Most of the Victoria Falls viewpoints, Hwange's elephant herds and walking in Mana Pools with rigorously trained guides.
Zimbabwe has most of Victoria Falls' viewpoints, the elephant country of Hwange and the Zambezi floodplain at Mana Pools, where you can walk among elephants under winterthorn trees. Its professional guides are known for long, demanding training, and it shows on foot.
We usually start at the Falls, spend three nights in Hwange at a private concession on its eastern side, then fly north to Mana Pools for walking and canoeing. Lake Kariba, the Matobo Hills and the ruins of Great Zimbabwe reward a longer trip.
The caveats: flights connect through Johannesburg, many Mana Pools camps close in the rains, and the economy can make things unpredictable. Camps and guides here are resilient and warm, and visitors notice it.
The experiences we plan most often, with the months they are at their best.
The path through the rainforest opposite the falls gives the longest, most complete views, including the Main Falls and Danger Point. At high water, from about March to May, you will be soaked, so bring a raincoat. Add a sunset cruise on the upper Zambezi or a helicopter flight over the gorges.
Hwange is Zimbabwe's largest national park, and in the dry season its pans draw large herds of elephant, buffalo and sable. Private concessions on the eastern side, around Linkwasha, have fewer vehicles, walking and hides at waterholes. Lions and painted wolves, as wild dogs are known here, are regularly seen.
Mana Pools, a UNESCO-listed floodplain on the Zambezi, is one of the few parks where you may walk freely with a professional guide. In late dry season, elephants stand on their hind legs to feed on winterthorn pods. Canoe trips drift past hippos with Zambia's escarpment across the river.
Lake Kariba is a vast man-made lake with drowned trees, fish eagles and long sunsets over the water. Stay at a lodge by Matusadona National Park, or charter a houseboat for a few days of tiger fishing and game viewing from the water.
South of Bulawayo, the granite kopjes of the Matobo Hills hold one of the highest concentrations of rock art in southern Africa, recognised by UNESCO. Guides track white rhino on foot in the national park, and Cecil Rhodes' grave sits on a summit with wide views. Two nights is ideal.
Great Zimbabwe, near Masvingo, was built by the Shona between the 11th and 15th centuries and was an important trading city. Walk the Hill Ruins and the Great Enclosure early in the day, when the dry-stone walls glow. It gave the country its name.
At Victoria Falls, choose a lodge on the upper Zambezi for peace or a classic hotel in town for walking to the falls. In Hwange, the private concessions in the east are worth the extra for fewer vehicles and walking. At Mana Pools, small tented camps on the river are the whole point; many open only from April to November.
We match each trip in Zimbabwe to hotels, lodges and villas chosen for the way you travel. Tell us what matters and a specialist will suggest two or three that fit.
Ask for hotel suggestionsSample routes to start from. Every one can be changed.
Three camps and one waterfall: Chief's Island for big game, the Duba Plains for lion and buffalo, the Chobe riverfront for elephants, and two nights above the Zambezi to see Victoria Falls from the Zimbabwe side.
Zimbabwe's rains fall from November to March, with the dry season from April to October. The dry months get steadily hotter, from cool, crisp June mornings to fierce heat in October, when animals depend on the rivers and pans.
Victoria Falls runs on a different clock. The Zambezi peaks from about March to May, when the spray can hide the view, and falls to its lowest from October to December. For a Falls and safari combination, June to September balances both.
The Falls, three nights in an eastern Hwange concession and four walking and canoeing on the Zambezi at Mana Pools, joined by light aircraft. 9 nights.
Connect in Johannesburg for Victoria Falls. Walk the rainforest path, then take a sunset boat on the upper Zambezi.
Fly or drive to a private concession in eastern Hwange for game drives, walks and afternoons in a waterhole hide.
Fly north to the Zambezi for walking with a professional guide, canoe trips and evening drives along the floodplain.
Fly by light aircraft to Harare and connect through Johannesburg for the overnight flight to London.
Practical notes checked against their sources. For entry and safety, the FCDO advice for Zimbabwe (opens in a new tab) is always the authority.
There are no direct flights from the UK. Connect in Johannesburg for Victoria Falls, less than two hours away. Light aircraft link the Falls, Hwange, Kariba and Mana Pools.
UK passport holders currently need a visa for Zimbabwe. Read the FCDO entry requirements (opens in a new tab) before you book and again before you fly.
Read the FCDO entry requirements for Zimbabwe (opens in a new tab)
Areas below 1,200 metres, including the Falls, Hwange, Kariba and Mana Pools, are malaria areas, with the highest risk from November to June. Check TravelHealthPro (opens in a new tab) well before you go.
The ZiG is the official currency, but hotels, restaurants and activity operators work in US dollars. Bring plenty of small, clean US dollar notes, since change can be scarce.
Econet is the main mobile network, and you need ID to buy one of its SIM cards. Camps have limited wifi, and remote areas such as Mana Pools have little or no signal.
Tipping is appreciated rather than expected in daily life, but it is customary on safari for guides and camp staff, in cash. We include current guidance with your documents.
Zimbabwe has most of the viewpoints and the longer rainforest walk, so it gives the fuller view of the falls. Zambia has Devil's Pool and closer views of the eastern cataract. Crossing between them is simple, so many people see both. From October to December the Zambian side can run very low, which makes Zimbabwe the safer choice.
Safari areas and Victoria Falls are well set up for visitors, and camps are run by experienced teams. The main practical issues are economic: cash shortages and occasional fuel or power interruptions. We handle logistics in advance, so you rarely notice. Read the FCDO advice before travelling.
Mana Pools is one of the few African parks where you may walk with a professional guide in open, park-like country along a great river. The winterthorn forest, the Zambezi and the Zambian escarpment make it beautiful, and elephants, lions and wild dogs are regularly seen. It is at its best from August to October.
Yes. Victoria Falls is a short drive from Kasane, the gateway to Botswana's Chobe River, and a bridge crossing from Livingstone in Zambia. A classic route is the Falls, then Hwange or the Chobe, then the Okavango or Mana Pools, using light aircraft between them.
Tell us a little and a specialist will reply with ideas, dates that work and a price. Best months: June to October.
Walking safaris in South Luangwa, canoes on the Lower Zambezi and Victoria Falls: bush country at walking pace.
Small camps, private concessions and a flood that arrives in the dry season: the Okavango is safari at its quietest.
Cape Town, the Winelands and a private Kruger reserve in one trip, with direct flights and barely any jet lag.
