Save the date

Katie & Carlos

Saturday 7 August 2027

Victoria Falls & Hwange Safari Lodge, Zimbabwe

Join us from Thursday 5 to Sunday 8 August

RSVP Plan your trip

Early RSVP by 28 February 2027

The weekend at a glance

  1. Thu 5 AugVictoria FallsFly into VFA, your own hotel, then our sunset river cruise
  2. Fri 6 AugTo HwangeOur coaches take you to the lodge
  3. Sat 7 AugThe weddingCeremony at 3 pm, then dinner and dancing
  4. Sun 8 AugFarewellBrunch, then coaches back to Victoria Falls
Add to calendar: Google · Outlook

Thursday 5 – Sunday 8 August 2027

The Weekend

Four days, two places

Thursday

5 August

Victoria Falls

  • ArriveLand at Victoria Falls (VFA) by early afternoon on Thursday at the latest. The airport is about 20 minutes from town: most hotels run a shuttle (ask when you book), and taxis wait outside arrivals.
  • 3.30 pmWe collect you from your hotel.
  • 4 pmOur welcome cruise on the Zambezi, with drinks and canapés as the sun goes down.
  • 6.30 pmBack at your hotel, with the evening free.
  • DressCocktail. What to wear

Friday

6 August

To Hwange

  • MorningOur coaches collect you for the drive to the lodge, 2½ to 4 hours.
  • LunchAt the lodge, on your own account, then check in.
  • AfternoonA game drive (booked and paid at the lodge), or the pool.
  • 5 pmSundowners at the bar as the elephants come to drink.
  • 7.30 pmDinner at the lodge. It’s on your own account, but we’ll all be there.
  • DressRelaxed, in safari neutrals. What to wear

Saturday

7 August

The Wedding

  • EarlyA dawn game drive (booked at the lodge), or a lie-in.
  • MiddayLunch at the lodge, on your own account.
  • 3 pmThe ceremony, outdoors in the bush.
  • 5.30 pmSundowners and photographs.
  • 6.30 pmDinner beneath the acacias.
  • LateDancing by the fire.
  • DressBlack tie optional. What to wear

Sunday

8 August

Farewell

  • MorningA long farewell brunch.
  • 11 amFirst coach to Victoria Falls, for Sunday flights.
  • 3 pmSecond coach, for anyone staying on.
  • TipFly home after 5 pm on Sunday at the earliest.
  • DressCasual. What to wear

Thursday 5 August · Sunset on the Zambezi

Welcome Drinks

We’ll start the weekend with welcome drinks on the river. We’ll collect you from your hotel for a sunset cruise on the Zambezi above the Falls, with drinks and canapés and, with luck, hippos and elephants on the banks. We’ll bring you back afterwards, and it’s all on us.

Collection about 3.30 pm · on the river 4 to 6 pm · cocktail

Saturday 7 August · Hwange Safari Lodge

The Wedding Day

The ceremony is at 3 pm, outdoors in the bush. Then sundowners and photographs as the sun goes down over the waterhole, dinner under the acacias, and dancing by the fire. The morning is yours: a dawn game drive, booked at the lodge, or a lie-in and the pool.

Ceremony 3 pm · dinner 6.30 pm · black tie optional

Who arranges what

On us

  • The sunset cruise on Thursday, with hotel transfers
  • Coaches to the lodge and back
  • The wedding: ceremony, dinner and bar
  • Brunch on Sunday

We reserve, you pay

  • Your room at Hwange Safari Lodge on Friday and Saturday nights: from US$95 a person a night sharing, breakfast included.
  • Please don’t book it yourself: we allocate the rooms from your RSVP, and you pay the lodge directly when you check out.
Room rates

You book

  • Flights into Victoria Falls (VFA)
  • A hotel in Victoria Falls for Thursday night, and your transfer there from the airport
  • Your visa and travel insurance
  • Your meals at the lodge on Friday and Saturday lunch, from about US$25 each
  • Park fees, game drives at the lodge and any other activities
Plan your trip

Times are a guide; the final programme comes with the invitation.

