VISIT ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe is most famous for offering the best views of the Victoria Falls but this large country has a lot more to offer, including excellent safaris for those who want long, hot days out in the bush. After many decades of political turmoil, conservation efforts are paying off and more experienced safari lovers and wildlife photographers are finding out that it has a lot to offer. While not as ‘developed’ as South Africa, it is known for some of the best safari guides in Africa, big herds and strong lion prides.

The most-visited national park is Hwange, which can be reached by road or light aircraft from the Victoria Falls. Hwange has several unusual attractions such as a centre dedicated to the preservation of painted wolves (African wild dogs), a protected stockade for the reintroduction of rhino and even a working locomotive train between lodges with animals crossing the tracks! The other major national park for our purposes is Mana Pools, which lies on the Zambezi River far downstream from the Victoria Falls. It is smaller than Hwange but very charming with riverine forests and plenty of water that attracts the animals.

A popular option is to sail on a fully staffed houseboat on Lake Kariba, the biggest manmade lake in the world by volume! From the houseboats you can see animals on the shoreline as well as hippos and crocodiles in the water – not to mention Zimbabwe’s famously beautiful red sunsets!

ZIMBABWE SAFARIS

In addition to my main safari itinerary, here are some other options:

HWANGE + VICTORIA FALLS

Duration: 9 Days

This is a classic option for first-time visitors and includes a ride on the Elephant Express train!

Day 1- 3: We fly or drive into Hwange from Victoria Falls International Airport, having come from Kasane in Botswana if we’re doing a Botswana safari too or South Africa. After settling into our lodge, we will go out on morning and afternoon game drives to find Hwange’s famous wildlife.

Day 4 – 6: All aboard! A part of a historic railway line still exists in the park and has an open-air carriage called the Elephant Express. We will use this unique train to move to our next lodge in a different part of Hwange – best of all, it doubles as a cool game drive!

Day 7 – 9: Our guide will take us to the nearest airstrip for our fixed-wing aircraft flight back to the Victoria Falls for a few days of relaxing, adventure, shopping and dining out. There are multiple optional extras you can choose here – such as whitewater rafting or bungee jumping – depending on your interests, budget and time of year.

MANA POOLS – KARIBA – HWANGE – VICTORIA FALLS

Duration: 11 Days

See all the best that Zimbabwe has to offer!

Day 1 – 4 We take off from Victoria Falls International Airport to land in Mana Pools. The flight gives us a glimpse of what is to come: time alongside the mighty Zambezi River and game drives inland. The presence of water makes Mana Pools National Park a magnet for animals.

Day 5 – 6: It’s back to the airstrip for a short hop to Lake Kariba. Our accommodation is not necessarily a houseboat but could also be a luxury lodge on the shoreline where we can enjoy swimming, relaxing, birding, sundowners and so forth.

Day 7 – 10: Today we head to Hwange, again by light aircraft. Our guide will be waiting to collect us and show us this immense national park, which is very different to both Mana Pools and Lake Kariba. Be sure to bring your binoculars and camera!

Day 11: Back to where it all began… Victoria Falls. We can decide to extend our stay here either before or after our safari as all our itineraries are flexible. You can also decide to cross the border into Botswana to visit Chobe National Park as it is not far or difficult to do.

HWANGE – MANA POOLS – VICTORIA FALLS

Duration: 9 Days

This is a shorter trip that still hits all of Zimbabwe’s hotspots!

Day 1 – 3: After arriving at Victoria Falls International Airport, we catch a small plane to our lodge’s airstrip in Hwange National Park. There are many accommodation options for us to choose from so Biggestleaf Travel will consider everyone’s budgets, from comfortable to more luxurious.

Day 4 – 6: After plenty of game drives in Hwange, we will board our plane for a short hop to Mana Pools National Park. The reason for combining them is the difference in landscapes, which also affects animals’ behaviour and the species we may see.

Day 7 – 9: The spray of the waterfall may be visible in the distance as we fly back to Victoria Falls. The town is very cultural and vibrant, with plenty of fun options depending on your interests. We could even do an evening of African drumming with traditional African foods cooked on open fires!

TOP PLACES TO VISIT

HWANGE

Hwange is half the size of Belgium! It’s a very large wilderness area in the north that is a few hours’ drive by road from the Victoria Falls (or a short flight in a fixed-wing plane). Most of the accommodation here is very comfortable but not extremely luxurious, which suits more down-to-earth travellers who don’t need a lot of fuss. It is so large that we could easily spend a few days in the north and then move down south seeing strong prides of lion and big herds of buffalo along the way.

MANA POOLS

There are four large ‘pools’ or small lakes in this area, hence its name. Mana Pools is totally different to Hwange’s classic grassy savannah with riverine forest and lots of tall trees. Some of the elephants here are famous because they have taught themselves to balance on their hind legs to reach the fresh, high leaves! Because it is on the Zambezi River, some camps have water views.

LAKE KARIBA

Also in the north of the country, Lake Kariba was formed when a massive dam was built to provide hydroelectric power to the region. A houseboat community has formed and it is popular with those who want a holiday on the water. Be warned only to swim when the captain says it’s safe!

VICTORIA FALLS

A good place to start or end our journey is Mosi-au-Tunya or ‘the smoke that thunders’ in the traditional name. The crescendo and spray can be seen from miles around the best viewing sites are all on the Zimbabwean side. We can easily cross the border to the Zambian side for activities such as swimming in Devil’s Pool or having tea on Livingstone Island, depending on how brave you are!