of the mountains and beaches, vibrant city life, some of the best wines in the world, reasonable prices, and endless high quality food.
Cape Town quickly became one of my top 3 favorite cities in the world, along with Rome and Istanbul.
So what to do in Cape Town? I could write a book about it, but here are my top pics:
What to do in Cape Town
1. Take a Hike
Cape Town is for fitness and nature lovers. Hike both Table Mountain or Lion’s Head in a matter of hours with a spectacular view along every step of the way
We hiked Lion’s Head during golden hour and it was spectacular. You could see the entire city, Table Mountain, and Camp’s Bay in the distance.
View of Table Mountain on the hike up to Lion’s Head
We didn’t have time to do the Table Mountain hike unfortunately, so we took the cable car instead. The panoramic views over the coastline and city are spectacular.
2. Grab a Bite to Eat
Hold crap! I wasn’t expecting Cape Town to have such great food! I can honestly say in terms of quality, Cape Town had the most consistently good food out of any country I had ever been!
There are 2 open air markets that you can’t miss on your trip to Cape Town: Hout Bay and Old Biscuit Mill.
The Hout Bay Market (officially called Bay Harbor Market) runs Friday through Sunday and is the place to be on the weekends for good food and live music. Food and specialty shops line the cozy inside market and one could spend hours there. Make sure to go on an empty stomach because there is so much to try!! (There were also many gluten free options for those with allergies like me).
Tip: try the Springbok meat, it’s just like beef but a little sweeter. The springbok is the national bird of South Africa so a nice way to taste the local flavors.
Another favorite is the Old Biscuit Mill that’s only on Saturday mornings. This is another open air market with endless vendors offering a variety of foods. This was probably my favorite food experience in Cape Town, most likely because I found a number of gluten free tables offering delicate treats to satiate my cravings. It’s also another cool hangout spot!
Gluten free pastry..aka heaven in my mouth 🙂
Bombay Bicycle-order the Choco chili steak (signature dish that’s not on the menu). This was seriously one of the best meals of my life, if not the best. It sounds like a weird combo, but the flavors perfectly complemented the melt-in-your-mouth juicy steak. It was the most tender steak I’d ever tasted and I could have died a happy girl after my last bite. It’s that good. The restaurant also had a great ambiance and intimate setting.
Tip: you must make a reservation in advance as it’s a very popular place!
Bacini’s for pizza-right across from Bombay bicycle is Bacini’s. It’s nothing fancy inside, this is more of a local spot. The pizza was outstanding and they even had gluten free crusts! Avocado on pizza is a thing in Cape Town and it was friggin’ amazing! I’m hooked and now I’m always going to expect avo on my pizza wherever I go.
→An added bonus: we ran into Davos from Game of Thrones here! For extreme fanatics of the show, this made our whole trip!
Tiger’s Milk-another great restaurant downtown with that had the best gluten free leg of lamb pizza with a dallop of hummus and feta. Omg was it good.
V&A Market on the Wharf –this was the 3rd market we went to in Cape Town and it didn’t disappoint! It wasgreat for fruit juices, shakes, pastries, and also lactose free froyo!
3. Take a Road Trip Down the Coast
The plunging coastlines around Cape Town are nothing short of spectacular. You can’t leave without getting to explore the area on a road trip! Drive down the Cape Peninsula all the way down to Penguin Beach. If you have time, stop in MuizenbergBeach to photograph the row of colorful beach shacks.
Penguin heaven 😉
If you have even more time, make sure to head down to Hermanus, a quint little seaside town a 2-hr drive from Cape Town, known for whale watching and shark tank diving in its neighbor city Gansbaii.
How pretty is Hermanus??
On the way back to Cape Town, drive along False bay, which I thought was prettier than the actual Cape Peninsula honestly.
Tip: on your drive back from Hermanus, stop at Betty’s Bay, the less-touristy version of Penguin Beach. There was hardly anyone there when we went and we got up close and personal with the little guys! The cost is 10 rand for a parking permit but no one was there to enforce it.
4. View Cape Town from Above
One of my favorite things to do in a new city is get an epic aerial view. No view can get more epic than from a helicopter! We had 360 degrees of unobstructed views of the beautiful city, coast lines, beaches, peaks, and mountains. It was absolutely breathtaking.
Unedited GoPro pic from the helicoptor
We decided to go with NAC Helicopters for our flight over Cape Town, mainly due their almost perfect reviews as well as their impeccable safety record (100% accident-fee). The perfect safety record alone is a deciding factor when it comes to putting my life into someone else’s hands in the air.