Getting there

Plan Your Trip

Four things to sort out, then a planner for your route

  1. 1
    Tell us you’re comingSend the early RSVP by 28 February 2027, so we can hold your room at the lodge.
    RSVP
  2. 2
    Book flights into Victoria Falls (VFA)Land by early afternoon on Thursday 5 August at the latest, in time for the cruise. Fly home after 5 pm on Sunday 8 August at the earliest.
    Your route
  3. 3
    Book a hotel for Thursday nightIn Victoria Falls, with an airport shuttle if the hotel offers one. Our coaches collect you from there on Friday morning.
    Hotel ideas
  4. 4
    Check your visa, insurance and healthA visa on arrival or online, insurance that covers medical evacuation, and malaria advice from a travel clinic.
    Good to know
Old-style map of the road from Victoria Falls to Hwange Safari Lodge, with handwritten notes in the margins: 1, Thursday 5 August, welcome drinks on the river from 4 to 6 pm, and we collect you from your hotel at about 3.30; 2, fly into Victoria Falls Airport (VFA) and land by early afternoon on Thursday at the latest, with your own hotel in town that night; 3, Friday 6 August, coaches collect you in the morning for the 2½ to 4 hour drive; 4, Saturday 7 August, the ceremony at the lodge at 3 pm, outdoors in the bush; 5, Friday and Saturday nights at the lodge, paid when you check out; 6, Sunday 8 August, coaches back to VFA at 11 am and 3 pm, so fly home after 5 pm on Sunday at the earliest.
The airport is 20 minutes from Victoria Falls town; the lodge is 2½ to 4 hours on, by our coaches.

Choose where you’re flying from in the planner below and your route is drawn onto the map.

Everyone flies into Victoria Falls (VFA). Tell us where you’re coming from and we’ll show your usual route, journey time, visa and a rough budget.

Fares are shown in your own currency, at October 2026 exchange rates; everything else is in US dollars, which is what you’ll pay in Zimbabwe. These are estimates, not quotes. August is high season, so book early.

Your usual route

Journey time
Return fare
Zimbabwe visa
Rooms and park fees~US$500

    Accommodation

    Where to Stay

    Thursday night

    Victoria Falls Hotels

    Book your own room for Thursday, plus any extra nights. A few we like, at every price.

    LuxuryWalk to the Falls

    The Victoria Falls Hotel

    The grand Edwardian hotel, with views of the bridge and high tea on the terrace.

    Visit website: The Victoria Falls Hotel

    There are also plenty of Airbnbs in Victoria Falls, from garden cottages to whole houses with pools, which can suit families and groups.Search Airbnb for 5–6 August

    Reserved for our guests

    Hwange Safari Lodge

    Friday 6 and Saturday 7 August

    On the edge of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe’s largest, with a waterhole that elephants visit day and night. Please don’t book directly: tell us who you’re sharing with when you RSVP and we’ll allocate your room.

    Deluxe room, two sharing
    US$190US$95 each, per night
    Deluxe room, single
    US$154
    Deluxe suite, two sharing
    US$264
    Executive suite
    US$300

    Wedding rate per room per night, with breakfast, VAT and levies. You pay the lodge directly when you check out; we’ll confirm the prices, and children’s rates, with the invitation.

