:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/TAL-victoria-falls-zambia-KAZUNGULAQUAD0226-b6db7513304d43dfa92aa073c7f7b0b0.jpg)
Southern Africa is house to a number of the world’s most spectacular pure wonders, and nowhere is that this extra evident than on the Kazungula Quadripoint, typically referred to as the “4 Corners of Africa.”
This distinctive crossroads, the place 4 international locations—Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia—meet, is a part of the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area. It’s a area outlined by wildlife encounters, out of doors exploration, and jaw-dropping landscapes, together with the long-lasting Victoria Falls. Whereas many vacationers head straight towards extra well-known locations, like South Africa, this area stays one of many continent’s best-kept secrets and techniques.
A part of what makes the realm so particular is its diverse landscapes. You couldfeel the thunder of the falls one second, then the quiet of the bush the following, all whereas standing on the assembly level of 4 international locations in a spot that feels utterly limitless. Final month, I landed at Victoria Falls Worldwide Airport (VFA), one in every of two essential gateways to Victoria Falls. Straddling the border of Zambia and Zimbabwe, the falls are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and regarded to be one of many Seven Pure Wonders of the World, and I witnessed their magnificence from three distinct vantage factors. In Zambia’s Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, I stood closest to cascades, utterly in awe of their magnificence, roar, and the ever-present rainbow above them.
Zinyange Auntony/Getty Photos
In Victoria Falls National Park in Zimbabwe—a rustic named one in every of Travel + Leisure’s 50 Best Places to Travel in 2026—the ability of the falls envelops you, particularly close to the “smoke.” It’s the place I wandered a community of trails towards gorgeous panoramic viewpoints, a cool mist coating my pores and skin because the spray fell like a mild rain. Observing the falls from a helicopter introduced their full scale into focus. From the air, the panorama gave the impression to be break up open, water pouring endlessly into the chasm beneath. Adventurous vacationers can go even additional with a swim within the seasonal Satan’s Pool on the very fringe of the Zambian aspect of the falls.
The subsequent day, I crossed the Kazungula Bridge from Zambia into Botswana to go to Chobe National Park, which has the world’s largest focus of elephants. It didn’t take lengthy to see huge herds of elephants gathered alongside the Chobe River, splashing within the water, wandering throughout dust roads, and grazing beneath the timber. My tour included a river cruise that briefly entered Namibia’s Caprivi Strip, adopted by a sport drive via the park.
Whereas I might have spent the evening at a number of luxury lodges inside Chobe National Park, together with Chobe Safari Lodge, I opted for a day journey from Livingstone, Zambia, organized by African Bush Camps. My base in Zambia was Thorntree River Lodge, a 10-suite retreat perched alongside the Zambezi River, only a quick drive from Victoria Falls and Livingstone. Canv Located inside Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park, Thorntree lies in shut proximity to a devoted white rhino sanctuary, the one place in Zambia the place you possibly can see these magnificent animals within the wild. In Livingstone, vacationers may also take a sundown cruise on the Zambezi River, go to the Livingstone Museum, and browse handicrafts on the Mukuni Park Curio Market.
For these seeking to lengthen their wildlife adventures within the area, Hwange National Park is just some hours away by highway or a fast 40-minute constitution flight with operators like Safari Logistics. Zimbabwe’s greatest nationwide park additionally homes giant elephant populations and greater than 400 fowl species. I spent every week immersed within the park’s lush landscapes, recognizing quite a lot of wildlife, from cheetahs and hyenas to the uncommon and elusive wild canines. Hwange supplies a extra secluded bush expertise than many safari destinations. My base was Somalisa Camp, one in every of solely two lodges inside the park, that includes three glamping kinds, open-air lounges, and wildlife proper at your step.

















