NAC Helicopters also offers tailored destination flights, so if you really want to ball out and show up somewhere in style, this would be a fun thing to splurge on!
The staff was super professional and kind, and I felt safe from the minute I walked into the door greeted by their warm smiles.
Tip: make sure to schedule the helicopter tour early in the trip in case of cancellations due to weather. We actually had our first flight cancelled so ended up re-scheduling it on our last day luckily.
5. Hop On Hop off Bus (seriously)
I never in a million years thought I would recommend a “touristy” Hop on Hop off Bus, but this is definitely an exception! The public transportation in Cape Town and vicinity is not that great so this is actually a great way to see all that Cape Town has to offer! You can buy a one-day pass for around $12 and a 2-day pass for around $20.
Spellbound in the enchanted forest inside Kirstenbosch gardens
The Hop on Hop Off bus has 3 different color-coded routes and I recommend all 3 if you have time! It’s no surprise my favorite was the purple route since this was the wine route!
Camp’s Bay-what I called the Malibu of Cape Town
If you’re short on time like we were, we only had a day to do the bus tour. Our favorite can’t miss stops included:
Kirstenbosch Gardens
Camp’s bay
Purple wine route (the entire thing)
Table Mountain
Hout Bay
6. Drink World Class Wine
South Africa is known for its Pinotage red blend, distinctive to this area of the globe. Make sure you try a glass (or 5) of this delicious red wine, as this blend is not grown anywhere else in the world!
There are SO many vineyards within an hour or so drive from Cape Town and I recommend spending an entire day in Stellenbosch, and if you have time Franchoek as well.
The wine tasting crew! Carebear Abroad and I, along with our friend Nick, who lives in Cape Town. We met Nick on our 12-day Turkey trip 2 years before. #travelfriends
Our favorite winery was Vergelegen Estate. The property grounds were impeccably gorgeous and the staff was extremely interactive and fun. Oh, and apparently you can have a picnic in the camphor forest, which sounds amazing! Unfortunately it was closed when we went, but if you end up going, please let me know how it is!
If you’re planning what to do in Cape Town, hopefully these 6 recommendations are at the top of your list! There is so much more to discover in this unique city and we only just cracked the tip of the iceberg.
I cannot wait to get back to Cape Town and stay longer next time to enjoy more of the local life. Until then, I’ll keep dreaming about it. ♥
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Disclaimer: I was a guest of NAC Helicopters. However, my opinions are my own and I am in no way obligated to leave positive feedback. I thought the helicopter tour was awesome and the best way to see the city!
Have you Been To Cape Town? What were Your Highlights? Did I miss Anything? Do tell! ♥
With 74 islands in the Whitsundays, it might seem hard to choose which one to visit. For me, the decision was a no-brainer. Voted as one of the top 10 most beautiful beaches in the world, Whitehaven Beach was the main reason I added The Whitsundays into my 13 day Australia adventure. Famous for its heaven-like white silica sand and turquoise swirl patterns, it’s no secret why Whitehaven Beach is the most photographed beach in all of Australia.
With only 2 full days to explore the Whitsundays, I knew I wanted to spend an entire day on this Whitehaven Beach. Overnight sailing is super popular in the Whitsundays, and had I had more time I would have considered this option. However, visiting Whitehaven Beach in a single day is possible and a great option if you’re short on time.
Update: Since visiting, I noticed they changed the tour name to Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet & Chill. It does not appear the snorkeling option is still available, which is a bummer!
Below is a map of the full-day itinerary courtesy of Cruise Whitsundays.
Morning Pick up and Briefing
The cruise leaves bright and early from Airlie Beach at 7am and returns at 6:20pm. It’s a long day action packed with fun stuff to do, so make sure to get a good night’s sleep! There’s also an option to get picked up at Daydream Island or Hamilton Island if that’s where you’re staying.
The ride over to Whitsunday Island is pretty long at around 2 hours, but the seats were very plush and comfy. Complementary coffee and tea are available on the first floor.
During the long ride you will be introduced to the crew members, who are personally assigned to each group to give them a briefing of the day of what to expect. I really liked the personalized attention, something I’m not used to when going on a tour.
Our guide Jack was AWESOME from the start. He had so much charisma and was very interactive with everyone. He even remembered ALL our names in a matter of minutes. Jack was born to be a tour guide and his passion for it made the tour so much more memorable. Jack made the tour. Period.