    Before you go

    Good to Know

    Visas and passports

    • Most guests buy a visa on arrival or online at evisa.gov.zw
    • US$55 for UK and Irish passports, US$75 for Canadian and US$30 for most others
    • Guatemalan passports: avoid connecting through South Africa unless you plan to visit (why, in the planner)

    Health

    • Victoria Falls and Hwange are malaria areas: ask a travel clinic about tablets around six weeks before you go
    • If you connect in Addis Ababa or Nairobi, keep the layover under 12 hours, or you’ll need a yellow fever certificate

    Weather and dress

    • August is winter: dry and sunny, around 25–28°C by day and sometimes below 10°C at night
    • Bring layers and something warm for the cool evenings
    • Dress codes, day by day: what to wear

    Money and power

    • Zimbabwe uses US dollars: bring small notes for tips
    • Sockets are UK-style three-pin (type G), 220–240 V
    • Local time is UTC+2

    Early RSVP

    Let Us Know

    Please send your early RSVP by 28 February 2027. The formal invitation will follow; telling us now whether you’re likely to come helps us hold the right rooms at the lodge.

    Who’s coming?

    Are you likely to come?
    Katie and Carlos at their engagement
    Katie and Carlos graduating in Cambridge
    Katie and Carlos on a grand staircase
    Katie and Carlos on a cobbled street with their puppy
    Katie and Carlos in the jungle with their puppy, Bondi
    Katie and Carlos on safari, with an elephant behind them
    Katie and Carlos by a lake
    Katie and Carlos by Sydney Harbour Bridge

    Cambridge · London · Guatemala City

    The Road to Hwange

    We met in Cambridge, fell in love in London and have made our home in Guatemala. Next August we’re bringing the people we love most to Zimbabwe, where Katie’s family comes from, for a weekend in the bush.

    Questions

    Frequently Asked

    When should we arrive and leave?
    • Land in Victoria Falls by early afternoon on Thursday 5 August at the latest; the airport is about 20 minutes from town, by hotel shuttle or taxi
    • We collect everyone from their hotels for the welcome cruise at about 3.30 pm
    • On Sunday the coaches leave the lodge at 11 am and 3 pm
    • Fly home after 5 pm on Sunday 8 August at the earliest

    Do I need to book the lodge?
    • No: we’ve reserved the rooms for Friday and Saturday
    • Tell us who you’re sharing with when you RSVP, and we’ll allocate your room
    • You pay the lodge directly when you check out, at the wedding rate: from US$95 a person a night sharing
    • You do need to book your own hotel in Victoria Falls for Thursday

    What’s included?
    • On us: the sunset cruise on Thursday, the coaches, the wedding itself and Sunday brunch
    • Your meals at the lodge on Friday and at Saturday lunch are on your own account, from about US$25 each
    • Game drives at the lodge are extra: book and pay for them there
    • See who arranges what

    How do we get to the lodge?
    • By coach from your Victoria Falls hotel on Friday morning, and back on Sunday
    • We organise and pay for both
    • The drive takes 2½ to 4 hours

    What will the trip cost?
    • Use the planner for an estimate from your city
    • Beyond flights, allow about US$530 a person sharing for a night in Victoria Falls, two nights at the lodge, your own meals there, park fees and a visa

    What’s the dress code?
    • Thursday’s welcome drinks: cocktail. Cocktail dresses, and suits or blazers, with shoes you’re comfortable wearing on a boat and a warm layer for the river after sunset
    • Friday: relaxed. Comfortable clothes for the coach, and neutral colours (khaki, olive, sand) and a warm jacket for game drives in open vehicles
    • Saturday’s wedding: black tie optional. A dark suit and tie for men (no need to bring a tuxedo), and long evening dresses for women
    • The ceremony is on grass and sand, so choose block heels or flats, and bring a wrap or jacket, as nights in Hwange often drop below 10°C
    • Sunday: casual

    Can someone help with bookings?
    • Yes: Karen at Little Travel Co knows Zimbabwe well and can help with flights, extra nights and a safari
    • Write to her at management@littletravelco.com
    • For anything else, write to us

    Are children welcome?
    • Yes, children are welcome
    • Tell us how many are coming in your RSVP, with their names and ages, so we can plan rooms and meals; you can ask for a family room
    • Ask your travel clinic about malaria tablets for them too

    Is there a gift registry?
    • We’re incredibly grateful to everyone making such a big effort to come all this way and be with us on the day
    • We absolutely do not expect gifts
    • If you’d still really like to give us something, we’ve set up a registry at Cemaco to make it easier to choose: view our registry
    • As those who know Katie know, she loves a card, so there will be a place for cards on the day if you’d like to write one

    Thursday, or before and after

    Things to Do at the Falls

    A few favourites for Thursday, before the cruise.

