Experience Victoria Falls, elephant-rich Hwange and the remote Zambezi landscapes of Mana Pools on a tailor-made journey shaped around exceptional guiding, walking safaris, game drives and quieter wilderness.
Quieter, less commercial safari regions
Victoria Falls, Hwange and Mana Pools
Exceptional walking and professional guiding
Featured 8-night journey from $6,300 pp
Zimbabwe offers a quieter and less commercial safari experience than many better-known regions. Some wilderness areas have only a small number of lodges, creating a stronger sense of remoteness and connection to the landscape.
The country brings together Victoria Falls, one of the world’s great natural wonders, and exceptional safari areas such as Hwange and Mana Pools. Zimbabwe is particularly renowned for walking safaris and for the quality of its professional guides.
A journey can combine guided walks, traditional game drives, river-based activities and time in remote tented camps. The result is a safari with strong character, varied landscapes and a closer connection to the wilderness.
Zimbabwe can work for both first-time and experienced safari travellers, but it is especially rewarding for guests drawn to strong guiding, active safari experiences and quieter wilderness areas.
Zimbabwe can be planned as a focused journey or combined with neighbouring Southern African destinations. The route should remain practical and well paced, with each region adding a distinct experience.
Experience Victoria Falls through a guided or independent visit, a sunset cruise on the Zambezi and optional activities such as a helicopter flight, scenic rail experience or other adventures around the falls.
Spend three to four nights exploring Hwange through morning and afternoon game drives and guided walking safaris. Many camps also have hides or waterholes where guests can watch wildlife between activities. Hwange is especially known for elephants, while wild dogs and varied birdlife may also be encountered.
Mana Pools combines remote landscapes with the Zambezi River. Walking safaris, game drives and canoeing create a more active and immersive safari, with opportunities to observe wildlife along the river and elephants entering or crossing the water. It is particularly rewarding for experienced safari travellers, walking-safari enthusiasts, photographers and guests comfortable with remote camps.
Lake Kariba works particularly well as a relaxed ending to a Zimbabwe safari. Guests can enjoy boat cruises, fishing, game drives, sunsets and time beside the water, with spa or wellness treatments available at selected lodges. Walking safaris may be available but are not normally the main focus here.
This eight-night route is an example of how Zimbabwe’s principal highlights can work together. It is not a fixed package and will be adapted around each guest’s dates, interests, preferred accommodation and budget.
| Days | Place and experience | Accommodation style |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | Victoria Falls — 2 nightsBegin at Victoria Falls with time for a guided visit to the falls and a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River. Additional activities can be selected according to the guest’s interests and preferred pace. |
Boutique hotel, guesthouse or established lodge with breakfast. |
| Travel by road from Victoria Falls to Hwange National Park, usually taking approximately two to three hours depending on the lodge location. | ||
| 3–5 | Hwange National Park — 3 nightsStay in a good mid-range to elevated tented safari camp. Experiences can include morning and afternoon game drives, a guided walking safari and wildlife viewing from the camp’s hide or waterhole, with time to relax between activities. |
Tented safari camp, normally fully inclusive according to the selected property. |
| Fly by charter aircraft from Hwange to Mana Pools. The exact routing may include additional airstrip stops according to the operating schedule. | ||
| 6–8 | Mana Pools — 3 nightsFinish in a remote tented camp beside the Zambezi wilderness. Explore through guided walking safaris, game drives and canoeing where included and suitable, while allowing time to appreciate the river, landscapes and sense of remoteness. |
Remote tented safari camp, normally fully inclusive according to the selected property. |
| Fly by charter aircraft from Mana Pools to Harare for the onward departure. | ||
Based on shared accommodation and excluding international flights.
Final pricing depends on the season, selected camps, charter-flight routing, availability and number of travellers.
Rough timing and budget are enough. No planning fee or booking commitment. We normally reply personally within 24 hours.
Enquire → personal reply → planning conversation → tailor-made proposal
Our Zimbabwe recommendations are shaped by personal travel experience and many years of planning and selling journeys throughout the country.
We understand the logistics between remote safari regions and know lodges across different comfort and price categories. This allows us to recommend camps according to each guest’s preferred safari style rather than simply choosing the best-known properties.
We are particularly confident recommending Zimbabwe for walking safaris and have first-hand respect for the knowledge, professionalism and guiding standards found throughout the country.
For wider planning questions, read our Frequently Asked Questions and Terms & Conditions.
Open the questions below for practical Zimbabwe planning guidance.
Yes. Victoria Falls and Hwange can create a strong introduction to Zimbabwe, combining a world-famous natural attraction with a traditional game-drive safari.