Hill Inlet & Lookout
We arrived to Whitehaven Beach to drop some of the passengers off who weren’t doing the full day cruise and we hopped onto a little speed boat to head to Hill Inlet. Not all the cruises go to the Hill Inlet and I’m sure many are disappointed to learn this, so no matter what tour you do make sure it includes the Hill Inlet!
Getting dropped off to walk up the Hill Inlet lookout. We saw a lemon shark right near those bushes in the water!
We jumped off onto the soft silica sand and followed Jack up the path to the lookout. We stopped along the way a few times as he taught us a little about the surrounding plant life. He also pointed out a few huge spiders resting in their webs that I wish I never saw. My worst nightmare.
Completely unedited iPhone pano of Whitehaven Beach
It was an easy 15 minute walk up to the lookout where we had about 20 minutes of free time to enjoy the scenery and take photos. The Hill Inlet gives you the best view of Whitehaven Beach. The view you see in all the photos of the turquoise and white swirly patterns. There’s nowhere else in the world like it and this was the highlight of the tour for me.
We were told that the pattern of swirls change about every 4 hours, so you’ll never take the same photo as someone else. I only wish we were there longer so we could see it in different lights.
Free Time on Whitehaven Beach and BBQ Lunch
After the spectacular views on the Hill Inlet we were dropped off on the idyllic Whitehaven Beach. We were given about 2 hours to walk the beach, play in the water, and eat lunch. They offer free stinger suits as well as half dome tents to provide shade from the sun.
Note: the sun is very HOT in this part of Australia and because the silica sand is very reflective, you’re at increased risk for burns. Make sure to drink lots of water and keep reapplying sunscreen. I actually ended up getting heat exhaustion/dehydration from being outside all day and the recovery was painful. I was basically sick for the next 7 days of my trip with a pounding headache, night sweats, and fatigue.
For lunch they brought actual grills and set them up under a tarp to cook for us, which I thought was pretty cool. Lunch consisted of salad, beef, chicken, sausage, and pasta salad. The meat was a little dry and not as tasty as I expected seeing as they were cooking it fresh right in front of us. I also couldn’t eat half the stuff they served due to my gluten allergy so I can’t comment on the other food. The food I tried was just okay.
Snorkelling
There were only a few passengers who chose the full day option, so it was really nice to have only a small group to snorkel. We boarded a small speed boat once again for the 5 minute ride around the corner where we were dropped off to snorkel.
I kid you not, out of all the snorkelling I did in Australia, including the Outer Great Barrier Reef, this was the BEST snorkelling! The combination of colorful coral and heaps of fish blew me away. I was NOT expecting this to be the best snorkelling in Australia. Another great reason to do the full day tour!
WhiteHaven Beach Final Relaxation
After the amazing snorkelling we were dropped back off at Whitehaven Beach. We were given almost 2 more hours of leisurely time to relax and do what we pleased. I really liked the fact we were given so much free time, something you usually don’t get when doing a tour.
I had plenty of time to play with my GoPro and take some cool shots without being rushed for once.
Unfortunately, I think this was the beginning of the heat exhaustion/dehydration for me. I spent way too much time in the sun and I paid the price. Spend some time in the shade if you can, learn from my mistakes!
Overall Impressions
Whitehaven Beach is undeniably one of the most beautiful beached in the entire world. Spending an entire day exploring the beach, the Hill Inlet, and snorkelling was the perfect way to experience one of the prettiest parts of Australia. I was extremely pleased with Cruise Whitsundays in terms of their professionalism, the activities on offer, the jovial and fun tour guides, the cleanliness of the boats, and the the overall itinerary. I would cruise with them again in a heartbeat!
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Disclaimer: I was a guest of Cruise Whitsundays on this tour. My opinions, however, remain my own and I am in no way obligated to write a positive review. I highly enjoyed my cruise and would definitely recommend this tour! ♥
Have you ever been to Whitehaven Beach? Did you do an overnight cruise or a day trip? Which would you recommend?
After 4 hours of border crossings, visa applications, and transfers, we finally arrived to Zimbabwe, Africa, completely drained from the past 10 hours of transiting. As we stepped out of our shuttle van and proceeding on the dirt path, I caught what I thought was a pig in the corner of my eye. But alas, it was a warthog! A cute little (big) “Pumba” grazing nearby. I had a feeling this was the first of many Lion King fantasies that would come to life on this journey staying at Victoria Falls River Lodge. Little did I know…
We climbed into a small boat with our luggage, where we were escorted for the 10 minute ride across the Zambezi River. We started to feel really giddy as we had no idea what to except for the next 2 days in front of us. That and the fact that the wind in our face was a great wake-up call!
