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Join a safari tour of a lifetime with the knowledge that your holiday will directly help local communities in Zimbabwe.

Guests joining the new Trail of the Giants tour in Zimbabwe travel in a small group of up to 12 and stay in ultra-comfortable lodges where they can relax after morning and evening game drives with experienced guides. Solo travellers can also choose an exclusive departure date to enjoy the company of other independent guests.

The three-part tour starts in Livingstone with a transfer to Gorges Lodge (4Q), on the edge of Batoka Gorge where the Zambezi river flows 200 metres below. There are jaw-dropping views from thatched chalets or tented rooms, each with a shaded veranda or balcony, set in gardens of indigenous plants.

Before going on safari, the majestic Victoria Falls await. Here the Zambezi tumbles more than 100 metres into the mist and guests can relax on a sunset cruise along the river to build up an appetite for a traditional 'braai' or barbecue under the stars.

The tour continues to Hwange National Park where guests stay in tented lodges or chalets which are all equipped with en-suite shower, comfortable beds and a veranda*. There is a central dining and bar area where hearty meals are served, complete with complimentary local alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Hwange National Park is the largest in Zimbabwe and home to 44,000 elephants, as well as lion, cheetah, buffalo and antelope so game drives, safari walks and visits to local settlements fill the next five days.

The Active Explorer tour continues to Zambezi National Park for a three-night stay at Zambezi Sands (4Q), a lodge on the banks of the Zambezi. Here luxurious tented rooms on raised platforms offer views of the river and guests can look out for hippos on the islands and reed banks.

More game drives and safari walks await along with the chance to explore the Zambezi by boat - or guests can simply relax at the lodge, spending leisurely days and evenings listening to the wonderful sounds of Africa.

To extend the tours there are three options: Two nights’ pre-holiday at Gorges Lodge; two nights’ post-holiday at Zambezi Sands and four nights’ post-holiday at Bumi Hills Safari Lodge, by Lake Kariba.

Ends

For details visit saga.co.uk/Africa 0800 414 383

12 nights from £3,199 based on November 5, 2016 departing London Heathrow on May 7, 21, June 11, August 13, September 17, October 1, 22 and November 5, 2016. An exclusive solo travellers’ tour departs on December 3, 2016. Price includes VIP door-to-door chauffeur service, return flights, airport taxes, accommodation (*at Hwange National Park guests stay at either Bomani (4Q), Nehimba (4Q) tented lodges, or Camelthorn Lodge (4Q), depending on departure date), all meals, free 13-hour bar at lodges, porterage, tour manager, optional travel insurance and additional cancellation rights, or a discount if passenger has own insurance.