More remote and active regions such as Mana Pools can then be added according to the traveller’s interests, comfort level and experience. The route can be kept accessible and well paced or developed into a more active safari with walking and canoeing.
Zimbabwe journeys normally use a combination of road transfers and charter flights. The exact routing depends on the selected camps, airstrips and operating schedules.
The journey usually takes approximately two to three hours by road, depending on the lodge location. A charter flight may also be possible and generally takes around one hour.
Mana Pools is normally reached by charter aircraft, with a flight time of approximately two hours. Flight routes may include additional airstrip stops.
Mana Pools and Lake Kariba can be connected by charter aircraft, normally in approximately one and a half hours. Lake Kariba can then be linked with Harare or Victoria Falls by charter flight.
Victoria Falls offers boutique hotels, guesthouses and established lodges. Hwange and Mana Pools generally use remote safari camps and tented lodges, often on a fully inclusive basis. The journey can be created around good mid-range stays or more elevated four- and five-star camps.
Two nights are usually suitable for Victoria Falls, while three to four nights are recommended for Hwange and approximately three nights for Mana Pools.
A journey combining Victoria Falls, Hwange and Mana Pools would normally require around eight to nine nights. Adding Lake Kariba or extending the safari regions creates a longer and more relaxed route.
These are planning guidelines rather than fixed durations. The final recommendation depends on charter schedules, lodge availability, activities and the pace the guest prefers.
May to October is generally the strongest period for safari travel. June, July and August are peak-season months, with dry conditions and excellent wildlife-viewing opportunities. These are cooler winter months, and evenings and nights can become cold.
November to April is the green season. Landscapes become lush, birdlife is rewarding and photographers may enjoy dramatic skies and young animals. Rain can be heavy in some areas and may affect roads, charter schedules and access to remote camps.
Victoria Falls water levels also change through the year. Higher water levels can create a more dramatic curtain of water and heavier spray, while lower water levels may reveal more of the rock formation. The most suitable timing depends on the wider journey and the guest’s priorities.
Hwange is especially associated with large elephant populations, while Zimbabwe can also offer opportunities to see wild dogs, predators, plains game and varied birdlife.
In Mana Pools, the wildlife experience is closely connected to the Zambezi River. Animals gather along the riverbanks, and elephants may enter or cross the water, creating memorable safari scenes.
Zimbabwe’s walking-safari tradition can provide a different perspective from vehicle-based viewing, but walking is governed by the guide, conditions and the abilities of the guests. Wildlife remains unpredictable and sightings cannot be guaranteed.
Zimbabwe can work well for families when the camps, activities and travel pace are selected carefully. Family units are available at selected safari properties.
Walking safaris and canoeing commonly have minimum-age requirements, often around 16, although the exact restriction differs between camps and activity providers. Families travelling with younger children may need to reserve a private safari vehicle.
Travel between remote regions can involve longer road transfers and small charter aircraft, so the itinerary should be planned around the children’s ages and travel experience.
Health considerations depend on the regions included, and guests should obtain current advice from a qualified travel-health professional.
A journey combining Victoria Falls and Hwange would typically begin from around $4,000 per person, excluding international flights.
A fuller Zimbabwe itinerary including more remote safari regions would generally begin from approximately $5,700 per person for a good mid-range journey during peak season. The featured eight-night Victoria Falls, Hwange and Mana Pools route begins from approximately $6,300 per person.
A more luxurious itinerary may fall around $7,900 to $9,100 per person, depending on the camps, charter flights, season and routing. Green-season offers can sometimes reduce the cost.
All prices are starting guidance based on shared accommodation. Every journey is quoted individually and no price is guaranteed until the arrangements have been confirmed.
The featured route can be adapted by adding three nights at Lake Kariba, extending the stays in Hwange or Mana Pools, or upgrading to more luxurious camps.
Zimbabwe combines particularly easily with Botswana. Victoria Falls and Kasane can usually be connected by road in approximately two hours, creating a natural link with Chobe and the wider Botswana safari circuit.
Flights connect Victoria Falls with Johannesburg and Cape Town, allowing Zimbabwe to form the beginning or end of a wider South African journey.
Zimbabwe may also be combined with Namibia, either through regional flights or a longer overland journey involving the Zambezi Region.
The route, accommodation level and pace are adjusted around the guest’s interests, available time and budget.
Tell us whether you are drawn to Victoria Falls, walking safaris, remote tented camps, fewer crowds or a wider journey combining Zimbabwe with Botswana or South Africa. We will shape the route around your dates, preferred travel style, comfort level and budget.