We finally pulled up to a cute little dock where several of the team members of Victoria Falls River Lodge joyfully welcomed us. Is this what royalty feels like? I don’t know, but I’ll take it! We let ourselves feel “cool” for a minute..until we realized each and every guest gets escorted by boat. Oh well, it felt good while it lasted haha.
The Victoria Falls River Lodge is not a Hotel, it’s an EXPERIENCE. Let me explain…
As soon as we arrived into the spectacular open-air lobby, we were given a welcome drink as well as a “briefing”. The basic message of the briefing: “we are situated in the Zambezi National Park with no fences or barriers between us and the wild animals. For this reason, you will need to be escorted back to your rooms after dark by one of our trained field guides. You may not walk back to your room alone”.
Excuse me, what did he just say? We are basically on the grounds of a live nature reserve with NO BARRIERS? NO EFFING BARRIERS!!! Carey and I looked at each other with huge eyes and gasped a little. WOW. This is going to be an intense few days.
This was the start to something fabulous, we could feel it! I mean, what other time in your life are you going to experience something like this?
Victoria Falls River Lodge is made up of 14 luxury tents situated on the edge of the Zambezi River. Included in your stay is 3 gourmet meals a day, free coffee/tea/snacks available all day, one sunrise or sunset game drive AND one sunrise or sunset river cruise, as well as the entrance fee to the Zambezi National Park.
We really loved the fact that there were only 14 tents available because this made this a more intimate experience with only a few guests staying at one time. As a result, the staff were able to give us their undivided attention.
In particular, the young manager named Andrew checked in with us at every meal, making sure we were having the BEST time. He was super engaging and you could really feel that he wanted to make sure this was an unforgettable experience for us. Well, he definitely accomplished that! He became more like a friend in the short 2 days we spent there. If you’re reading this, thank you and we miss you Andrew! 🙂
Open-Air Lobby
One of the most visually stunning aspects of Victoria Falls River Lodge is the open-air lobby and restaurant. The lounge area is formed by a crescent-shaped thatched roof and offers panoramic views of the Zambezi River and surrounding area.
On one side is the dining area and the other side is a huge area for lounging with comfy couches and simple local decor.
Down a little walkway off the main lobby is a bar area that opens up with an awesome view over the Zambezi River. It was closed when we were there in August, but we still went and lounged around there and took some photos.
There was also a small pool and lounge area right near the lobby/dining area. We were told that elephants were just grazing in this area a few days before!
Open-Air Dining
Included in your stay at Victoria Falls River Lodge is 3 gourmet meals per day. Alcohol is NOT included and you must pay extra for that. You are given a tab at checkout for all your extras. A glass of wine was only $3.50, and it was a HUGE glass. In American measures, it was more like a double glass of wine. I sat back in bliss as they poured my jumbo glass of wine. Paradise found? Haha.
Yumm salmon salad for lunch
We were given a menu at every meal with a few items to choose from including fish, salads, steak, and vegetarian options. They were also very flexible with gluten free options and offered me a few different varieties of foods. There was also coffee and snacks available at all times of the day. Overall, the food was great! I had no complaints.
Our EPIC Luxury Treehouse
My childhood treehouse fantasies came to life in this magnificent dwelling that we got to call home for 2 nights. First of all, it was super spacious. Second of all, it was so nicely decorated and cozy. There was SO much to do around the lodge but we didn’t want to leave our room.
The shower/bath area was HUGE and it felt very freeing to shower in this big space. A thin curtain could be pulled for privacy from the outside room. There was also an outdoor shower if you fancied it! It was quite cold during the early mornings and late night so we didn’t use the outdoor shower unfortunately.
There was a nice deck with lounge chairs and a jacuzzi overlook the river. It was gorgeous. We were told that this was a popular spot to see hippos, rhinos, and elephants drinking, but we weren’t lucky enough to see that.
We did however wake up one morning to all the plants and shrubs trampled over, hinting that a herd of hippos were right next to our tent! A little scary but exciting nonetheless. We also were awoken one night to the sound of scratching noises on our tent. We never found out what it was but it was freaky!