    Walk the Falls

    2 hours · Zimbabwe side

    • A path through the rainforest with sixteen viewpoints along the gorge
    • Entry is US$58
    • Go early, and bring a light raincoat for the spray
    Visit website: Walk the Falls

    The Flight of Angels

    15 minutes · by helicopter

    • A short helicopter flight over the Falls and the zigzag gorges below
    • Book ahead
    • Fly in the morning or late afternoon for the best light
    Visit website: The Flight of Angels

    High tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel

    An afternoon · in town

    • Tea and cakes on Stanley’s Terrace
    • Views across the gorge to the bridge
    • At the grand hotel that opened in 1904
    Visit website: High tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel

    The Victoria Falls Bridge

    1 to 2 hours · on the border

    • Walk out to the middle for the view
    • Take the tour underneath
    • Bungee or swing, if you’re brave
    Visit website: The Victoria Falls Bridge

    The steam train

    4 hours · Bushtracks Express

    • A historic steam train out to the Victoria Falls Bridge, with a five-course dinner on board
    • Tuesday and Friday evenings, and Sundays in high season, with transfers from your hotel
    • Smart casual, for ages 12 and up; book ahead
    Visit website: The steam train

    Livingstone Island

    2 to 3 hours · Zambia side

    • A boat to the island on the lip of the Falls
    • A swim in the rock pools at the edge
    • Tours run June to December; which pool is open depends on the river
    • You cross into Zambia, so check your visa: the KAZA visa (US$50) covers both countries
    Visit website: Livingstone Island

    A game drive

    3 hours · close to town

    • Elephant, buffalo and giraffe in Zambezi National Park
    • Or all of the Big Five, rhino included, at the Stanley & Livingstone reserve
    Visit website: A game drive

    White water rafting

    A full day · Batoka Gorge

    • Some of the best rafting in the world, through the gorge below the Falls
    • Usually runs from July, once the river drops
    • For strong swimmers
    Visit website: White water rafting

    Dinner at The Boma

    An evening · Victoria Falls Safari Lodge

    • A long dinner of local dishes with drumming and dancing
    • Good if you arrive on Wednesday or stay on after Sunday
    Visit website: Dinner at The Boma

    Karen at Little Travel Co can arrange any of these; mention our wedding.

    Before or after

    Make a Trip of It

    You’ve come a long way. Here are some ideas of things to do close by.

    1 to 3 days

    More of Victoria Falls

    A helicopter flight over the Falls, rafting in the gorge, a walk across the bridge into Zambia, or high tea at the Victoria Falls Hotel.

    A day or two nights

    Chobe, Botswana

    Some of Africa’s largest elephant herds, seen from a boat on the Chobe River, about 1½ hours from Victoria Falls.

    2 to 3 nights

    Deeper into Hwange

    Small camps in the heart of the park, for walking safaris and quieter game drives.

    2 to 3 nights

    Matobo Hills

    Granite hills, ancient rock art and rhino tracking on foot, near Bulawayo.

    3 to 4 nights

    Mana Pools and Kariba

    Canoeing on the Zambezi and walking among elephants in one of Africa’s wildest parks, usually reached by light aircraft.

    Karen at Little Travel Co knows Zimbabwe well and can plan extra days around the wedding: see Who to Book With, below.

    People we trust

    Who to Book With

    Mention our wedding when you get in touch.

    Travel agent

    Little Travel Co

    Karen knows Zimbabwe well and can help with flights, extra nights and a safari before or after the wedding.

    management@littletravelco.com
    5–8 Aug 2027 · Zimbabwe RSVP