Entertainment & Activities

Shore Excursions on Zimbabwean Dream are Mostly Included

Shore excursions revolve mostly around wildlife viewing and are part of the package. Game drives in two national parks in Botswana and Zimbabwe are fairly sedentary. (There are wild animals around, after all.) The same goes for multiple river safaris on small boats in early morning and at sunset. A half-day outing from CroisiEurope’s safari lodge leads to two small nearby villages. Locals perform traditional song and dance in one village. In another, women demonstrate how they pulverize sorghum, a vital ingredient in the local diet.

The day at Victoria Falls requires some walking on graded forest paths to the 16 viewing points. Unless your visit is in the dry season, expect to get wet as you near the falls. Croisi provides raincoats for guests.

The day in Johannesburg features a visit to the Apartheid Museum, a drive through the old downtown area and a spin through Soweto, the township west of the city.

Lectures and Enrichment on Zimbabwean Dream

Being on safari is by its very nature enriching, though formal lectures are minimal on this cruise safari. On the boat, we watched a video presentation about Operation Noah, the endeavor to relocate thousands of large mammals when the construction of the Kariba Dam formed Zimbabwe’s Lake Kariba in the late 1950s. One night at the lodge in Namibia, a guide talked about Germany’s colonization of the area in the late 1800s. After World War I, South Africa took over administration. Namibia didn’t achieve independence until 1990.

Fishing poles are available on a couple of lake outings. And well-informed park rangers and guides enlightened us about the local ecology.

Nightlife on Zimbabwean Dream

This is an early-to-rise, early-to-bed excursion. Save for one memorable song and dance performance by crew members on the final night, there was no choreographed entertainment. Board games and DVDs are available, but after dinner, most passengers turn in early.

For Kids

Is Zimbabwean Dream Family Friendly?

What kid wouldn’t love a big-game safari? Still, the boat cabins aren’t roomy enough to accommodate family groups. (Though a small cot can be arranged for a third person.)