We had 2 separate twin beds that were covered with a large mosquito net. There weren’t outlets near the bed, but they were located in the center counter area. There was also a big comfy couch in the living area, heating/AC, and yes, an actual tree trunk in the center of the treehouse! This place was AWESOME! This was definitely glamping to the fullest!
Note: the tent is raise above the ground so you aren’t in any real danger when you are inside.
Game Drive (included)
All guests are offered an inclusive game drive, with the option of early morning or evening. Although we HATE waking up early, we opted for the early morning game drive as this is prime time for large feline viewing. We were picked up at our treehouse villa around 6am and taken to the lobby for a quick coffee and snack. We were then off on our game drive through the Zambezi National Park, aka our backyard! We were the only ones on the morning game drive so it was like we had our own little private VIP safari!
The early morning air was crisp and frigid, and we were given blankets and a big heat compress to warm our hands. It was pitch black when we started, but the morning sun soon peaked in warming us up a bit.
Nothing but smiles with our awesome safari guide!
Unfortunately, you aren’t ever guaranteed to see the coveted animals during a game drive and we were a little unlucky that morning. We did, however, get to see endless amounts of Pumba’s, colourful birds, a flock of baboons, and a few crocodiles! I look at it as a warm up of what was to come in Africa!
We stopped along the riverbank where we disembarked from the open air vehicle and took some photos of the surrounding area. Our guide set up a nice little breakfast picnic on the front of his vehicle, consisting of coffee and pastries. Usually on safaris, you cannot get out of the vehicle, so this was really cool to step off onto the sole where wild animals roam! The view was spectacular and we basked in it for a bit before packing up and heading back.
You also have an option of a sunrise or sunset river cruise, and we opted for the latter. It turned out to be a great choice! We were treated with wine and cheeses/crackers as we set sail on the river.
We though it was just a river cruise, but we had no idea it was a river cruise game drive! (For that reason, we didn’t bring our cameras and our phone pics didn’t turn out so well…so not many animal pics to show). Our guide stopped in a shallow area and to our surprise we saw our first signs of hippos! We couldn’t help but sing the hungry hungry hippo song! C’mon, you know you would have too!
It was incredible to get up that close to a real live hippo! Let alone a whole pack of them. We were then shocked to learn from our guide that hippos cannot actually swim! WHAT? Ya, I didn’t believe it until i googled it. Talk about doubting Thomas. Apparently they are TOO HEAVY TO SWIM! So they just push their hooves across the bottom of the water. The more you know..
The BEST part of the river cruise was on our way back, thinking the cruise was over, we spotted a large herd of elephants drinking water at the river’s edge. Our first elephant siting in the wild brought a flood of emotions and we both had tears in our eyes! Our guide pulled up as close as he could (without disturbing them), and we just observed. It was incredible! The first big animal sighting is something you will never forget!
Toa Spa
The newest addition to the lodge is a spa with a spectacular view of the Zambezi River offering massages, manis/pedis, and more. We snuck in a 30 minute massage into our hectic schedules and it was incredible. There is something extra relaxing about getting a massage right on the edge of the peaceful waterfront. It was the perfect way to wind down from all the adrenaline activities we had participated in.
Oh, did I mention Victoria Falls River Lodge will help Plan ALL your adventure activities?
This made it so much less stressful. We were given a little booklet with all the activity info in our rooms so we could get an idea of what we wanted to do. We relayed that to the concierge and he contacted the 3rd party vendors to get all the details. They even arranged a shuttle to transport us (and by shuttle I mean one of their open air safari vehicles!).
The activities we decided on were the gorge swing, the flying fox, Devil’s Pool, and a microlight flight over the falls! You can read all about them in my recent blog post (+video) here, where I coined Victoria Falls the “Mini Adventure Capital of the World”.
Here’s a short YouTube video I made of all the awesome activities we did in Victoria Falls:
We were first dropped off at the entrance to the falls, where we ventured to view the falls up close. Entrance is $30. After that we walked about 5-10 minutes to the Lookout Cafe where they offered most of the high wire activities, including bungee jumping, gorge swing, flying fox, and more!
Tip: make sure you book your activities as far in advance as you can because they do sell out, especially in peak season!
To sum up our 2 days in Victoria Falls River Lodge, my travel partner in crime CareBear Abroad made this awesome video:
PIN for later 🙂
Disclaimer: We were guests of Victoria Falls River Lodge; however, my opinions and AMAZING experience are my own. I would never recommend a place I didn’t truly LOVE. Carebear Abroad and I had a blast!
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